5-Day Zululand Selfdrive Safari - South Africa Tours, Safari
5-Day Zululand Selfdrive Safari
A 5-day selfcatering and selfdrive safari exploring the 3 largest wildlife parks in KwaZulu Natal - Ithala, Mkuze and the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserves. Experience a diversity of animal and bird life and spectacular scenery of mountains, forests and sav
Tour Code: SaP/03
Depart From: Johannesburg
| Ending at: Durban
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Duration: 5 Days
Country:
South Africa
Departures: Daily
Type: Self Drives | Safari | |
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Tour Description
The KwaZulu Natal Wildlife parks lie spread across the subtropical plains of the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal and on the upper reaches of some of its larger rivers.
These parks offer an astonishing diversity of animal and bird life, spectacular scenery with mountains, forests and savannah crossed and dotted with crocodile and hippo inhabited rivers and lakes.
The 5-day selfdrive safari offfers you the opportunity to explore the 3 largest wildlife parks in the province - Itala, Mkuze and the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi.
Accommodation is in fully equipped 2 or 4 bed selfcatering chalets with own bathrooms and kitchens. Whilst you have to provide your own food and drinks, the restcamps do have shops selling basic foodstufs.
Since the roads are in a good condition a sedan car can be rented, but a pick-up, 4 x 4 or micro-bus offer better visibility as these are higher from the ground.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Ithala Game Reserve:
Arrive at Ithala Game Reserve at 14H00 and make your way from the gate to Ntshondwe Camp. Your big game safari starts now as game
viewing here is excellent and you will certainly see various antelope, giraffe and probably white rhino on your way to the camp.
The friendly staff will book you in and show you to your comfortable self catering chalet.
Unpack and relax after your journey. At 16H30 take some light refreshments and do one of the shorter game viewing roads such as the
Ngulubeni Loop. It boasts two magnificent view sites which allow you to leave your vehicle and do a short walk to look out over the steep,
wooded Mhulumbela River valley and further on to stand at the top of rocky cliffs and look out over the spectacular Phongola River valley. An
ideal spot for sundowners.
Overnight at Ntshondwe Camp - selfcatering chalet.
Day 2 - Ithala Game Reserve:
Waking early and taking your supplies for a bush breakfast, set off down the Dakaneni loop road. This drops from the camp just below the
Ngotshe escarpment at 1400m down to the Phongola River at 400m through wooded gorges and rocky cliffs. Here you can see the shy narina
trogon, magnificent waterbuck and often black rhino.
At the Phongola picnic site cross the swing bridge and have your breakfast under the shady fig trees and explore the river banks keeping a
watchful eye open for game. Lunch back at the camp watching the birds and rock hyraxes in the natural bush around your chalet. In the
afternoon drive the Ngubhu Loop in an anti clockwise direction so the late afternoon sun is at your back as you drive along the road that circles
the deep Ngubhu basin. Rhino, elephant, buffalo as well as a large variety of antelope can be seen on this drive.
Overnight at Ntshondwe Camp - selfcatering chalet.
Day 3 - Mkhuze Game Reserve:
Rising with the sun, walk through the camp past the swimming pool and along the Plum Coloured Starling path which takes you to a high spot
overlooking the camp just below Ntshondwe Peak. Birds and small mammals are very active at this time of the day.
Return to your chalet for breakfast and to pack leaving before 10H00.
Make your way via Louwsburg, Magudu and Pongolato Mkhuze Game Reserve (about 155km). (A much shorter route is via the Rooirand, a gravel road through thick unspoiled thornbush which is very scenic).
Arriving at Mkhuze Game Reserve make your way to Mantuma Camp with its welcoming staff and comfortable chalets. As this is the heat of the day make your way to the swimming pool for a refreshing dip before setting off again for a drive to Nsumo Pan.
From the observation tower you will see hippos, crocs and a large variety of water birds including rafts of white pelicans. Overnight at Mantuma Camp - selfcatering chalet.
Day 4 - Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park:
Mkhuze has an extraordinary array of birds and vegetation types and an early morning drive out towards the east of the reserve between the
Lebombo mountains and the Mkuzi River flood plain will take you through some of these with interesting birds and animals at every turn.
Return to your chalet for breakfast and to pack leaving before 10H00.
Make your way down the N2 through Hluhluwe village and in to Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park via Memorial Gate (about 120km). As you drive through this the oldest game reserve in Africa you are in big five country and likely to see most of these legends of the African plains. You could stop for lunch at Hilltop Camp or call in at the Centenary Capture Centre for a light meal at the well stocked fast food kiosk.
Cross the Mfolozi River and drive up to Mpila Camp to be shown to your self catering chalet with views out over the Imfolozi Wilderness.
Day 5 - Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park:
In the early morning a drive along the Sontuli Loop which follows the Black Mfolozi River is usually very rewarding with elephants, lion and white
rhino resident in the area.
Though you must be out of your chalet by 10H00, the whole day is yours to explore this wonderful park and depending on where you are
heading, there are three gates out of the park to Ulundi, Mtubatuba and Hluhluwe.
Tour Include
Accommodation in selfcatering chalets in Ntshondwe and Mantuma and safari tents in Mpila Camp (minimum of 2 persons).
Tour Exclude
All food, drinks and items of a personal nature.
Entrance Fees (payable at the gates)
* Ithala - Day visitor Entry fee R35.00 per adult R18.00 per child PLUS R30.00 per vehicle
* Mkuze - Day visitor Entry fee R35.00 per adult R18.00 per child PLUS R35.00 per vehicle
* Hluhluwe-Imfolozi - A daily conservation levy of R80.00 per adult per day and R40.00 per Juvenile (3 to 12 years) per day is payable.
Car Rental
See Car Rentals for pricing.
The estimated cost for renting a Toyota Corolla (with aircon) in Johannesburg (and returning to Johannesburg) inclusive of rental cost and fuel for 6 days is R2700.00
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