NT04 - 9 Day North East Tour & Safari

You will be amazed at how much beauty, nature and sightseeing there is to take advantage of in the northern regions of South Africa. We start with a Pretoria City Tour before moving on to the Kruger National Park safari to spend a few days game viewing. Our journey then takes us through the mountainous Kingdom of Swaziland followed by the amazing scenery and wildlife of the Kwazulu-Natal Province. We end our tour with a visit to Shakaland where we learn about the proud Zulu nation.

Section1: The Kruger Park tour is only section run as a scheduled group tour with other travellers.
Section 2: The Swaziland to Johannesburg section of this tour will be done as a private tour with your own tour guide.

Departures

Tour Starts:     Sunday (Between 08:00 and 09:00)
Tour Ends:       Monday (Between 17:00 and 18:00)

If you can’t start this tour on a Sunday - no problem! These tours can also operate as Private Tours and start on any other day to suit your needs. Please enquire for the private departure tour rates. 

Guests
Minimum 2 - Maximum 8 (This is a Scheduled Tour that operates with other travellers) 

Tour Cost - Fully Guided	01 Nov 2009- 31 Oct 2010	01 Nov 2010 - 31 Oct 2011
Per Person Sharing - SA Rand (2-3 Persons)	R18065	Please Enquire
Per Person Sharing - SA Rand (4-8 Persons)	R16055	Please Enquire
Single Supplement - SA Rand	R2190	Please Enquire
Children Under 12 - SA Rand	Please Enquire	Please Enquire

Tour Cost - Semi Guided (Guided & Self Drive)	01 Nov 2009 - 31 Oct 2010	01 Nov 2010 - 31 Oct 2011
Per Person Sharing - SA Rand (2-3 Persons)	R13540	Please Enquire
Per Person Sharing - SA Rand (4-8 Persons)	R13375	Please Enquire
Single Supplement - SA Rand	R2190	Please Enquire
Children Under 12 - SA Rand	Please Enquire	Please Enquire

A saving of 3% can be offered on any of the above tour prices should you choose to make payment by bank transfer as opposed to credit card.

Day 1 of the tour
Guests arrive at OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg) in the morning where they will be met by one of our tour guides. We then transfer to Pretoria where we check into our hotel and have some time to relax. We then go for lunch and do a Pretoria City Tour taking in the Voortrekker Monument where we learn about the days of the great trek. After that we drive to Kruger House where we get to look around before continuing on to Church Square. From there we travel up to the Union Buildings where we stop and spend some time at the headquarters of South Africa. This evening will be at leisure. (There are a number of nearby restaurants that you may decide to visit for dinner).

Overnight:     The Diplomat Guest House - Pretoria (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 2 of the tour
An early start as we then travel from the highveld to the lowveld region of the Mpumalanga Province where you will arrive at Kwa-Madwala Private Game Reserve in the early afternoon in time for lunch. There will then be some leisure time for you to check-in to your luxurious rooms and laze around the pool with an ice cold drink. Later this afternoon you will have your first chance to view South Africa’s abundant wildlife when you partake in sundowner game drive on an open 4x4 safari vehicle with a professional game ranger. Kwa-Madwala is home to a variety of game species including Elephant, Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Giraffe and Zebra to name just a few. Dinner this evening could either be served in the boma with its huge central fire place or on the main dining deck.

Overnight:     Manyatta Rock Camp - Kwa Madwala Private Game Reserve (Dinner, Bed & Breakfast)



Day 3 of the tour
This morning you will have an early start as your guide takes you into the Kruger National Park in our comfortable air-conditioned vehicle for a full day of game viewing. You will travel throughout the southern reaches of the Kruger Park and have the opportunity to enjoy one of the world’s finest game sanctuaries.

The world-renowned Kruger National Park, which sprawls across nearly 20 000 sq kilometres of hot, flattish lowveld terrain in the far northeast of South Africa, ranks among the finest game sanctuaries in the world. Few visitors come away disappointed. The sky is big, the horizons are far and the great expanses of bushveld remain remarkably unspoilt. All the roads, rest camps and other man-made features only account for about 2 percent of the park’s area, the rest is pure wilderness. No other sanctuary in Africa can match the Kruger in the number and variety of its life forms: the savannah plains of the park, the forest and riverine reaches are home to nearly 150 kinds of mammal, including the ‘Big 5’ (Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Leopard and Buffalo), more than 500 bird species, 112 reptile types (50 of them snakes of one sort or another), 49 of fish, 34 of amphibian, an uncountable diversity of insects, 500 types of tree and a vast array of shrubs, grasses and bulbous plants.

Later this afternoon you will exit the Kruger Park and travel back to Kwa-Madwala Game Reserve where you will have some time at leisure to relax before enjoying another fantastic dinner.

Overnight:     Manyatta Rock Camp - Kwa Madwala Private Game Reserve (Dinner, Bed & Breakfast)

Day 4 of the tour
This morning you will once again have an early start as your guide takes you into the Kruger National Park for a half day of game viewing. You will return to the lodge at about 13:00 and then have lunch. After lunch you will have the opportunity to relax around the pool at leisure or take part in any of the optional extra game viewing activities as mentioned below:

Game Drives & Walking Safaris:
* 3 Hour afternoon/ night game drive in Kwa-Madwala Game Reserve including sundowners and snacks in an open 4 x 4 game viewer vehicle, hosted by a professional game ranger - R450 p/p.
* 3 Hour walking safari - R450 p/p.

Elephant Back Safaris & Interaction Experiences:
* 1 Hour Energetic walk with the elephants through the bush - R250 p/p.
* ½ Hour Elephant Interaction Experience including walk, feed, feel, touch, sense and talk - R450 p/p.
* 1 Hour Elephant Back Safari including a game viewing experience through the bush - R700 p/p. 
* 1 Hour Elephant Interaction & Mudbath combination (Between 12-2pm, weather pending) - R700 p/p.
* 1 ½ Hour Elephant Back Safari including a game viewing experience through the bush - R1050 p/p.
* 2 Hour Elephant Back Safari including a game viewing experience through the bush - R1400 p/p.
* 2 Hour Elephant sundowner experience - R1400 p/p.
* 3 Hour Elephant Back Safari including a game viewing experience through the bush - R1750 p/p. 

Microlight Safaris - (low altitude light aircraft safaris):
Morning (06:30-08:30), Afternoon (15:00-17:00) weather depending.
* 15 Minute Microlight safari flight above Kwa-Madwala Game Reserve - R475 p/p.
* ½ Hour Microlight safari above Kwa-Madwala Game Reserve and along the Crocodile River (border of Kruger Park) - R800 p/p.
* 1 Hour Microlight safari flight above Kwa-Madwala Game Reserve and along the Crocodile River (border of Kruger Park) - R1400 p/p.

Spa Treatments:
* Kwa-Madwala also has its own Spa Treatment Centre that overlooks the fantastic valley below. Please feel free to enquire at reception about the treatments on offer.

The evening will again include dinner and time to relax.

Overnight:     Manyatta Rock Camp - Kwa Madwala Private Game Reserve (Dinner, Bed & Breakfast)

SECTION 2: Guided Private Tour  

Day 5 of the tour
Today your guide and the guests on the 4 day Kruger Park Safari will depart. After a final optional extra game viewing activity and breakfast you will be met by your new guide and then depart the Private Game Reserve and make your way across the border into the mountainous Kingdom of Swaziland. Driving onwards along the magnificent Pigg’s Peak route we have the opportunity to stop at the Ngwenya glass blowing factory in the late afternoon. After that we will continue on past the city of Mbabane and into the heart of this beautiful country where we will stay overnight. Enjoy a relaxing evening tonight in the mountains.

Overnight:     Foresters Arms Hotel - Swaziland (Dinner, Bed & Breakfast)

Day 6 of the tour
This morning after checking out we pay a visit to the Swazi candle factory near Malkerns before following ‘Route 8’ lined with sugarcane fields out of Swaziland. Entering South Africa again in the north of the Kwazulu-Natal Province we will continue until we reach St Lucia. This is a small town situated on an estuary, which is one of seven “World Heritage Sites” in South Africa. We suggest a relaxing evening. There are many great small pubs and restaurant to be visited along the main street in St Lucia.

Overnight:     Elephant Coast Lodge - St Lucia (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 7 of the tour
This morning we have the opportunity to enter another of South Africa’s famous Game Reserves, namely Hluhluwe Game Reserve. This is the reserve that is responsible for the increase in numbers of the rhino population in South Africa. After an early start we spend the morning game viewing on open safari vehicles before we return to St Lucia at about lunch time. Later this afternoon we enjoy a sundowner cruise on the St Lucia Estuary taking in the sights of hippo, crocodiles and the vast birdlife along the way.

Overnight:     Elephant Coast Lodge - St Lucia (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 8 of the tour
This morning after breakfast and a bit of relaxation it will be time to get back on the road as we make our way to Shakaland. This is a Cultural Village that shows us some insight into the life of the Zulu nation. You will be entertained with a cultural show as well as dancing and feasting on typical Zulu cuisine this evening. This is a truly memorable experience.

Overnight:     Protea Hotel - Shakaland (Dinner, Bed & Breakfast & Cultural Experience)

Day 9 of the tour
Today we depart Shakaland and drive back towards Johannesburg. We will bypass the towns of Pongola and Ermelo along the way. On arrival you will be dropped off at either a hotel of your choice  Johannesburg or OR Tambo International Airport.

Included
* 8 Nights B&B Accommodation
* 5 Dinners - Nights 2,3,4,5,8
* Transportation in air-conditioned vehicles
* 1 x Open 4x4 Safari Vehicle Sundowner Game Drive at Kwa-Madwala Game Reserve
* 1 x Full Day of Game Viewing in the Kruger Park in an air-conditioned vehicle
* 1 x Half Day of Game Viewing in the Kruger Park in an air-conditioned vehicle
* THETA Registered tour guide for the duration of the tour
* Dinner & Cultural Experience at Shakaland
* All Entrance Fees and Conservation Fees as mentioned

Excluded
* International & Domestic Flights
* All Lunches & Unspecified Dinners
* All Beverages
* Optional Extra Activities & Game Drives
* Gratuities, Telephone calls etc.
* Travel Insurance