Activity Description

Explore the diversity of the Zulu Kingdom as you travel from Big 5 game reserves to pristine coastlines and our “great lakes”. Immerse yourself in wildlife within the famous Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve, the 2nd oldest reserve on planet earth and the award winning Manyoni Private Game Reserve offering you an intimate game viewing experience.

Travel through the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from Lake St Lucia where you will embark on a boat cruise all the way to Sodwana Bay where you will complete a PADI Discover Scuba course and dive or snorkel 2 mile reef. Did we mention seasonal Humpback Whales as well as Leatherback & Loggerhead Turtles?

DAY 1

This tour departs from Durban at 06h00. We will pick you up from your accommodation and head north to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve where the Big 5 await. The reserve is famous for bringing the southern white rhino back from the brink of extinction and is now considered to be one South Africa’s premier national parks.

Enter the reserve via the Nyalazi Gate and explore the iMfolozi side of the reserve typified by the vast open savanna. This area is popular with elephant, cheetah, buffalo and african wild dogs. Enjoy a hearty lunch with a view over the rolling hills of Hluhluwe side of the reserve.

Our next stop is Lake St Lucia — the largest estuary in Africa located within the UNESCO iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Jump aboard a jetty for a 2 hour boat cruise exploring the lake and her ecosystems. The lake is renowned for its large hippopotamus pods as well is sightings of crocodile, kingfisher and fish eagles.

With the sun setting, we will navigate our way through the western shores of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park all the way to our overnight accommodation in Hluhluwe. Enjoy dinner at Ngweni Railroad Brewery & Cafe before settling into bed for the night.

Please note: We will traverse the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve on one of our air-conditioned Hyundai H1 vehicles. As this is a national park, off-roading is not permitted and all roads are accessible with high-clearance vehicles. As such, we feel exploring this reserve is most comfortable in a closed, air-conditioned vehicle with large windows.

DAY 2

Today we are going to go deeper into the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. At 07h00, we will depart for Sodwana Bay where a pristine coastline awaits. We have arranged an early check-in at Coral Divers so that you can make the most of gorgeous snorkelling reefs, soft sandy and beaches.

Discover the world of scuba diving with a PADI Discover Scuba course (included). The course is designed for people with no previous diving experience. There are three parts to the course: 1) a theory briefing, 2) basic training in a swimming pool and 3) one ocean dive. All three parts play an important role in making your dive a safe and enjoyable experience.

The first 2 parts of the course will take place on Day 1 at Coral Divers. This will give you a bit of time to enjoy the coastline, go on an afternoon swim and maybe even work on your tan under the African sun. Seasonal land-based and water-based whale watching is possible as well as leatherback and loggerhead turtle sightings. Travellers will be able to indulge in lunch and dinner at Coral Divers (included) which is where we will be spending the night.

DAY 3

This morning is all about the ocean and marine life. Time to test your scuba skills on 2 mile reef. If you prefer to snorkel, you can join the scuba divers and snorkel around the boat. It is not uncommon to see a great diversity of underwater seascapes and marine flora and fauna. The shallow reefs along this protected stretch of coastline are home to an array of sub-tropical fish including Moorish idols, parrotfish and blue surgeons.

Worked up an appetite? Enjoy a delicious breakfast before it is time to head into the award winning Manyoni Private Game Reserve. Arrive in Hluhluwe around 12h00 for a spot of lunch. We will drop our bags off at our overnight accommodation and make our way to meet our game ranger at Manyoni who will give you a run down on game drive etiquette before you jump into their authentic open safari 4×4.

Wildlife tend to be most active around sunrise and sunset. Embark on a 3 hour afternoon game drive exploring the reserve which is renowned for its lion, rhinoceros and cheetah sightings. Go off-roading as you track big game for close encounters and intimately game viewing. As the sun retreats we will shift focus to nocturnal animals on our night safari. After an exciting game drive, we head back to Hluhluwe for dinner at our overnight accommodation.

Manyoni is a 23 000 hectare private Big 5 game reserve which means that only guests who are staying at one of their luxury safari lodges have access to the reserve (unless you are with us of course). Wondering why private reserves in South Africa offer better game viewing than national parks? Click here to read our blog which explains what the big deal is.

DAY 4

It’s our final day on safari and we plan to end it on a high! Wolf down some coffee and rusks at 05h00 and head back into Manyoni for a morning game drive — which is often the most rewarding time of day for predator/big cat viewing. So keep your eyes pealed.

Embark on a 3 hour morning game drive which will focus on the big cats. Explore the northern side of the reserve ticking off wildlife we missed last night. Your ranger has been keeping tabs on the movement of wildlife during the night to give you the best chance of a rewarding game drive. Learn more about conversation and what we can all do to help protect Africa’s biodiversity. Track endangered species like giraffe, wild dogs and black rhino.

Stop at a scenic point and tuck into a packed breakfast before we depart from Manyoni and make our way back to Durban. We will stop by at Zamimpilo Community Market for a bit of craft and pineapple shopping en route. Our expected time of arrival in Durban is 13h00.

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