Africa photos
South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland; three unique countries and three passport stamps. AAVE takes you through pristine southern Africa on a world-class eco-expedition.
$5,388.00
One AAVE leader and two South African guides; all ground costs, all ground transportation including airport pickup and drop-off; all camping and camping gear (except sleeping bags, sleep mats and mess kits); all activities and gear listed in the above itinerary; all meals; local gratuities to wait-staff and all hotels or hostels.
Flights to/from Johannesburg, South Africa; optional gratuities, extra snacks and souvenirs.
Our trip begins and ends in one of Africa’s most exhilarating and progressive countries, South Africa. This country is full of energy, history, exotic wildlife and adventure. Our service project takes us to the heart of Zululand where we volunteer at a local orphanage while we sing, dance, laugh and play games with the children. We also visit the Apartheid Museum which illustrates the rise and fall of a unique part of South African history.
We explore Africa’s magnificent wildlife by kayak in St. Lucia Wetlands Park and by land in Hluhluwe Game Reserve. We volunteer and explore in Kruger National Park, Africa’s largest game park and home to countless rhinos, elephants, zebras, lions and giraffes. A full day of adventure awaits us in the lowveld area: rafting, zip-lining as well as community and conservation volunteer work.
In the Lebombo Mountains we discover the true African way of life and interact with the local Swazi people who give us insight into their culture. In the evenings we eat local delicacies and enjoy traditional campfire dances with the villagers.
Our adventure continues on the stunning white sandy beaches of Praia do Tofo and Bilene. We spend our days surfing, snorkeling, sea kayaking, quad biking and partaking in the experience of a lifetime, an African Ocean Safari!
Our journey can’t end without saying Hamba Gashle Umgani, “Go well, our friends”, until we meet again!
You will be met upon arrival at the airport gate by your experienced AAVE expedition leaders. After a complete gear check to assure that you are prepared for the diverse, demanding and remote regions we explore, we load up and head off! During orientation we get to know each other and learn what to expect in the days ahead. Our daily routine, jobs and safety rules are explained and the process of growing together as a group begins. We spend the night at a comfortable lodge on the outskirts of Johannesburg.
After a relaxing breakfast we catch a morning flight to the coastal city of Durban. We start our adventures off by getting a close-up of ocean life at the Ushaka Marine world, the largest aquarium in the Southern hemisphere. In the afternoon, we ride the waves with our first surf lesson!
In appreciation of the land and people of Africa, we take part in a community service project and cultural exchange along the coast in the heart of Zululand. Through gift giving, community involvement and hard work, our group is able to uniquely bond with the people of the area. We present gifts of writing materials, books, sports equipment and clothing to the local orphanage. We also have the opportunity to participate in maintenance and beautification projects at the orphanage, such as painting, fencing, repairing or starting a vegetable garden. In between all our hard work, we play games and get to know the kids on a personal level.
We get an early start and head further along the coast to St. Lucia, a recognized world heritage park that has five various ecosystems. On arrival we gear up for an exciting kayak adventure exploring the park and getting an intimate look at nature in our kayaks. Weather and tide permitting, we may have the opportunity to snorkel in the bay before enjoying a picnic on the beach. Activities have not ended for the day; following lunch we take a boat cruise on Lake St. Lucia where we view countless hippopotamus family pods and the Nile crocodile in their natural habitat. After an exciting day we head to our campground where we stay for two nights.
Our travels take us to Hluhluwe/Umfolozi, the oldest Game Reserve in Africa and famous for the endangered black rhino. We enjoy exciting wildlife viewings from a game drive vehicle, siting elephants, giraffes, rhinos and more!
The journey continues as we cross our first border to Swaziland. We travel north towards the Lebombo Mountains. Here we have the opportunity to truly immerse ourselves in African culture during a village walk where we interact with the local Swazi People. We eat local delicacies and enjoy traditional African dancing around the camp fire; a true cultural immersion enjoyed by all.
The third passport stamp takes us to paradise! We head north to the small coastal village of Praia do Xai Xai. After an overnight stop our route continues onward to some of the most spectacular beaches in Mozambique. Here we enjoy beach volleyball, swimming and relaxing on the white sandy beaches.
Our beach exploration continues as we depart for Vilankulo where we set up camp on a shaded palm tree beach for the next two nights. We sail on a traditional Dhow to an island while surrounded by some of the area’s most popular inhabitants, pods of dolphins! We explore the island on foot, snorkel and relax on the beach, listening to the soothing sounds of the ocean waves.
We rise early and head south towards Tofo beach where we spend the next three nights amidst sand dunes, framed by the sea and lagoon. This tropical beach comes complete with coconut palms, white sands and rolling surf. We will hop on our boards again for another day of surf lessons. Ocean adventures continue with the experience of a lifetime, an underwater Ocean safari, where we get the chance to snorkel with giants of the sea, whale sharks! On our final days in Mozambique we quad bike and enjoy an island kayak adventure.
We rise with the sun and head back to the South African border where we make our way to the Crocodile Bridge, the southern-most gate to the world-famous and largest game park in Africa, Kruger National Park. Home to Africa’s Big 5 safari animals – rhino, elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard – we spend the next three nights at our base camp situated on a private game farm in the heart of Kruger. We “give back” with a conservation project in the park as we partake in various tasks, like cleaning enclosures, feeding animals and much more.
Get ready for an adrenaline-pumping experience as we whitewater raft the third largest canyon in the world, the Blyde River Canyon! While paddling rapids we enjoy breathtaking scenery in one of the most pristine wilderness areas in the country.
On our way to Johannesburg, we stop at Loskop Dam, exploring the highlights of the scenic and historic Panoramic Route. Finally, we return to Johannesburg where we pay a visit to the Apartheid Museum, the first of its kind; it illustrates the rise and fall of a unique part of South African history. We take a trip further back in time to the Cradle of Humankind Museum, a world heritage site because of the area’s exceptional contribution to understanding humankind’s history and development over more than three million years. We visit Gold Reef City and enjoy a tour of an underground gold mine and exhilarating rides at the theme park. We finish our African adventure with a dinner out to toast our new friends and all of our accomplishments.
This itinerary is a sample outline of the program highlights. It is not a precise description. Changes made before or during the trip will only be made in the interest of safety or a more successful trip. This diverse itinerary is our framework for a summer of exhilaration and adventure. Get your mind and body set. Activities are planned using years of experience with your highest expectations in mind.