An extensive and enjoyable tour of South Africa but this is a big country and the time spent travelling was greater than expected. The tour group was less cohesive than other Exodus holidays we have enjoyed.
Cape Town to Johannesburg Lots of laughs. Fantastic landscapes & wildlife. The trip started in Cape Town which is a beautiful city with many attractions and things to do. I would suggest having a few extra days in Cape Town to ensure you see all that is on offer.
There is a lot of driving and van time, but the scenery is stunning and we had a fantastic group & tour leader, so there were many laughs and chats along the way and wildlife spotting for the bird enthusiasts. Accommodation was varied, from hotels in Cape Town and Hermanus to chalets and cabins in the National Parks. All were clean, comfortable with ensuite facilities and most had wifi connections. Our tour leader, Warren prepared many delicious dinners and was able to cater to non-meat eaters.
There were a few long driving days over some very rough roads (especially driving to Lesotho), but our driver, Brilliant, was brilliant and did an amazing job getting us to Malealea in one piece. The peace & serenity of Malealea made the drive worth while.
We did encounter heavy rainfall in the second half of the trip which seemed to follow us from the Drakensburg, into St Lucia, Eswatini and Kruger N.P. It didn't dampen our spirits, but did mean that roads in Kruger N.P were closed and we managed to leave St Lucia before the road out of St Lucia collapsed. The road to our accommodation in Kruger N.P (Skukuza) was flooded forcing road closures 10kms out. Warren & Brilliant, our tour guide and driver had everything under control, making sure that our safety was paramount. The highlight was the unscheduled night drive, coming close to elephants and giraffes as we drove to our alternate accommodation.
Kruger N.P did not disappoint where we were able to see 4/5 Big Five (unfortunately we missed the leopards, who were busy trying to keep dry). The highlight was seeing a group of juvenile male lions chilling under some trees & shrubs trying to keep dry. There are also a lot of bird sightings, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebra, monkeys, antelope, Kudu, Waterbuck.
Overall it was a fantastic trip, showing off the best of South Africa, with many special moments and highlights and I would recommend this trip.
A great trip travelling through SA, Swaziland & Lesotho (in January). Excellent numerous opportunities to see game close up. The countryside was surprisingly very green at this time of year. Although some days are very long in the air condioned overland transport its great to see the changes in housing, social life & landscape as you drive by.
