DCB7D: Drakensberg + Safari + Beach

Day 1

Arrive at Durban Airport, collect your hire car and drive 4-hours to the spectacular uKhahlamba Drakensberg Mountains, recognised as a World Heritage site for its vast collection of San Bushmen rock art paintings.

Known locally as the Barrier of Spears the dramatic Drakensberg Mountains forms the backbone of Southern Africa, running all the way down from the Great Rift Valley. Check into your mountain resort in this area of unspoilt natural beauty.

Meal Plan: HB

Day 2

Today is free to relax in the Drakensberg Mountains, which offer superlative scenery and fresh mountain air making it ideal for walking holidays at any level of fitness. Your hotel will organise guided walks each day – typically one short walk and one long walk, plus a walk to a San Bushmen painting.

The mountains also offer an outstanding location for bird watching – particularly raptors, but also sunbirds, waxbills and the numerous other species found in the grasslands, riverine scrub and natural forests.

Your hotel has a swimming pool and offers many activities in or near the resort including Golf; Horse Riding in the mountains; Fly Fishing for trout; Tennis; Lawn Bowls; Badminton; Mountain Biking; Table Tennis; Darts and Pool. Each evening enjoy socialising with other guests over dinner.

Meal Plan: HB

Day 3

This morning enjoy the beauty of the Natal Midlands on your 3-hours drive to your beach hotel at Ballito on the KwaZulu Natal North Coast, renowned for its wonderful beaches and reliably warm holiday weather all year round.

Stop at craft shops along the Midlands Meander and enjoy views over the Valley of 1000 Hills as you travel to the harbour city of Durban and continue 45-minutes along the North Coast to your resort. Relax in your lush sub-tropical surroundings on the shores of the warm Indian Ocean.

Meal Plan: BB

Day 4

This morning enjoy the beauty of rural Zululand, renowned for spectacular beaches and outstanding wildlife, as you drive 3-hours to Hluhluwe.

Check into your game park accommodation and enjoy a thrilling self drive safari in the famous Hluhluwe National Park. Game viewing opportunities should present themselves almost immediately in this vast game sanctuary which saved the rhino from extinction.

Hopefully you will see several species of antelope, zebra, wildebeest and maybe even giraffe - as well as several of the Big 5 today, before dining in the atmosphere that only the African bushveld can provide!

Meal Plan: HB

Day 5

Rise at dawn to take advantage of the best game viewing conditions of the day, as you enjoy a thrilling self drive safari in Hluhluwe National Park. One of South Africa’s most beautiful game parks, Hluhluwe is home to all the Big 5 - Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard and Rhino - as well as the subcontinent’s largest population of endangered rhino. Hope to see many interesting species before returning to your rest camp for breakfast.

The rest of the morning is free to relax at camp, before setting out again into Hluhluwe National Park for a full afternoon of game viewing. Hope to see cheetah, giraffe, hippo, kudu, crocodiles, sable antelope, waterbuck, warthogs, baboons and many other interesting animals. With over 500 different bird species, outstanding bird watching is also guaranteed!

After a beautiful African sunset, enjoy the balmy evening and pristine stars of the Milky Way as you have never seen them before – as well as the spectacular Southern Cross.

Meal Plan: HB

Day 6

After some final game viewing in Hluhluwe National Park, today enjoy a boat ride on Lake St Lucia estuary where you can hope to see hippos and crocodiles. Forming part of St Lucia Wetlands Park, this area has been declared a World Heritage Site because of its importance to marine conservation. With over 600 different bird species in the region, it also offers outstanding bird watching.

Continue driving 3-hours to your beach hotel at Ballito on the Durban North Coast, renowned for its wonderful beaches and reliably warm holiday weather all year round.

Relax in your lush sub-tropical surroundings on the shores of the warm Indian Ocean.

Meal Plan: BB           n.b. Entrance fees are not included and are payable locally.
 

Day 7

Today relax on the warm golden beaches of Ballito on the KwaZulu Natal North Coast, within easy reach of Durban.

Your hotel is situated close to the beach, with a swimming pool and everything you need to relax under sunny blue South African skies. The golden beaches are magnificent and the local restaurants are of a high standard.

Relax on the sweeping beach or participate in one of many local activities such as championship golf, horse riding, quad biking or deep sea fishing. Optional excursions include a visit to uShaka Marine World in Durban, a visit to a Zulu village or an ocean safari to search for dolphins and whales (in season), sharks, turtles and other fascinating sea life.

Meal Plan: BB

Day 8

Drop off your hire car at Durban Airport for your flight home.

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

• Accommodation and meals as specified
• Airport and ground transfers in air conditioned vehicles
• Activities specified, including transfers and entrance fees

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

• Drinks & refreshments, unless specified
• Tips, telephone calls & other personal expenditure
• Visa fees in countries where these apply
• Airport departure taxes, where not included in the flight price
• International & domestic flights (quoted separately)