Down to earth holidays

Description

This South African wildlife safari holiday offers a real bush experience in two different ways, plus sightseeing along the Panorama Route.

One of the very best ways to enjoy Kruger is on foot. This 4-day walking safari in the Timbavati Game Reserve in greater Kruger is exciting, and you don’t need to be super-fit to do it. For this part of the trip you will be joining a set departure, with a maximum of 8 people. You will have expert guides with you who will not only tell you all about the wildlife and nature, but also look after your safety. Whilst most of the game viewing will be done on foot, there will also be game drives too. This is your chance to meet the big five, but also to really get to know and enjoy the sights and smells of Africa.

At lunchtime on day 4 you will collect a hire car at Hoedspruit airport and you can drive slowly around the Panorama Route to Graskop. On the way, you can stop to see Blyde River Canyon, the Three Rondavels, Pinnacle Rock, God’s Window and Bourke’s Luck Potholes – all the spectacular sights for which the Panorama Route is famed.

After a convenient and comfortable night in a lovely small hotel in Graskop, you have a short drive to the Leutla Conservancy and a gorgeous bush retreat in a hidden valley not far from Lydenburg. There are two main reasons for stopping here for two nights. The first is that it is a really lovely spot with great accommodation (only 4 rooms) and excellent food so it’s great for relaxing. The second reason is that this lodge funds the Ingwe Leopard Project, and your hosts are expert wildlife guides and conservationists. They will be delighted to get you involved in any leopard conservation projects which might be happening when you’re there, but in any case you can learn to set wildlife camera trips, learn about the bush, have picnics by the river, and just generally enjoy the wilderness of this beautiful, ancient valley.

So for Kruger wildlife and some bush safari knowledge as well as sightseeing, this holiday needs to be taken seriously!

Detailed Itinerary

1. DAY 1: Arrive in Johannesburg on the overnight flight. You will be met and transferred to the domestic terminal for your approx 1 hour flight to Hoedspruit. On arrival you will be met by a representative of the walking safari. Later that afternoon you will reach your camp in Timbavati Game Reserve. Your first game viewing activity will be later this day. Dinner prepared by your chef, by the campfire. D.
2. DAYS 2-3: The next two days will be a superb wildlife experience with expert guides. You will have guided walks and also game drives too. You will be awoken early each morning and given a light snack before heading out on your walk. You will return after about 3-4 hours for a hearty breakfast. After a siesta and then lunch, you again head out in the afternoon. This will be a game walk and drive combination, and we’ll be sure to include sundowners, and night drive back to camp. FB.
3. DAY 4: After one last morning walk we drive you to Hoedspruit. Here you pick up your hire car (you will be given a map and directions to your hotel), and you can enjoy the drive around Blyde River Canyon stopping at some of the spectacular sights such as Bourke’s Luck potholes and God’s Window. Your hotel is in Graskop, and it has a lovely pool in the garden, so you can chill out. B.
4. DAYS 5-6: After breakfast, drive to near Lydenburg, to you bush retreat in a gorgeous, ancient hidden valley which is part of the Leutla Conservancy. You will have two nights here staying in a lovely cottage and eating the fabulous food. But more than that, you will be able to enjoy the expertise of your hosts who will be delighted to teach you about the bush, and wildlife conservation, and simply allow you to enjoy being out under the African skies. FB.
5. DAY 7: Head off this morning for the drive back to Johannesburg. Leave plenty of time if you have a plane to catch. It will take at least 5 hours to the airport, where you will drop your car. B

Is it for you?

An average level of fitness is fine for this holiday. It is not suitable for children under 16 years old due to the walking element in the Kruger. Note that November to March are the hotter months. You will be accommodated in a tented camp in Kruger, with hot showers and flush loos.

Best times to go

This trip can be taken at any time of year, though it would be more comfortable for most people from April to October. From October to March, Mpumalanga and Limpopo are hot and rainy. From April to September it is warm and dry.

Getting there

If you are taking this itinerary on its own (ie not combining with other services) you will need to arrive and depart from Johannesburg airport. The cheapest way to get to Hoedspruit by plane is to buy that sector as an add-on at the time you buy the international flight. We can arrange this for you if you prefer. You will be driving back to Joburg on day 7. An alternative to flying to Hoedspruit would be to arrive in Joburg on the previous day and have a night here. Then you can be collected and driven to Kruger early the next morning.

Responsible Travel

How this holiday helps:
Your stay at the bush retreat helps wildlife, and more specifically, leopard conservation as the profits from the lodge go to the Ingwe Leopard Project. This project also aims to educate the local community as regards wildlife conservation.

Slow Travel: If you want to link this trip to another, consider using the train to get to either Cape Town or Durban. We can help you book this and it’s a fun way of travelling.

Carbon Offsetting :
For every client we take on holiday we plant 10 indigenous tree saplings. This is used as a poverty alleviation and biodiversity scheme as well as helping with carbon offsetting. Click for more details …

Giving to grassroots projects:
Our registered charity, The Tribes Foundation, is currently raising funds for a project in South Africa. The kindness of strangers can make a big difference, so if you’re a travel philanthropist considering donating to a worthwhile charity, please consider backing this excellent community project.

The Calabash Trust is a charity based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It works with poor communities based in the urban townships of Port Elizabeth. While the primary focus is nutrition and education, they also engage in job creation and skills training.

We will shortly have a page with photos of the school on www.the-tribes-foundation.org.

Shop ethically:
If you support buying fair trade, ethical and organic goods, please take a look at our online ethical shop for books, maps, travel gadgets, first aid kits etc before you travel. This is also a great place to find organic goodies and handmade crafts, many made in the countries and areas that we visit.

FOR MORE GENERAL DETAILS ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL PRINCIPLES, CLICK HERE.

Comments

A great insight to the plant and animal life in the Kruger and was a fantastic mix of informative walks and exciting game drives, brilliant! The guides were all excellent, great experience and knowledge and ensured the walks were all safely carried out. Food in camp was terrific, the staff really looked after us.
D Watson

Trip Code: SA8

Validity: 1-1-09 to 31-10-09

Individual Trip Dates & Prices

2+ people can take this holiday on most Fridays of the year, subject to availability. Please call us to check availability.

2009 Prices:
1 Feb-31 October 09 £695pp.
For later dates, please call us.

Pricing notes: 

• Prices are based on twin share, excluding flights.
• We can also arrange this trip for more than 2 people, so please ask for prices.
• Please ask about child rates (if available) and single supplements.
• Exchange rate fluctuations may affect these prices (see our Booking Conditions).

Duration: 7 days

Included
3-night walking safari (based on full board in tented camp with all game activities), 4-day car hire (Group B, with unlimited mileage), 1 night B&B in Graskop, 2 nights full board and activities in bush retreat.

Not Included
Car hire contract fee and one-way drop off fee (R740), drinks, meals not mentioned, items of a personal nature, international and domestic flights (we can book these for you), R200 conservation levy.