17 Days South Africa & Lesotho Hiking

B=Breakfast   L=Lunch   D=Dinner

Day 1&2 Northern Drakensburg
The tour gets underway from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. We drive south-east of the city of Johannesburg, heading to Free State Province, and arrive at the lodge late in the afternoon. We have a full day hike on the following morning. The hike includes a short chain ladder section, which is your passport to the top of the Drakensberg Amphitheatre and the beautiful Tugela Falls, with an altitude of 3282m. The Amphitheatre offers unparalleled views across KwaZulu-Natal. DB&B

Day 3 Ts´etlenyane National Park
We drive through Golden Gate National Park and make a short stop in Clarens, a small town under the Maluti Mountains. We cross to the Kingdom of Lesotho, one of the hidden gems of Africa. The culture and the people of Lesotho draw attention for any traveller who wants to know more about Africans. We stay in Leribe region, one of the most beautiful regions in Lesotho with green mountains and water cascades everywhere in summer. We arrive at the hotel in the afternoon. The short sunset hike starts when the temperature cools down, and dinner is at 19h00. DB&B

Day 4 Ts´etlenyane National Park
The full day 13km Circular Trail starts at the lodge after breakfast. The breathtaking views offered by the mountains, the waterfalls and the rich bird life all make the hike easy and enjoyable. We stop along the hike and enjoy a packed lunch. We return to the lodge before sunset and have some time to relax. DB&B

Day 5&6 Sani pass – Southern Drakensburg
We drive through Lesotho heading to the southern part of the Kingdom. Sani Pass is famous for adventurous and off-road drivers because of its curvy, rough and steep roads, but the same mountains offer some of the best hiking trails. The Southern part of Drakensburg offers magnificent mountain scenery which is perfect for landscape photgraphy. We do the Thaba Nthlenyane hike (8 hrs) on the following day. DB&B

Day 7&8 Wild Cost Coffee Bay
We leave the lodge after breakfast heading to Coffee Bay, the Wild Coast. Coffee Bay is one of the unspoiled places in South Africa. It is known for its coffee trees, which used to grow around the area. We do a half day hike which includes the Hole on the Wall on the following day. The Wild Coast is famous for its pristine beaches, subtropical vegetation, abundant bird life and rolling hills. We have one free afternoon to relax or walk along the beach. DB&B

Day 9&10 Addo Elephant Park
Addo Elephant Park was established in 1931 to protect the few remaining elephants of that time in the area. Addo is known for big herds of elephants and special fynbos (fine bush), but it also boasts several different species of mammals such as lions, rhinos and hyenas. We have a short afternoon game drive on arrival and have a sunrise game drive or safari on the following morning. DB&B

Day 11&12 Tsitsikama Village
Storms River Mouth is a part of the Garden Route National Park in the Tsitsikamma area with abundant species of flowers and shrubs, trees, birds and hikes. On the following day we drive to Storms River and start hiking the famous Otter trail. The endless breathtaking views along the ocean are not to be missed. We stop at the waterfall and enjoy our packed lunch before we turn back to the parking. DB&B

Day 13 Hermanus
The journey continues, and we visit Cape Agulhas, where Indian Ocean meets Atlantic Ocean. We have an hour to walk around the lighthouse before proceeding with our journey to the destination. Hermanus is famous for its Southern Right whale watching during the winter and spring and is a popular retirement town. Hermanus holds a whale festival every year to celebrate the returning of Southern Right whale to this bay during calving and mating season. You can watch whales from your room with a sea view (seasonal). B&B              

Day 14-16 Cape Town
The most picturesque city in the world is Cape Town, with the majestic Table Mountain providing its central focus. The Mother City, as Cape Town is affectionately known, was founded in 1652. Before reaching Cape Town, we visit a penguin colony, Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope and drive through Chapman’s Peak on our way to the hotel. The following morning, we hike Table Mountain and do a city tour. We visit Stellenbosch for wine tasting on the last day and return to the lodge late in the afternoon. B&B                  

Day 17 Tour ends
The tour ends after breakfast and transfer to the airport. B&B

Please note: single supplement:500, – €

Flight from: 850,-€

SOUTH AFRICA

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 an intense history of survival and exploration of the country before the arrival of the Dutch Settlers.

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL– The best time to travel to South Africa depends on the individuals, for safari enthusiast the best time to travel is between May and October. The temperatures are cooler or mild during the day but might get cold at night. It is our dry season. Along the Cape including the Garden Route, the best time to visit is between September and April, less rain and calm wind. It is warm. But, South Africa can be visited all year round and one will enjoy the warm weather and the beautiful landscape.

CAPE TOWN – The Cape Peninsula is a dramatic range of mountains penetrating the desolation of the southern Atlantic Ocean. The majestic Table Mountain is home to some 8500 species of flower. Cape Town often referred to as the “Mother City” is imbued with character and charm. The city centers around the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, a working harbour and historical site, offering everything from arts and crafts markets, shopping malls, theaters and live music to superb restaurants offering a variety of dishes from local South African to continental.

CAPE WINELANDS – The Cape Winelands have been described as the most beautiful and scenic in the world. Here you will find majestic mountains, quaint little villages, art galleries, museums, and lots of various wineries. The Cape Dutch architecture is prominent in the winelands making this an enchanting area.

GARDEN ROUTE – Stretching along the southern Cape coast from Heidelberg in the west to the Tsitsikamma Forest and Storms River in the east. The Garden Route boasts tropical forests, birds, fynbos plant species, tranquil inland lakes, towering mountains, pristine beaches and its brilliantly colored fauna and flora. Further inland you reach the Klein karoo, a semi-desert area of copper colored plains, ostrich farms, the spectacular Cango Caves and majestic mountain passes.

KWAZULU NATAL – is a area rich in diversity. In the Maputaland region you find the St. Lucia Wetland Park, an area rich in wildlife and beauty. Sodwana Bay boasts spectacular coral reefs superb for diving and snorkeling. The Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Game Reserves offer the chance to see the rare white rhino as well as many other species of wildlife. There are numerous Zulul villages offering crafts, traditional Zulu dance programs and the opportunity to mix and mingle amongst the Zulu tribe. For history enthusiasts a stay in the heart of Zululand with a guided tour to the battlegrounds of the Zulu, British and Boer wars is a must. The scenic Drakensberg moutains offer adventure activities such as hiking, biking and fishing. KwaZulu Natal is a perfect haven for birders.

TRAVEL GREEN AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Big 5 Green Travel ways for Southern Tours & Safaris

1. Eco-friendly destination- We try to identify and use green hotels/lodges for our trips
2. We visit local schools and workshop them about sustainability and environmental issues focusing on climate change
3. We match a donation given by our clients up to $100 to buy more trees and support other activities that focusing on climate change. On all our trips, where possible, we visit different communities and spend an hour with them planting trees.
4. We use less emission producing vehicles (NO DIESEL VEHICLE) until we find the emission detectors for our vehicles while raising funds to buy electric vehicles for our tours.
5. Within the cities, we walk, bike or use safe mode of local transportation like trains, where possible (e.g. OR Tambo Int. Airport to Rosebank/Sandton)

Big 5 Green Travel ways for our travelers (our recommendations) 

1. We encourage all our travelers to take direct flights to minimize the aeroplane emission during taking off and landing (planes produce more emission during take-off and landing because of the engine demanding power, connecting flight might be cheaper but they are not good for our environment)
2. Go digital- We don’t print flight tickets, travel invoices and other documents. Keep them in your smartphone as a pdf, take a picture or keep them on your emails, you can always login on a cafe and access all your documents in case of need.
3. Pack light – the lighter your luggage the lesser aeroplane and vehicles consumes gas during your travels
4. Reuse your towels, sheets (in hotels) and bring your reusable water bottle
5. Try to eat local food than eating something that was transported miles/kms away (eat fish only along the ocean not inland)