7-Day Kruger Swaziland and Beach Adventure Camping Tour from Pretoria

7-Day Kruger Swaziland and Beach Adventure Camping Tour from Pretoria

An adventure camping tour that travels from the bushveld of Kruger to the beaches of Kwazulu Natal. This short 7-day Africa tour encompasses many diverse experiences in South Africa and Swaziland. Explore the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga, enjoy game viewing and finding the Big 5 in Kruger National Park, experience Swazi and Zulu cultures, and lap up the city life of Durban.

Itinerary

Day 1: Pretoria – Greater Kruger Park, South Africa

Stop At: Hazyview, Hazyview, Mpumalanga
Departing from South Africa’s administrative city, Pretoria, we drive across the scenic Mpumalanga province and enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery before heading to the Panorama Route where we view Blyde River canyon. We make our way to Hazyview bordering Kruger. Fences between the National Park and surrounding private reserves were removed several years ago to form the Greater Kruger, an area of some 24000 sq km. Wildlife is free to roam the whole enormous area and it has become incredibly diverse in both fauna and flora. From the dwarf mongoose to the famed ‘Big Five’, almost every major African mammal is present. There is also prolific birdlife and over 330 varieties of trees. This evening we enjoy our first night under the African stars.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel Numbi, Hazyview, South Africa

Day 2: Full Day Kruger National Park

Stop At: Kruger National Park, South Africa
Waking at sunrise, we eagerly wait for Park Rangers to open the park gates to let us enter the wilds of Kruger for an intense yet rewarding day of game tracking with our eagle-eyed guide at the wheel. Kruger is home to over 505 species of birds, 148 species of mammals and many reptiles which we enthusiastically search for during the morning and afternoon. The impressive atmosphere of the park enables you to understand why it is held in such high esteem amongst wildlife lovers from all over the world. We avoid the hot midday sun and enjoy the peacefulness the rest camp has to offer. There are many facilities available for game viewers such as restaurants, souvenir stores and swimming pools. We return to our camp in the late afternoon, happily exhausted and highly satisfied with the day’s events. For those wanting more game driving there may be the option of heading out on a night safari. Early evening, we all enjoy a lovely dinner gathered around the warm fire crackling in the stillness of night.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel Numbi, Hazyview, South Africa

Day 3: Full Day Kruger National Park

Stop At: Kruger National Park, South Africa
After a light sunrise breakfast, we re-enter the Park in an open 4x4 safari vehicle for our second day’s game diving day. With cameras and binoculars on hand we spend the morning and afternoon winding along beaten tracks and marked routes encountering many species which are indigenous to this region. Kruger has over two million hectares of unrivalled diversity of ecosystems boasting an incredible concentration of wildlife and we hope to encounter some of these including the ‘Big 5’ - elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and buffalo. We return to our camp during the late afternoon.
*For travellers not making use of the Adventure Pass, alternate optional activities may be available today.

Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel Numbi, Hazyview, South Africa

Day 4: Kruger National Park – Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Swaziland

Stop At: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Manzini District
Leaving Hazyview, we travel south along the edge of the Kruger National Park, passing many farming towns and Shangaan settlements. After a short stop in Nelspruit, the road takes us through lush citrus farms before crossing the Crocodile River and into the Kingdom of Swaziland, a land-locked country snuggled between Mozambique and South Africa. Arriving at Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary, our base for the next two nights is Swaziland’s oldest protected area located in the stunning Ezulwini Valley, 'Valley of Heavens’.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Swaziland

Day 5: The Kingdom of Swaziland

Stop At: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Manzini District
Waking to the sounds of grunting antelope and wild exotic birds, we enjoy breakfast soaking up the natural beauty of our surroundings. A short drive through the sanctuary brings us to the Royal Enclosure where we discover an abundance of history and culture about this monarchy-controlled country. A local Swazi guide walks us through a traditional village explaining many customs and rituals. After leisure time browsing street side markets and trying our hand bartering with crafters, we find our way back to the sanctuary for lunch. This afternoon we recommend you participate in some of the many activities offered in the sanctuary such as horseback trails, game drives, mountain bike riding, and guided walks or just enjoy some rejuvenating time-out sun tanning around the cool swimming pool with a good book. There are over forty species of animals found here including the exotic species such as Honey Badger, Dwarf Mongoose, Aardwolf, Striped Polecat and the more common including Hippo, Ostrich, Kudu, Zebra and Baboon. Enjoy cool sun downers and admiring the view overlooking the hippo pool while our crew prepares a delicious dinner.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Swaziland

Day 6: Swaziland – St Lucia, South Africa

Stop At: Saint Lucia Estuary, Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, St Lucia 3936 South Africa
Leaving this amazing sanctuary behind us, we travel south through the Swazi countryside before crossing the border and re-entering South Africa via the KwaZulu-Natal province. We head to the small coastal town of St Lucia, set amongst the wild beaches and a tropical estuary. This afternoon, we join the river cruise on the St. Lucia Lagoon viewing many Hippo pods, lazy crocodiles, and numerous bird species on the sandy banks, or cooling down in the water for a refreshing swim.

After dinner, we have the opportunity to relax in the camps gardens gazing up into the clear southern hemisphere sky, star watching.

Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Monzi Camp, St Lucia, South Africa

Day 7: St Lucia - Durban

Stop At: Durban, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
This morning is yours at leisure to explore the town and the numerous shops and markets stalls or simply relax in the campsite’s stunning settings. We leave St Lucia mid-morning and drive through pine forests and sugar cane fields to one of Africa’s largest commercial ports, Durban where our tour ends on arrival.
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.