An amazing 17-day South Africa & Eswatini Safari with affordable accommodation. Start with Kruger National Park, where we spend our days in search of the wildlife that makes this park one of the top safari destinations in Africa. We then cross the border into Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) to explore Malolotja Nature Reserve before heading back into South Africa and the scenic areas of Zululand and the Drakensberg.
It's then westwards to the stunning Wild Coast and on to Addo Elephant National Park, home to a massive population of elephants and the rest of the Big 5. After our wildlife adventure, we drive along the beautiful Garden Route, visiting Knysna and Tsitsikamma. Our Southern African adventure ends off with Hermanus, Stellenbosch, and picturesque Cape Town.
This South Africa & Eswatini Safari departs from Johannesburg at 06:30 am as we head towards Mpumalanga, a region of mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, rivers, waterfalls, and forests. Few regions in the world can match the extraordinary beauty of the Lowveld and escarpment landscapes. We take a last look at the view from God's Window before leaving the escarpment and heading for our lodge on the edge of Greater Kruger National Park.
On day two, we enjoy a thrilling game drive in South Africa's largest game reserve. Kruger boasts one of the greatest concentrations of species in the world and has an amazing 16 different ecosystems. We return to our lodge before the sun sets so that we catch this spectacular sight as the sun goes down over the Drakensberg Mountains. We have time to relax, perhaps enjoy a cooling swim in the pool before sitting down to a well-deserved dinner.
This morning we take a short walk in the surrounding bush, learning more about the ecosystems in this area. From there we set out for the southern area of Kruger National Park. We go wildlife viewing on two separate game drives in search of the abundant wildlife found here. We spend a second night in Kruger and spend the evening chatting with our fellow travelers in the company of the wild sounds of the night.
Malolotja Nature Reserve in the mountainous Kingdom of Eswatini is our next exciting destination.
Renowned for a great variety of habitats from short grassland to thick riverine scrub, bushveld, and moist forest, we explore the reserve on walks, enjoying the fantastic mountain scenery. We spend the night in en-suite chalets at a lodge with a pool, restaurant, and bar, in the mountains.
We visit craft markets near Mbabane that have a fascinating range of handmade crafts and the local witchdoctor stall is not to be missed! We re-enter South Africa and head to our private game reserve on the Msinene Nature Reserve. Here our guide takes us on a nature walk along the riverine vegetation of the Msinene River and into the bushveld, pointing out the birdlife here and teaching us about tracking the wildlife. Hippos, leopards, and nyala are all found here amongst the other wildlife.
On Day 6 an early morning game drive in Hluhluwe Game Reserve. This is the oldest game reserve in South Africa and it is well known for conserving white and black rhinos.
The Drakensberg Mountains or "uKhahlamba" - the Barrier of Spears, is a 200-kilometer-long mountainous wonderland and world heritage site.
From Zululand, we move further south to the base of these mountains where we overnight for two nights in chalets with twin share rooms and en suite bathrooms. We will spend time walking along beautiful mountain stream paths and enjoying spectacular views.
On day nine we head for the Wild Coast, via the town of Qunu, where Nelson Mandela is buried. We pay our respects to Mandela, a political icon and the first democratic president of South Africa, before continuing our journey to the Wild Coast. This area remains a relatively untouched paradise in South Africa.
There are undisturbed stretches of dramatic and savagely beautiful coastline, open spaces, and pristine forest areas.
We overnight at a hotel situated right on the beach with lovely sea views. Day 10 is set aside for you to explore this scenic coastal area, meet the local people or enjoy the beaches.
The Addo Elephant National Park was established in 1931 to protect the last 11 wild elephants in the region.
Today more than 600 elephants roam through the area. Addo Elephant Park also offers excellent viewing of black rhino, Cape buffalo, lion, and leopard, as well as a host of other large and small mammals and over 400 species of birds in the greater park area. In addition to our game drives, you have the option (extra cost) of embarking on a night game drive in open safari vehicles with the national park rangers.
On day 11 of the South Africa and Eswatini Safari we overnight in chalets located in the Addo Elephant National Park.
For the next two nights, we stay at a well-appointed hotel in Plettenberg Bay on the famous Garden Route coastline of South Africa.
We will take a day trip to the Storms River mouth where there are walks up the gorge in the forest and along the rugged coastline.
The Tsitsikamma National Park incorporates 80km of spectacular sea and landscapes; a remote mountainous region with secluded valleys, and coastal forests with deep river gorges leading down to the sea. Optional activities (own expense) include whale watching (in season) and treetop canopy tours.
Day 13 will be dedicated to leisure activities. In the morning you can either book the optional ocean safari to see the dolphins and whales (when in season) or you can wander through the shops and markets in town. Or you can choose to spend some time on the golden, blue flag beaches which Plettenberg Bay is well known for. In the afternoon there will be a guided walk on the beautiful Robberg Peninsula which is also a nature reserve.
A very exciting stop at the famous Knysna Heads to admire the breathtaking views before we move on to Hermanus. In Hermanus, we'll be staying overnight at a seaside hotel set in a great location. In season, Hermanus offers some of the best land-based whale watching in the world.
From June to November Southern Right whales come up from the southern oceans to the coast to calve and mate in the shallows. During the whale season, we take a walk along this beautiful coastline looking out for whales. In summer, when the whales have left, we will explore the flowering fynbos in Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Our evening meal will be at a local restaurant (own expense).
Cape Town is one of the most picturesque cities in the world, with the majestic Table Mountain providing its central focus.
On our way into Cape Town, we visit Stellenbosch, South Africa's renowned wine region, for wine tasting (own expense) and a cellar tour. The mother city, as Cape Town is fondly called, has many attractions to offer visitors. We visit the harbor of Hout Bay village, explore Cape Point Nature Reserve on the rugged Southern Peninsula, and enjoy the beautiful beaches, before going to the V&A Waterfront to eat out (own expense) at one of the excellent local restaurants. You also have the option of taking a tour of Robben Island (own expense), among other extra activities.
We stay in twin share rooms with en suite bathrooms, at a Hotel in the V&A Waterfront.
In the morning we climb the famous Table Mountain, offering panoramic views over Cape Town reaching out into the bay and Robben Island.
Having explored the highlights of the rainbow nation on the South Africa & Eswatini Safari, we take one last look at scenic Cape Town and catch up on last-minute curio shopping in the afternoon, before your African adventure comes to an end at the Hotel (at 18:00).
The South Africa & Eswatini Safari can be combined with several of our other African safaris to create a complete Southern Africa Adventure. Please contact African Budget Safaris for more details.
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does take children.
Children between the ages of 12 and 17 years of age are accepted on group scheduled departures, travelling with an accompanying adult.
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