20 Day South African Camping Odyssey

Early in the morning, we eagerly await the Park Rangers to let us into Kruger National Park for an intensive yet rewarding day of game tracking with our eagle-eyed guide. We enthusiastically search for over 505 species of birds, 148 species of mammals, and many reptiles in Kruger National Park during the mornings and afternoons. You can understand why the park is regarded so highly by wildlife enthusiasts all over the world because of its impressive atmosphere. The rest camp offers a peaceful atmosphere away from the hot midday sun. Restaurants, souvenir stores, swimming pools, and souvenir shops are all available for game viewers. The day’s events have left us exhausted and highly satisfied as we return to our camp in the late afternoon. You can also go on a night safari if you’d like more game driving action. Dinner is served around a warm fire in the stillness of the night.

Accommodation: Numbi Hotel (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Kruger Night Game Drive

For our second game diving day, we re-enter the Park in an open 4×4 safari vehicle after a light sunrise breakfast. Our mornings and afternoons are spent wandering along marked routes and off beaten tracks, spotting many local species. In Kruger National Park, there is an unparalleled variety of ecosystems that boast an incredible concentration of wildlife and we hope to see some of them, including the ‘Big 5’ of elephants, rhinoceroses, leopards, lions, and buffalo. Our camp is reached in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: Numbi Hotel (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Kruger Night Game Drive

As we travel south from Hazyview, we pass many farming towns and Shangaan settlements. In Eswatini, a land-locked country nestled between Mozambique and South Africa, we travel through lush citrus farms after a brief stop in Nelspruit. In the stunning Ezulwini Valley, ‘Valley of Heavens’, we arrive at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Eswatini’s oldest protected area.

Accommodation: Mlilwane Camp (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance Covered: ± 450 km
Approximate Driving Time: 8 hours

While enjoying breakfast, we listen to grunting antelope and exotic birds and take in the natural beauty of our surroundings. In the Royal Enclosure, we discover the culture and history of the last African country under monarchy control. We are guided through a traditional Swazi village by a Swazi guide who explains many of the customs and rituals. Lunch follows our leisurely stroll through street markets and bartering with crafters. The sanctuary offers many activities in the afternoon, such as horseback riding trails, game drives, mountain biking, guided walks, and just relaxing around the pool with a book. Here you will find over forty species of animals, including exotic ones like Honey Badgers, Dwarf Mongooses, Aardwolves, Striped Polecats, and more common ones like Hippos, Ostriches, Kudu, Zebras, and Baboons. While our crew prepares a delicious dinner, you can enjoy cool sundowners and admire the view of the hippo pool.

Accommodation: Mlilwane camp (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance Covered: ± 60 km
Optional Activities: Mountain Biking Tour, Horse Riding, Sunset Game Drive, Guided Bird Tour, Guided Walk

Our journey south through the Swazi countryside ends at the KwaZulu-Natal border, where we cross back into South Africa. Our next stop is St Lucia, a small coastal town set among wild beaches and a tropical estuary. We will enjoy a river cruise on the St. Lucia Lagoon, where we can view Hippo pods, lazy crocodiles, and numerous bird species on the sand banks, or cool off in the water. Watching the stars in the southern hemisphere sky after dinner in the camp gardens.

Accommodation: Monzi (or similar) – Twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Mountain Biking Tour, Horse Riding, Sunset Game Drive, Guided Bird Tour, Guided Walk
Distance Covered: ± 330 km
Approximate Driving Time: 7 hours

Spend your morning exploring the town and its numerous shops and markets or simply relaxing at the campsite. The drive from St Lucia to Durban, one of Africa’s largest commercial ports, takes us through pine forests and sugar cane fields. You can enjoy the lively nightlife of this city in the afternoon at your leisure.

Accommodation: Road Lodge (or similar) – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
Meals included: Breakfast
Optional Activities: City Tour
Distance Covered: ± 260 km
Approximate Driving Time: 4 hours

Enjoy a leisurely day exploring Durban’s beauty today. The Golden Mile is a stretch of quality restaurants with a view along the Durban beachfront, known as the Golden Mile. Try the delicious Durban Curry, a local specialty. Discover Africa’s largest marine theme park, uShaka Marine World, which boasts the largest shark collection in the Southern Hemisphere. Take part in scuba diving or ride the water slides to find your thrill. A 360-degree view of Durban can be enjoyed from the ‘big swing’ at the Moses Mabhida stadium.

Accommodation: Road Lodge (or similar) – Twin share accommodation with en-suite facilities
Meals included: Breakfast
Optional Activities: Moses Mabhida Stadium Big Swing

In the morning, we head inland via Pietermaritzburg and the lush mountainous countryside to our camp at Sani Lodge. Sani Pass is the gateway to Lesotho’s mountain kingdom and is situated at the foot of this magnificent place. Mule tracks were once used to trade blankets, clothing, and maize meal for wool and mohair. The Drakensberg escarpment is accessible only via this stunning pass. You can enjoy the spectacular views and the many hiking and walking trails this afternoon at your leisure.

Accommodation: Sani Lodge (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Hiking and Walking Trails
Distance Covered: ± 220 km
Approximate Driving Time: 3 hours

Our guide will take us across the spectacular Sani Pass (2874 m) on a guided tour of Lesotho today. A 4×4 vehicle takes us through the rugged cliffs of the Drakensberg Mountains as we listen to stories of pioneering, history, and the stunning wildlife that can be seen along their slopes. In a shepherds village in Lesotho, we visit a small household and a shearing shed. It is possible that we will see an angora goat or a sheep being sheared by hand depending on the season and shearing times. A picnic lunch overlooking the majestic views awaits us on the Black Mountain, the second highest road pass in Lesotho at 3240m. Taking a short walk after lunch to view Thabana Ntlenyana, we meet the shepherds who tend to their flocks during the summer months. In Southern Africa, this is the highest point at 3482m. The Sani Mountain Lodge’s highest bar is the highest in Africa on our way back to our camp for the night.

Accommodation: Sani Lodge (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Hiking and Walking Trails
Distance Covered: ± 30 km
Approximate Driving Time: Full Day Tour

As we drive to the Battlefields today, we take in some history. There is a deep-seated silence at the Battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal thanks to the many lives lost here by British, Boer and Zulu soldiers. On our way through the historic sites, we stop off at a few of them. At our lodge, we can play table tennis, foosball, pool, or relax in the nearby rock pool in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: Amphitheatre Lodge (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance Covered: ± 240 km
Approximate Driving Time: 5 Hours

Traveling the short distance to the Royal Natal National Park entrance gate, we pack up our day packs. Within the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, this KwaZulu-Natal reserve offers stunning views, lofty mountains, and waterfalls. A comprehensive guidebook is available for visitors to explore the trails on foot and on horseback. A half-day or full-day excursion can provide a half- or full-day excursion for walkers and hikers. It’s a great way to explore the breathtaking landscape at the foot of the Drakensberg, including the famous Amphitheatre rock face. The tour also includes a visit to some ancient cave dwellings and a view of bush rock art. In the evening, we enjoy a healthy dinner while taking advantage of the stillness and crisp clean air of the Drakensberg.

Accommodation: Amphitheatre Lodge (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Guided Tugela Falls Hike

Today we depart the Drakensberg en route to Maseru Bridge Gate, re-entering Lesotho after driving through the northern section of Lesotho. Driving through narrow mountain passes, we arrive at Malealea Lodge, perched high above the mountains. The Malealea Lodge is located in the Mafeteng District of Western Lesotho, surrounded by breathtaking scenery and offering an array of optional activities to get to know the local culture.

Accommodation: Malealea Lodge (or similar) – Twin share accommodation with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance Covered: ± 350 km
Approximate Driving Time: 8 Hours

Take advantage of the many optional activities available today to explore this beautiful mountainous country. You can climb and descend narrow paths with spectacular views on a mountain bike in the mountains. As the Basotho people go about their daily duties, enjoy a hike at leisure. The pony trek, however, is one of the most important parts of any visit to Lesotho. There are some incredible waterfalls in Lesotho along the trails that traverse hair-raising narrow mountain tracks. The area is rich in Bushman paintings, and you can experience Basotho culture all in one day.

Accommodation: Malealea Lodge (or similar) – Twin share accommodation with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Pony Trek to Waterfalls and Bushman Paintings, Bushman Paintings Pony Trek, 1 Hour Pony Ride to Village, Guided Hiking Trails, Mountain Biking, Village, School, and Museum Hike (3 Hours)

Leaving the Lesotho highlands, we cross into South Africa early in the morning. There are over 700 animals in this park, including eland, cape buffalo, cheetah, lion, caracal, black rhino, and bat eared fox. Cape Mountain zebras, after which the park is named, make up the majority of the park’s mammalian fauna. While en-route to our camp for the evening in the National Park, we game drive in our vehicle in search of these animals.

Accommodation: Mountain Zebra National Park Rest Camp (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance Covered: ± 430 km
Approximate Driving Time: 9 Hours

Today, we drive to the Addo Elephant National Park where we spend the day exploring the park for some serious animal spotting. Addo can exclusively claim to be the only national park in the world to conserve the “Big 7” – the Big 5 as well as the southern right whale and great white shark off the Algoa Bay coast. This wonderful park is sanctuary to over 600 elephants, lion, buffalo, black rhino, spotted hyena, leopard, a variety of antelope and zebra species – so you are sure to spot many animals during your time here! After an enjoyable day’s safari, we make our way to our accommodation, which is situated a few metres from the beachfront just outside of Port Elizabeth.

Accommodation: Willows Resort (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance Covered: ± 300 km
Approximate Driving Time: 5 Hours

Early in the morning, we make our way over to Storms River within the Tsitsikamma forest for an exciting adventure. With dramatic coastal scenery, reefs, rivers, lush forest, and delicate Fynbos, Tsitsikamma National Park is a multi-faceted destination. In the magnificent Garden Route National Park, this region is a hiking and birding paradise. Your energy and interests will determine which optional activities you choose here. Visitors’ curiosity and exploration desires can be satisfied with boat cruises, canoe trips, nature hikes, and birdwatching in the forest. Another option is to jump off one of the highest bungee jumps in the world off the famous Bloukrans Bridge.

Accommodation: Plettenberg Bay Forever Resorts (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities: Bungee Jump, Bridge Walk, Half Day Tubing
Distance Covered: ± 230 km
Approximate Driving Time: 4 Hours

After breakfast, we’ll travel to Oudtshoorn, which lies between the Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains in the Klein Karoo. A number of farms are located in the dry Karoo around Oudtshoorn, which is the ostrich capital of the world. The Cango Caves are Africa’s largest show cave system, located in this region. These dripstone caverns, situated on a limestone ridge parallel to the well-known Swartberg Mountains, feature vast halls and towering formations. In the Karoo, we spend the night in an old settlers’ town after exploring the caves.

Accommodation: Kleinplaas (or similar) – Camping in twin share tents with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance Covered: ± 150 km
Approximate Driving Time: 3 Hours

The wonderful hospitality of Oudtshoorn has rejuvenated our minds and bodies. As we drive south, we can see whales and dolphins in Hermanus. As we travel south along the southern coast of Africa, we visit Cape Agulhas at the point where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. During winter storms, rogue waves can reach a height of 30 metres along the Cape coastline, an area notorious for its hazardous nature. Shipwrecks can be found along the coastline as a result. After visiting the 1848 lighthouse, a lunch break is taken. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Hermanus is the perfect place to spend the afternoons! Our nights are spent inhaling the cool breeze and taking in the town’s atmosphere.

Accommodation: Hermanus Backpackers (or similar) – Dorm bed with shared facilities
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Optional Activities: Hermanus Whale Watching/Cruise
Distance Covered: ± 420 km
Approximate Driving Time: 8 Hours

The town’s variety of shops and boardwalk can be explored on foot or the Old Harbour Open-Air Museum is a provincial heritage site and is a great place to spend a free morning in Hermanus. One of only two fishing harbours in the world that has been preserved intact, the museum is a fascinating example of the vibrant fishing industry. Hermanus’ fishing village was developed around the museum. The rough coastline route takes us through small fishing towns before we leave Hermanus before lunch. Our tour includes a winery visit and wine tasting en route to Cape Town. In the popular South African mother city, Cape Town, the tour draws to a close at the foot of Table Mountain in the late afternoon.

Meals included: Breakfast
Optional Activities: Shark Cage Diving
Distance Covered: ± 130 km
Approximate Driving Time: 3 Hours

Onward Travel Plans

Due to circumstances beyond our control while on tour (such as border crossings, traffic, breakdowns and delays, etc), the end time on the last day cannot be guaranteed. Therefore we strongly recommend you stay the night and fly out the next day. Please consult with your booking consultant.