South Africa - Walking & Wildlife

Day 1  Graskop, South Africa      
Upon arrival into Johannesburg, travel to the town of Graskop, perched on the edge of the Mpumalanga escarpment. En route, visit Mac Mac Falls and travel over the scenic Long Tom Pass.        

Day 2  Graskop to Matibidi      
Travel the Panorama Route for stunning views across the countryside, stopping en route at God’s Window, before arriving at the fascinating rock formations of Bourke’s Luck Potholes. Visit Blyde River Canyon, before enjoying an afternoon walk through quiet nature trails.        

Day 3  Matibidi to Private Game Reserve    
Continue exploring the beauty of the area around Blyde River Canyon this morning, embarking on a four-hour looping hike that includes the Leopard, Guineafowl and Kadishi Tufa trails.
After lunch, board a 10- or 30-seater boat for a guided cruise on the tranquil waters of the Blyde River Dam, surrounded by the Blyde River Canyon, one of the largest canyons in the world. Finally, we transfer (45 minutes) to a private game reserve in the Greater Kruger area, our base for the next two days.

Day 4  Private Game Reserve
Start early this morning, transferring (40 minutes) to Hoedspruit, where we meet our specialist guide. It’s then a short drive to Pridelands, a wildlife-rich private reserve that forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park and is open to the Kruger. Here we spend three hours, at least two of these walking while following animal tracks and the rest of the time on an open game drive, searching for the iconic wildlife of Africa.

Day 5  Private Game Reserve to Kruger NP      
We head into Kruger National Park today, justifiably one of the most famous wildlife parks in the world. It is also one of the oldest, established by the South African president Paul Kruger in 1898.

Days 6-7  Kruger NP to Malolotja NR, eSwatini  
Rise early for a final game drive before crossing the border into eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) and travelling to Malolotja Nature Reserve for a relaxing evening. Spend day 7 on one of the picturesque walking trails, visiting Malolotja Falls en route.

Days 8-9  Malolotja NR to St Lucia, South Africa  
Cross back into South Africa and travel south to St Lucia. On day 9, board a boat on the nearby lake and explore the waterways in search of hippo and crocodile. Transfer to Cape Vidal, a long stretch of beach alongside the Indian Ocean, for a relaxing afternoon.        

Day 10  St Lucia to Dundee    
Head inland to the battlefields where the British and Zulus fought in 1879. This afternoon, embark on a hike along Fugitive’s Trail following the route taken by the British survivors after the battle of Isandlwana.

Days 11-12  Dundee to Royal Natal NP      
Continue your journey to the beautiful Royal Natal National Park. On day 12, enjoy a full day’s walk following the banks of the Tugela River to the natural Amphitheatre for dramatic views across the Drakensberg Mountains.

Day 13  Royal Natal NP to Witsieshoek      
Follow a trail through Royal Natal National Park to Tiger and Gudu Falls, walk through the Mahai Valley and arrive at your lodge for an evening at leisure.      

Day 14  Drakensberg Mountains      
In the morning, we drive 9mi (15km) along a poor road to the trek start point at the Sentinel Gate. Upon arrival, we register with the rangers and are joined by a local mountain guide. From here, we trek along the edge of the mountains, possibly chaperoned by mountain baboons or, if we are lucky, by the resident bearded vultures, up to the ladders, which take us to the top (9,515ft/2,900m). We then follow the Thukela River to the edge of the Tugela Falls, the highest waterfall in Africa, and enjoy views across the amphitheatre and our previous day’s route. We then walk back to the vehicle and transfer 9mi (15km) to our lodge. The hike should take about six hours including stopping for lunch.

Day 15  Witsieshoek to Johannesburg      
Transfer back to Johannesburg for your onward travel.