Adventure Dunkeld and Kruger Safari (8 Days) DUT001

WEDNESDAY Three hours from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo Airport, deep within a magnificent forest, is a place commonly referred to as ‘Scotland’s Only Outpost in Africa’ or ‘the Place of Eternal Mist’. On the map, it’s called Dullstroom, a mecca for fly-fishermen, hikers, mountain bikers, plant lovers, horse riders and those who simply want to curl up in front of a log fire and enjoy the scenery. Take advantage of all the leisure activities on offer at the Dunkeld Country and Equestrian Estate.
Overnight:  Dunkeld Country & Equestrian Estate or similar

THURSDAY After breakfast, you will explore Dullstroom and its own calm, distinctive, and singular atmosphere. Explore the original architecture, quaint stores, artisan shops and art galleries which line Dullstroom’s main street. Thereafter, you will be whisked off to Pilgrim’s Rest which is a small town with a very colorful and exciting history. In 1873 the town and surrounding area was densely populated with prospectors all hoping to make their fortunes in the second of the Transvaal gold fields. Today the town is a tourist location that takes visitors back in time to the days of the gold rush in the 1870’s. When it first became a tourist attraction in 1970 it was changed very little from its heyday and is now a protected historical site. In 1986 the town was declared a National Monument and since then a concerted effort has been made by curators, historians, architects and other interested parties to ensure the integrity of its history is preserved at all times. . After lunch you enjoy the day following the Panorama Route and will find yourself staring out of God’s Window at the canyons that seemingly stretch forever and the waterfalls, and indigenous forest nearly 3000 feet below. The Lisbon Waterfalls, named after the Portuguese who, in the late 1800s, panned for gold in the area, plunges over 300 feet into the ravine. View the intricate network of large, otherworldly potholes, tunnels and whirling pools at Bourke’s Luck Potholes. These bizarre shapes in the sandstone were formed over millennia at the mouth of the canyon by the raging Blyde and Treur Rivers swirling and crashing together. Visible on the other side of the northern edges of the Drakensberg mountains and shaped like traditional African huts are the iconic Three Rondavels, once known as the Chief and His Wives.  The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world and largest green covered canyon in the world. From there you return to Dunkeld.
 Overnight:  Dunkeld Country & Equestrian Estate or similar

FRIDAY Enjoy breakfast at leisure before you depart for your Safari. Welcome to the Tshukudu Game Lodge which will be your home for the next four days. Nestled between the Blyde River Valley and the Kruger National Park with whom Tshukudu shares an unfenced border. Freshen up and relax before dinner and a good night's rest.
Overnight: Tshukudu Game Lodge or similar

SATURDAY Tshukudu Private Game Reserve is home to some of the most endangered wildlife in Africa - lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard. Other, but equally fascinating wildlife, such as the shy, spiral-horned nyala, and the not-so-shy vervet monkeys are only 2 of the myriad of species that live in the environs of Tshukudu Private Game Reserve. It’s a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts, not to mention twitchers. Apart from the four-legged creatures, there are 477 species of birds in the Greater Kruger area, from Little Grebes to Goliath Herons, Pink-backed Pelicans to Lappet Faced Vultures, as well sparrow hawks, falcons and quail. After your sunrise game drive and brunch, you will have the rest of the afternoon to yourself. A delicious High Tea before your first sunset game drive is the perfect introduction to life, sophisticated and wild, at Tshukudu. You will have plenty of time once you return to the Lodge to freshen up before dinner.
Overnight: Tshukudu Game Lodge or similar

SUNDAY Dawn in the African bush is special. There’s something magical even about the air and the scent of the wild places. It holds a promise of something unexpected and memorable just around the corner. If you want to see African animals at their best, then early morning game drives are essential. Wildlife is most active in the cool early mornings when the dew is still on the ground. They also stir, and hunt when the hot sun is setting behind the Jackleberry trees in the late afternoons, another excellent time for a game drive.  After your sunrise game drive and brunch, you will have the rest of the afternoon to yourself.  Here at Tshukudu, sunset game drives may, on return to the Lodge, continue into the night, under a brilliant star-studded sky. The scent of the wild deepens, overlaid by the hot perfume of dust. The sounds of game and the bush itself are more noticeable. Powerful spotlights on the vehicle are the only way to see the unusual nocturnal creatures. Creatures such as the highly endangered pangolins, arrdwolves, civets and polecats. The noisy, adorable bushbabies, or Galagos, leap long distances from branch to branch, foraging for insects. An evening spent here, where the wild things are, somehow makes an already delicious dinner that much more memorable.
Overnight: Tshukudu Game Lodge or similar

MONDAY It has been said that even an hour in paradise is a rewarding experience and this can also be said to be true of Africa's greatest wildlife sanctuary, the Kruger National Park. An hour is rewarding, but a whole day is a life-changing experience. For an authentic safari experience, our full-day Kruger safari will give you an unbelievable overview of this iconic destination. Game viewing from open safari vehicles in Kruger has to be one of the ultimate safari experiences in Africa and being able to do this in a day is ideal for those with limited time available. If the weather permits, dinner back at the Lodge will be in the outdoor boma, around the fire, under the star-filled African sky.
Overnight: Tshukudu Game Lodge or similar

TUESDAY Dawn in the African bush is special. There’s something magical even about the air and the scent of the wild places. It holds a promise of something unexpected and memorable just around the corner. If you want to see African animals at their best, then early morning game drives are essential. Wildlife is most active in the cool early mornings when the dew is still on the ground. They also stir, and hunt when the hot sun is setting behind the Jackleberry trees in the late afternoons, another excellent time for a game drive. Here at Tshukudu, sunset game drives may, on return to the Lodge, continue into the night, under a brilliant star-studded sky. The scent of the wild deepens, overlaid by the hot perfume of dust. The sounds of game and the bush itself are more noticeable. Powerful spotlights on the vehicle are the only way to see the unusual nocturnal creatures. Creatures such as the highly endangered pangolins, arrdwolves, civets and polecats. The noisy, adorable bushbabies, or Galagos, leap long distances from branch to branch, foraging for insects. An evening spent here, where the wild things are, somehow makes an already delicious dinner that much more memorable.
Overnight: Tshukudu Game Lodge or similar

WEDNESDAY Your final morning at Tshukudu Game Lodge provides you an opportunity for one more wild encounter in your last sunrise game drive. Savour the moment with coffee and muffins as the animals and birds welcome the new day. After brunch, a short transfer to Hoedspruit Airport. There, check-in for your flight home or onward to another adventure on your vacation.