After a long flight, you will be welcomed by one of our friendly guides at either Lanseria of ORT international airport. You will then be transferred to your first nights’ accommodation in Johannesburg. There you will be briefed as well as complete all the relevant documents for the exciting journey ahead.
Internet research. Traveller forums like TripAdvisor, the US and UK government advisories and popular Africa travel blogs (like this one!) make it quick and easy to find out what’s happening where.
Contextualise the headlines. High crime rates can taint an entire country but iconic destinations like Cape Town and the Masai Mara are among the safest places to visit: take a stroll along Cape Town’s Atlantic promenade one summer’s evening and you’ll see what I mean.
Be sensible: Don’t take photographs at border crossings or of government buildings and adopt a positive attitude when dealing with uniformed authorities. Take advantage of on-the-ground information - your hotel concierge and tour guide are there to help.
Be respectful: Treat places with religious or cultural sensitivities, such as Zanzibar or the Maasai homelands, with the same respect you expect of tourists in your neighbourhood. Avoid taking intrusive photographs of people and dress appropriately in religious settings. Appropriate dress for men and woman in these religious regions is clothing that covers the knees and elbows, closes up to the collarbone. For woman with long hair, it's often considered appropriate to tie your hair back or simply tuck it into a hat.
You leave Johannesburg mid-morning and take the 2-hour drive west towards the malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park, within the Bojanala Region of the North West Province and adjacent to the world-famous Sun City & Palace of the Lost City complex. Check-in, freshen up, enjoy some lunch and prepare for your first game drive, for the next two days you have the park to explore at your own time.
The Pilanesberg National Park virtually has all the animal species of southern Africa, including the „Big Five “(lions, elephants, white and black rhinos, buffaloes, leopards) as well as zebras, hyenas, giraffes, hippos and crocodile.
Pilanesberg National Park is the fourth largest park in South Africa. Set on 55 000 hectares of pristine unspoiled natural beauty, situated in the North-West Province. The Pilanesberg National Park Alkaline ring complex was formed by a volcanic eruption some 1200 million years ago hence also being a world geological site. The Park borders the world-famous entertainment park Sun City.
The Marakele National Park in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains, as its Tswana name suggests, has become a 'place of sanctuary' for an impressive variety of wildlife due to its location in the transitional zone between the dry western and moister eastern regions of South Africa.
The park is accessible to all passenger vehicles, with the camp and tent sites on good roads. Also, approximately 80 km of roads within the park are accessible to all vehicles, the balance requiring a four-wheel drive vehicle. Marakele is home to the big five (buffalo did not exist in the park, but 20 disease-free buffalo (nine cows and eleven bulls) were re-introduced on 15 October 2013) [2] as well as sixteen species of antelopes and over 250 species of birds, including the largest colony of Cape griffon vultures in the world (around 800 breeding pairs). The Matlabas River runs through the park.
Today we head north and cross the border into Botswana over the Limpopo river.
Tuli Wilderness offers a wonderful natural location to awaken the explorer in you and to enjoy an authentic wilderness experience reminiscent of Africa a century ago.
Situated on an exclusive concession in the vast Northern Tuli Game Reserve in eastern Botswana.
Game Viewing.
Tuli Wilderness is situated in the southeastern corner of Botswana, in the so-called Tuli Block, a narrow strip of land running alongside the great, green, greasy Limpopo River. The ‘Tuli Block’ is the farthest, most eastern point of Botswana. Its name derives from the river ‘Tuli’ in Zimbabwe. The ‘Block’ describes the large piece of land, some 10km to 20km wide and more than 350km, running from north to south.
Game Viewing.
Game Viewing.
During the dry winter season, which is usually between April to October, the game-viewing is excellent and the stars at night seem that much brighter. Predator sightings are good at this time of the year thanks to the thinned out vegetation and increased concentration of game. Generally, the game is more active during the day due to the cooler temperatures. Although it's chilly in the mornings, the days are clear and more than pleasant with crisp blue skies.
Game Viewing.
Game Viewing.
After our last breakfast in Botswana, we head south again to South Africa. The next stop will be the Soutpansberg Mountain Range.
Leshiba is not a destination. It’s the beginning of a journey, a new story. Yours. Here, you will discover not just a private yet affordable game reserve and celebrated eco-lodge that has one of South Africa’s highest biodiversity of flora and fauna with unrivaled scenery, unspoiled nature, a rich variety of wildlife and endemic species. Here you will also discover and connect with yourself. How that unfolds, mysteriously, and uniquely, is what makes us different. We call it The Leshiba Way.
Walking unguided amongst our wildlife is reminiscent of an Africa almost forgotten and still to be discovered. Leshiba offers an exceptional walking experience. Meander along with one of the 12 well-marked trails varying in time from 1 and ½ to 7 hours.
Special features of the trails include baobab trees (in some areas), sparkling rock pools where you can enjoy a refreshing swim after the summer rains, and deep gorges framed by high cliffs. On some of the trails, hikers are rewarded with breathtaking views from lofty vantage points.
Today you make your way back to JHB. You should arrive in the late afternoon.
Our tour is designed to give the visitor to Johannesburg an overall impression of Soweto (South Western Township), largest black residential area in South Africa, we see fascinating contrasts of the “city within a city”. SOWETO essentially acts as a Labour reservoir for the greater metropolitan area of the Witwatersrand. In many ways, the story of Soweto is the story of South Africa. Our tour includes all the major points of interest, such as Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (from the outside) Baragwanath taxi rank, Freedom Square and Hector Peterson Memorial.
Duration: 5 hrs.
Entrance included:
- Hector Peterson Memorial.
- Certified SOWETO tour guide
Today after breakfast we all make our own way home after a great African safari. Your guide or driver will transfer you back to the airport if needed. See you soon and take care.
