South Africa: Walking & Wildlife

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

First group trip on some years. Superb experience and packed so much in. Saw big 5, gear locations, food and like minded company

This is a great trip for those who love both wildlife and hiking. In terms of wildlife, I thought St Lucia and Letaba were special and found Kruger a bit too commercial (like Etosha). The scenery for the hiking is fantastic, particularly in Swaziland and the Drakensberg (one of the most beautiful places I have ever been). If anything, I would like it to have been a bit more challenging as the walks were a little short for myself and other members of the group on some days. This didn't take away from a wonderful trip which I would recommend to anyone.

The itinerary looked good but the trip exceeded expectations. Superb mix of activities, locations and accommodation. Good group who got on well and mucked in when needed. Amazing scenery and saw all the Big5 and much more besides. Blyde River Canyon, Eswatini and, of course, the Drakensburg were all stunning. Weather good although walking in 30c+ was a challenge and needed regular rehydration. Challenging walks with most of the group agreeing a moderate rating is misleading.Seeing leopards, after 2 previously unsuccessful trips, as we were almost out of the Kruger and completing the BIg5 on our last game drive at St Lucia. Otherwise the hike to Witsieshoek via the challenging Witsieshoek Crack with boulder scambling and ladders.

Another outstanding trip from Exodus. It is very cleverly consrtucted, gradually building to the climax in the Drakensberg mountains. There were huge contrasts in scenery, passing through industrial and agricultural areas, the expanses of fairly dry national parks to the much greener hills and mountains of Eswatini, the lakes and Indian Ocean at St Lucia and the stunning mountains of the Drakensberg. The wildlife watching was good, not as easy as places such as the Massai Mara in Kenya, but we did see the big 5 and a lot more besides; on all of the walks there was also the opportunity to see wildlife. If birding is your thing, this is a great trip especially at this time of year as the migrations are just starting. I particularly enjoyed the visit to Isandwala and Rorkes Drift, the scene of major battles during the Zulu Wars together with walking the Fugitive's trail between the two. Weather is never predictable and we went from close to 40C one day in the game reservers to weather and scenery that could have been Scotland the next - but it did give us a chance to make use of the open fires in our accommodation in the hills of Eswatini! (Later in the trip we also experienced the most spectacular thunderstorms I have ever seen - very impressive) The Last four nights were spent in the Drakensberg, two at Thendele and 2 at Witsieshoek. The scenery was stunning and the walk up from Thendele to Witsieshoek showed a different aspect of it - more reminiscent of the Yorkshire Dales. The views from the top are wonderful but unfortunately, as is the way with mountains the weather, it closed in for the last day and the inside of a cloud looks pretty much the same wherever you are! We were a group of 12, thrown together at the start of the trip, who rubbed along pretty well and had some great times together, so a big thankyou to all concerned.

Great trip saw lots of wildlife and great walking

This trip is a great way to See South Africa across a variety of landscapes, mainly through National Parks and game reserves. There is a range of environments from the Drakensberg mountains to the Indian Ocean beaches at St Lucia with spectacular walks. There are long drives, over 3000km in total, in a reasonably comfortable 14 passenger minibus. Travelling in May, the weather was dry, sunny and warm, except at night and the highest walks. The accommodation varied between basic and very comfortable, but always clean.

The Exodus holiday in South Africa was a wonderful introduction to African landscapes and wildlife. I have travelled widely in my life but with little experience of Africa. This holiday exceeded my expectations in two ways: the remarkable opportunities to see wildlife at close quarters in Kruger; the amazing landscapes of the Blyde River canyon, Swaziland and the Drakensurg Mountains. My enjoyment of the holiday had a lot to do with the way it was organised and led by the group leader. I have been left with many great memories.

Really excellent trip with great variety of walking and wildlife, wonderful scenery, great accommodation and fantastic guides.

This was my second trip with Exodus, and I was confident that I was going to have a good time, get good value for money, and a wonderful experience. I was not disappointed. The booking was effortless, including the add on of four days in Cape Town that I requested. All the information that I needed was in the trip notes,and I felt well prepared. Our guide, Innocent is very knowledgable, and keen to impart this to us, and for us to have as good a time as possible. JoJo, the driver/chef, is also very well-informed, and a very careful safe driver. A lot is asked of him, as he would often prepare a meal for 13 after a long day's drive, sometimes on pretty basic equipment. This he did, always cheerfully. Both were very keen to explain how we can help the local craft industries, but we never felt pressurised or uncomfortable. The variety of experience, each day something new, was a fantastic introduction to South Africa. One week essentially wildlife spotting, the second hiking in some very dramatic scenery. I strongly recommend adding on a few days in Cape Town, if you haven't been before. It is less than a 2h flight, and a beautiful, easy, interesting city, and a great contrast to the game parks and mountains.

Really enjoyed this trip even though we probably did not chose the best time of year to do this, April. Sayin that the weather was quite kind to us. Letaba Game Reserve was a lovely start to our tour, the rangers at Mtomeni Safari Camp were very knowledgeable and friendly, food, especially breakfast, was very good. Permanent tents were much better than expected. Found the safari section a little repetitive but still enjoyable. Early starts and then pretty full on all day but never felt rushed. Loved the beach at St Lucia, a relaxing few hours there was appreciated as allowed us to recharge our batteries. Battlefields tour very interesting and would suggest if possible that you try and get your guide to add in a visit to Rorkes Drift to complete the story. Drakensburg was the highlight for me, good walking and marvellous scenery.

Well, what a trip! Soaking up the sights and sounds of South Africa and Swaziland was truly an amazing experience.

We chose this holiday for the combination of walking and wildlife offerred and the areas within South Africa that it covered. We love the Kruger and were also interested in seeing the Drakensburg mountains and Swaziland. Inevitably we spent a lot of time in the minibus as we covered very long distances, but it was worth it. We saw plenty of wildlife and fantastic scenerey. We stayed in some staggeringly beautiful places. My main concern with the holiday was always the walking, and whether we would be up to it? We are both in our 70s, but consider ourselves reasonably fit, as we regularly play 3 rounds of golf a week ( walking) and always take exercise every day. In the event, we found the walking very tough. In the main the terrain was difficult: narrow steep and stoney paths with tricky footing: there was a lot of difficult clambering across rocks and a head for heights was essential! I feel that a grading of “ moderate” for the walking was misleading: it seemed much more demanding than that. The altitude is high, and this adds to the difficulty. I would have preferred to have been given the option of easier walks from time to time, so that I could look at the wonderful scenery as well as my feet! Having said this, our guide was really helpful and got me through. I am glad we went.

An interesting and varied trip, including trekking in several locations, safaris in a number of places, a trip to a beach and a boat ride to see hippos and other wildlife. I like hippos and gazelles.