Affordable Nature
South Africa
Discover South Africa on an adventure that brings the sights, smells and sounds of the bush up-close and personal through wildlife drives in open vehicles, unique bush walks, star-gazing and animals that sometimes wander through camp. See dedicated researchers and naturalists in action on in-depth and behind-the-scenes tours. Incredible architecture, both geological and man-made, greets you in cities and canyons. Learn about indigenous and local cultures, from the kingdom of the Rain Queen, to the village of the baPedi tribe, and the town formed by the goldrush. Share the excitement of the day while relaxing around campfires under the magnificent African sky.
Days 1/2/3 - New York or Washington D.C./ Johannesburg
Board your flight to Johannesburg. Upon arrival, you are escorted to your charming hotel on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Enjoy a welcome dinner at The Carnivore Restaurant where giant skewers of venison are cooked over open fires. Next day, join a curator from the Pretoria Zoo for a behind-the-scenes guided tour with special emphasis on their endangered species and breeding program. An in-depth tour of the De Wildt Cheetah Trust is next, dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured cheetahs and a breeding program to supplement the wild population. The trust also takes in brown hyena and wild dog. MISTY HILLS COUNTRY HOTEL. (Meals Aloft; D; B,D)
Days 4/5 - Waterberg Conservancy
Drive to the Entabeni Private Reserve situated in the World Heritage Waterberg Biosphere area. A sheer escarpment divides the reserve into two sections reflecting cliffs, waterfalls, forests, wetlands, dense bush, and tall grass plains and shrubs. Your luxury tented camp offers a true African bush experience nestled against the cliffs of Waterberg Mountain. Embark on a wildlife drive in open 4x4 vehicles, seeking out giraffe, impala, blue wildebeest, white and black rhino, Cape buffalo and elephant – you may even see lions on the hunt. An amazing variety of birds can be found, including the Secretary Bird, Black-breasted Snake Eagle and Jackal Buzzard. A colony of Cape Vulture nest just above the camp in November and December, as well as two nesting pairs of the rare Black Eagle. Join a ranger for a bush walk instead of your morning wildlife drive for a different view of the terrain, animals and birds. Travel to the Pedi Cultural Village for an authentic look into the lives, celebrations and traditions of one of South Africa’s indigenous tribes, the baPedi. Return in the evenings for dinner around the campfire, and as a special treat, spend an evening exploring the depths of the vast African sky while looking through the largest privately-owned telescope in South Africa. ENTABENI WILDSIDE CAMP. (B,L,D Daily)
Day 6 - Magoebaskloof
After your morning activity at Entabeni, head north through avocado, litchi, tea and paw paw plantations to the Modjadji Cycad Reserve and Centre, declared a national monument in 1936 and protected by the Rain Queen for generations. Growing upwards of 26 feet, the cycads are living fossils dating back 60 million years. Learn about the Rain Queen’s kingdom and her reclusive tribe at the interpretive centre. Your hotel is a peaceful retreat surrounded by mountains and Afromontane forests. Before dinner, walk along one of their trails and see rare Samango monkeys high in the branches above and Crowned Eagles soaring across the skies. MAGOEBASKLOOF HOTEL. (B)
Days 7/8 - Manyeleti Reserve
Descend down a winding road to your tented camp situated in the Manyeleti Reserve adjoining Kruger National Park established in 1898 and now a world leader in advanced environmental management with an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Spend two days discovering the essence of Africa in an intimate atmosphere, where you awake to the sound of beating drums before heading out on foot or in open vehicles for exhilarating wildlife sightings. A resident pride of lions patrol their territory, and shy leopards rest high on branches in large Marula trees. Watch for the Southern White-faced Scops Owl swoop down from the sky to snatch its prey. Gaze at the magnificent Southern Constellation aglow around the Southern Cross. HONEYGUIDE TENTED CAMP. (B,L,D Daily)
Days 9/10 - White River/Barberton
Take in the incredible geology and scenic panoramas during your drive through Blyde River Canyon, the third largest in the world. Stop at Bourke’s Luck Potholes, a unique natural water feature of cylindrical potholes formed from millions of years of swirling whirlpools, and see the cascading waters of Lisbon Falls. Arrive at your inn set within the splendor of the Mpumalanga woodlands and overlooking a tranquil lake. Next day, set out for the town of Barberton, established as a simple gold mining camp in 1884. Test your gold panning skills in one of the picturesque streams before enjoying a traditional South African barbecue under the trees. Continue to the Jane Goodall Institute Chimpanzee Project, a tranquil sanctuary home to chimpanzees that have been misplaced from their natural habitat. Watch as chimpanzee groups interact and forage for food in semi-wild surroundings. PINE LAKE INN. (B; B,L)
Days 11/12 - Johannesburg/New York or Washington D.C.
Your incredible journey through the wilds of South Africa comes to an end as you return to Johannesburg and board your overnight flight home. (B; Meals Aloft)
Optional Post-Extension to Cape Town, South Africa
Explore one of South Africa’s most popular destinations – Cape Town. Go to the top of Table Mountain and to the tip of the Cape of Good Hope. See Africa’s smartly dressed penguins on Boulders Beach. Browse antique shops and gardens nestled in the ‘Valley of the Huguenots’ and marvel at the incredible variety of architecture, from Cape Dutch, to Victorian and Georgian. Toast your good fortune at wineries nestled below the Boland Mountains. Learn about the socio-economic struggles of South Africa at Robben Island and the black township of New Rest. View unique wildlife only found here, such as Cape grysbok, Cape mountain zebra and Cape fox, and stroll through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, one of the most beautiful in the world, for a living display of South African flora through the centuries, including a wild almond hedge planted by Dutch settler Jan van Riebeek in 1660.
Your Journey Includes:
- Superior accommodations throughout as indicated or similar.
- All wildlife viewing by 4x4 vehicles, driven by professional driver/guides.
- Visits and tours at Pedi Cultural Village, Pretoria Zoo and De Wildt Cheetah Trust.
- Breakfast daily; welcome dinner at the Carnivore Restaurant and other meals as indicated in itinerary.
- Complimentary bottled water in vehicles.
- All applicable hotel/lodge taxes and gratuities for baggage handling.
- All park entry fees.
- Complimentary baggage tags and passport wallet.
2008 Dates |
Main Trip Price/Person Land Only |
Airfare |
Single Supplement |
Extension |
Single Supplement |
Feb 23- Mar 4 |
$3,695 |
$1,400 |
$695 |
$1,895 |
$595 |
May 2-12 |
$3,295 |
$1,500 |
$695 |
$1,695 |
$495 |
Jul 18-28 |
$3,395 |
$1,800 |
$695 |
$1,695 |
$495 |
Aug 23- Sep 2 |
$3,295 |
$1,500 |
$695 |
$1,895 |
$595 |
Oct 10-20 |
$3,695 |
$1.400 |
$695 |
$1,895 |
$595 |
Nov 2-12 |
$3,995 |
$1,400 |
$695 |
$1,895 |
$595 |
For reservations or more information, please contact:
Classic Escapes Inc. at (800) 627-1244