This 9-day private fly-in safari from Johannesburg combines the wildlife-rich wetlands of St Lucia, the cultural heritage and wildlife of Eswatini, and the dramatic mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Travel through Big Five safari territory, UNESCO World Heritage landscapes, and coastal ecosystems before ascending the legendary Sani Pass into the Lesotho mountains. Experience traditional villages, hippo-filled estuaries, ancient rock art, and remote mountain passes while staying in comfortable lodges throughout. Includes flights from Johannesburg to maximise holiday time.
Your 9-Day Private Eswatini, St Lucia & Lesotho Fly-in Safari departs Johannesburg on a morning flight to King Mswati III International Airport in Eswatini. (You may opt for a road transfer.) You are met upon your arrival, and begin your cultural journey with a visit to the Swazi Cultural Village for an introduction to traditional Swazi life. Continue to Ngwenya Glass to observe the ancient craft of glass blowing before visiting Ngwenya Mine, the oldest known mine in Africa. In the afternoon, explore the National Museum and King Sobhuza Memorial Park for deeper insight into the Kingdom of Eswatini’s royal history before settling into your lodge set in serene grounds.
Your private safari makes an early morning departure to Mkhaya Game Reserve, one of Eswatini’s most important wildlife conservation areas. Transfer to the reserve is in an open 4x4 Land Rover. Enjoy a game drive en route to your camp. In the afternoon, head out on another safari 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 frequently seen at close range on safari drives. Return to your rustic safari camp for a hearty dinner under a star-studded sky.
Your Private Eswatini, St Lucia & Lesotho tour departs Mkhaya and Eswatini, crossing into South Africa, to a private Big Five game lodge for a classic South African safari experience. Enjoy an afternoon game drive in search of the Big Five - lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo – and a host of other animals in their natural habitat. Make a stop for sundowners in the bush before returning to your safari lodge for a hearty dinner and evening by the campfire.
Depart the game lodge and travel towards the Indian Ocean coastline to St Lucia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Arrive and check in to your comfortable guesthouse to freshen up before setting off on a sunset boat cruise on the estuary, where hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife can be seen. iSimangaliso is known for having the highest density of hippos in South Africa, and these enormous animals can even be spotted in town, casually roaming between homes, gardens, and roads in search of grazing.
After breakfast, your private safari departs St Lucia and visits a cheetah sanctuary en route to Umhlanga, a coastal town near Durban. Learn about the conservation and rehabilitation of cheetahs, the world's fastest big cat. Continue to the beach town and settle into your accommodation for the evening. Umhlanga boasts a diverse selection of restaurants you can choose from for dinner.
Travel inland from the coast into the mountain scenery of the Southern Drakensberg region, stopping along the way for comfort breaks and stunning scenic viewpoints. Arrive in Underberg and check in at your guesthouse in preparation for your epic journey up the Sani Pass in the morning.
Today, your private Eswatini, St Lucia & Lesotho safari ascends the iconic Sani Pass into Lesotho, stopping for tea and photography along the winding mountain road. Visit a traditional shepherd’s village to see local bread baking and experience authentic Basotho mountain life. Cross Black Mountain, the highest point of the Sani Pass route, and continue to a rural village where you meet a traditional healer and witness cultural dances and rituals of the Basotho people.
Continue across the “Roof of Africa,” stopping to photograph Lesotho mountain scenery, passing Afriski Resort and the Letseng Diamond Mine before stopping for a late lunch at the Oxbow Lodge. After lunch, if time permits, visit the Liphofung Caves to view ancient San rock art. Descend the winding Moteng Pass into the lowlands, arriving in Hlotse in time for dinner and an overnight stay.
The morning starts with a visit to the Leribe Craft Market, where local women weave beautiful products out of mohair, before travelling to the historic Thaba Bosiu, the place of burial of the Basotho kings, to learn about Basotho royal history. Continue on through dramatic mountain scenery, stopping for a packed lunch, and heading into the mountains to the authentic mountain village, Semonkong. Check into your lodge on the outskirts of this bustling donkey and horse-trading town, and enjoy the rural atmosphere as horses, donkeys, and cattle are ushered through the village by shepherds.
Visit the spectacular Maletsunyane Falls this morning, one of the world’s highest single-drop waterfalls, before departing Semonkong with a packed lunch. Travel through the stunning Lesotho mountain scenery to Maseru, the capital city of Lesotho. Arrive at the airport for your scheduled flight back to Johannesburg. Here, your 9-Day Private Eswatini, St Lucia & Lesotho Fly-in Safari comes to a close.
This 6-Day Private Eswatini & Lesotho Fly-in Safari tours the two Kingdoms of Eswatini and Lesotho, but leaves out the South African coast and wetlands
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 & ascend the iconic Sani Pass into Lesotho.
All Johannesburg Departures | All Drakensberg Mountains 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. 8P8W+9JW Mkhaya Game Reserve, Siphofaneni, Eswatini
4. Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, Mpembheni, 3937, South Africa
5. Underberg, South Africa
6. 524V+QW, Semonkong, Lesotho
7. GHV5+RJ7 Moshoeshoe I International Airport, Mazenod, Lesotho
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