Wild South Africa

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Johannesburg Airport - Soweto - Johannesburg

  Welcome and assistance at Johannesburg International Airport by our French-speaking representative. You pick up your rental car at the airport. Drive towards the township of Soweto. Discover the famous township of Soweto by bike with a local guide: you will pass by Vilakazi Street, where the houses of the two Nobel Peace Prize winners, Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, are located, as well as the Hector Pieterson Museum. You will soak up the atmosphere of the township by sharing the "made in Soweto" beer in a real Soweto Shebeen. An experience not to be missed to better understand South Africa. Duration of the excursion: 2h. Includes a typical Soweto lunch. Overnight at the Mi Pi Chi boutique hotel in the trendy Melville district.

• day 2

  Johannesburg - Soutpansberg

  Departure for the north of South Africa and the Limpopo province, bordering Zimbabwe. Estimated travel time: 5h30. You will join a private reserve nestled in the Soutpansberg mountains, a land full of beauty, history, and legends. Stay on a full board basis in a traditional hut at Leshiba Venda Village. A blend of nature, culture, comfort, and refined cuisine, the lodge is an authentic Venda village restored by Noria Mabasa, a world-renowned local artist. She wanted to highlight the unique natural environment of the Soutpansberg mountain range, as well as the culture and heritage of the Venda people from whom she comes. One activity is included for each night spent at Leshiba, with a choice between a guided safari on foot or by 4x4.

• day 3

  Soutpansberg

  Full board stay in a traditional hut at Leshiba Venda Village. One activity is included for each night spent at Leshiba, with a choice between a guided walking safari or a 4x4 safari.

• day 4

  Soutpansberg - Mapungubwe National Park

  Route to the far north of South Africa. Estimated travel time: 3h30. You arrive in Mapungubwe Park, at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers, where 3 countries meet: South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Mapungubwe offers a savannah landscape covered with thorn trees, large baobabs, and sandstone terraces rising above the plain. The site turned out to be the largest kingdom of the subcontinent until its abandonment in the 14th century. Remains of the palaces and surrounding dwellings have remained intact to this day. The landscape has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003 and became a national park in 2004. Overnight in a self-catering cottage at Leokwe Camp, in Mapungubwe National Park.

• day 5

  Mapungubwe National Park

  Enjoy a day of exploring at the wheel of your vehicle as you discover this great Mapungubwe park. For birdwatching enthusiasts, enjoy a peaceful moment at the bird hide on the banks of the Limpopo River. You can also book a guided tour in English of Mapungubwe Hills and the Heritage Site with the park. Take advantage of the various viewpoints over the vast expanses of the 3 countries: where South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana meet. Overnight in a self-catering cottage at Leokwe Camp in Mapungubwe National Park.

• day 6

  Mapungubwe National Park - Kruger National Park

  Early departure for the north of Kruger Park, passing through the Musina Nature Reserve, known for its large concentration of baobabs. Then, you cross the land of the Venda ethnic group, whose capital is Thohoyandou, before reaching your destination. Estimated travel time: 5h, not including visits. Kruger Park, with an area of nearly 2 million hectares, is the largest national park in the country. Its great geological and climatic diversity gives it an exceptional flora, divided into 16 distinct vegetation zones. The park is home not only to the Big Five (buffalo, elephants, lions, leopards, and rhinos), but also giraffes, hippos, hyenas, wild dogs, many species of antelope, and many other animals. An unmissable experience for wildlife enthusiasts, the safari offers you a unique opportunity to get close to and photograph these iconic and rare animals. Optional: guided 4x4 safaris in the morning, afternoon, evening, as well as guided walking safaris in the morning. Overnight in a bungalow at the Punda Maria camp in Kruger Park.

• day 7

  Kruger National Park

  Day in the north of one of the largest wildlife parks in Africa, as vast as Belgium. Safari driving your own vehicle in Kruger Park. The northern part of Kruger National Park is a region with unique biodiversity. This area is less frequented than the southern part, where the concentration of animals is higher. However, it delights birdwatching and botany enthusiasts thanks to its great diversity of birds and flora. It is also one of the rare places where fever trees grow alongside giant baobabs. The trees line the banks of the Limpopo River and the Luvuvhu River, the thin, pale green and slightly golden trunks of the fever trees shining between the dark, massive trunks of the baobabs. Overnight in a bungalow at Mopani camp in Kruger Park.

• day 8

  Kruger National Park - Timbavati Game Reserve

  You leave Kruger Park via Numbi or Paul Kruger Gate to reach the private Timbavati reserve. Estimated travel time: 3h30. Adjacent to Kruger National Park, the private Timbavati reserve offers spectacular safaris and charming accommodations. The main attraction of the reserve is the presence of the famous white lions, a rare and highly endangered species... The reserve shares an unfenced common border with Kruger National Park, allowing animals to move freely and thus guaranteeing visitors a great diversity of wildlife, including the Big 5. Full board stay at Shindzela Tented Camp. Two guided safaris are included per day: the first in an open 4x4 vehicle in the afternoon, and the second the following morning. This small, unfenced bush camp offers you an authentic safari experience. The camp is eco-friendly, as it uses solar energy, making it even closer to nature. You will be truly immersed in the African savannah. Overnight in a safari tent.

• day 9

  Timbavati Game Reserve

  Full board stay at Shindzela Tented Camp. Two guided safaris are included per day: the first in an open 4x4 vehicle in the afternoon, and the second the following morning. Night in a safari tent.

• day 10

  Timbavati Game Reserve - Blyde River Canyon - White River

  Half-day dedicated to discovering the Mpumalanga region. Our suggestions: - Visit the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Rehabilitation Centre. The centre has established itself as one of the leading private research centres and one of the main breeding sites for the country's endangered species. - Visit the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre. Nestled at the base of the Drakensberg escarpment, this centre is now one of the main wildlife rehabilitation centres in South Africa. - Enjoy the Blyde River Canyon along the panoramic R532 route. Access the following sites for the best viewpoints of the canyon: God's Window, Three Rondavels. A visit to Bourke's Luck Potholes is also very interesting, with these pot-shaped rock formations created by erosion. Overnight at Stille Woning Guest House.

• day 11

  White River - Johannesburg Airport

  Route towards Johannesburg International Airport, where you will return your rental vehicle. Estimated travel time: 4h.