Accommodation

Accommodation on this trip is mainly in two-person canvas dome tents with camping mattresses supplied. The type and variety of accommodation are determined by conditions on each of our routes. Each route is different - on some, we use a mixture of campsites and wild camps; on others, we also use hotels. In Africa, it’s not usually practical to camp when staying in towns and cities, so we use hotel accommodations and eat out in local restaurants. There may be the occasional night stop when we stay on the grounds of a hotel or at a campsite, which may also have rooms/cabins available. In this case, there may be a choice of camping or upgrading to a room. Rooms cost approximately USD : 40-100 per room per night for a twin room and cannot be pre-booked. Standards of these rooms vary greatly, and we recommend viewing the room before purchasing the night’s accommodation. The day-by-day itinerary advises when upgrades may be possible (subject to availability). Keep in mind that if we are staying in dormitory accommodation, you may have to share with other passengers or be split into same-sex rooms. Campsites do have facilities, but they usually aren’t to the same standard you would find in Western countries. For example, the bathroom facilities can be very basic. Toilet paper is rarely provided, and shower facilities can be as simple as a hose pipe spurting out cold water. Wild camps have no facilities at all. At times, there may be spare tents in the vehicles. Unfortunately, these cannot be used without the purchase of a single supplement. This is to ensure the tents avoid wear and tear or are clean and ready for the customers arriving on the next section of the trip. Camping with facilities (4 nights), Camping with basic facilities (3 nights), Hotel (1 night)

Meals

8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 7 dinners

Transport

Our trucks are purpose-built, self contained safari vehicles. Our fleet of vehicles varies depending on your group size, trip route and style. In Southern Africa some departures may use vans and luggage trailers subject to group size and vehicle availability. It is also important to note that our overland vehicles are not air-conditioned, but all vehicles have windows that can be opened to allow for fresh air. There are many early starts with long hours spent driving on rough roads on all African itineraries. While most people love the chance to watch the changing landscape and daily village life, feedback shows that long periods of inactivity does not appeal to all clients. We provide the approximate distance covered each day and how many hours this normally takes to drive so that you can choose the safari experience that is right for you. African conditions are extremely tough on vehicles. While we fastidiously maintain our vehicles at our workshops, you should not expect Africa to be your traditional touring experience. While it’s certainly our aim to avoid them, it’s important that you set off on your trip knowing that the occasional breakdown can happen and are best treated as part of the African adventure. Due to wet weather there may be times when we have to take an alternative route which will mean longer travel times. Overland vehicle

Others

Black Mambas HQ - Dinner by Lantern Light Black Mambas HQ - Campfire Story Time Black Mambas HQ - Snare Walk Panorama Route - Blyde River Canyon Viewpoint Panorama Route - Three Rondavels Viewpoint Kruger National Park - Full Day 4X4 Game Drive Hlane Royal National Park - Guided Walking Safari St Lucia Estuary - Safari Boat Cruise Cape Vidal - Beach Day Trip

Guide

You will be accompanied by 3 crew members - Group Leader, Cook and Driver. Your Group Leader’s role involves organizing the overall operation and smooth-running of the trip, managing trip logistics, coordinating the tipping kitty (where applicable) and will form work groups to take turns cooking, cleaning and shopping (from time to time your leader may drive as well). Your Group Leader will work towards making the trip as safe and enjoyable as possible for all travellers. Intrepid trips are built around the co–operation and participation of all the group members under the supervision of the group leader. The group leader will show the group how to set up and use the equipment. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting, especially when tracking and identifying game - we think it’s the best of both worlds. Regardless of the country of origin, our Group Leaders are chosen for their leadership skills and are wonderful ambassadors for our company and our beautiful continent and its people. Your Cook is responsible for the cooking and will help to coordinate the work groups for preparing the meals and washing up! Cooks are also responsible for organising food shopping (they are always happy to have you on board) and most importantly, they make sure high hygiene standards are kept at all times while camping. Your Driver’s main responsibility is to get you to your destination safely; they are also responsible for the maintenance of the vehicles along the way. Everyone is expected participate and carry their share of the workload/duties, making camp chores easier. The duties rota system is adopted where all members share in general camp duties – cooking, shopping, washing up etc. If the whole group participates it will be quicker, easier, and more fun. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader and crew; however, situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders.

Not included:

Optional

Kruger National Park - Night Game Drive - ZAR290 Hlane National Park - Guided 4x4 Game Drive - ZAR455 Hlane National Park - Umphakatsi Village Visit - ZAR153 Durban - Art Gallery - Free Durban - Bay Cruise - ZAR240 Durban - Juma Masjid Mosque - Free Durban - Bike Hire (per hour) - ZAR30 Durban - Surf Board Hire (per hour) - ZAR100

Flights

International flights not included.

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).

Others

Other activities and services not included.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Johannesburg
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Johannesburg

Sawubona! Welcome Johannesburg, the sprawling South African capital. In Joburg (unlike a lot of city nicknames, this is one people actually use) mansions stand alongside humble tin abodes and there are as many green parks on the outskirts of the city as there is concrete jungle in the centre. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you can’t wait to begin exploring and arrive with time to spare, why not make your way to the Apartheid Museum and start your journey with some crucial history before you meet up with your group.
Day 2 Day 2: Greater Kruger National Park - Black Mambas Hq
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Greater Kruger National Park - Black Mambas Hq

Rise and shine for a long day’s drive to the outskirts of Kruger National Park where you’ll be lucky enough to camp for the evening at the Black Mambas headquarters. The Intrepid Foundation is proudly partnered with Helping Rhinos, who directly support the work of the Black Mambas - the world’s first all-female anti-poaching unit. Made up of a team of 36 young African women, the Mambas patrol 20,000 hectares of the Balule Nature Reserve, part of Greater Kruger National Park. Turning a traditionally male-dominated industry on its head, they’re putting their female prowess to work protecting Kruger National Park’s wildlife in an unconventional way. You’ll join them on a bush walk to learn how they find and destroy snares firsthand. Enjoy a special dinner by lantern light and later, relax by the campfire with the Mambas as they share stories about their path to becoming a Black Mamba and conservation work.
Day 3 Day 3: Kruger National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Kruger National Park

Wave goodbye to the Mambas and take a scenic drive along the famous Panorama Route through some of the most stunning scenery South Africa has to offer, such as Bourke’s Luck Potholes. In the evening, choose to relax at your camp, located in Kruger National Park, or perhaps head out on an optional night drive with the park guide. The optional night drives are a chance to spot nocturnal animals and perhaps even a night-time predator or two – maybe catch a lion or hyena out hunting, or perhaps an impala out in search of a late-night feed.
Day 4 Day 4: Kruger National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Kruger National Park

Rise early and enjoy a light breakfast before heading out on 4x4 jeeps for a full-day game drive. Most of your day will be spent spotting game, birdwatching, and stopping at various waterholes and viewpoints to rest along the way. Kruger National Park is one of the largest National Parks in Southern Africa. It boasts over 500 bird species, 100 species of reptile and 150 mammal species, including the Big Five and the endangered African wild dog. Drive through some of Kruger’s prime game viewing areas on your way to camp and try to spot some of these amazing creatures straight away! Set up camp and get settled for the evening.
Day 5 Day 5: Hlane Royal National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Hlane Royal National Park

Start the day with a slow game drive through Kruger, covering between 20 and 70 kilometres (depending on what animals you see along the way) in the park then exiting by mid-morning. Hit the road towards Hlane Royal National Park. Travel south-east and cross the border into the kingdom of Eswatini, a country nestled between Mozambique, Northern Zululand and Mpumalanga. Arrive at Hlane Royal National Park, a vast expanse of bushveld with ancient hardwood trees, and begin exploring immediately on a guided game walk. The walking safari, led by a local guide, will give you the best understanding of how large and complex the ecosystem in this park is. With a professional ranger by your side, you’ll look out for animals like rhino, giraffe, and elephant while also searching for tiny creatures like snakes, spiders, and small mammals (don’t worry, there’s no lions in the section of the park where you’ll be walking). You’ll spend tonight at a camp within the national park.
Day 6 Day 6: Hlane Royal National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Hlane Royal National Park

Today you’ll have the opportunity to further explore Hlane Royal National Park at your leisure. You might like to book an optional 4x4 game drive within the park, where you can expect to see all kinds of animals like antelopes, elephants, zebras, rhinos, and lions. Guided by a local Swazi guide, these drives typically take 2-2.5hrs either in the early morning or late afternoon. Another optional activity for today is to visit the Hlane Umphakatsi (Chief Village) - a tour of the authentic living homestead and opportunity to discover the Swazi way of life. You’ll learn more about the traditional culture here, get to know the locals and even get a chance to try your hand at day-to-day activities. You’ll discover how Umphakatsi is a special village since it is one of the few with a female Chief: Inkhosikati.
Day 7 Day 7: St Lucia Estuary
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: St Lucia Estuary

Depart Hlane this morning and cross the border to Lake St Lucia, part of the St Lucia Estuary, stopping at a shop for supplies along the way. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1999, St Lucia Estuary is home to thousands of varieties of birds, mammals and reptiles, including hundreds of hippos and crocodiles. On arrival at camp, jump onboard a Hippo Boat Safari which offers a different perspective to traditional Game viewing with the chance to spot creatures cruising down the estuary, or basking on the banks.
Day 8 Day 8: St Lucia Estuary
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: St Lucia Estuary

We’ll take a day trip to Cape Vidal today for some time by the sand in the sun. Cape Vidal lies within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site and sits on the exquisite Zululand coast – home to a rich array of marine life. This area is visited seasonally by humpback whales during their migrations, as well as loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles that come to the beaches north of Cape Vidal from November to February to nest. You can spend the day relaxing on the beach or speak to your leader about booking some of the optional activities in the area. You’ll head back to your camp at Lake St Lucia this afternoon.
Day 9 Day 9: Durban
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Durban

Continue to Durban after breakfast today. With no activities or accommodation planned, your adventure comes to an end on arrival today. Durban is South Africa’s second most populous city, boasting sandy beaches and a glitzy nightlife – a great place to extend your stay and enjoy some leisure time. Perhaps take the opportunity for a final dinner with your fellow travellers this evening.

9 days tour

Kruger & Coast

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Kruger & Coast

Day 1: Johannesburg

Day 2: Greater Kruger National Park - Black Mambas Hq

Day 3: Kruger National Park

Day 4: Kruger National Park

Day 5: Hlane Royal National Park

Day 6: Hlane Royal National Park

Day 7: St Lucia Estuary

Day 8: St Lucia Estuary

Day 9: Durban

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