Motorbike Safari in KwaZulu-Natal (ITT)

DAILY PROGRAM
An extraordinary destination, where royal treatment is a part of each day, where the staff’s passion for wildlife and the bush filters through every moment and every encounter.

Times in the daily programme are approximate, and may differ on occasions. Your guide and management will keep you informed, should these change:

Day one:

14h00Arrive at Amakhosi Safari Lodge.
15h00 (winter)/14h00 (summer) Enjoy High Tea on the verandah.
15h30 (winter)/16h00 (summer)Depart on afternoon game viewing safari with sundowners during the drive.
19h00 (winter)/19h30 (summer) Return and freshen up before dinner.
19h30 (winter)/20h00 (summer)Return for pre-dinner drinks followed by dinner either in the dining room or boma.

Day two:

05h00 (winter)/04h30 (summer)Wake up call by your ranger.
05h30 (winter)/05h00 (summer)Early morning coffee on the verandah, before heading out on game viewing safari.
05h45 (winter)/05h15 (summer)Depart on morning game viewing safari with a stopover in for coffee/tea.
09h30 (winter)/09h00 (summer)Return to the Lodge for brunch.
Thereafter, at leisure (enjoy a massage, relax at the pool or embark upon a bush walk with your ranger.
15h00 (winter)/14h00 (summer)High Tea on the verandah.
15h30 (winter)/16h00 (summer)Depart on afternoon game viewing safari with sundowners.
Should you be keen to experience a frogging safari in the summer months, this can be incorporated with prior arrangement.
19h00 (winter)/19h30 (summer) Return and freshen up before dinner.
19h30 (winter)/20h00 (summer)Return to the lodge for dinner in the dining room or boma.

Day three:

05h00 (winter)/04h30 (summer)Wake up call.
05h30 (winter)/05h00 (summer)Early morning coffee followed by game viewing safari.
05h45 (winter)/05h15 (summer)Depart on game viewing safari and stopover in the bush for coffee/tea. If you are keen to participate in a Cultural Safari, this can be arranged with your ranger and incorporated into one of your morning safaris.
09h30 (winter)/09h00 (summer)Return to the Lodge for brunch.
11h00Check-out time. Porters will collect your luggage from your suite. We

Walking Safaris are offered from the lodge this includes a combination of bush walking and game viewing safaris. This is not for the faint hearted! This is at an additional charge

Seasonal Frogging Safaris (Nov – Feb)

Wade through water ponds and reeds at night in search of 33 different species of frogs. With headlamp and gum boots, as many as 15 to 20 of these slippery little amphibians can be sighted in one outing. this activity needs to be pre-booked and is at an additional charge

The Battle of Isandlwana, 22nd January 1879.  British defeat or Zulu victory?

Breakfast at 06:50.  Depart at 7:30 for Isandlwana listening to a tape narrated by David Rattray playing in the vehicle explaining the background to the Anglo-Zulu War.  There is a stop at 9:00 for a comfort break and to view the museum at Isandlwana. The lecture on the battlefield begins at 9:45 until around 11:45, when refreshments are served.  The lecture takes place half way up the hill. 

Another tape, this time describing the story of the survivors and events after the battle of Isandlwana is played en route back to the Lodge or Guest House, returning for lunch at 13:00.  (ITT)

The battle of Rorke’s Drift, 22nd January 1879. An account of this epic defence against impossible odds – an action in which 11 V.C.’s were won.

Departs at 15:00 (winter) or 15:15 (summer).  Guests have time to look through the museum at Rorke’s Drift before the lecture begins at 16:00.  There is very little walking involved.  The lecture concludes around 18:00 and guests are then given the opportunity to look around the memorials and graveyard before returning to the Lodge and Guest House.  (ITT)

The property is home to various plains game such as Wildebeest, Blesbok, Impala, Nyala, Zebra, Kudu, Giraffe and many more.  Horse riding on the property is a great chance to view the game up close and to really appreciate the fauna and flora.  They also offer horse riding trips to Masondo, the crack in the Buffalo River where the Zulus crossed the river on their way to Rorke’s Drift.  (ITT) 

Fugitives’ Drift is renowned for delivering awe-inspiring battlefield tours that bring the battles of Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana to life.  This experience gives a deep and tangible insight into some of the most moving of South Africa’s battlefields. Fugitives’ Drift is expanding on these experiences with the addition of dedicated tours for children under 12 years of age.  While their world-renowned tours set off with the parents, shorter, more interactive tours on the property, led by a guide, will engage and inspire their children with stories of the bravery and courage of the British soldiers and Zulu warriors.  These tours will be followed by a game walk and a more cultural encounter:

• See giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, kudu, Nyala and other non - threatening game in their 5000-acre private reserve.
• Hold a Martini-Henry rifle, as used by the British at Rorke’s Drift and a variety of contemporary Zulu assegais.
• Discover the traditional medicinal uses of the flora and fauna of the region – how do the Zulus brush their teeth?
• A visit to the nearby Zulu cultural village for a tangible experience of the Zulu’s way of life, could be an optional extra.

Followed by an early, specially prepared dinner, hot chocolate, and a babysitter on call, the Fugitives’ Drift experience can now be enjoyed by parents and children alike.  (ITT)

The Lodge has a network of single track ranging from flat to steep, technical and some not so technical.  They also have lots of Jeep track (two track).  You are welcome to bring your own bicycle, but they do have 4 bikes available for guests use.

One of the many perks of cycling on the property is viewing the array of plains game that live there, such as Giraffe, Zebra, Blesbok, Wildebeest , Impala and many more.  (ITT)

It is quite safe to walk on the property; Zulu guides are available to accompany those wishing to walk longer distances.  The most popular walk is to the great ledge overlooking several hundred square miles of unspoilt Zululand.  There is no charge for this walk.  Fishing, horse riding and the hike from Isandlwana to the Buffalo River (the Fugitives’ Trail) are also available.  (ITT)

For those keen on fly fishing, our game reserve is bordered by the Buffalo River Gorge and provides a fantastic fishing spot. Spend a morning in spectacular and tranquil surroundings, fishing for Natal Yellow Fish. Our guide ties all of the custom-made flies to the line for you, and is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced.

Natal Yellowfish, also affectionately known as Scaly (Yellowfish), are a freshwater fish endemic to eastern South Africa, and KZN in particular. They can grow up to 65cm in length and weigh up to 4.5kg. The are an incredibly strong fighting fish, and readily take a well drifted fly.

Kindly note that our fishing guide is outsourced, and so fishing trips must be booked in advance. Fishing in the Buffalo River is also season dependent and can only be done between May and October (with the best time being June – September).

Please also note that all fishing is strictly catch-and-release.

Another exciting excursion is to Blood River. This is where a battle was fought between the Boers and the Zulus on the 16th December (now a public holiday in South Africa), 1838. This trip is well worth the drive: 64 life-sized solid bronze wagons now sit on the site of the battle and are quite remarkable.

For Conference Use - Includes a mid-morning tea-break, bottled water & mints. Lunch and afternoon tea is included in the overnight rate. Screen & Projector for use. Rate is charged per day.

Pre-booking essential:  Battle of Spioenkop – Three Trees Flagship Tour – half-day (4hours)

This tour tells of the bloodiest single day of the entire South African War. During January, General Sir Redvers Buller was joined by Lt General Sir Charles Warren, but their renewed attempts to breach the Boer defence line along the Thukela River were unsuccessful. Spioenkop was the highest point on the Boer defensive line and on 23 January 1900, a British attempt to capture it began. Astonishingly, Louis Botha, Winston Churchill and Mohandas Ghandi all played a role in this battle. The result of this battle confirmed that those early disasters of ‘Black Week’ were not merely beginners luck on the part of the Boers. Spioenkop, together with Majuba, are arguably the best known of all the battles between the British and the Boers. (ITT)

Hiking In The Drakensberg
Three Trees offers great access to The uKhahlamba National Park (formerly the Royal Natal National Park), Cathedral Peak and the Champagne Valley, which are all within an hour's drive of the lodge. Maps & guide books can be arranged at the lodge with picnic lunches for hikes ranging from short half hour walks to full day hikes. Guided hikes can be arranged with your resident qualified guides.

Guided Walks
The lodge is situated on 1,200ha of naturally rolling Drakensberg foothills. Both owners are FGASA qualified Field Guides and have a wealth of knowledge on the Natural Fauna & Flora in the area. Joined by the dogs, and walking alongside the game reserve, a walk out in the hills is not to be missed. Well-marked trails are also available if you want to meander along in your own steam.

San Rock Art
The Ukhahlamba Park is one of the most densely painted regions in Africa, if not the entire world, containing some 550 known San rock painting sites, amounting to over 40 000 recorded individual images. Didima Rock Art Centre is situated in the Cathedral Peak Nature Reserve and can be visited for an informative look into the San people’s lives. A registered guide can also be arranged to take you up into the mountains to view original rock art. (ITT)

There are numerous opportunities for horse riding at and around Three Trees. Guests can ride on the property providing wonderful views of the Spioenkop Battlefield, the Game Reserve and the Drakensberg Mountains. These rides provide a wonderful opportunity to experience the spectacular countryside up close whether to view the flora and fauna, to gain insights into the difficulties of fighting a war with Victorian impedimenta on this terrain, or to view seldom visited parts of the Battlefield (for example the Boer trenches on nTabanyama). Pony rides can also be arranged for children on request. (ITT)

Spioenkop Game Reserve
The lodge position overlooking the Spioenkop Game Reserve affords great game viewing opportunities, whether it is from your room, on horseback or whilst out walking on the property. Rhino and giraffe and many varieties of antelope may be spotted grazing near the Lodge on the other side of the fence. Managed by Ezimvelo Wildlife the park is well worth a visit. It is easily accessible by car and takes an hour to get to the entrance.

Birding
A bird list of 300 species has been recorded in the area, with Cape Vultures, Lanner Falcons, Buff Streaked Chats & Fairy Flycatchers all residing here. In the winter months (when the aloes are flowering) most mountain-dwelling birds descend to the foothills to take advantage of the sweet nectar & insects that adorn these spectacular plants. The Malachite sunbird is a stunning example of this. In the summer months, Northern migrants arrive to fill the air with calls & twittering that will keep any “twitcher” on his toes. (ITT)

Mountain bikes available for guests to use at an additional cost. Road riding & technical guided trails available on request. (ITT)