Swaziland Safari Holidays Swaziland Holidays Swaziland Escorted Tours

Kruger Park + Swaziland + St Lucia + Durban (self drive)
KCD14M

14 NIGHTS
FROM $1,125
International flights and car hire quoted separately
This self drive holiday travels through the beautiful Drakensberg Panorama route to the Kruger National Park, rich in wildlife, continuing through the small mountainous kingdom of Swaziland into KwaZulu Natal. Visit Hluhluwe Game Reserve, famous for preserving the black rhino, & the bird life of the Isimangaliso St Lucia Wetlands before arriving in Durban.
HIGHLIGHTS
Self Drive Kruger National Park Swaziland St Lucia Durban Wildlife
• Blyde River Canyon • Gods Window • Kruger National Park • Photo Safari
• Swaziland • Hluhluwe uMfolozi • St Lucia Wetlands • Birding
• Ballito • Durban
Day 1
Arrive Mpumalanga Airport, collect your hire car and drive to your hotel on the scenic Panorama Route.
  
Check into your hotel in this beautiful region.
Day 2
Today explore the splendour of the Drakensberg Panorama Route as you drive through the green Blyde River Canyon, the third largest in the world and enjoy the panoramic views from God’s Window.
 
Other places of interest along the route include Mac Mac Falls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the historic mining village of Pilgrim’s Rest, before returning to your hotel.
Day 3
Today enter the world famous Kruger National Park (gate fees for own account). Game viewing opportunities should present themselves almost immediately in this vast 2-million hectare game sanctuary the size of Wales. Hopefully see several species of antelope, zebra, wildebeest and maybe even giraffe before you reach your rest camp.
 
The Kruger National Park has seven rest 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 on a bed only basis, with each camp having a restaurant and a small shop. Check in, settle in and relax in the atmosphere that only the African bushveld can provide!
 
Days 4 To 5
Today is devoted to self drive game viewing in the Kruger National Park. 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 famous Kruger National Park, which offer magnificent game viewing opportunities and the highest concentration of lion in the whole of Africa. Hope to see several of the Big Five today - Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino - as well as many other species before returning to camp for breakfast (or buy provisions at camp and cook breakfast at a picnic spot such as Tshokwane).
 
The rest of the morning is free to relax by the swimming pool or enjoy bird watching at camp, before setting out again at the time of your choice (usually the late afternoon) for another game drive. With nearly 150 different species of mammals and over 100 species of reptiles in the Kruger National Park, you can hope to see cheetah, giraffe, hippo, kudu, crocodiles, sable antelope, waterbuck, warthogs, baboons, wild dogs and many other interesting animals. With over 500 different bird species including eagles, kingfishers, vultures and storks, outstanding bird watching is also guaranteed.
  
After a beautiful African sunset, enjoy the balmy evening and pristine stars of the Milky Way as you have never seen them before – as well as the spectacular Southern Cross.
Day 6
After some final game viewing in the Kruger National Park, drive southwards for 4-hours into the small mountain kingdom of Swaziland.
 
Travel through beautiful mountains and gorges to the capital of Mbabane, where you can stop at a local candle or glass factory to watch craftsmen at work or visit the local marketplace, before continuing to your hotel.
Day 7
Today drive southwards through the mountains of Swaziland for 4-hours to Hluhluwe National Park in Zululand, renowned for its outstanding wildlife.
 
Check into your KZN Wildlife rest camp, where game viewing opportunities should present themselves almost immediately in this famous game sanctuary. Hopefully you will see several species of antelope, zebra, wildebeest and maybe even giraffe, as well as several of the Big Five, on your self drive safari.
Day 8
Rise at dawn to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day, as you enjoy a thrilling self drive safari in the famous Hluhluwe National Park, which saved the rhino from extinction. One of South Africa’s most beautiful game parks, Hluhluwe is home to all the Big Five - Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino - as well as the subcontinent’s largest population of endangered rhino. Hope to see many interesting species before returning for breakfast.
    
The rest of the morning is free to relax at camp, before setting out again into Hluhluwe National Park for a full afternoon of game viewing. Hope to see giraffe, hippo, kudu, crocodiles, waterbuck, warthogs, baboons and many other interesting animals. With over 300 different bird species, outstanding bird watching is also guaranteed!
 
After a beautiful African sunset, enjoy the balmy evening and pristine stars of the Milky Way as you have never seen them before – as well as the spectacular Southern Cross.
Day 9
Today drive 30-minutes from Hluhuwe to St Lucia.
  
After checking into your hotel, we suggest a boat ride on the Lake St Lucia estuary where you may see hippos and crocodiles. Forming part of the Isimangaliso Wetlands, this area has been declared a World Heritage site because of its unique biodiversity and importance to marine conservation. With over 500 different bird species in the region, it also offers outstanding bird watching.
Day 10
At leisure to relax and explore the St Lucia Isimangaliso Wetlands.
 
Optional excursions include deep sea game fishing for marlin, bird watching and (from August to October) an Ocean Safari to view migrating humpback whales, turtles, dolphins and other sea life.
Day 11
Today drive 3-hours from St Lucia to your hotel on the North Coast of KwaZulu Natal, renowned for its wonderful beaches and reliably warm holiday weather all year round.
 
Check in, settle in and relax on the shores of the warm Indian Ocean.
Day 12
Today we recommend an optional Durban City tour, including the City Hall and Botanical Gardens.
 
We recommend continuing to uShaka Marine World situated in the old harbour area that is being extensively re-developed. Here you have the opportunity of viewing large indigenous sharks of the Indian Ocean and a wide variety of other marine animals, including the opportunity to interact with dolphins, seals and penguins (pay entrance fee locally).
Days 13 To 14
Relax on the warm golden beaches of the KwaZulu Natal Durban North Coast.
 
Many optional activities are available such a Durban City tour, a visit to Ushaka Marine World, or a marine cruise to search for dolphins, turtles, sharks, whales (in season) and other fascinating sea life. Championship golf, horse riding, quad biking and deep sea game fishing is also available.
Day 15
Drive 30-minutes to drop off your hire car at Durban Airport for your flight home.