South
Africa & Mozambique
"Beach & Bush" Code: MO14
2010 Price: € 1295 pp + local payment ZAR 1200 pp + single supp. €
290 (accommodated)
14 day small group participation cabin & guest house Group size max 12
people
Departs Johannesburg on Saturday at 06:30am
Ends Johannesburg on Friday @ ±18:00pm
Highlights* Swaziland - bush walk
* Kosi Bay - lake excursion & walks
* Mkuzi Game Reserve - game drives
* Moçambique beaches, deep-sea fishing, snorkelling & scuba diving
* Seafood meals
* Kruger National Park - game drivesIncludes
* 13 nights cabin / guest house accommodation
* Entrance fees
* Use of cooking equipment,
* Transport in minibus or safari truck
* Meals as per itinerary
* Game drives
* Professional guide
* Kosi Bay boat excursion
OPTIONAL ACTIVITY PRICES
Below is a list of approximate prices, in US$, for the optional activities available on the various tours:Scuba diving 40
Snorkelling 25
Fishing ski boat 6 hours 90AIRPORT TRANSFERS
Pre / post-tour airport transfers cost € 20 per person per transfer. Please book these with your tour.
PRE & POST TOUR ACCOMMODATION / DEPARTURE POINTS
JOHANNESBURG
Road Lodge Rivonia
Cnr Rivonia Rd & 10th Ave, Rivonia, Sandton
sgl room only € 50
dbl room only € 25 ppsAt departure there will be short meeting to discuss final arrangements of tour & inform you about the days activities. Please bring your travel voucher & insurance policy.
Wildlife and wetlands of Zululand, magnificent beaches, snorkelling, diving, fishing, sun, sea and sand.... a tropical paradise tour that includes a bush walk in Swaziland and game viewing in Kruger National Park!
ITINERARY
Day 1 - 2 JOHANNESBURG to ZULULAND [camping Bx1 Lx2 Dx2]
Departing from Johannesburg at 06:30am we travel into the heart of the KwaZulu Natal where we will camp in the
Mkuzi Game Reserve, a last safe haven for the endangered Black Rhino. We explore the reserve on game drives and visit a hide overlooking one of the waterholes to watch the game come down to drink. A local guide will lead us on a walk in the neighbouring village where we meet local Zulu people and are introduced to their culture and customs.
Day 3, 4, 5 KOSI BAY [chalets Bx3 Lx3 Dx2]
Kosi Bay Nature Reserve covers a region of fertile estuary, mangroves, dune forest and lakes, which we explore on foot and by boat. We visit Bunga neck (watch Leatherback turtles laying eggs in season; November - January) and the Kosi Bay river mouth to snorkel and watch the local fisherman in the estuary.
Day 6 SWAZILAND [camping BLD]
Our camp in Hlane Game Reserve, Swaziland, is surrounded by beautiful African bushveld. We’ll take a game walk looking for rhino, elephant and fantastic bird life.
Day 7 - 8 MAPUTO [guest house BL-]
We enter Moçambique at the Namaacha border post and travel to Maputo. Formerly known as Lourenço Marques - Portuguese and African cultures meet in an exquisite blend of seafood and vibrant life. Sample the excellent seafood in a local restaurant (own expense).
Day 9, 10, 11 INHAMBANE [casita BLD]
Arab influences are strong in Inhambane dating back to when slaves, ivory, gold and spices were traded. Explore Inhambane and its 200 year old cathedral, before moving to Praia de Barra to our casitas under the palms next to the beach. Dhow rides and scuba diving on coral reefs are available (own expense).
Day 12 - 13 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK [camping BLD]
We enter Kruger National Park, South Africa, and visit big game country! Exciting game drives to spot lions, giraffe and the mighty elephant. Relaxing in the tranquil bush we experience a land forgotten by time, a true African wilderness.
Day 14 JOHANNESBURG [B]
After an early morning game drive we return to Johannesburg in the evening, sun-tanned, laid-back and ready to rejoin life. Tour ends.
RACK Price: (valid Jan 2010 – Dec 2010)
€ 1 295 pps + local payment of ZAR 1 200 pps
Single supplement: € 290 pp (If you are traveling on your own, you will “room” with
another same gender client. You do not pay extra when booking as a single person. If however you request a single
room, then you'll pay the single supplement.
2010 DEPARTURE DATES
06-Mar-10 - 19-Mar-10
27-Mar-10 - 09-Apr-10
17-Apr-10 - 30-Apr-10
08-May-10 - 21-May-10
29-May-10 - 11-Jun-10
19-Jun-10 - 02-Jul-10
10-Jul-10 - 23-Jul-10
31-Jul-10 - 13-Aug-10
21-Aug-10 - 03-Sep-10
11-Sep-10 - 24-Sep-10
02-Oct-10 - 15-Oct-10
23-Oct-10 - 05-Nov-10
13-Nov-10 - 26-Nov-10
04-Dec-10 - 17-Dec-10
25-Dec-10 - 07-Jan-11
DETAILED TOUR INFO
In a nutshellAn exciting destination with an exotic flavour! Beautiful and unexplored.
Exciting trip with culture, history, wildlife, adventure, diving, fishing, walking and beaches.
Zululand wilderness, Swaziland bushveld, Kruger NP, Moçambique beaches and seafood!
Why travellers like this trip
Variety - a tour that covers the beaches and the bush - wildlife and relaxing beaches. See the magic of Mkuzi, explore the Kosi Bay estuary, swim and snorkel in Moçambique, search for rhino on foot in Swaziland and enjoy exciting game drives in Kruger National Park.
National Parks and wildlife areas - We visit the awesome Big 5 of Kruger National Park, Mkuzi Game Reserve game viewing hides, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve estuaries and dune forests and also go on a game walk in Swaziland to see rhino at close quarters!
Culture and history - An exotic mix of African and Portuguese culture. History of slaves traded for ivory and spices in Moçambique.
Scenery - African bushveld and beautiful white beaches that go on for miles!
Small group - travelling in groups of up to 12 people creates a friendly, holiday atmosphere.
Walking - every opportunity to get out and walk in KwaZulu Kosi Bay, Swaziland and on the beaches of Moçambique.
Adventure - activities available include: game walks, game drives, deep-sea fishing, snorkelling and scuba diving.
Accommodation
Camping - for 6 nights on safari we stay at designated campsites in national parks, on private land and in towns. Campsite facilities are at best basic, but generally clean. There are hot but sometimes only cold showers, restaurants, washing facilities at most of the campsites. Some camps in Moçambique have simple reed enclosures for showers but do have flush toilets!
Your operator supplies all the camping equipment with the exception of your sleeping bag and pillow. The dome tents we use are 2.2 x 2.2 x 1.8 metres and putting them up or down takes only 5 minutes. Tents have built-in insect nets. We supply mattresses, which are about 5 cm thick, warm and comfortable. The camp chairs have a backrest.
Cabins - for 3 nights in Kosi Bay we stay in A-frame cabins. These are basic twin rooms with beds, linen and insect nets and shared ablutions.
Casitas – for 3 nights in Inhambane (Barra peninsula) we stay in reed and thatch casitas. These are basic twin or quad rooms with bed and mattress and shared ablutions.
Guest House - 1 night in Maputo we stay in a guest house. We may have twin or double rooms all with en-suite facilities. The guest house is central and convenient.
Transport
On foot - easy to moderate walks throughout the tour.
Vehicle - for longer distance travel, place to place, we use custom built safari trucks with 12 forward facing seats. Comfortable touring and good for game viewing. Large, sliding windows and viewing hatches give everyone a good view; or Toyota Hiace minibuses with 10 forward facing seats (roof rack and trailer for equipment and baggage). There are a couple of long days of travelling but the vehicles have a comfortable cruising speed. The emphasis of the trip is "getting out and doing things".
Local Payment
A local payment is required on this safari and this will be collected by ther tour leader on departure. This covers a portion of the local operational costs including entrance and park fees. This ensures that a major portion of your tour price goes directly into the country you are visiting, benefiting local communities and contributing to the conservation of the area.
Participation
An essential part of your safari is participation – from putting up your tent (while camping) or packing away in the morning to helping with meal preparation and cleaning up – it’s all part of your adventure and when everyone puts in a little effort the trip will run smoothly. Your tour leaders will do all the meal preparation but we do ask the clients to help with the washing up. Team spirit is part of the fun!
Shopping
Craft shopping in Mozambique and KwaZulu Natal is limited but you may find some small local vendors with carvings or batiks. Zululand is renowned for its grass weavings.
Food
We pride ourselves on giving very good healthy meals to our clients and will provide three meals per day, except 2 dinners in Maputo and Kosi Bay where we try out a local restaurant.
The tour leaders do the shopping and meal planning for each group. He/she will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. A rough idea of what these will consist of is: Breakfast - cereals or coffee and toast or the occasional fried breakfast, Lunch - cheese, cold meats, salads on bread or rolls, Dinner - braais (local barbecue), potjies (stews), stir fries etc. We use regular plates, cups and cutlery. All cooking and eating utensils will also be provided.
We do cater for special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian or allergies.)
We will supply fruit squash served with breakfast and tea or coffee served with breakfast and dinner. All other beverages will be for your own expense. We will not supply bottled drinking water although it is available at many shops on tour.
Difficulty
Anyone who is generally active and in good health should enjoy this trip. Simple campsites are enjoyed by the outdoor enthusiasts, you will get dusty on occasion; but this is Africa!
Everyone is asked to help out with the running of camp on tour. In other words if everyone spends a little time setting up camp, preparing meals and cleaning up then the tour will run smoothly and everyone will have a good time. Participation is the name of the game.
KwaZulu Natal and Moçambique can be hot and humid in the summer rainy months (December – March) so drink lots of water.
There is plenty of time to relax and unwind on the beaches, after all this is your holiday!
Things you should know
Includes park entrances.
You will need a valid passport and visas for entry into Swaziland, Moçambique and re-entering South Africa. Please note that the Moçambique visas can be arranged in advance but can also be obtained at the border. Moçambique entry border is Namaacha from Swaziland and exit border is Ressano Garcia into South Africa.
Travellers cheques are not accepted anywhere in Moçambique on the tour route. We suggest you take US$ or South African Rand cash for this trip.
Common questions about this trip
What do I need to bring? A warm sleeping bag, comfortable clothes for warm days and cool evenings, walking shoes, a raincoat, hat and sunglasses, sun block, swimsuit, a water bottle and a small pair of binoculars also comes in very handy and most importantly - a sense of adventure!
Is it safe? KwaZulu Natal and Moçambique are relatively safe and your guide knows the countries intimately and will endeavour to show you the best parts while looking after you. In the cities, such as Maputo, keep a careful eye on your belongings and don’t leave anything lying about - petty theft is rife. In the wild areas your guide will brief you on the necessary precautions, follow this advice and you will be fine. Be aware of your personal belongings and you will have a great trip!
Do I need malaria tablets? Yes, the trip passes through malaria areas and prophylactics are recommended.
Can I buy camera film? Film and other accessories are not readily available on tour - we suggest you bring all the film and everything else you expect to need. A camera with a zoom lens from wide angle to telephoto, 35-200mm, is advisable to capture both scenic and wildlife shots.
Can I wash my clothes on tour? There are facilities for hand washing your clothes along the way.
