South Africa “Scenic Route” |
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| SOUTH AFRICA (2008) “SCENIC ROUTE” |
Code: SA17 |
17 day small group participation camping safari
Group size: max 12 people
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DEPARTS: JOHANNESBURG on Saturday at 06:30am
ENDS: CAPE TOWN on Monday @ ±18:00pm |
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Highlights
* Mpumalanga Panorama Route – sight seeing
* Kruger National Park – game drives
* Swaziland – mountain walks
* Zululand – game drives & cultural village
* Drakensberg Mountains – mountain walks
* Wild Coast – Beach walks and Xhosa Villages
* Addo Game Reserve – Game walks
* Tsitsikama – Forest
* Karoo - walks & ostriches
* Cape Town – Cape Point & Table Mountain |
Includes
* 7 nights in hotels / cabins &
9 nights camping
* Entrance fees
* Use of camping equipment (except sleeping bags & pillows)
* Transport in minibus / safari truck
* Meals as per itinerary
* Professional guide |
A wonderful journey through the Rainbow Nation. Camping, trekking, game viewing, historical and cultural visits through South Africa! |
ITINERARY |
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(B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner) |
| Day 1 |
JOHANNESBURG to MPUMALANGA
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[camping -LD] |
Departing from Johannesburg at 06:30am we head east towards Mpumalanga. A landscape characterised by mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, rivers, waterfalls and forests. We will camp the night in the old gold rush town of Pilgrims Rest, a living museum dating back to 1873. We explore the quaint town, visit Mac Mac falls and God’s Window viewpoint.
Includes: Entrance to Mac Mac falls & God’s Window
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities & hot showers
Distance/time: 350kms, ± 5 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch
Optional Activities: N/A |
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| Day 2 - 3 |
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
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[camping BLD] |
Big game country - exciting game drives provide us with excellent game viewing. Spot lion, elephant, rhino and other animals in one of the last African wildernesses. Early morning & afternoon game drives get us close to the wildlife.
Includes: Entrance to Kruger National Park, morning & afternoon game drives
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers, swimming pool, restaurant & shop
Distance/time: 150kms, ± 2 hours + 3x 3 hour game drives
Optional Activities: Night game drives in National Park open game viewing vehicles |
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| Day 4 |
KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND
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[cabins BLD] |
The mountainous Kingdom of Swaziland, led by King Mswati III, is one of 3 monarchies in Africa. Swazi’s are proud of their traditional lifestyle & cultures. Malalotja borders on the Drakensberg escarpment and we explore the reserve on foot to enjoy the mountain scenery, rare birdlife, and the 95m high Malalotja waterfall. Overnight in log cabins with fantastic panoramic views.
Includes: Entrance to Malalotja Game Reserve
Overnight: Cabin – each cabin sleeps a maximum of 6 people in 2 bedrooms and a loft room which share a ablution facilities, hot showers
Distance/time: 200kms, ± 4 hours, excluding 2-3 hour morning drive out of Kruger, shopping stop in Malelane, Jeppes Reef border formalities & stops for sightseeing etc
Optional Activities: N/A |
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| Day 5 - 6 |
ZULULAND
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[camping BLD] |
After visiting craft markets near Mbabane, we re-enter South Africa. Mkuzi Game Reserve is a safe haven for the endangered black rhino. We have a full day to game drive and stop at waterhole hides and watch game come down to drink. In the afternoon we visit a local Zulu village to learn about their culture, traditions and lifestyle.
Includes: Entrance to Mkuzi Game Reserve, morning and afternoon game drive & Zulu village visit with local Zulu community guide
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers & swimming pool
Distance/time: 300kms, ± 4 hours, excluding border formalities + game drives in Mkuzi
Optional Activities: N/A |
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| Day 7 - 8 |
DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS
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[chalet BLD] |
Moving further south to the base of the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains). We have two nights here in chalets allowing time for walking along beautiful mountain stream paths, looking for Bushman rock paintings or just enjoying spectacular views. Includes: Morning and afternoon hikes in the Drakensberg Mountains
Overnight: Chalets – 2 or 3 twin bedrooms with 1 or 2 bathrooms shared between bedrooms
Distance/time: 500kms, ± 7 hours, excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch. The last 50km is a slow gravel road
Optional Activities: N/A |
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| Day 9 - 10 |
WILD COAST
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[chalets / guesthouse BLD] |
Passing rolling hills topped with Xhosa villages, we make our way to the Wild Coast. We stay overnight on the Wild Coast within walking distance of the beach. Dolphins are often seen surfing in the waves. The next day is free to explore the area on foot, meet local villagers and learn about the Xhosa culture or relax on the beach.
Includes: Scenic coastal walk
Overnight: Chalets or guesthouse – twin rooms with shared ablutions, hot showers, swimming pool, restaurant & bar
Distance/time: 600kms, ± 8½ hours excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch – a long day!
Optional Activities: Quad bikes, horse riding & ocean fishing |
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| Day 11 |
ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK
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[camping BLD] |
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A conservation success, Addo Elephant N.P. offers a unique wildlife area, famous for the Addo elephants. We head out on game drives in search of elephant, black rhino, lion, buffalo and leopard. Evening viewing at the floodlit waterhole allows us to watch the nocturnal animals.
Includes: Entrance fees to Addo Elephant National Park, afternoon & morning game drives
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers, restaurant, bar, shop & floodlit waterhole
Distance/time: 500kms, ± 7½ hours – a long day! Excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch + game drives
Optional Activities: Night game drives in National Park open game viewing vehicles |
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| Day 12 - 13 |
TSITSIKAMMA
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[camping BLD] |
Indigenous Tsitsikamma forests surround the campsite at Storms River mouth, and there are walks up the Storms
River Gorge and along the rocky coastline. There is an option of the world’s highest bungi jump (own expense).
Whale watching in season (July to November).
Includes: Entrance fees to Tsitsikamma National Park
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers, restaurant, bar & shop
Distance/time: 220kms, ± 3 hours excluding stops for sightseeing
Optional Activities: Bungi jumping, whale watching & treetop canopy tour
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| Day 14 |
KAROO
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[camping BLD] |
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After visiting “The Heads” in Knysna, a town nestled on a tranquil lagoon we travel over the Outeniqua Mountains into the Little Karoo. In Oudtshoorn we tour an ostrich farm where the more adventurous can ride one of these huge birds. We camp outside Oudtshoorn and enjoy our final night under Africa’s starry skies. Optional tour of Cango Caves (own expense).
Includes: Entrance fees to an Ostrich farm
Overnight: Campsite – good ablution facilities, hot showers & swimming pool
Distance/time: 220kms, ± 3 hours excluding stops for sightseeing & lunch
Optional Activities: Visit to the Cango Caves |
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| Day 15 - 16 |
CAPE TOWN
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[guest house / hotel B--] |
Visit Stellenbosch, for wine tasting and a cellar tour. Explore Cape Town and the “mother city's” many attractions;
visit Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope, Chapman’s Peak drive, the harbour at Hout Bay, enjoy the famous beaches
and the V&A Waterfront. Optional visit to Robben Island (own expense). Meals at a variety of local restaurants (own
expense).
Includes: Entrance fees to Penguin colony & Cape Point National Park
Overnight: Guesthouse / hotel – twin rooms with en-suite facilities, swimming pool & restaurant
Distance/time: 430kms, ± 6 hours + full day Cape Peninsular tour on day 16
Optional Activities: Robben Island cruise, Shark Cage diving, Seal colony visit
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| Day 17 |
TOUR ENDS - TRANSFERS
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[- B--] |
We climb Table Mountain in the morning admiring the views over Table Bay and Cape Town. Spend the afternoon
catching up on last minute curio shopping or just lazing on the beach absorbing the Cape’s sunshine.
Tour ends at +/-18:00pm.
PLEASE NOTE:
· This tour covers a great distance. You’ll see all the highlights of this diverse country but this means we have
to spend several days travelling. This involves long days on the road, generally followed by a full day to
explore the area. This is an all encompassing tour and a fantastic way to explore South Africa.
· The distance and travel times quoted above are an estimate only, and subject to local road conditions
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Price: (valid Jan 2008 – Dec 2008)
€ 1 095 pps + local payment of ZAR 1 600 (valid Jan 2008 – Dec 2008)
2008 Departure dates |
12-Jan-08
19-Jan-08
09-Feb-08
01-Mar-08
15-Mar-08
29-Mar-08
19-Apr-08
03-May-08
17-May-08
14-Jun-08
21-Jun-08
05-Jul-08
19-Jul-08
02-Aug-08
23-Aug-08
06-Sep-08
20-Sep-08
11-Oct-08
25-Oct-08
08-Nov-08
29-Nov-08
13-Dec-08
27-Dec-08 |
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28-Jan-08
04-Feb-08
25-Feb-08
17-Mar-08
31-Mar-08
14-Apr-08
05-May-08
19-May-08
02-Jun-08
30-Jun-08
07-Jul-08
21-Jul-08
04-Aug-08
18-Aug-08
08-Sep-08
22-Sep-08
06-Oct-08
27-Oct-08
10-Nov-08
24-Nov-08
15-Dec-08
29-Dec-08
12-Jan-09 |
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| * CV: |
All “South Africa Scenic Route” departures can be combined before the “Cape Town to Victoria Falls Explorer” to
create a complete circular safari in Southern Africa. |
| * CVg: |
German tour leader |
| * German: |
These departures are lead by a German speaking tour leader |
DETAILED TOUR INFO |
In a nutshell
· A comprehensive introduction to the Rainbow Nation - a world in one country!
· Exciting trip with culture, wildlife, adventure, walking, mountains and beaches.
· Kruger NP, Swaziland, Zululand, Drakensberg, Garden Route and Cape Town.
Why travellers like this trip
1. Variety - a tour that covers so much of the African experience, from the game reserves to the vibe of Cape Town
and everything along the way. A world in one country!
2. National Parks and wildlife areas - We visit 10 national parks en route ranging from the awesome Big 5 of
Kruger NP to the unique penguins and fynbos in the Cape of Good Hope.
3. Culture and history - South Africa has a unique and interesting cultural diversity, which we experience through
contact with local people as often as possible.
4. Scenery - breath-taking scenery along the entire route - a world in one country!
5. Small group - travelling in groups of up to 12 people creates a friendly, holiday atmosphere.
6. Walking - every opportunity to get out and walk in the areas such as Mpumalanga, Malolotja Mountains, Mkuzi
GR, Drakensberg (Dragon mountains), Storms River and Tsitsikamma NP, climb Table Mountain. Walks are easy
to moderate exertion and optional. Duration from 1 - 6 hours.
7. Adventure - activities available include: riding an ostrich, Cango caving, Bloukrans -highest bungi jump in the
world!
Accommodation
· Camping - 9 nights on safari we stay at designated campsites in national parks and towns. South African
campsite facilities are generally very good. There are hot and cold showers, restaurants, washing facilities &
laundries, post office/telephones, kiosks available at most of the campsites.
Sunway supplies all the camping equipment with the exception of your sleeping bag and pillow. The dome tents
we use are 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.8 metres and putting them up or down takes only 5 minutes. Tents have built-in insect
nets. We supply mattresses, which are about 5 cm thick, warm and comfortable. The camp chairs have a
backrest.
· Swaziland, Malolotja Nature Reserve - 1 night, mountain cabins, 2 bedrooms per cabin which are twin share
with 1 bathroom and 1 washroom shared between 2 rooms.
· Drakensberg, Game Reserve chalets – 2 nights, bedrooms are twin or quad sharing with shared ablutions.
(Smaller chalets may also be used subject to availability, these are twin share en suite).
· Chalet / guest house – 2 nights on the Wild Coast we stay in cabins with 2 – 3 bedrooms. Rooms are twin
sharing with shared ablutions. The Cabins are only a few hundred metres from the beach.
· Cape Town – 2 nights, guest house or hotel in a central metropolitan area of Cape Town near the V&A
Waterfront. Rooms are twin with en suite facilities. (or similar guest house)
Transport
· On foot - easy to moderate walks throughout the tour.
· Vehicle - for longer distance travel, place to place, we use custom-built Sunway Safari trucks with 12 forward
facing seats. Comfortable touring and good for game viewing. Large, sliding windows and viewing hatches give
everyone a good view; or Toyota Hiace minibuses with 10 forward facing seats (roof rack and trailer for
equipment and baggage); or Mercedes Sprinter minibuses with 18 forward facing seats (and trailer for equipment
and baggage). There are several long days of travelling but the vehicles have a comfortable cruising speed and
this tour is all about the journey and not just the destination! The emphasis of the trip is “getting out and doing
things”.
Local Payment
· A local payment is required on this safari and this will be collected by the tour leader on departure. This covers a
portion of the local operational costs including entrance and park fees. This ensures that a major portion of your
tour price goes directly into the country you are visiting, benefiting local communities and contributing to the
conservation of the area.
Participation
· An essential part of your Sunway Safari is participation – from putting up your tent (while camping) or packing
away in the morning to helping with meal preparation and cleaning up – it’s all part of your adventure and when
everyone puts in a little effort the trip will run smoothly. Your tour leaders will do all the meal preparation but we
do ask the clients to help with the washing up. Team spirit is part of the fun!
Shopping
· Craft shopping for carvings, candles, batiks, wirework, paintings and clothing, in Swaziland, Zululand and Knysna,
is some of the best in Southern Africa.
Food
· We pride ourselves on giving very good healthy meals to our clients and will provide three meals per day, except
where shown in itinerary, when we try out local restaurants.
· The tour leaders do the shopping and meal planning for each group. He/she will always try to obtain fresh
produce wherever possible. A rough idea of what these will consist of is: Breakfast - cereals or coffee and toast or
the occasional fried breakfast, Lunch - cheese, cold meats, salads on bread or rolls, Dinner - braais (local
barbecue), potjies (stews), stir fries etc. We use regular plates, cups and cutlery. All cooking and eating utensils
will also be provided.
· We do cater for special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian or allergies). Please advise requirements at the time
of booking.
· We will supply fruit squash served with breakfast and tea or coffee served with breakfast and dinner. All other
beverages will be for your own expense. We will not supply bottled drinking water although it is available at many
shops on tour.
Difficulty
· Anyone who is generally active and in good health should enjoy this trip. A combination of camping and basic
accommodation makes for a comfortable tour.
· Full itinerary with a couple of long driving days but also plenty of outdoors activity.
· Everyone is asked to help out with the running of camp on tour. In other words if everyone spends a little time
setting up camp, preparing meals and cleaning up then the tour will run smoothly and everyone will have a good
time. Participation is the name of the game.
Things you should know
· Includes park entrances.
· You will need a valid passport and visas for entry into Swaziland and re-entering South Africa. Consult the tour
dossier for a more detailed list of visa requirements and consult with your travel agent or Sunway Safaris.
· Luggage, please pack to a limit of 12kgs in a soft sports tog bag. Bring a daypack for walks.
· We recommend that you bring South African Rand for personal expenses on this trip. Travellers cheques can be
changed in most large towns. Major credit cards can also be used for optional activities and restaurant bills.
Common questions about this trip
1. What do I need to bring?
A warm sleeping bag, comfortable clothes for warm days and cool evenings, walking
shoes, a raincoat, hat and sunglasses, swimsuit, a small pair of binoculars also comes in very handy and most
importantly - a sense of adventure!
2. Is it safe?
South Africa, like any many countries, has it’s problems but your guide knows the country intimately
and will endeavour to show you the best parts while looking after you. Be aware, but not paranoid, and you will
have a great trip!
3. Do I need malaria tablets?
Mpumalanga, Swaziland and Zululand (ie: first week of tour) is a limited risk
malaria area and prophylactics are recommended.
4. Can I buy camera film?
Film and other accessories will be available several times on tour. A camera with a
zoom lens from wide angle to telephoto, 35-200mm, is advisable to capture both scenic and wildlife shots. |
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South Africa
Population: approx. 44,300,000
Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights; summer rainfall except Cape which has wainter rainfall.
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain |
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The unique “Rainbow Nation”; in Southern Africa. A melting pot of culture wildlife and wonderful scenery. South Africa's historic emergence from the Apartheid era has created a country with wonderful spirit. With eleven national languages and many more cultures...
South Africa's wildlife destinations rival the best in the world, with the Kruger National Park being a must for all visitors along with Mkuzi Game reserve and Addo Elephant National Park. The Zulu and the Xhosa cultures portray a intense history of survival and exploration of the country before the arrival of the Dutch Settlers.
Trekking in the wilderness of the Drakensberg mountains is challenging but rewarding. Mountainous landscapes and streams and unspoilt terrain are a photographers playground.
The garden route from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town is an area of lush indigenous forest, rocky coastline and abundant indigenous flowers. The small town of Knysna lies on a lagoon, is home to craftsman and artists.
Cape Town, the mother city, sits at the foot of the Table Mountain. Surrounded by the wine regions of Stellenbosch on one side and the Atlantic Ocean, on the other, no trip to South Africa is complete without a few days exploring the highlights of Cape Town. Cape Point, Robben Island, wine tasting in Stellenbosch, and the views from the top of Table Mountain are not to be missed. |
| Optional Activities |
| · Kruger N.P. night drive |
· Bloukrans bungi |
· Table Mountain cable car |
| · Robben Island cruise |
· Seal Island cruise Houtbay |
· Abseiling Cape Town |
| · Scuba diving |
· Shark cage |
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Reservations and Enquiries |
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