SHORT EXCURSIONS

If you do not have much time, are between trips or have a few days before flying home or starting a scheduled tour, you may wish to consider our shorter excursions, which last an average of 2 nights/3 days.

Elephants are one of the creatures you may see at Pilanesberg

This magical excursion takes in a variety of beautiful areas and enables you to see some of the pristine rural and wildlife regions of South Africa. Travel from Johannesburg/Pretoria to the lovely Magaliesberg, a range of hills situated about 1 – 1.5 hours drive from the two cities. Take in scenic vistas and the tranquil reaches of Hartebeesport Dam before enjoying a unique experience walking with, touching and feeding African elephants. After lunch we take you to a Citrus Cellar, where fruit-based drinks and liqueurs are made from citrus and local fruits. We visit a craft market near the dam before overnighting in comfortable accommodation. The following day, we spend the morning exploring Sun City, the well-known resort nestled in a range of hills, where there are a range of optional activities (not included in tour prices). We depart after lunch for Pilanesberg National Park, where you check into a four-star lodge located within the Park. A late afternoon game drive in an open safari vehicle will afford ample opportunities to see animals and birds – you may also have the opportunity to see some of the Big Five. The following morning, we head out early in our minibus to see game and birds and visit some of the Park’s prime game and bird viewing hides before returning to the lodge for breakfast. After checking out, we return to the Park and spend the day exploring, enjoying scenic vistas and seeing an array of African animals and birds before returning to Johannesburg/Pretoria in the late afternoon. 

Price includes pick-up and drop-off in Johannesburg/Pretoria, accommodation, breakfast, dinner, 1 x lunch (at elephants), transport in a luxury mini-bus, services of a qualified national nature guide and driver, who is also a horticulturalist and bird photographer, information pack including bird and animal check lists

Price excludes all drinks and alcoholic beverages, lunch at Sun City and Pilanesberg National Park, meals not specified above, optional excursions at Sun City (e.g. Lost City & Palace Tour, Tribal Village Show, Butterfly Sanctuary), elephant back riding, telephone calls, laundry, mini bar bills, room service, tips & gratuities, purchase of gifts/curios/souvenirs, all personal purchases and other extras of whatsoever nature  

Lilac-breasted Roller - a colourful bird often seen in Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park  

Everyone wants to visit this wildlife mecca situated in the eastern part of South Africa. The Park covers some 2 million hectares; however this enormous size is augmented by various private game reserves bordering the Park which have dropped their boundary fences with the Park, creating the biggest wildlife area in the country. We drive from Johannesburg through the scenic Panorama Route, where you will enjoy exquisite views across spectacular landscapes and stop at a historic town for an early lunch. We reach the Lowveld in the mid to late afternoon, where you will check into your private game lodge accommodation. We use affordable, graded game lodges which provide fabulous wildlife experiences enabling to you to see a plethora of African animals and a good chance of seeing all the Big Five, not to mention a good proportion of the region’s 500 or so bird species. After an evening drive, a delicious dinner is served (often eaten out of doors, weather permitting). The following day, you will enjoy two game drives and an optional bush walk as well as hearty breakfasts and sumptuous dinners with high tea in the late afternoon. (Some establishments also offer lunch.) The following morning, we travel back from the Lowveld after the morning game drive and breakfast/brunch.

Price includes pick-up and drop off in Johannesburg/Pretoria, accommodation, breakfast, dinner, high tea and/or lunch (at game lodge), all game activities (i.e. game drives and optional bush walks), transport in a luxury mini-bus, the services of a qualified, registered national nature guide and driver, who is also a horticulturalist and bird photographer, an info pack containing information about the areas you will visit as well as bird and animal lists

Price excludes all drinks and alcoholic beverages, lunches while travelling, meals not specified above, any additional excursions or activities not specified above, telephone calls, laundry, mini bar bills, room service, tips & gratuities, purchase of souvenirs/gifts/curios, personal purchases and all other extras of whatsoever nature

Pre and post-tour accommodation can be arranged on request in Johannesburg or Pretoria, together with any required airport transfers. Ask us for a quotation.

Children Policy: No childen under 12 years of age on the above tours. All wildlife activities undertaken at your own risk. Maximum number: 8 per tour at any one time. Bookings required at least 14 days in advance if at all possible to enable us to confirm availability of both accommodation and activities.

“BIRDING HOTSPOTS” TOUR: HIGHVELD GRASSLANDS & ZULULAND BUSHVELD – 11 DAYS

Grey Crowned Crane

Tour Highlights:

Highveld grasslands, including the Seekoeivlei Wetland Reserve – RAMSAR site (wetland of international importance), which forms part of the Vaal River flood plain, and Wakkerstroom, a mecca for both international and local South African birders. We travel through Zululand to a scenic private reserve outside the town of Pongola, near the 13 500-hectare Jozini Dam, where a wide range of habitats ensures excellent birding opportunities. An extensive game conservancy near the town of Mkuze is home to some 450 bird species and also affords opportunities to view big game such as rhino and elephant. The Hluhluwe-Umfolozi National Park is an area where you could conceivably see between 50 – 100 species in a day (during summer), not to mention big game such as rhino, elephant, buffalo and lion. A local game park has an impressive bird list, including several local endemics and rarities, affording ample opportunity to do birding walks. We also visit the Isimangaliso (formerly St. Lucia) Wetland Park – a World Heritage Site combining wetland, coastal and bushveld habitats. Special activities on this itinerary include game/birding opportunities in open safari vehicles, bush walks and boat cruises, as well as bush dinners, traditional South African barbecues and more.

Accommodation options include attractive bed-and-breakfasts, chalets and game lodges.

“BUSHVELD BIRDING” TOUR: NORTHERN & EASTERN BUSHVELD REGIONS INCLUDING PRIVATE SAFARI LODGE ADJOINING KRUGER NATIONAL PARK – 12 DAYS  

Violet-backed Starling

Tour Highlights:

 This tour visits the pristine Bushveld areas of northern South Africa. Visit Nyslvley Nature Reserve, a RAMSAR site where about a quarter of South Africa’s birds have been recorded. We then move on to the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, staying at a Big Five game lodge with some five habitats ensuring a wide variety of birds, before moving on to the indigenous forests at Magoebaskloof. Besides searching for forest species, we visit a local Cycad Reserve – we may also see the famous “Rain Queen”, Modjadji, who apparently provided the inspiration for Ryder Haggard’s She. Then its down to the Lowveld regions, where we stay at a fabulous private game lodge bordering the Kruger National Park. Over 500 species have been recorded in the region, which is an Important Bird Area, and you may also see all of the Big Five while you are there too.

Accommodation is mainly in four-star private game lodges, many situated on Big Five reserves, and country hotels.

For pictures of areas and accommodation CLICK HERE

SCHEDULED DEPARTURES:

“Birding Hotspots Tour”

Tours for the last quarter of 2009 will be conducted on a “by request” basis, subject to availability of accommodation, vehicles, guides, etc. To make a request, please contact us.

• 13 November – 23 November 2009
• 29 January – 8 February 2010
• 19 March – 29 March 2010
• 9 April – 19 April 2010
• 8 October – 18 October 2010
• 5 November – 15 November 2010

“Bushveld Birds & Wildlife Tour”

• 7 May – 18 May 2010
• 28 May – 8 June 2010
• 16 July – 27 July 2010
• 13 August – 24 August 2010
• 10 September – 21 September 2010

OTHER DEPARTURES:

Other departures can be arranged on request, as long as you have a group of 8 people available to travel at the same time. These non-scheduled tours will be subject to availability of accommodation, tour guides, etc and must be booked at least eight weeks in advance.

RATES & PRICES:

Prices quoted are valid to 31 October 2010. Prices subject to change without notice. To receive a quotation, click here.