From CAD $3,645
Guarantee
Small Group
Light
Rating
(20 reviews)
Experience Overview
Travel through South Africa and Eswatini (Swaziland) on this 12-day family adventure filled with wildlife sightings, open savannahs and ever-changing landscapes. Get an introduction to South Africa’s most famous township, Soweto, before heading out into the wilderness. Search for roaring lions, leggy giraffes and African elephants in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, kayak around Kosi Bay, then head north into the vast expanses of the Hlane and Kruger National Parks. Visit the Black Mambas headquarters – the world’s first all-female anti-poaching unit – and see the shifting colours of Blyde River Canyon. And, do it all with a local leader by your side who knows all the best places to look and keeps the whole family dialled into an unforgettable adventure.
Highlights
- Explore Soweto by bike and learn about South Africa’s powerful history with your local leader, with visits to local sites and communities along the way.
- Track all your favourites from The Lion King across Southern Africa’s most iconic wildlife reserves, from Hluhluwe and Hlane to the legendary Kruger National Park.
- Sleep under star-filled African skies, with unforgettable nights camping in the heart of the wilderness surrounded by the sounds of nature.
- Paddle through the mangroves of Kosi Bay by kayak, learning about traditional Tsonga fish traps as you glide through the region’s rich coastal ecosystems.
- Meet the inspiring Black Mambas – South Africa’s pioneering all-female anti-poaching unit – and hear first-hand how they help protect the region’s incredible wildlife.
Trip Details
Product Code: 2952
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Basic
Transport: Overland truck, 4X4 Game drive vehicles
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, Budget
Supplier Code: UWFS
Starts: Johannesburg, South Africa
Finishes: Johannesburg, South Africa
Duration: 12 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical rating:
Light
Includes
Meals: Breakfasts (11), Lunch (7), Dinner (9)Accommodation: Hotel (1 night), Camping with basic facilities (6 nights), Resort (2 nights), Lodge (2 nights)
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3645 (CAD $304 /day)
Itinerary
Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Your trip begins with a welcome meeting at noon. After, get right into the swing of things with a cycling tour of Soweto – a chance to see contemporary life in South Africa unfold around you. You’ll visit the formal migrant workers’ hostel and meet the families that live here today. Spin through the community of Meadowlands, which was created when apartheid forced displacement in the 1950s. Then, continue to the Hector Pieterson Memorial, the historical landmark of the 1976 student uprising, and the famous Vilakazi street, where Nelson Mandela used to live.
Included Activities:
- Soweto - Cycle Tour
Accommodation:
- Indaba Hotel (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
Wake up early to start your big travel day. It’s a nice time to get to know your fellow travellers a bit better, so maybe share some of your favourite road-trip games! From Johannesburg, you'll travel into the heart of KwaZulu Natal, where you’ll camp at a lodge just outside of Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. This large, protected area is home to some amazing wildlife, including lions, elephants, leopards, giraffes, buffaloes and wild dogs. The rest of the day is free for you to get settled into your surroundings.
Accommodation:
- Bonamanzi Game Reserve (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
Embark on an adventure through the oldest proclaimed natural reserve in South Africa. Spend the day roaming around the park in an open vehicle for the best views – keep your eyes peeled for elephants, black rhinoceros, Cape buffaloes, lions and leopards. You’ll have a good chance of spotting the white rhino – thanks to a series of successful conservation efforts, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi has the world’s largest population of these near-threatened creatures, whose numbers are finally again. on the rise. The park also boasts some 400 species of birds, including the African finfoot, bat hawk and white-backed night heron.
Included Activities:
- Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park - Game drive
Accommodation:
- Bonamanzi Game Reserve (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
Wake up with the sounds of the local wildlife you saw yesterday and depart the park after breakfast. You’ll travel northeast to the coast to the beautiful Kosi Bay Nature Reserve. This spectacularly situated bay is surrounded on one side by picturesque jungle with wild fig and monkey orange trees with a grazing area for hippos. On the other side, a mangrove and coral reef teeming with aquatic life. Settle into your lodge and enjoy a night under the stars around the campfire.
Accommodation:
- Kosi Bay Lodge (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning, you’ll get to venture out onto the beautiful bay by kayak – this is the only estuary in South Africa that’s home to five species of mangrove. Keep an eye out for the abundant birdlife as well, like fish eagles, palm-nut vultures, mangrove kingfishers, striated herons and flamingos. Learn why these waters are also famous for the traditional Tsonga fish kraal (fish traps). The Tsonga people have lived here for more than 100 years and are experts at building these wood and reed traps that catch fish moving in and out of the estuary with the tide. If you’d like, you can also snorkel over the coral reef in search of some colourful fish. The rest of the day is free to do as you like.
Included Activities:
- Kosi Bay - Kayaking
Accommodation:
- Kosi Bay Lodge (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
Drive north today to the small land-locked kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland), home to Hlane National Park. This vast expanse of bushveld and ancient hardwood trees are home to the largest wild herds in the kingdom. Settle into your spacious camp then maybe find a spot beneath the ample shade trees to relax – you might be greeted by the odd inquisitive impala, warthog or nyala! If you're feeling adventurous, book a guided mountain bike trail, bird walk or wildlife drive and explore the greater Hlane area. There’s no electricity at camp and the area transforms as night falls, glowing by candle and lantern light. If you'd like, head over to the semi-open-air restaurant and floodlit waterhole, where you might glimpse a rhino or elephant at dusk.
Optional Activities:
- Hlane Royal National Park - Guided Walking Safari (310 ZAR)
- Hlane Royal National Park - Game Drive (390 ZAR)
Accommodation:
- Ndlovu Camp (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
Explore Hlane National Park on a safari drive in search of wildebeest, zebras, impala and cheetahs, which were reintroduced to the area and now thrive here. This park – Eswatini's largest, at 30,000 hectares – used to be a private royal hunting ground, and, today, as a protected wildlife area, is a prime spot for wildlife viewing. The flat lowland area has some grasslands and shallow pans and the birdlife here is abundant and diverse – this spot also has the highest density of nesting white-backed vultures in all of Africa! After dinner, enjoy an evening of family-bonding and play some games around the campfire. Listen for roaring lions in the distance ad you stargaze under the clear African sky.
Included Activities:
- Hlane Royal National Park - 4WD Sunset Safari
Optional Activities:
- Hlane Royal National Park - Game Drive (390 ZAR)
- Hlane Royal National Park - Guided Walking Safari (310 ZAR)
Accommodation:
- Ndlovu Camp (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
Cross back into South Africa and journey to Kruger National Park – one of Africa's best wildlife areas. When you arrive, you’ll head out on a safari as you make your way to your overnight campsite.
Included Activities:
- Kruger National Park - Overland Vehicle Game drive
Accommodation:
- Skukuza campsite (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
More drives, more animals – today you’ll further explore Kruger in an open-top safari vehicle. One of the largest game reserves in Southern Africa, Kruger National Park boasts more than 500 bird species, 100 reptile species and 150 mammal species, like the endangered African wild dog. Depending on the areas you visit, you might see some exotic birds along the way, like the tiny bronze mannikin and the more conspicuous ostrich. Keep an eye to the sky, where if you're lucky, a giant eagle owl or martial eagle might be soaring.
Included Activities:
- Kruger National Park - Full Day Game Drive
Accommodation:
- Skukuza campsite (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning, you’ll visit the Black Mambas headquarters for an inspiring and educational chat with the team. The Intrepid Foundation is proudly partnered with Helping Rhinos, which directly supports the work of the Black Mambas, who are the world's first all-female anti-poaching unit in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Made up of a team of 42 young African women, the Mambas patrol 20,000 hectares of the Olifants West Nature Reserve, part of Greater Kruger National Park. After the visit, continue to Blyde River Canyon – your home for the next two nights.
Included Activities:
- Phiring Village homestay experience
Accommodation:
- Forever Resorts Blyde River Canyon (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
Today you’ll witness one of South Africa's most spectacular attractions, Blyde River Canyon – the third-largest canyon in the world, and probably the greenest. The sheer-sided walls of the canyon rise over 2000 m (6562 ft) and the vegetation varies wildly, from dry, rocky sections to rainforest, depending on the altitude. You’ll get out to explore the Three Rondavels and Bourke's Luck Potholes, where shadowy rock formations take on different colours in the changing light. Then, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy. You may like to go on a hike, relax at the resort or take a dip in the swimming pool with the family.
Included Activities:
- Panorama Route - Three Rondavels
- Panorama Route - Bourkes Luck Potholes
Accommodation:
- Forever Resorts Blyde River Canyon (or similar) (Number of Nights: 1)
After breakfast this morning, make the journey back to Johannesburg. Your trip comes to an end when you arrive at OR Tambo International Airport in the afternoon. If you prefer, you may be dropped at the original joining point location. Please advise before you depart. If you would like to extend your stay in Johannesburg, just speak to your booking agent to organise additional accommodation.
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Tour Operator
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.
In Business Since 1989
Reviews
Emma - Traveled, April 2024
I would recommend a family trip with Intrepid to anybody wishing to provide their kids with magical, cultural experiences with like minded people. Our adventures in South Africa could not have been better!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/12/2024
Dona - Traveled, April 2023
I can't say enough good stuff about this trip. For my daughter's first trip to Africa, our time with Intrepid absolutely exceeded expectations. It was just a pleasure to travel with other families and by the end of it, my daughters were in tears saying "we don't want this to end!!" We've all made lifelong friends and can't wait to travel with Intrepid again!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/17/2024
Neil - Traveled, April 2024
Our trip to South Africa for teenagers was fantastic. The crew was amazing with the group explained everything that we were seeing and doing and made sure we felt safe the whole time. Could not have asked for better
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/12/2024
Lisa - Traveled, April 2024
We loved our family trip to South Africa and had the most amazing time. Memories to last a lifetime. Would recommend highly to do this trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/12/2024
Eliza - Traveled, March 2024
The whole trip was amazing, we went on so many safaris and the guides were perfect. Always making sure we were happy. Smokele is the best chef ever! I also made a lot of new friends from all around the world I would rate this trip a 10/10
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/09/2024
James - Traveled, March 2023
This trip far exceeded our expectations! Our family had a wonderful time learning and seeing so much of this diverse, and culturally rich area of beautiful South Africa. We have all made some great friends in the group and crew who we hope to see again. Thank you Intrepid, until next time!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/09/2024
Daniel - Traveled, March 2024
Perfectly organised trip. A fantastic way to see animals and meet new people. The crew is made up of incredible people.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/09/2024
Lee - Traveled, September 2023
There are not enough words to describe how much we loved this trip. Amazing game viewing and a good range of wildlife parks. We saw the big 5 plus much more. Great sleeping in the tent and hearing lion calls at night! There were some long travel days but totally worth it for the diverse experiences we had. So many highlights, including standing so close to rhinos on our walking safari in Hlane and a beautiful sunset boat trip in Kosi Bay. Our leader, Jean, cook Samkhele and driver Goodman were excellent, we felt safe and well looked after the whole time and it was lovely sharing our experiences with another family. Highly recommend this trip and our teenagers loved it!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/10/2023
Allison - Traveled, September 2023
This is an excellent tour for families. Our guide Jean was amazing and we felt safe and looked after the entire trip. The food was excellent and the range of activities and sites covered was awesome. We saw the Big 5 and made some great friends. I would definitely recommend this trip to others.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/09/2023
Victorine - Traveled, August 2023
Overall an excellent formula for families with teenagers. We were very lucky with our group and we had a great chemistry within the different travellers and the excellent guide, driver and cook!!! Good balance between camping and lodges. The planned activities got you well covered and we did very few extra activities.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/01/2023
Jo - Traveled, August 2023
My family and I had an amazing time on this safari trip. We had a chance to meet locals and get a better understanding of life in South Africa. And we saw the big 5!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/20/2023
Joanne - Traveled, August 2023
South Africa with Teenagers are amazing! Our guide Leroy, cook Farai and driver Vuyani were incredible and made the journey so special. We saw the Big 5 and more, camping within some wonderful game reserves. We travelled to the coast to kayak and snorkel against a pristine beach and even travelled across the border into Estwatini. Definitely recommend this trip and Intrepid!!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/20/2023
Heather - Traveled, August 2023
A good opportunity to see South Africa and learn about its past, present and future. Fabulous to be able to share once in a lifetime experiences with our children and with other families.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/20/2023
Imogen - Traveled, July 2023
From staring up at the pinkish belt of the Milky Way, falling asleep to the somehow soothing sound of lions chuffing to tracking rhinos in Eswatini, this trip was everything I had hoped for, and more. The crew made it even more special: Hildon, Nolo and Leroy were kind, accommodating and extremely knowledgeable.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/02/2023
Timothy - Traveled, July 2023
This holiday was the most wonderful adventure. We were expertly guided and saw every kind of wildlife, birds and plants. Our tour leader had a fantastic knowledge and communicated brilliantly. We made new friends with the other guests and the tour team. Highly recommended.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/24/2023
Zoe - Traveled, July 2023
We have recommended to friends. The trip was everything we expected and more. Our guide was so knowledgeable, our driver knew the best routes, and our cook made the most delicious food. All three thought of everything, so we could focus on enjoying the trip. They helped us at anytime, nothing was too much trouble. The noted and catered for our preferences. They really were the best, absolutely faultless. The itinerary was perfect for our family.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/29/2023
Melvin - Traveled, July 2023
Very enjoyable trip for the mildly adventurous, kids will love it.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/29/2023
Steve - Traveled, June 2023
As an ex overland driver, this was my first trip taking the family, and I can tell you this is a fantastic tour for kids and parents alike. We had a great crew, the truck has everything you need, and it is a great mix of camping, lodges and activities. The itinerary gets you on and off the beaten track, with unexpected highlights like Hlane National Park in Eswatini and Kosi Bay. A wonderful tour that I would highly recommend for any family.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/14/2023
Alin - Traveled, June 2023
Overall a great trip! Food, staff, and amenities surpassed my expectations. In addition to this, the crew also was extremely understanding and informative, making the trip a great one. If your thinking of going to South Africa, I highly recommend Intrepid.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/10/2023
Anca - Traveled, June 2023
Great experience for my family, with lots of amazing scenery, wild animal sightings, delicious food and many interesting stories about culture, history and politics. Love the local staff, Jean, Amo and Clayton!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/10/2023
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