Guided Tour: The Best of the Elephant Coast and the Drakensberg Mountains

Transcription

1 Guided Tour: The Best of the Elephant Coast and the Drakensberg Mountains

2 The Best of the Elephant Coast and the D rakensberg M ountains Thank you for considering being our guest for an amazing safari, tailor made especially for you. We promise you excellent service and are convinced you will experience the safari of a lifetime with us! The itinerary below concerns a tour of 23 days (including 2 flight days), in the period of XXXX Key: B, L, D at the end of each day shows which meals are included; B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner, - = no meal is included that day. Itinerary: For twenty-three days, this fantastic tour takes you on a journey through the most picturesque and diverse areas of the region, where you will experience, literally, the very best of KwaZulu-Natal and both on land and underwater. Read on and you will see why this tour will leave you with memories for a lifetime, a perfect mixture of amazing activities and relaxing moments. D ay 1: Fly to Johannesburg Upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, you will be met by a representative of your guesthouse and driven there. Here you can spend the evening relaxing after your flight. (-) D ay 2: Johannesburg - M khuze Game Reserve After breakfast, your guesthouse representative will drive you back to the airport where you will board a plane and fly to Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). After a short flight our safari guide will meet you at Richards Bay Airport and drive you to Mkhuze Game Reserve, in the far reaches of northern KZN. Once at Mkhuze, you can spend some time in one of the animal viewing hides. This fantastic hide is placed in the middle of a water hole where the animals come down to drink. On this occasion, the animals can come to you to be photographed and, with a little luck, you will see rhinos or even elephants drinking! Your guide will take you on game drives in the reserve during which you ll be on the lookout for elephant, cheetah, African wild dog and all the other, smaller species the park has to offer. (B,D) 2

3 D ay 3: M antuma Camp, M khuze Game Reserve A mecca for bird lovers, with over 400 species on record, Mkhuze has an astonishing diversity of natural habitats, from the slopes of the Lebombo Mountains along its western boundary, to broad stretches of acacia savannah, swamps and a variety of woodlands and riverine forest. An observation tower in the reserve gives an aerial view of the park and surrounding areas. An early morning game drive will take you to different areas of the reserve from yesterday, to give you an idea of the amazing diversity Mkhuze has to offer. After spending a few hours relaxing in your chalet, in the swimming pool or browsing the gift shop, your guide will take you on an afternoon game drive and a visit to one of the hides. (B,L,D) D ay 4: M antuma Camp - Kosi Bay Nature Reserve Following a walking safari accompanied by an armed ranger through the Fig Forest we will leave Mkhuze Game Reserve and head further north to Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, where you will stay at the superbly located Kosi Bay Lodge. Kosi Bay is the northern most extent of the isimangaliso Wetland Park, and a beautiful lagoon where you can visit traditional fish traps. These fish traps have been used for centuries and the fish kraals are spread over two of the four lakes in the azure water. The best way to get a good idea of the 700 year old fishing methods of the local people is on a boat trip during which your guide will inform you of all sorts of interesting facts. This afternoon will indeed be spent on a boat cruise, where we ll see hippo, lots of birds and beautiful scenery. During summer (Nov-Feb) we may take you on a turtle walk along the beach and, with some luck, we ll see either the loggerhead or leatherback turtles laying eggs in the sand, or see the hatchlings making their way towards the ocean. (B) 3

4 D ay 5: Snorkelling in Kosi Bay estuary Kosi Bay has a healthy estuarine system, consisting of four natural lakes connected by channels. Kosi Bay Mouth, where the first lake connects to the ocean, is one of the best places to snorkel in South Africa, with over 200 species of tropical fish having been identified here; anything from devil fire fish to different species of moray eels and Picasso triggerfish. Following a snorkelling excursion to Kosi Bay Mouth, we overlook the estuarine system and the traditional fish traps from the elevation of a dune, or you can enjoy a short walk to get a closer look at the mangrove trees and associated fauna. (B,L) D ay 6: Kosi Bay - Tembe Elephant Park After enjoying a hearty breakfast at Kosi Bay Lodge, we will jump in the car for the short drive to Tembe Elephant Park. Tembe is an amazing place; an elephant sanctuary and a Big 5 game reserve including the beautiful African wild dog. Accessible only with 4x4 vehicles and, with no more than ten vehicles per day allowed entry into the reserve, you will experience a complete wilderness feeling. In addition, Tembe is the only place in South Africa where the indigenous elephants of Maputoland are found. These Maputoland Great Tuskers are quite a bit bigger than the ordinary African Elephant found elsewhere in the country. This afternoon you will experience a game drive in an open game viewer, during which you will be on the lookout for these magnificent beasts. (B,L,D) D ay 7: Tembe Elephant Park Fully taken care of by the lodge personnel, you will want for nothing at Tembe. Today you will enjoy a game drive in the morning as well as one in the afternoon. Look out for, amongst others, lion, African wild dog and, of course, elephants. (B,L,D) 4

5 D ay 8: Tembe - St Lucia Following an early morning game drive in Tembe we will pack up the vehicle and head south to St Lucia. Bordering the isimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa s first World Heritage Site, this little coastal town is unique in many ways. After all, you won t find hippos grazing the grass verges in many other towns in South Africa! The St Lucia Estuary, which separates the town from the mainland, is home to hippos, crocodiles and a huge variety of water birds, which can all be viewed during a boat cruise on the estuary. Upon arrival at your B&B, the rest of the day is yours to either familiarise yourself with the town or just relax at the B&B. (B) D ay 9: Estuary Walk & Boat Tour This morning, after your delicious breakfast at the B&B, you will enjoy a walk around St Lucia Estuary, where you will get a good overview of the estuary system. Later in the day you will get to enjoy the estuary from the water during a boat tour. The boat tour will give you up close encounters with hippos, possibly crocodiles, and you ll also get to see the wonderful variety of water birds resident on St Lucia Estuary. St Lucia has a good array of restaurants so meals in town will always be delicious with many choices. (B) D ay 10: Close Encounters with Elephant and Big Cats Today is your day of close encounters you will never forget! Experience a close encounter with elephants at a nearby sanctuary. These individuals were rescued as youngsters after the culling of their family. Hand reared but wild, they have become habituated to humans and experiencing them up close is an excellent way to learn about these majestic beasts. Later in the day we will make our way to a nearby cat sanctuary where you will get to experience a close encounter with cheetah and other, smaller, cats. This sanctuary focuses on the rehabilitation of cats and the tour of their premises is an excellent educational tool. (B) 5

6 D ay 11: Wetland Game D rive Your guide will drive you through the Eastern Shores Game Reserve en route to the beach at Cape Vidal for some snorkelling and lunch. The isimangaliso Wetland Park is known as the premier bush and beach destination and has completely different ecosystems from Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and Tembe Elephant Park. After the drive through the wetland park, where you should see rhino, kudu and other, smaller species, you can enjoy a few hours on the beach, swimming or snorkelling at low tide. Lunch is served at the beach and the day will draw to a close with a game drive through the wetland park as you return to St Lucia. (B,L) D ay 12: Zulu Cultural Tour Your tour guide for this activity will collect you from your B&B in St Lucia and drive you to his home village for a genuine experience of contemporary Zulu life. Here he will take you around the village, giving you lots of interesting information on the Zulu culture and way of life. The tour includes lunch, served at his mother s house. You will also visit a Sangoma (traditional healer), a crèche, a high school class or attend part of a mass service at a church. Your guide will then drive you back to St Lucia (B,L) D ay 13: Relax A free day today will give you the chance to browse the local shops for some souvenirs. St Lucia also has an internet café in case you d like to send some s, or perhaps photos, to the folks back home. Got energy left? Of course you can book a horse ride on the beach or through the bush, book a scenic flight, visit the butterfly house or crocodile centre, or choose any of the other 1001 activities St. Lucia has to offer (costs for your own account). (B) D ay 14: St Lucia Hluhluwe-iM folozi Park Approximately 60km inland from St Lucia, this Big 5 game reserve is internationally renowned for its rhino conservation efforts and large rhino population. With its stunning savannah landscapes and rolling 6

7 hills, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi provides not only excellent game viewing but also wonderful photographic opportunities. This afternoon we will enjoy a game drive through this wonderful terrain, keeping an eye out for members of the Big 5. Tonight we ll stay in comfortable chalets in an unfenced camp inside the park. (B,L,D) D ay 15: Game drives Hluhluwe-iM folozi Park An early morning game drive will see us exploring a different part of the reserve from yesterday, still on the lookout for members of the Big 5 which we may not yet have seen, as well as for the many species of antelope. After lunch and a few hours relaxing in your chalet, you can choose to go on either an afternoon game drive or a night drive which will give you the opportunity of seeing the nocturnal species you may not yet have seen. (B,L,D) D ay 16: Walking through the African Bush This morning you can go on a guided walking safari during which your armed guide will hope to show you, amongst other things, the black and/or white rhinoceros. An important part of any walking safari is to look for tracks and your guide will be able to tell you many important facts about the animals whose tracks he finds, as well as how fresh the tracks are and in which direction the animal is heading. It is also during walking safaris that you learn to respect nature and the animals you might encounter. After relaxing during the middle of the day, you can venture out on an afternoon game drive, looking out for the Big 5, as well as for all other species the park has to offer. (B,L,D) D ay 17: Hluhluwe-iM folozi Park - Eagles View B&B, Krantzkloof Nature Reserve Make the most of your morning game drive because this is your last chance on this holiday to experience the African bush. The morning game drive takes us out of the park through the eastern gate, after which we make our way to the Eagles View B&B in Krantzkloof Nature Reserve, on the outskirts of the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve. With the beautiful view at our disposal, we ll enjoy a relaxed evening in order 7

8 to process all the experiences thus far. And who knows, if we re lucky we'll see the Crowned Eagle which is resident in this natural area. (B) D ay 18: Eagles Nest B&B Thendele Camp, Royal Natal National Park After breakfast we ll quietly make our way towards the magnificent Drakensberg. Words cannot describe this place. From the chalet, we can see the impressive Amphitheatre, a cliff of between 500 and 1000 meters high and 5 kilometers long. The Tugela Falls waterfall is in this region and is the second highest waterfall in the world, at more than 900 meters. However, in the afternoon we ll first head towards the Cascades Waterfalls. (B,D) D ay 19: Tugela Gorge Walk Put on your walking shoes! For walking enthusiasts, there is a brisk walk on today s programme. We ll walk along the contour towards the base of the Amphitheatre Wall where the Tugela River has carved a tunnel into the sandstone. This is a playground for photographers. Those who would prefer not to walk the 7km there and 7km back can quietly enjoy the beautiful view or do a shorter walk from camp (B,L,D) D ay 20: Thendele - D idima Camp, Cathedral Peak Nature Reserve At 4:30 in the morning, nature lovers are already up to their knees in the Tugela River, attempting to take the most beautiful photos of the Amphitheatre. First a sunrise shoot, followed by breakfast and then it's time to leave. We ll drive to Didima Camp, another beautiful location in the Drakensberg. In the afternoon we can take a short walk or rest, enjoying the magnificent view. (B, L) 8

9 Day 21: Rainbow Gorge or Fern Valley After the optional sunrise shoot, a day hike is on today s programme. We can go to either the beautiful Rainbow Gorge or the Fern Valley, depending on how fit we feel. Rainbow Gorge is a lovely walk through woods to a gorge carved by a river. The Fern Valley is filled with tree ferns which are also worth photographing. In the afternoon we have, of course, a sunset shoot of Cathedral Peak itself. (B, L) Day 22: Didima Camp - Richards Bay Airport Your trip is, unfortunately, almost over. Depending on your flight time, we can visit the San Rock Art Museum where the life and rock drawings of the Bushmen are recorded. Then we ll drive you to Richards Bay Airport. From there you ll fly to Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport, from where you ll catch your plane home. (B) Day 23: Arrive in the Netherlands We trust that this trip has given you experiences that you will cherish forever. (-) Please note that guests are welcome to adjust the timing of the itinerary to their liking (if circumstances allow of course). We are, after all, offering Tailor Made Safaris! Price per person: The law requires us to quote our tours in South African Rand. For the most recent exchange rate see Guided Tailor Made Safari as per itinerary above: For 2 travellers: ZAR per person (about 3375 / 2830 / $ 4670 on ) For 4 travellers: ZAR per person (about 2520 / 2115 / $ 3490 on ) For 6 travellers: ZAR per person (about 2310 / 1935 / $ 3195 on ) For 8 travellers: ZAR per person (about 2150 / 1800 / $ 2970 on ) For 10 travellers: ZAR per person (about 2010 / 1685 / $ 2780 on ) 9

10 The guided tour includes: all road transport in South Africa, climate compensation, private vehicle, private guide, all accommodation, all activities indicated, all entrance fees, all tolls and parking fees, all indicated meals (other meals you eat in local restaurants on your own account. A meal in a restaurant costs on average 8-10 Euros per person), 14% VAT. The guided tour excludes: airfares, travel and cancellation insurance, any additional meals and drinks, additional excursions, activities and/or extensions, gratuities for guides and local restaurants, private guide on the free day (day 13). Peruse the appendix for a clear overview what is included in this itinerary and what is not. Please note: Accommodation can potentially differ from the establishments mentioned in this itinerary (if fully booked). In such cases we will look for suitable and similar accommodation, without charging extra. Any changes will be discussed with you. We can only book accommodation after you have confirmed your booking with us. The European ANVR Travel and Booking Terms & Conditions apply to your booking with us. For more information see: rms_and_conditions_2013_2014.pdf We are happy to adjust the above itinerary if desired. Only after you are completely satisfied will we proceed to a possible booking. So please do not hesitate to contact us should you want any changes to be made, or if you have any questions. Looking forward to your reply, Best Regards, 10

11 Nick van de Wiel Owner/MD Tailor Made Safaris 11

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