APU12K: Kimberley + Kalahari + Augrabies + Kruger

Day 1

Arrive Kimberley Airport and meet your Kalahari safari host, who will transfer you to your luxury accommodation in this historic diamond-mining town – world headquarters of De Beers Consolidated Mining. After a short orientation tour of Kimberley check in, settle in and relax by the swimming pool.

This evening enjoy an optional dinner at the historic Kimberley Club founded in 1881 by Cecil John Rhodes at the height of the British Empire.

Day 2

This morning we visit the famous Big Hole of Kimberley and Open Mine Museum. With a surface area of over 40 acres and a perimeter of over 1 mile, this open-pit area was mined to a depth of over 3,000 feet at the height of the diamond rush – the largest hand-dug excavation in the world. At the Village Museum view Eureka, the first recorded diamond discovered in South Africa, then catch the historic Kimberley tram to the City Hall and visit a jeweller to see diamonds cut and polished.

This afternoon we drive to Witsand Nature Reserve to view the strange phenomenon of the Roaring Dunes, a scenic 3-hour drive. Check in to your game park chalets and view the white sand dunes rising above the surrounding red desert sands that, from September to April, make strange growling sounds as you walk on them. The sand pebbles are of similar size and shape, capturing pockets of air between them on warm summer days. These pockets of air are released when the sand is disturbed, giving off the roaring sound.

In the evening sit around an open campfire and enjoy a traditional barbeque dinner. Then observe the stars of the southern skies as you have never seen them before, including the Milky Way and spectacular Southern Cross. In this remote location far from any city lights, enjoy some of the finest stargazing available anywhere in the world!

Day 3

Today we continue our journey to the vast and arid Kalahari Desert, one of the world’s last unspoilt ecosystems and one of Africa’s greatest wilderness areas, a drive of around 4.5 hours. In this land of far horizons, marvel at the gigantic nests of the sociable weaverbirds set high in camel thorn trees and stop to examine some of the amazing succulent desert plants which have adapted to survive in such harsh conditions.

Around midday we arrive at the 3.7-million hectare malaria-free Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a visionary joint venture between South African and Botswana. Check in to your simple but comfortable air-conditioned chalet at Tweerivieren (“Two Rivers”) and relax by the swimming pool. In the late afternoon enjoy your first game drive, before dining at the camp restaurant.

Days 4 and 5

The next two days we explore the vast Kalahari Plains of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. As you will have the services of an experienced private driver/guide throughout your safari, you will have the flexibility of discussing preferred routings and travelling times with him each day. However we recommend setting off early each morning as the camp gates open (05h30 to 06h00 depending on the season), to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day. Because of the heat, all game drives will be in an air-conditioned vehicle with your guide.

Wildlife is plentiful in the red sand dunes and semi-desert of this vast game sanctuary, which is twice the size of the Kruger National Park. Of the many species of mammals and reptiles that have successfully adapted to the harsh desert conditions, the most famous is the black-maned Kalahari lion. Kgalagadi is also renowned for the magnificent Oryx (gemsbok) and its cheetah and leopards - which are more easily seen in the sparse vegetation.

We hope to see some big cats before returning to camp at around 09h00 for breakfast. The rest of the morning can be spent relaxing at camp, reading or bird watching, before setting out again at the time of your choice (usually the late afternoon) for another game drive.

We should see large herds of antelope including springbok (which do not occur in the Kruger Park), eland, blue wildebeest and oryx. We also hope to see the brown and spotted hyena, black-backed jackals, the curious meercats, yellow mongoose, porcupines, honey badgers, bat-eared foxes, Cape foxes, African wild cats and many other interesting animals. Bird life is also prolific (260 different species - including over 20 raptors) making this a superb bird watching venue.

After a full day of game viewing, relax and enjoy another magnificent African sunset in the atmosphere that only the African bushveld can provide!

[Note: You will see some of Africa’s most unusual animals in the Kalahari and many of the “great cats” – lion, cheetah and leopard. But please note that the vegetation does not support elephants, rhino or buffalo]

Day 6

Today we leave Kgalagadi and head south through Bushmanland. We stop at a Bushmen craft stall, to give you the opportunity of supporting this community by buying one of their hand-made products, before continuing to Augrabies, a 4-hour drive.

At Augrabies (“The Place of Great Noise”) the mighty Orange River dramatically crashes over the rim of a granite canyon during the summer flood, to plunge 270 ft into the gorge below – forming South Africa’s largest waterfall and the sixth largest in the world.

Check in, settle in and relax in your air-conditioned chalets, then view Augrabies Falls at leisure, where conditions for a photo shoot are excellent. In the evening, enjoy a relaxing dinner at the camp restaurant.

Day 7

Today is free for rest and relaxation at Augrabies, as your host departs early to travel overland to Johannesburg (so that he can meet your flight tomorrow).

Choose one of the optional excursions available, such as Canoeing on the Orange River or a day excursion to Riemvasmaak Canyon. Or extend your holiday by an extra night to view the wild flowers of Namaqualand in season (August/September) or the mighty Fish River Canyon. Alternatively simply relax by the swimming pool.

Day 8

This morning you will be transferred to Upington Airport for your 1-hour flight to Johannesburg Airport.

Your host will be there to greet you and introduce you to the beauty of the Eastern Transvaal on your scenic 3-hour drive to Hazyview. Check in to your luxury guesthouse for dinner and overnight.

[Or 45-minute transfer from Mpumalanga Airport]

Day 9

This morning your host will share with you the splendour of the Drakensberg Panorama Route as you drive through Blyde River Canyon, the third largest canyon in the world.

View Mac Mac Falls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the panoramic views from God’s Window. If time permits, we also make a brief stop at the historic mining village of Pilgrim’s Rest.

Continue to Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, where you have the unique opportunity of viewing wild lion, leopard, cheetah, eagles and vultures at close quarters. Animals found injured, poisoned or orphaned are given a second chance and released back into the wilds.

Check in to your luxury guesthouse for dinner and overnight.

Day 10

Today we enter the world famous Kruger National Park. Game viewing opportunities should present themselves almost immediately in this vast 2-million hectare game sanctuary the size to Wales. Hopefully we will see several species of antelope, zebra, wildebeest and maybe even giraffe before we reach camp.

The Kruger Park offers a choice of seven camps, each situated in a different section of the park with its own unique flora and fauna: Skukuza, Letaba, Olifants, Lower Sabie, Pretoriuskop, Satara and Berg-en-Dal. Accommodation is in simple but comfortable thatched game park bungalows, with each camp having a restaurant and a small shop.

Check in, settle-in and relax in your outdoor bushveld surroundings before enjoying dinner (exact camp subject to availability at time of booking).

Days 11 and 12

As you will have the services of a private driver/guide throughout your safari, you will have the flexibility of discussing preferred routings and travelling times with him each day. However we recommend setting off early each morning as the camp gates open (05h30 to 06h00 depending on the season), to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day.

Explore the vast Kruger Plains, which offer magnificent game viewing opportunities and the highest concentration of lion in the whole of Africa. Hopefully we will see at least one of the Big Five today - Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino, before returning to camp for breakfast.

The rest of the morning can be spent relaxing at camp, reading or bird watching, before setting out again at the time of your choice (usually the late afternoon) for another game drive.

One game drive per day will be in an open-top game viewing vehicle operated by the Kruger Park (either early morning, late afternoon or evening), with all other game drives taken with your host in an air-conditioned minibus, as this is more comfortable in the heat of the day.

With nearly 150 different species of mammals and over 100 species of reptiles in the Kruger Park, we hope to see giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, waterbuck, warthogs, baboons, wild dogs and many other interesting animals.

In the evening, enjoy the balmy weather and pristine stars of the Southern Sky and Milky Way, as you have never seen them before – including the spectacular Southern Cross.

[Note: Children <12 are not allowed on open top game drives. However they may enjoy unlimited game drives in your host’s vehicle]

Day 13

This morning we return to Johannesburg Airport, stopping at a Cultural Village and self-help project to give you the opportunity of supporting the local community by purchasing one of their handmade products.

[Or fly from Mpumalanga Airport]