No. TG01

  Expeditions of  Southern Africa
Africa's Super Predators and Mammals Safari
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana
With Specialist Guide - Paul de Bruyn 

GROOTBOS NATURE RESERVE

Specialist guides accompany guests on walking trails, horse back riding and mountain biking through the reserve.  

Drives in 4X4 vehicles are also offered.  From July to December, the Southern Right Whale migrates from Antarctica to Walker Bay.  This spectacular vantage point for whale watching is a short drive from Grootbos.  

Guests can also swim or relax on the beach or take a 20-minute boat trip to Dyer’s island, home of the Cape Fur Seal.

Grootbos Nature Reserve is nestled in the fynbos clad hills above Walker Bay with beautiful views of the dunes, sea and distant Cape of Good Hope.  The reserve has more than 1 000 species of Cape Flora as well as a host of smaller animals such as Bush Buck, Porcupine, Grey Duiker and Lynx.  ‘The Lodge at the Sea’ is set in a Milkwood forest – each cottage has been built from locally hewn stone and timber and has an en suite bathroom.  From the bar, guests can view picturesque sunsets across Walker Bay.  The restaurant specialises in seafood, complemented by home-grown produce. 

Shark diving/sighting tours (weather permitting) are offered daily off Gansbaai at Dyer Island which has become known as one of only two unique areas in the world, where the chances to view the great white shark, rises exceptionally high. 

Divers are secured in a specially designed, two man cage, which floats on the surface, which means divers are no more than 1m below the surface. Only experienced divers with a minimum diving certification (valid resort course and upwards) are allowed in the cage 

But non-divers will have a great opportunity to watch the sharks feeding from the safety of the boat. 

The excursion takes place from one of two comfortable 27ft vessels boats with a maximum of 8 guests per boat. Each boat is equipped with a spacious cabin, comfortable bunks (inside and outside), private toilet and fresh drinking water.  The boat is also fitted with a specially designed observation platform situated on top-level of each vessel. Excursions operate throughout the year but the best time of the year is in our winter season (April - Aug.), when the sharks are particularly active in their feeding patterns (80-99%). Sightings from September to February drop to approximately 60% when their feeding patterns are different.

This tour also includes whale watching during the months August - November.

Otherwise a light lunch and drinks will be served onboard.

The full day trip includes return road transfers from Grootbos Nature Reserve; breakfast in a restaurant; snacks, fruit and drinks on board; lunch / wine in a restaurant; diving gear / equipment; diving certificate upon completion of shark dive.

Trip excludes towel and seasick tablets.

Upon arrival at Durban International Airport, a Wilderness Safaris representative will meet and assist you to board your private charter flight to the Ndumo airstrip followed by a road transfer from the airstrip to Ndumo Wilderness Camp where accommodation has been reserved for two nights.

Time at Ndumo is mostly spent on nature walks and drives through forests of fig trees and the surrounding bush.  Drives in open 4x4 vehicles around the various scenic pans are a highlight,

Ndumo Game Reserve is one of Africa’s oldest and most scenic parks, and is considered by many to be the finest bird watching locality in South Africa, with over 400 species having been recorded.

Ndumo has good numbers of Black Rhino, White Rhino, Buffalo, Hippo and Crocodile while Red Duiker, Giraffe, Nyala and Suni are fairly common plus Leopard and Hyaena are also found in the reserve.  

As an additional activity Ndumo now offers day trips into Tembe Elephant Reserve to view Elephant. 

Ndumo Wilderness Camp, situated in the Maputaland region of northern Natal, just south of the Moçambique border, is one of South Africa's most superb safari camps.  and boating along the waterways is permitted, depending on water levels.  Accommodation is in the wilderness zone of the reserve, in an area not open to the general public.  The camp offers eight luxury-tented rooms with en-suite bathrooms and a private balcony.  The entire camp is raised up on wooden decks inter-linked by walkways under the canopies of giant fig trees.  The cool thatched bar and dining room area and the adjoining pool deck have a commanding view of the floodplain.  

The Nyamithi and Banzi Pans are on the Pongola and Usutu flood plains, and attract waterfowl in large numbers. 

Dawn and dusk safaris in open Land Rovers and on foot allow guests an opportunity to experience excellent game viewing opportunities. 

Thornybush Main Lodge is located in the 11 500-hectare Thornybush Game Reserve, adjacent to the Kruger National Park.  Thornybush Main Lodge has air-conditioned, en suite chalets, all with outdoor showers and private decks overlooking the Monwana River.  The lodge also has a library, pool and lounge area. 

Upon arrival at the airstrip, you will board your private charter flight to the Ruckomechi airstrip (flying via Pietersburg and Kariba to clear customs), followed by a road transfer from the airstrip to Ruckomechi Camp where accommodation has been reserved for three nights.

Ruckomechi offers diverse game activities, including game drives in 4x4 vehicles, boats, canoes, and fishing. Daily game walks are available with an armed guide. 

The predators including Lion, Wild Dog, Leopard, and Cheetah, are often sighted, and large concentrations of Buffalo can be found along the river’s edges. Kudu, Zebra, Impala and Waterbuck can be seen on the surrounding plains, and Elephant take advantage of the plentiful Albida trees in the area. 

Bird watching tends to be good, with the river attracting large numbers of waterfowl and the grunting of Hippos can be heard all day.

Ruckomechi is situated on the western boundary of the Mana Pools National Park. It is situated in a large grove of Acacia and Mahogany trees overlooking the Zambezi River with a superb view of the mountains of Africa’s Great Rift Valley. The camp sleeps a maximum of 20 guests in 10 thatched chalets. Facilities are en-suite and include a shower, toilet and basin. There is one honeymoon suite overlooking the Zambezi River.  One of the camp’s better used facilities is an outside “bath with a view”. The central dining, pub and lounge area is under cool thatch, on the river’s edge, facing the escarpment.

Upon arrival at the airstrip, you will board your private charter flight to the Chitabe airstrip (flying via Kariba and Kasane to clear customs), followed by a road transfer from the airstrip to Chitabe Camp where accommodation has been reserved for two nights.

Activities consist of day and night game drives in open 4x4 vehicles accompanied by an experienced guide.  Shorter nature walks are sometimes offered. 

Game viewing is good, and includes Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Reedbuck, Lechwe, Impala, Zebra and Hippo.  Wild dogs are also sometimes sighted. 

Night drives can be very rewarding giving rare opportunities to view animals such as Pangolin, Aardvark, Porcupine and Aardwolf.

Chitabe is a luxurious 16 bedded, tented camp built on one of the most beautiful islands in the Okavango Delta, in a private area that is bordered on three sides by the Moremi Game Reserve.  The area is surrounded by waterways and lagoons that harbours a wonderful variety of wildlife.  Accommodation consists of eight spacious East African style tents that are built on elevated wooden decks, beneath the lush tree canopy.  Each tented room has en-suite facilities with flush toilets, and a shower and basin with hot and cold running water.  The thatched dining area, lounge and pub are also raised on decks overlooking the surrounding flood plains.  A pool allows guests to cool off from the heat of the day.

Inclusive of all meals, game activities, laundry and drinks

VUMBURA CAMP

Boats take guests onto the larger and deeper areas of water (water levels permitting). Open 4x4 Land Rovers allow close proximity to animals in the savannah areas.  Walks on the islands give guests the opportunity to enjoy Africa from a different perspective.

This is possibly the only area in the Okavango where one can see Red Lechwe from a mokoro in the morning, then a Sable antelope from a game vehicle in the afternoon.  Add in Lion, Leopard, Elephant and Buffalo along with all the plains game, and one has an excellent all round game experience in a remote corner of the Okavango.

Access into this area is only by aircraft and then by vehicle to camp. If the waters are high in winter, we may have to access the camp by mokoros or boat.

Vumbura (pronounced Vuumbera) is a 16 bedded luxury tented camp situated to the north of Mombo, in a private concession bordering the Moremi Game Reserve in the extreme north of the Okavango Delta.  Vumbura offers both water and land activities. Each one of the rooms has en-suite facilities with hot and cold running water, a shower, and flush toilets. Each room has an outdoor shower under the stars!  The main dining, lounge and pub area is tucked beneath a canopy of indigenous trees with a superb view across the floodplain.  The camp has a plunge pool.

Mekoros (dug-out canoes) traverse the flood plains under the guidance of polers from the BaYei tribe, who have been using mekoros as their traditional form of transport for hundreds of years. 

Inclusive of all meals, game activities, laundry and drinks

            (except imported premium brands)