Kruger Park Swaziland Zululand Garden Route Tour - 11 days - Departing WEDNESDAYS and SUNDAYS - GOLD (SC-02/11G) 

TOUR NAME : 11 Day Taste of South Africa Guided Tour.
CODE : SC-02/11.
MEALS INCLUDED : Breakfasts and Dinners.
DEPARTURE : Sundays and Wednesdays.
DURATION : 11 Days.
ROUTING : Depart from Johannesburg - Mpumalanga - Kruger National Park - Swaziland - Zululand - St Lucia - Durban - Port Elizabeth - Garden Route - Oudtshoorn - Hermanus and end in Cape Town.
SPECIAL NOTES : None.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS : None.
DRESS REQUIREMENTS : Comfortable casual and smart casual for the evenings.

DAY 1 - Johannesburg – Dullstroom – Sabie – Panoramic Route.
Our first day on tour takes us from Johannesburg via Middelburg, Dullstroom and Lydenburg to Pilgrim´s Rest, the early gold mining town turned into a living museum. Rich deposits of alluvial gold were found here at the end of the 19th century, hence the existence of the town deep in the mountains. We continue to Sabie and overnight in the Lone Creek River Lodge.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAY 2 - Panoramic Route – Private Game Reserve.
We visit Lone Creek Falls and travel via Graskop to marvel at scenic areas such as God’s Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon, and some of the spectacular waterfalls in the area. Finally we descend to the Lowveld via Abel Erasmus pass and the Strijdom Tunnel to arrive at Mohlabetsi in the Balule private game reserve. This afternoon our encounter with Africa's wildlife begins as we travel on an open vehicle to search for the game. Enjoy a great dinner under the stars tonight (weather permitting). Overnight at Mohlabetsi.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAY 3 - Private Game Reserve – Kruger National Park.
After an early morning hike, searching for the wild on foot, and breakfast we enter the Kruger National Park and spend the rest of day in this magnificent reserve around 2 million ha in extent. We overnight in the reserve in one of the camps.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAY 4 - Kruger National Park - Swaziland.
We rise early for a game drive and return for breakfast in the camp. We spend the rest of the morning in the reserve and depart in the afternoon for the mountain Kingdom of Swaziland. We visit the Ngwenya Glass Factory, and travel via Mbabane, the capital city of Swaziland, to Foresters Arms, our hotel in the mountains at Mhlambanyatsi.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAY 5 - Swaziland – Zululand – Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park.
We visit the well-known Swazi Candles factory and the big arts and crafts market in the Ezulwini Valley and drive past the National Stadium and the parliament buildings on our way to Manzini, the country's industrial centre. We drive further past Big Bend with the country's largest sugar plantations to the South African border. We continue to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park game reserve and arrive late afternoon at our overnight stop - Hilltop Camp. Here we join a late afternoon/early night game drive on open safari vehicles equipped with high powered spotlights to search for the shy nocturnal animals.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAY 6 - Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Park – Lake St Lucia - Durban.
After an early breakfast we do our final game drive before travelling to the village of St Lucia. Here we join a boat cruise on the famous Lake St Lucia, a paradise with bird species such as fish eagle, Goliath heron and many more. Your guide will show you the world of the hippo and the crocodile and the other mystic inhabitants of the "deep". After this unforgettable experience we travel to Durban, South Africa’s holiday mecca.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAY 7 - Durban.
Durban is an intriguing cultural blend of East, West and Africa, which with its endless summer climate, effervescent and lukewarm ocean lined with golden beaches, offers a subtropical carnival atmosphere all year round. Our tour of this bustling metropolis boasting the busiest port in Africa and often called the cultural 'melting pot' of South Africa, includes a drive past the so-called Apartheid Beaches, the Golden Mile, the impressive developments at the new Point Waterfront area, and the city centre. We stop at the Indian Market where you can bargain for souvenirs and spices. Our last visit is to the Botanical Gardens. You have the option of being dropped off at the end of the tour at the Ushaka Marine world with its world-class aquarium, and many shops and restaurants. Return to your hotel with our bus or spend the rest of the afternoon here and take a taxi back to the hotel.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 8 - Port Elizabeth – Garden Route - Plettenberg Bay/Knynsa.
An early transfer to the local airport for a flight to Port Elizabeth where this leg of our tour begins. Depart Port Elizabeth at 09h00. Our first stop is Storms River with the impressive Paul Sauer Bridge across the valley towering some 139 metres above the river. We visit the Tsitsikamma National Park (Khoisan for 'The place of much water') stretching over 100 kilometres of wild and rocky coastline characterised by massive cliffs, narrow isolated beaches and shady indigenous forests along the river valleys. Then we traverse through magnificently scenic river valley passes to Plettenberg Bay for a short visit. Continue to Knysna. We join a sundowner cruise on the lagoon. Overnight at Fish Eagle Lodge or similar.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 9 - Knysna – George - Oudtshoorn.
Spend the morning in Knysna visiting the “Heads” etc. Knysna also offers shopping opportunities of unusual locally made art and craft, etc. This afternoon we experience some of the most magical views on the Garden Route and Wilderness National Park and scenic viewpoints along the way. We travel over the Outeniqua Mountains to the Little Karoo where we visit the Cango Wildlife Ranch and Valley of Ancients, an endangered species breeding facility extraordinaire. Then travel to our hotel.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 10 - George - Oudtshoorn - Mossel Bay.
We visit an Ostrich Show Farm for some unique experiences including ostrich racing. A ride on a back of an ostrich is not for the fainthearted. We visit the Cango Caves, regarded as one of South Africa's foremost natural wonders. The fascinating calcite caves comprises an underground wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites. Visit Oudtshoorn, also called the "Feather Capital" of the world, as over ninety percent of the world's ostrich farms are found here. Continue to Mossel Bay for overnight.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 11 - Mossel Bay - Hermanus - Cape Town.
We visit arguably the oldest post office in Africa, the Post Office Tree and the site of the first landfall, made by the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias in 1488. Continue to Hermanus, the best place in the World to spot Whales from land – (July to Dec). After lunch depart for Cape Town via the beautiful coastal route between Hermanus and Gordon’s Bay, arriving late afternoon.