Welcome to South Africa! Upon arrival at King Shaka International Airport, claim your luggage and collect your rental car.
Make your way to your hotel. Check in and have the day at leisure at the beach.
This morning after breakfast, head out on a Whale and Dolphin cruise. Experience the breathtaking beauty of Durban's waters on the Whale and Dolphin Watching Durban cruises, where you explore the ocean's majestic creatures, take in stunning views and enjoy a memorable time filled with fun and adventure.
The knowledgeable guides will provide insights into the local marine wildlife.
Please note: This tour is a combined whale & dolphin tour in whale season from May - Nov, the rest of the year it will be conducted as a dolphin tour.
Today you will bid Durban farewell and head up to St. Lucia. Check in at your hotel and have the day at leisure or opt to go snorkelling at Cape Vidal.
Today after breakfast one of the most famous boat cruises in St. Lucia is booked for you. Go out and learn interesting news about the hippos and crocs. Rest of the day at leisure.
The journey takes you further north to Librodi Lodge, where you will park your car and then take the 4x4 lodge transfer at 12h00 or 15h00 to Thonga Beach Lodge.
South Africa's most pristine wilderness beach lodge awaits you on the azure shores of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site), situated deep in this wilderness of white beaches, blazing corals and freshwater lakes in KwaZulu-Natal. This afternoon you will enjoy a guided snorkeling experience with use of snorkeling equipment.
The rockpool snorkeling area is home to mostly juvenile fish, but you can see octopus, firefish, moray eels and electric rays too. The snorkeling is in the bay, about 400 meters south of the lodge.
Snorkeling is tide dependent and is best at low tide. Guests can also experience the thrill of snorkeling in the open ocean on shallow reefs. Age restrictions do not apply to rock pool snorkeling, however our fin sizes start at 36/37 and you must be a competent swimmer. Complimentary guided rock pool snorkeling is offered as an activity at low tide.
This morning after breakfast, head out on foot to explore this natural wonderland through coastal forests, unspoiled sandy beaches and grasslands.
There are over 440 bird species in the area, 2,200 flowering plants, 282 butterfly and 228 spider species. Return to the lodge for some leisure time. This afternoon, enjoy a sundowner at Lake Sibaya. Say cheers to the sun after another beautiful day in Africa.
Lake Sibaya is a perfect spot to watch an iconic sunset over southern Africa’s largest freshwater lake, just a 6km/25 minute drive away. Enjoy your favorite drink and some tasty snacks as dusk welcomes the wild’s nightshift.
Return to the lodge in time for dinner.
Rise early as guided kayaking is offered on Lake Sibaya in the morning , Southern Africa’s largest freshwater lake.
Guests are driven up in a 20 minute drive to the lake, where they can enjoy an early morning paddle while the waters are calm and the possibility of seeing hippos and crocs is fair.
The untouched shoreline of Lake Sibaya stretches for 100km; at 70 square kilometers. Lake Sibaya falls within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, and the Ramsar Convention assures its international conservation status. Return to the lodge for time at leisure.
This afternoon a cultural tour to Mabibi Community awaits you. The iSimangaliso area is home to the wonderful hospitable Tsonga people, who have made this land their home for more than 1000 years. As part of the Thonga Beach Lodge experience, we believe in creating a human bridge between our wilderness areas and the local communities so that the flow of benefits to these communities motivates them to protect these precious resources.
Our local Tsonga guides will proudly take you to a local homestead, school and clinic so that you can experience how the Tsonga people go about their day-to-day lives. Return to the lodge in time for dinner.
After checking out you will head with the lodge transfer at 10h30 back to Librodi Lodge and then drive in your rental car even further north to Kosi Forest Lodge. Check in and enjoy lunch.
Later this afternoon head out on a guided canoe trip. Our guided canoe trips are a firm favorite with guests, time and time again. There are few things as peaceful and yet exciting as gliding over mirror-smooth waters with only the sound of your paddle splashes adding to the symphony of melodious bird calls reverberating through the trees.
A canoe trip is an opportunity to savor being truly connected with the natural beauty of the wetlands around you.
Return to the lodge in time for dinner.
Full day Kosi Mouth visit. A true hidden gem where snorkeling in the estuary has been likened to being immersed in an aquarium with literally hundreds of rightly coloured fish, eels and crabs moving busily about amongst the delicate coral. It is an experience not easily forgotten. Kosi Mouth is the furthest north point on the KwaZulu-Natal coastline, just south of the Mozambique border and is one of the most idyllic and spectacular scenic coastal locations imaginable.
Here the Kosi lake system finally meets the ocean and the tidal flows in and out of the mouth have created one of the most vibrant and exquisitely colorful nderwater worlds on the whole South African coastline. This full day outing takes you in a 4×4 from the lodge to Kosi Mouth where you will spend the day norkeling in crystal-clear warm water and soaking up the sun on the beach or next to the estuary.
A delicious picnic lunch is provided to be enjoyed in the shade of the palm trees. Snorkeling equipment is available from the lodge and included in the cost of this optional extra excursion. On the drive to and from the mouth you will enjoy views over the expansive Kosi lakes featuring the famous fish traps of the local Tsonga people.
Today is reserved for a full Day Boat Trip - Kosi Lakes & picnic lunch. The Kosi Lake ecosystem is unlike anything in the world and consists of multiple lakes connected by narrow channels which gradually transition from freshwater to estuary to seawater as they approach the ocean at the picturesque Kosi Mouth.
Highlights of the full-day outing include spotting aquatic life in the crystal-clear warm water, hippos, crocodiles, flamingos and a host of other aquatic species. You may also get the chance to enjoy a picnic lunch on the banks of Third Lake and then walk over the dune to the beach at Bhanga Nek.
You will also have the opportunity to get a close look at the iconic Kosi fish traps and learn about this ancient and fascinating Tsonga tradition.
This morning you can enjoy a guided walk in Raphia Forest. A walk in the Raphia palm forest is a nature lover’s delight. The Raphia palm (Raphia australis) also known as the Raffia Palm or Kosi Palm and is the largest palm in the world and one of only six species of palm trees that are indigenous to South Africa. They reach impressive heights of up to 25 meters, with leaves that are some of the largest in the entire plant kingdom.
he fruits of the Raphia palm are found in the highest reaches of the tree and are covered with razor sharp leaves and spines, making them difficult to reach and the special domain of the aptly named Palm-nut Vulture, which can regularly be seen in the treetops. The Raphia palm forests of Kosi Bay are absolutely unique in Southern Africa and as a result, attract the largest population of Palm-nut Vultures in the world.
Return to the lodge for breakfast and check out. You will then drive to Hluhluwe. Check in and enjoy lunch. Later this afternoon head out in the Hluhluwe Park in search of the Big 5, returning to the lodge in time for dinner.
Morning and afternoon safari drives in open, high game viewers with professional guides are the highlight of every safari in South Africa. You just never know what’s around the next corner… Safari drives are not only about seeing the Big 5, but learning more about the amazing ecosystems and creatures great and small.
Your knowledgeable guide will impart a wealth of fascinating information, bringing you closer to the natural environment. You’ll also get to enjoy the scenery when you park the vehicle to enjoy outdoor treats – warm drinks and nibbles in the morning, and sundowners and snacks as you watch the sunset on your evening game drive.
This morning you will go on your last early morning game drive and after breakfast, make your way back to Ballito in Durban. The rest of the day enjoy some last minute shopping, a beach day or simply leisure time at the hotel. Ballito, as well known as the Dolphin Coast, is a vibrant seaside town on the North Coast of Kwazulu Natal.
Ballito is flanked by the warm Indian Ocean to the east, offering beautiful beaches, and some of the most spectacular rolling green hills and farmlands to the west. The Capitol Zimbali is located in a luxury eco estate with sweeping views over the Indian Ocean, less than a 15 min drive from King Shaka International Airport. Relax in one of the four swimming pools, de-stress in the Mangwanani Spa, head to the famous golf course, or step onto the private Zimbali beach for a stroll.
Your holiday in South Africa has sadly come to an end and it is time to say goodbye. Return the rental car at an indicated time at King Shaka Airport and check in for your flight.
I wish you a safe trip home and hope to welcome you soon back to Southern Africa!
