Hluhluwe Game, Culture and St Lucia Safari
From only POA |
per person sharing | |
| Travel between | 01-Nov-2011 and 31-Oct-2012 | |
| Book before | 31-Oct-2012 | |
| Duration | 3 Days | |
| Reference | AMZ448 | |
Please note:
- River cruise is weather dependent.
- This tour departs on a Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Durban / St Lucia / Hluhluwe (D)
We leave Durban by 09h00, arriving at Mtubatuba 11h30 where we meet our guide. We change vehicles and transfer to Veyane Cultural Village where we will have the opportunity to learn more about the way of life of the local Zulu people. We watch and have the opportunity to join in on bead making, mat weaving, playing of local instruments. We will meet a sangoma (witchdoctor) and watch traditional Zulu dancing. Following our cultural experience we head into St Lucia before enjoying a boat cruise on the St Lucia Estuary part of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park (iSimangaliso Wetland Park), a World Heritage Site, with the opportunity of viewing hippos and crocodiles, African fish eagles and other birds. Following the boat cruise, we continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Bonamanzi Game Lodge or similar
Day 2: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (BD)
A full day game viewing awaits in an open game viewing vehicle in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park renowned for its rhino conservation as well as home to the ‘Big Five’ plus an abundance of other animal species including zebra, giraffe, cheetah and wild dog. We depart early morning with breakfast packs prepared and undertake our game drive early when the animals are most visible and active. We will also visit the reserves renowned Centenary Centre and Museum that depicts the history of live game capture and translocation of game, especially the white rhino that would no doubt be extinct without the creation of this reserve. With a bit of luck there will be an opportunity for a closeup encounter with an animal or two in the capture bomas (enclosures), awaiting their move to other reserves.
Accommodation: Bonamanzi Game Lodge or similar
Day 3: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park /Durban (B)
Early wake up for a final game drive within the unique and wonderful Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. We return to our lodge in time to check out and connect onto the transfer shuttle back to Durban, arriving in the city at about 16h00.
Included
Transportation
- Tour in air-conditioned micro-buses or 18-seater mini-buses, and 10-seater open safari vehicles.
Professionally Escorted
- Discover Zululand with our professional Tour Guides.
Accommodation
- Rooms with private facilities, on a twin share basis.
- All accommodation is of a 3 star standard.
Dining Inclusions
- 2 Breakfasts.
- 2 Dinners.
Plus
- Hotel porterage included.
- KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Reserves Conservation Levy included.
iSimangaliso (Greater St Lucia) Wetland Park
iSimangaliso Wetland Park (formerly The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) was declared South Africa's first Natural World Heritage Site on 1 December 1999. Extending from Mapelane (Cape St. Lucia) in the South, to Kozi Bay in the North, it is considered South Africa's third largest park.
The park is the largest estuarine system in Africa and includes the southernmost extension of coral reefs on the continent. Features include wide submarine canyons, sandy beaches, forested dune cordon and a mosaic of wetlands, grasslands, forests, lakes and savanna.
This diversity gives rise to a magnificent variety of animal, bird and marine life, unrivalled anywhere in South Africa, including Giant Leatherback turtles, Nile crocodile and hippo, rhino (both black and white), elephant, a host of antelope species and some 521 bird species including about 40 000 flamingoes.
iSimangaliso Hot Spots:
- Kosi Bay – comprises four lakes linked by a network of channels, offers extraordinary snorkeling and is one of the world’s top fly-fishing destinations
- Coastal Forest – Accessible only by off-road vehicles, pristine beaches, large Strelitzias and beautiful dune vistas are a feature of this section of the Park
- Lake Sibaya – South Africa’s largest fresh-water lake, home to KwaZulu-Natal’s second largest population of hippo and crocodiles
- Sodwana Bay – where the Coelacanth was discovered in 2000, and is rated as one of the top ten dive destinations in the world.
- uMkhuze – More than 420 species of birds can be found in this 38 500-hectare bird-lovers’ paradise
- False Bay – This area includes sand forest, thornveld, open savannah, and a view of Lake St Lucia at its widest point.
- Western Shores and Charters Creek – See elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard, as well as giraffe, tsessebe and other antelope species
- Lake St Lucia – Africa’s largest estuarine system
- Eastern Shores and Cape Vidal – the ideal beach and safari destination.
- Maphelane – a popular base for fishermen and nature lovers with two self-guided trails; one tracking the edge of the estuary, the other ascends the dunes to offer spectacular views of the ocean and river mouth.