South Africa: Walking & Wildlife

From the very start, the trip felt immersive and beautifully balanced. The wildlife in Kruger National Park was unforgettable, spotting elephants, lions, and giraffes in their natural habitat was a real highlight. We were very lucky spotting the 'Top 5' and most exciting was seeing 2 leopards to complete the set! I was equally captivated by the more rural, untouched areas, which showcased a quieter, more authentic side of South Africa. The Drakensberg Mountains were simply stunning, with dramatic scenery that felt almost prehistoric, it was a joy to hike around, with next to no one else there. Visiting the historic site of Rorke’s Drift added real depth to the journey. It was a rich, rewarding, and truly memorable experience!

Start to finish this was a fantastic trip. Our guide Clifford shared his deep knowledge of everything: animals and birds, trees and flowers, South African history and culture, hiking trail specifics and the smallest details about life in South Africa and Eswatini. Plus he was caring and kind and fun to be with. I really feel like I gained an understanding of the real South Africa because of Clifford and also the variety of experiences on this trip. We saw all the animals we had hoped to see, the hiking was challenging and extremely rewarding. The Drackensburg hikes were exceptional - scenery that is so beautiful that words and pictures cannot capture it. Even being there, on top of the "Amphitheatre", the grandeur, the immensity of the views, were impossible to truly fathom. Wow.

We opted to do this over hiking Mt Kilimanjaro. So glad we did. I loved the variety of the wildlife and the hiking. The terrain was excellent with a good amount of challenge. Clifford our guide was fabulous. He pointed out the wildlife, gave us interesting information on all sorts of things and led our walks managing a range of abilities and speeds. We loved the trip and had an awesome time. Would highly recommend it to anyone.

Quite the most incredble insight into what SA has to offer. With the help of our two brilliant leaders Clifford & Andy we were spoilt by the number of bird and big 5 sightings (these guys have eyes in the back of their heads and Xray vision!). For wildlife spotting this trip does not disappoint - elephant, giraffe, rhino, hyena, lions, warthog, so many antelope and not forgetting a "Leopard Tortoise"all in our first week. Glorious walks abound, the Drakensberg are truely breathaking and we were expertly lead and looked after according to our skill levels. In amongst this were enlightening lessons in tribal history and culture that helped us understand the real SA. Accomodation is varied but everytime suited the location perfectly. The days were long but our leaders were tireless in their enthusiasm, kindness and skills in cooking! If you want a memorable and very varied trip in Africa this is a winner.

From the moment I stepped off the plane and met our guides Clifford and Andy the trip was exciting it comprised of such a fabulous variety of experiences and immersed you in South African culture, history, beauty and wildlife. The accommodation was varied and suited the environments we were in. The game drives were superb and we saw such a large variety of animals and birds. The hikes took us to areas of outstanding breathtaking beauty. Our guides were phenomenal nothing was to much trouble they understood our individuality and catered to our needs as the only vegetarian in the group I was given some of the most awesome meals courtesy of our guides cooking skills. I would highly recommend this trip