Day 1: 29/04: Arrival at King Shaka Airport in Durban. Pick-up and transfer to B&B in Durban.
Day 2: 30/4: 6:00am – You will be collected from your accommodation venue in Durban.
06:00am to 09.00am – From time of pick-up, it is approximately a 3-hour drive to Underberg. During transit, your guide will share a bit of history with you, and you are encouraged to ask questions to reap the full benefit of the tour. Rest assured that you will travel in absolute comfort cars as Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Quantum and VW Kombi to conduct all tours. This is subject to availability.
09.00am to 15.30pm – Once you have reached your destination, we swop vehicles into a 4×4 to begin our tour up Sani Pass into Lesotho. During this time, your guide will give you a background of what the Pass was used for originally and now today. Your guide will be open to any questions throughout and will stop at different points up the Pass for photographs and breaks to stretch your legs. Upon reaching the South African border post your passport will be stamped and then there is an 8- kilometer drive which is called “No mans land”. Basically, an area which belongs neither to South African or Lesotho. Thereafter, we reach the Lesotho border post where passports are stamped again.
11:00am – We begin our time in Lesotho where we visit the highest pub in Africa @ 2874 meters above sea level. Here you may enjoy the warmth, a drink and lunch. We will also visit the tiny Basotho village at the top of the pass and enter into one of the local homes to learn a little more about the culture of the Basotho people.
14:00pm – We begin our descent from the Drakensberg Mountain down back into South Africa and into Underberg.
15:30pm – Approximate arrival time in Underberg where we check into our accommodation in the quaint farming village. Dinner will be in the village.
Day 3: 01/05 08:00am A slightly later start with breakfast at our accommodation.
09:00am – We check out and then depart for the KwaZulu Natal Midlands.
11:30am – We will visit the Nelson Mandela Capture site and explore the amazing Apartheid Museum before stopping for some lunch in the area.
14.00pm – We will visit the Howick Falls, a 100 meter high waterfall which is very spectacular. The quaint town of Howick also has a number of small craft shops and a shop selling vintage/antique items, ranging from furniture to World War clothing, ammunition, medals and old coins.
15.00pm – Check into our accommodation in the Midlands and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere before dinner.
19.00pm – Dinner
Day 4: 02/05 8.00am – Breakfast before we depart for the Valley of 1000 Hills to visit a traditional Zulu cultural village. Here we will learn more about the culture of the Zulu people, enjoy song and dance, as well as enter into their traditional huts.
11.30am – Zulu Cultural village tour and if requested a visit to the reptile park.
13.00pm – Lunch in the Valley of 1000 Hills, look through the craft shop.
15.00pm – Depart for Durban approximately 1 hour drive, where we will check into our accommodation to overnight.
19.00pm – Dinner (not included)
Day 5: 03/05 You will be collected from your accommodation after breakfast.
07.00am -The drive to St Lucia is about 3 hours through some of the most picturesque countryside in South Africa. To speed things along, your knowledgeable guide will share on the history of South Africa and you are encouraged to ask questions to reap the full benefit of the tour.
10:00am – We arrive at our destination St Lucia, South Africa’s first World Heritage site, now called Isimangaliso Wetland Park (National Park). We will journey on a 2-hour boat cruise together on Lake St Lucia, where you can enjoy the amazing habitats of mangrove swamps, savannas, grasslands and riverine forest. Your guide will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.
12:30pm – We shall head to the town of St Lucia where hippos wander around at night, wanting to get to the grassy areas to feed. Here we shall have lunch (please note that this will be for your own account)
14.00pm – Your guide will take you on an educational journey on the boardwalk where you have the opportunity to view, as well as learn about hippos and crocodiles. We will then visit a crocodile farm where you will have further opportunity to learn about these amazing creatures.
16:00pm – Check into our guesthouse in St Lucia, where you can relax before we have dinner and head out into the eastern shores of Isimangaliso Wetland park for a night safari. This area being South Africa’s first proclaimed World Heritage site boasts 5 difference habitats, including Sand Forest. Leopard is something that is regularly seen here.
21.00pm- Approximate time of return after the night Safari drive to accommodation for a rest, before another big day ahead.
Day 6: 04/05- 6:00am – We depart St Lucia with a packed breakfast for the oldest protected conservation area in Africa (Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve) established in 1895 and home to the Big 5. Approximately a 1.5 hour drive. You will spend the day with your guide enjoying the search for wild animals.
12.30pm – We will stop for lunch at Hilltop camp in the Hluhluwe section of the game reserve. Hilltop camp aptly named with beautiful views over the rolling hills.
14:00pm – We continue driving around the reserve looking for wild animals.
18:00pm -Depart for our safari lodge 15 – 20 minutes outside the entrance to the Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve.
19.00pm -Dinner
Day 7: 05/05- Approx. 05.00/06:00am – Your guide will meet you and take you back into the Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve for 3-4 hour game drive in our closed, air-conditioned vehicle. There is an option of taking a packed breakfast so you can spend the full day in the reserve without returning to the lodge, or you can return at 10:00am for breakfast before a couple hours rest and then returning to the reserve after lunch. You can discuss this with your guide who is at your beck and call. If you choose to spend the whole day in the bush we can stop at Hilltop camp for lunch.
If you choose to return to the lodge at 10am for breakfast, you will have some time to spend as you choose. There is a swimming pool within the camp boundaries and this can offer some welcome relief in the summer months. Also, the self-guided walking trail has proven to be a favourite with our guests. You can also ask your guide to take you back out to look for animals. 13:30pm – Some lunch before heading back to the bush looking for animals (please note that lunch is for your own account).
18:00pm/19.00pm- Approx. Return to the lodge for dinner after a long enjoyable day in the bush. Sit down for a lovely dinner and be able to chat with your guide about the day and listen to stories he has to tell. He will also inform you of the following day’s itinerary. After dinner you can relax in your room or outside, enjoying the atmosphere of the singing crickets and croaking frogs.
Day 8: 06/05- Approx. 05.00/06:00am – Itinerary is the same as Day 7
Day 9: 07/05 -Approx. 06:00am – Your guide will meet you for a 2 to 3 hour bush walk before breakfast. Approx 09.00am- You will have some breakfast with your guide before checking out and departing for the final time driving through the Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve, for 3-4 hour game drive in our closed air-conditioned vehicle. Approx. 13:00pm- We can stop at Hilltop camp for lunch or on route to Durban.
14.30pm Depart for Durban. Approx. 18.30pm Arrival back in Durban and drop off at B&B in Durban.
Day 10 : 08/05- Breakfast at B&B and pick up for departure to Durban King Shaka Airport.
REMARKS :
In Hluhluwe we stay 20 minutes outside the reserve at a lovely safari lodge which is also home to 4 of the BIG5. This lodge is set in a Sand forest which is a rare habitat and reserve that has been proclaimed a World Heritage Site, due to being set in a Sand Forest and having two other habitats; Savannah and Wetlands. We have our breakfasts and dinners at this lodge. We arrange packed breakfasts for the mornings so we can get into Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve early. Daily we drive into Hluhluwe Imfolozi Big 5 game reserve and spend the day looking for animals and have lunch at Hilltop camp which has a lovely view over the rolling hills.
Pricing :the price per person is R34500.00 per adult sharing. All prices are based on a per person sharing basis. Single supplement if person wants their own room rather than sharing is R950 extra per night. Furthermore, please note that all group activities are not private and you will be expected to share this experience with other paying guests not touring with Jaakmels Adventures. Optional extra : 3 hour open vehicle game drives are available in the morning or afternoon in Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve @ R750 per person per drive
Inclusions : All entrance fees-Dinner- Bed and Breakfast-Listed Activities-Transport-Pick-up and Drop-off – All closed vehicle game drives-Bush walk-Tour into Lesotho-St Lucia boat cruise-St Lucia open vehicle night drive-Tour of Zulu cultural village and reptile park-Guides-Bottled Water (We only supply a limited number of bottles per day, should you require additional, this will be for your own account)
Exclusions : All Airfares -Items of Personal Nature-All Lunches -All Dinners in Durban-Open vehicle game drives unless otherwise stated- Beverages: Beer, Wine, Cold Drinks-Gratuities-Any other items not listed in the Inclusion
Our expert tour guides are not only highly qualified and accredited, but they are also passionate specialists in the KwaZulu-Natal region.
