South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland; three unique countries and three passport stamps. BOLD EARTH takes you through pristine southern Africa on a world-class eco-expedition.
$5,488.00
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.
SOUTH AFRICA
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.
ZIP-LINING & WILDLIFE SAFAR ON LAND AND IN THE WATER
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.
SWAZILAND VILLAGE STAYS
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.
MOZAMBIQUE BEACHES, KAYAKING, QUAD BIKING, SNORKELING & SURFING
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 BOLD EARTH 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 following 2 nights at a comfortable campsite on the outskirts 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.
We rise early and head south towards Tofo beach where we spend the next four 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 Our time in Mozambique is drawing to and end as we pack the vehicle and head South and overnight at a small camp just outside of Maputo.
We enjoy our last night in Mozambique by sitting around the fire and sharing stories of the past few days experiences.
We depart for the South African border fairly early to avoid any delays with the border formalities. Once back in South Africa we make our way to Hazyview, here we set up camp and enjoy a hearty dinner.
We begin our day with a healthy breakfast before heading out on our daily activities, Ziplining, a 450metre cable running at a 45 degree angle where speeds of up to 90kms/phour can be reached. We move onto a light lunch and then onto Geckoing which takes place on the upper Sabie River. Geckoing is a very small raft that you steer with your hands as you enjoy the rapids. After our day activities we board our vehicle after breaking camp down and head to the Greater Kruger Park, here we set up camp for the following 2 nights as we enjoy the highlights of the area. Our evening will be spent enjoying a traditional Shangaan cultural evening of both song and dance.
Today we give back to the local people of Africa, our day will be spend participating in a community service project and involves working at a local village. We may be involved with working at the creche meeting some of the children from the nursery school as we do some painting or fix broken windows in the classroom to keep out rain & cold or plant a vegatable garden or whatever other needs the community creche has at that specific moment. We return to camp for a rest and to freshen up for our afternoon activity, a 3 hour Sunset Game Drive in an open game viewer into Kruger National Park. We potentially could see the Big 5 that includes Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Rhino, and Leopard or some of the Nocturnal animals that lurk around in the evening in search of food.
Early rise as we depart for the Magaliesberg area, we enjoy an en-route breakfast as we stop over at some local craft markets en-route to our overnight accommodation at a Rhino & Lion Reserve. Here we will enjoy a relaxing dinner under the stars while listening to the roars of the King of the African bush i.e the lion.
We enjoy breakfast & than visit the Cradle of Humankind one of the World Heritage sites in South Africa. The Cradle of Humankind was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999 because of the area’s exceptional contribution to our understanding of humankind’s history and development, over more than 3-million years. All together, there are 15 major fossil sites in the Cradle of Humankind, of which the Sterkfontein Caves is the most famous. The fossils “Mrs Ples” and “Little Foot” were both discovered here, as well as thousands more fossils of hominids, which are human ancestors, as well those of plants and animals. Our tour will include an underground boat tour as well as exploring the Sterkfontein caves where excavation is still taking place today. After an exciting day we head to our comfortable lodge on the outskirts of Johannesburg.
The city of Gold as Johannesburg has been known will be our next stop after breakfast. We step back in time as we visit Gold Reef City, enjoy a tour of an underground gold mine and enjoying various exhilarating rides at the theme park. Right next door is the famous Apartheid Museum, the first of its kind; it illustrates the rise and fall of Apartheid in South Africa, which we will visit as well. Our last night is spent at a popular restaurant which specializes in Africa cuisine, truly a wonderful way to end off a great and exciting adventure in Africa.
We rise early and head for Soweto, here we will experience a tour of a difference as we board our 2 Wheel Bicycles and take a trip through Soweto learning of this Township and it’s people. After an enjoyable ride we return to base where we enjoy lunch with “African Flava”!
We head for Johannesburg International Airport where we bid you: Hamba Gashle Umgani
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.