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Zulu Wildlife and Coast - South Africa
9 days (11 inc. flights) - from £1495
- Big five game viewing in Hluhluwe Game Reserve.
- Bird and croc-watching in the St Lucia wetlands.
- Game viewing in the fossil pans of Mkhuze.
- Stay in a cosy game lodge and in a rustic community-owned lodge at Kosi Bay.
- Stunning scenery of Kosi Bay, a World Heritage Site.
- Swim in the Indian Ocean.
- Relax on the beach.
- Try your hand at spear-fishing!
- Canoeing, snorkelling, fishing, horse riding …
- An optional boat-based dolphin tour, with possibility of swimming with dolphins.
Description
You don't have to spend your precious holiday time travelling large distances to get around South Africa from wildlife spots to beaches to mountains. KwaZulu Natal in the east of South Africa has such a diversity of first class experiences within its borders, that you needn't go elsewhere for your holiday. Beaches, game watching and intriguing culture - this holiday has it all, and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy it, as we pick you up and take you to some of the very best places.
We'll pick you up in Richards Bay, north of Durban, and drive you north to the lovely Umkhumbi Lodge. This will be your base for five nights - you'll stay in an ensuite room in a stylish airconditioned lodge. For the next three days you'll be immersed in the wildlife of the region, starting with a full day at the wonderful Hluhlewe 'big five' game reserve, where you stand a chance of seeing elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard and lion.
Then we'll take you bird and croc-watching in and around the beautiful wetlands area of St Lucia, now known as the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park. The pristine ecosystems in this World Heritage Site include an estuary, lakes, coastal forest, dunes, swamps, mangroves, coral reefs, grasslands … the biodiversity is astonishing.
And you'll enjoy a full day game drive in Mkhuze Game Reserve, home to elephant, leopard,giraffe, impala, crocodile and to some 600 species of birds who flock (so to speak) to its incredibly diverse habits, from mountain slopes to fossil pans, fig forest, swamps and rare sand forests.
You'll still have plenty of time to absorb the unique culture of this region in your own way before we whisk you away from Umkhumbi Lodge. Perhaps you'll choose to Make it Yours and add on a guided walk through a modern Zulu village, meet a pair of hand-reared elephants or visit a rehabilitation centre where injured cheetahs, servals and wild cats are nursed back to health?
But you don't JUST want to see wildlife on holiday do you? You want some other activities and a bit of R&R on a beach too. Here's where the coastal stop come in. But it's not just any coastal stop - we take you to Kosi Bay, a World Heritage Site and part of the Kosi Bay Coastal Reserve Forest.
You'll stay in a rustic reed chalet camp, a community-owned venture about 10 minutes walk from a fabulous spot overlooking the beach. In contrast to Umkhumbi Lodge it's a no-frills place, but very comfortable and welcoming, and they do great home cooking and BBQs!
Whilst here you can go swimming, snorkelling, fishing, visit the traditional fish traps, try your hand at spear-fishing, or maybe visit a local school. It's a really fun place to enjoy for a couple of days, and in one of the most beautiful spots in South Africa. And we even take you into Mozambique - where you have the option to Make it Yours by taking a trip on the India Ocean to try to spot dolphins.
Itinerary Summary
- Day 1: Arrive Johannesburg and fly to Richard's Bay (if selected). Arrive Richard’s Bay. Transfer to game lodge. (D)
- Day 2: Full day game viewing in Hluhluwe. (B,D)
- Day 3: Full day exploring the St Lucia wetlands. (B,L,D)
- Day 4: Full day game viewing in Mkhuze. (B,L,D)
- Day 5: Day at leisure. (B,D)
- Day 6: To Kosi Bay. (B)
- Day 7: Day in Mozambique. (B,L,D)
- Day 8: Day at leisure in Kosi Bay. (B,L,D)
- Day 9: Return to Richard's Bay. If flights selected, fly to Johannesburg and catch night flight back to UK.
Detailed Itinerary
- Day 1 (Sat): Fly to Richard's Bay from Joburg (if selected). We collect you from Richard’s Bay airport and drive you north to Umkhumbi Lodge, near the Hluhlewe Game Reserve. You'll have time to settle in to your well-appointed, en-suite, airconditioned room, admire the view from your verandah and explore the area before dinner. You'll eat in the cosy lapa by the fireplace, giving you the chance to enjoy those unforgettable African sunsets. (D)
- Day 2 (Sun): An early start, as we take you for a full day's game viewing in Hluhluwe, the oldest game reserve in Africa, renowned for its conservation activities and credited with saving the white rhino from extinction. It's a 'big five' reserve, so start keeping count of those lions. (B,D)
- Day 3 (Mon): Time to explore Isimangaliso, the beautiful wetlands area of St Lucia. You'll enjoy a boat cruise on the eastern shores too - excellent for birds and crocs! (B,L,D)
- Day 4 (Tues): About an hour's drive from the lodge lies Mkhuze, another excellent reserve, and home to some 600 species of bird. It's also home to elephant, baboon, zebra, rhino, warthog, cheetah, leopard - the list goes on. (B,L,D)
- Day 5 (Wed): Please yourself! We've left today free so there's flexibility for you to choose from a wide range of activities, or simply relax by the pool at the lodge. You might choose to do more wildlife watching, visit a cultural village, try kayaking, meet elephants, feed a cheetah, go birding... (B,D)
- Day 6 (Thurs): By now you might be ready for a bit of chilling out by the ocean, and we have just the place for you! The beaches here are amazing, but it's not just about sitting on the sand, there are lots of other activities we can offer. For example, snokelling, canoeing, visiting local villages, or checking out traditional fishing. Your base is a rustic, reed chalet, and there's some great home cooking on offer. Enjoy! B
- Day 7 (Fri): Mozambique - yes, really! At Kosi Bay we're almost on the border of Mozambique, so it would be a shame not to see a bit of it, wouldn't it? You've got a full day here, with a fun 4x4 trip, a bit of beach time and a nice lunch. And if you want, you could take the ocean trip to try to spot the dolphins that live in these waters. (B,L,D)
- Day 8 (Sat): Another day to relax and see the gorgeous surroundings of Kosi Bay or take part in some of the activities. This is not a resort area, it's very natural and very beautiful. (B,L,D)
- Day 9 (Sun): After breakfast, we drive you back to Richard's Bay for your onward flight. If flights selected, you'll fly from Richard's Bay to Johannesburg for an overnight flight back to the UK.
Is it for you?
With a mixture of wildlife viewing and coastal/marine-orientated activities, and fabulous beaches to chill out on, this really is for anyone. It suits families (though not with very young children - 7yrs plus is about right). The Kosi Bay camp is very basic, so this is a no-frills experience which won't be everyone's cup of tea. However the friendliness of the people and the experiences you'll have here are memorable.
Best times to go
The rainy season here is from about October to March (though the rainiest months tend to be January and February). This is also the hottest time, with average midday temperatures of about 29 F& 76 C. From April to October it rains little and is cooler. For example in July the average midday temperature is about 23 F and 76C and 11 F at night. So this usually makes for pleasant days of sun then chilly nights. At Ponta Oura, bottlenose dolphins are around all year, whales from July-November, turtles from October to March, whale sharks from September to February.
Getting there
You will need to fly or drive to Richard's Bay for this trip. From here you can continue with any onward arrangements. We can arrange international flights from the UK for you. You would normally leave the UK on an overnight flight the day before this itinerary and on the way back would also take a night flight arriving back in the UK the day after this itinerary.
Gallery
Responsible Travel
How this holiday helps:
Our rustic camp at Kosi Bay is a community-owned camp. It brings money to the local community and helps a local school.
Make it Yours experiences:
The cheetah rehab centre does a great job in caring for sick wild cats and cheetahs, with the aim of returning them to the wild where possible.
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.
FOR MORE GENERAL DETAILS ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL PRINCIPLES, CLICK HERE.
Add-ons
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We promise that all our Down to Earth holidays are exciting adventures as they stand. But you are an individual. ("I'm not." ed). So why not add extras to your holiday to make it different and more unique to you?
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Holiday Combinations
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Cape Town and the Winelands
A holiday which takes you to the heart of Cape Town, shows you the highlights and introduces you to local people and their traditions. This is a Cape trip unlike any other!
Duration: 7 days (9 inc. flights), From £1025pp
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