South Africa
The Kruger, Zululand and Drakensberg

Tuesday 2 - Thursday 18 November 2010 (17 days)
Tuesday 1 - Thursday 17 November 2011 (17 days)

From the big game of the Kruger National Park, to the highveld grasslands and stunning scenery of the former Transvaal, through the lowland savannah and coast of Natal, to the spectacular peaks and high plains of the Drakensberg Mountains, we visit an astoundingly beautiful and varied land, rich in wildlife.

download a report of one of our previous trips to South Africa South Africa is both one of the world's most beautiful countries and one of its richest for wildlife. This tour covers the part of the country that is best for variety: the north-east corner. We start in the highveld of Dullstroom with superb birdwatching, before continuing to the fabulous Kruger National Park, with wonderful birds, and an abundance of large mammals. From here we head back up into the highveld of the former Transvaal, where the open grasslands are home to Blue and Crowned Cranes and delightful Meerkats. Then we continue south and east to Zululand, whose lowland savannas and coastal wetlands form probably the very best birdwatching area in South Africa, as well as being the place where White Rhino were rediscovered in the wild - and is still amongst the best places to see them. Finally we travel high into the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, including a trip into Lesotho with its Afro-alpine grasslands and heathlands, and its abundance of flowers.

October and November, the southern spring, are probably the best months for birdwatching here, with many species in full breeding plumage. It is also an excellent time to see mammals, before the savannah vegetation gets too leafy.

Accommodation will be in camps, small hotels and guesthouses. The style of accommodation is usually in cottages, chalets and rondavels, and is much favoured by South Africans themselves. In Mkuze we will be staying in spacious safari tents. All accommodation is en suite.

Meals: All included in the price. Food is excellent. Some lunches will be buffet-style picnics.

Walking: Easy. In the game reserves, the presence of wild animals precludes excursions on foot. Sturdy, comfy walking shoes are adequate for this tour.

Baggage restrictions: For the trip itself, it is essential to limit baggage to one item, to prevent overloading of the tour vehicles. This should be a soft holdall. This weight limit does not include optical equipment. If you are bringing telescope and tripod, please bring separate cases for their protection in the vehicles.

Leaders: Mike Read & local guides

Numbers: Max. 14 clients

Prices:

2010 - £ 3,995
2011 - £ 4,195

Single supp.: £ 390 per person
Deposit: £ 400 per person

All prices are per person unless stated and include scheduled flights London/Johannesburg and Durban/London*, airport taxes, ground transportation and excursions as outlined above, accommodation on a full-board basis, admissions, local taxes, tips, and the services of the leaders.

The price excludes optional whale-watching excursion (c£65), holiday insurance, drinks, and other personal expenses.

*For a price ex-flights London/Johannesburg, and Durban/London, please deduct £695 from the tour price.

**Single accommodation may not be available throughout.

South Africa map

Outline Itinerary
Day 1 We take an evening scheduled flight from London to Johannesburg, arriving early on Day 2.
Days
2-3		 We meet up with our local guide(s) at the airport and drive to Dullstroom. We arrive in Dullstroom in the early afternoon and check in to our accommodation. There will be an optional afternoon birdwatching drive for those willing and able, returning late afternoon for time to freshen up before dinner. Next day we will have a pre-breakfast excursion up into the Valoren Valei Nature Reserve in the Steenkampsberg Range. Two nights Dullstroom
Days
4-7		 After an early breakfast we leave Dullstroom and drive towards the edge of the Drakensberg Escarpment. We'll then head down to the Lowveld (the low-lying savannah), enter the Kruger National Park via Orpen Gate and drive on to our first camp. The plains of the Kruger occupy a truly vast area of the country, with a great range of habitats, from the dry central savannah to the wetter south, and, probably best of all for birdlife, the rivers that extend throughout. Accommodation here is in thatched rondavel huts or cottages with a mix of facilities. We stay in two different camps, in the southern regions of the park. The camps also have excellent birdwatching within and around the grounds. On some mornings we'll have early starts to get the best of the game viewing. Four nights Kruger National Park
Days
8-9		 We head for Wakkerstroom in the highveld, driving through the rolling hills and grassland of the former Transvaal, in some places with an oddly English-style landscape - albeit on a huge scale! Two nights Wakkerstroom
Days 10-11 We drive east, for a time along the Swaziland border, to the coastal plain and extensive sugarcane plantations of Zululand. The area offers probably the best birdwatching in South Africa, but also boasts an absolute gem of a reserve for mammals, Mkuze. We stay in superb, spacious safari-style en suite tents here. Two nights Mkuze Game Reserve
Days 12-13 We then travel east to St Lucia, a pleasant, small seaside resort, with some excellent fish restaurants, and also offers the possibility of an optional whale-watching trip in search of Humpback Whales (cost about £60 payable locally). Two nights St Lucia
Days 14-15We leave the coast and head inland through the rolling hills and Zulu settlements of the KwaZulu Natal Midlands en- route to the mighty Drakensberg Mountains. We stay amidst spectacular scenery below the Sani Pass. Two nights Drakensberg
Day 16 We drive to Durban to connect with our flight returning to London via Johannesburg, arriving on Day 17.

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