Discover two extraordinary African kingdoms on this 6-day private safari through Eswatini and Lesotho, combining wildlife, culture, and dramatic mountain landscapes. Fly from Johannesburg to the Kingdom of Eswatini for cultural villages and wildlife reserves, including rhino encounters at Mkhaya Game Reserve. Then travel through KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and ascend the iconic Sani Pass into the Drakensberg (Maloti Mountains in Lesotho).
Meet remote Basotho communities and visit the spectacular 192-meter Maletsunyana Falls. This journey is ideal for travellers seeking rich African cultures combined with high-altitude adventure, with return flights maximising your time rather than driving.
Your 6-Day Private Eswatini & Lesotho Fly-in Safari departs Johannesburg this morning on a scheduled flight to King Mswati III International Airport in Eswatini. Upon arrival, you are met by your guide and begin exploring the cultural highlights of the kingdom with a visit to the Swazi Cultural Village to gain insight into traditional Swazi customs and lifestyles. Continue to Ngwenya Glass to witness the ancient art of glass blowing before visiting Ngwenya Mine, considered the oldest mine in Africa. Visit the National Museum and King Sobhuza Memorial Park to learn more about the country’s royal history and heritage before settling into your comfortable lodge for the evening.
After an early breakfast, your private Eswatini & Lesotho tour departs for Mkhaya Game Reserve, one of Eswatini’s premier wildlife conservation areas. Transfer into an open 4x4 Land Rover and head into the reserve to enjoy a scenic safari drive through the African bush en route to your camp. Your guide will help you spot wildlife on the way.
After settling into camp, spend a thrilling afternoon searching for wildlife on a guided game drive. Mkhaya Game Reserve is home to Eswatini’s only populations of buffalo, sable antelope, and tsessebe, as well as black and white rhino, giraffe, roan antelope, and exceptional birdlife, all often seen at close range on safari.
Return to the camp for dinner and an overnight stay in the rustic safari atmosphere, surrounded by nature.
Your private safari departs Eswatini this morning, traveling through KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to the picturesque town of Howick Falls, where you meet your private Lesotho guide. Visit the Nelson Mandela Capture Site and stop for lunch, then continue into the beautiful Southern Drakensberg region, known for its rolling mountains, valleys, and dramatic landscapes. Arrive at your guest house near Underberg. There is a selection of restaurants in Underberg to choose from for dinner. Enjoy a relaxing evening in preparation for your Sani Pass adventure.
Today, your Eswatini & Lesotho private tour ascends the legendary Sani Pass, one of Southern Africa’s most spectacular mountain roads into Lesotho. Stop for tea along the pass while enjoying breathtaking views over the Drakensberg (Maloti Mountains in Lesotho). Visit a traditional shepherd’s village to learn about mountain life and local bread baking before crossing Black Mountain, the highest point on the Sani Pass route.
Continue through remote Basotho villages, where you meet a traditional healer and experience local dances and rituals. Travel across the “Roof of Africa”, passing Afriski Mountain Resort and the Letseng Diamond Mine before enjoying a late lunch at Oxbow Lodge. Time permitting, visit the historic Liphofung Caves to view ancient San rock art before descending the winding Moteng Pass into Lesotho’s fertile lowlands. Arrive in Hlotse for dinner and your overnight stay.
After breakfast, your private tour makes a stop at the Leribe Craft Market, where local women weave beautiful mohair products by hand. Continue to Thaba Bosiu, the historic mountain stronghold of King Moshoeshoe I, where you explore the cultural centre and learn about the origins of the Basotho nation.
Tuck into a packed lunch, then travel through Lesotho’s dramatic mountain scenery to Semonkong, known as the “Place of Smoke”. Check into Semonkong Lodge and enjoy the lively atmosphere of this authentic mountain village, where horses, donkeys, and cattle roam freely through the streets as shepherds return home for the evening.
This morning, visit the spectacular Maletsunyana Falls, one of Africa’s highest single-drop waterfalls and among the world’s premier abseiling destinations. After taking in the magnificent mountain scenery, depart Semonkong with a packed lunch and travel to Lesotho's capital city, Maseru, and the airport for your afternoon flight back to Johannesburg. Here, your 6-Day Private Eswatini & Lesotho Fly-in Safari adventure comes to an end.
This 12-Day Private South Africa, Eswatini & Lesotho Safari features a Kruger Big Five safari, scenic Panorama Route drive, Eswatini culture & wildlife, St Lucia wetlands & coast, & the iconic Sani Pass into Lesotho.
All Johannesburg Departures | All Lesotho Tours |
1. O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), 1 Jones Rd, Kempton Park, Johannesburg, 1632, South Africa
2. King Mswati III International Airport, P. O. Box D361, The Gables H126, Eswatini
3. 5 Tivakashi St, Ezulwini H106, Eswatini
4. 8P8W+9JW Mkhaya Game Reserve, Siphofaneni, Eswatini
5. Hlotse, Lesotho
6. 524V+QW, Semonkong, Lesotho
7. GHV5+RJ7 Moshoeshoe I International Airport, Mazenod, Lesotho
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