You are met at the Johannesburg Airport and transferred to your hotel so that you do not have to drive in a foreign country immediately after arriving. If you arrive in the morning, you could optionally book a guided city or township tour for the afternoon. You overnight in a quiet area in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg.
After an early breakfast your rental car is delivered to the guesthouse and you begin your journey to the beautiful Mpumalanga province (the place of the rising sun). You will arrive at the famous Kruger National Park. Please make sure you arrive in good time as you will not be allowed to enter the park after gate closing time . Gates close 17.30 in winter, and 18.00 - 18.30 in summer. Keep in mind that once you enter the national park you still have a drive ahead of you before you reach your overnight camp, and these gate closing times apply to the camps as well. We strongly advise that you enter the Kruger Park NO LATER THAN 16.00 (4 pm). Your drive to your overnight camp will be the start of your wildlife experience. Enjoy dinner on the terrace of the camp restaurant (for own account).
Driving distance today: approx. 430 km.
Spend all morning driving in Kruger in your rental car in search of the Big 5, your suitcases already packed. The best time for game spotting is always the early morning or late afternoon. At midday the animals tend to hide in the shadows to avoid the heat. After an hour or two’s drive you can make a stop mid-morning at a differing camp further south (e.g. Satara) for brunch, before continuing towards Orpen gate where you will leave the park in the early afternoon. Then continue to your Private Game Lodge via their separate entry gate. Arrive by 14:00 to allow time for check in, then followed by the late afternoon open vehicle game drive. After sundowners at a scenic spot, your ranger will return you to the lodge for a delicious dinner.
Distance today: approx 310km
Enjoy a full day at the game lodge including an early morning and afternoon game drive of approximately 3 hour duration each – with time in-between to relax and just unwind. Seeing such a variety of wildlife naturally and at close hand is most certainly an exhilarating experience!
After a final early morning Game Drive and brunch, you depart the Game Lodge. Drive up onto "the escarpment" to enjoy the many sights of the magnificent Panorama Route. From the “Lowveld” you drive via the Strijdom Tunnel and over the Abel Erasmus Pass (or similar route), onwards to the top of the escarpment at 1300 metre altitude. You can enjoy magnificent views once you reach the top.
We recommend you stop to view the stunning Blyde River Canyon with a view onto the Three Rondavels – mountains that look like African round huts. Continue to the Bourke’s Luck Potholes with their strangely eroded rocks, and finally to the view sites of God’s Window, where on a clear day you have a breath-taking view all the way down to the Lowveld 1 000 m below. En-route stop at some of the attractive waterfalls, such as the Berlin or Mac Mac falls, and enjoy refreshment in Graskop, before continuing to your overnight lodge.
Distance today: approx 250 km
After breakfast you have the option to visit the old gold diggers’ town of Pilgrim’s Rest, that reminds one of bygone times with its old, restored buildings. Alternatively, continue straight away to the pretty little Kingdom of Swaziland (eSwatini), where the King is still an absolute monarch. As you travel through Swaziland, you will have the opportunity to buy genuine African curios along the road. You overnight in a country hotel a short distance outside the capital, Mbabane.
Distance today: approx. 300 km
Continue through Swaziland to the Lavumisa/Golela border post, where you re-enter South Africa. You will now be in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, home of the proud former warrior nation of the Zulu. The Zulus also still have a King, but he is only a figurehead with little real power. In the afternoon you could optionally book a sundowner cruise on Lake Jozini from your hotel. You overnight in the village of Mkuze.
Distance today: approx. 250 km
After an early breakfast you enter the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve. Here, valuable work has been done to save the white rhino from extinction. This park is home to the "Big Five" and with some luck you might get to see some of them. In the late afternoon you leave the reserve through the Nyalazi Gate and travel to St Lucia village in the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park – a World Cultural Heritage Site.
Distance today: approx 200 km
A full day at leisure where you can enjoy excursions in the general vicinity. Either return to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve for further game viewing, or drive northwards from St Lucia to Cape Vidal with its beautiful coastline, enjoying a relaxing day on the beach.
Before leaving St Lucia, you could go on an optional River Safari on the lower reaches of Lake St Lucia in search of hippos and crocodiles. Then you continue through endless sugar cane fields to the multi-cultural harbour and holiday city of Durban on the Indian Ocean. In the afternoon you could take a taxi to the famous Indian Market with its Asiatic flair, or to the beach and promenade with their golden sands. Alternatively visit the magnificent uShaka Marine World theme park, with its amazing aquarium, the seals and dolphin shows, and so much more. It is even possible to arrange a personal Dolphin Encounter here – join a dolphin in the pool – get amazing photos!
Distance today: approx. 250 km
A full day available, to enjoy the many attractions of this coastal resort city. Once known as the last British Bastion, and renowned for its old Colonial homes and architecture, Durban has become a veritable melting pot of culture and intrigue. A melding of history, traditions and beliefs, which totally encompass South Africa’s policy of tolerance and equality for all! This is the true ‘Heart’ of our Rainbow Nation. Take a journey of sight, smell and sound as you drive along the well-known Golden Mile, wander through the lush tropical Botanical Gardens, savour amazing Panoramic Views and interact with local traders at the famous Victoria Street Indian Market. Then escape from civilization and journey inland through small villages and gentle rolling countryside which give way to the most spectacular vista, known as the Valley of a Thousand Hills. Here you will be immersed in the fascinating culture and traditions of a proud Zulu Nation; have the opportunity to interact with the villagers and purchase traditional and modern souvenirs. Durban is accredited a 7 WONDERS CITY.
After breakfast you may choose to drive south towards Port Elizabeth along the coast and continue with Module 2, or drive to the airport, drop off your rental car, and fly to Port Elizabeth, and continue with Module 3.
