Selfdrive through the Kruger Park, Eswatini, Hluhluwe and the Drakensberg (comfort)

Upon arrival at Johannesburg airport you will be met by a driver who will take you to your accommodation near the airport.

You stay one night in Safari Club SA based on bed and breakfast.

After breakfast you can pick up your rental car at the airport and your journey can begin. We have a car from category F, type Toyota Corolla 1.6 automatic (or similar), included in this trip. Prefer a car from a different category or a manual rental car? Let us know and we will adjust this for you.

You then leave for Hazyview located in the province of Mpumalanga. You are a mere 20 minutes from the famous Kruger National Park from Hazyview. Hazyview is also the place from where you can make beautiful trips on the Panorama Route with numerous special viewpoints and beautiful waterfalls. Today you can already drive part of this route or visit Pilgrims Rest if desired. The distance from Johannesburg to Hazyview is approximately 390 km, so don’t leave too late.

You stay two nights in the beautifully located accommodation Rissington Inn on a bed and breakfast basis. The building is a beautifully renovated farmhouse surrounded by large trees and the rooms are located in the garden. You have a breathtaking view over the valley.

For today we recommend that you visit a number of sights along the Panorama Route. Visit the beautiful God’s Window viewpoint north of Graskop, where you have a beautiful view of the landscape in clear weather. Then continue on the route to Bourke’s Luck Potholes where large holes have been carved into the rocks. Even further north you will find the Three Rondavels where you can take beautiful pictures of the Blyde River Canyon. You pay admission to the various sights along the Panorama Route. From your hotel to the Three Rondavels (the farthest point) is a distance of approximately 92 kilometers. The route takes you through a beautiful mountainous landscape. If you have time left at the end of the day, you can drive from Graskop to the old mining village of Pilgrimsrest. Here you go back in time, a nice end to a beautiful day.

You stay two nights at Umkumbe Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve on a full board basis, including game drives (morning and afternoon / evening) and tea / coffee (other drinks are for your own account, conservation levy and gate entrance fees exclusive and available payable locally).

Sabi Sands game reserve is one of the most beautiful private game reserves in South Africa and also the most exclusive. The reserve is 65,000 hectares in size and borders the Kruger National Park with its 50-kilometer-long east side. All animals can move freely between the different parks, as there are no gates.

You will go looking for the Big Five under the guidance of real safari connoisseurs: elephant, leopard, lion, rhino and buffalo. Game drives are done with open 4×4 safari vehicles and bush walks are also possible. In total there are more than 145 different mammals, 110 different reptiles, 330 tree species and more than 500 bird species (including migratory birds). The wide variety of game is mainly due to the two rivers that supply the area with water: the Sand River that runs from north-west to south-east and the Sabie River along the southern border.

After breakfast you drive to the border with the kingdom of Eswatini (Jeppe’s Reef border post), make sure you have your passport within reach. You take the western route to your next accommodation, this route takes you through a wide variety of landscapes. Your accommodation for the night is Phophonyane Falls and is located in the Phophonyane Falls Nature Reserve. You stay here in a so-called beehive hut (a more luxurious representation of the traditional huts in Eswatini), based on bed and breakfast. There is a restaurant where you can use the other meals. Phophonyane Falls is located in the north-west of Eswatini near Pigg ‘s Peak, an area characterized by beautiful rain forest, mountains and rivers. The landscape is interrupted by the traditional houses that you find everywhere here. You can use the trails in the nature reserve to get to know this area better or enjoy the beautiful view from the lodge.

Hluhluwe is the area where Zulu kings like Dingiswayo and Shaka went hunting. Later the first laws were introduced here to protect wild animals, with the result that today the Big Five can roam freely in the vast green savannah. The park covers more than 90,000 hectares and is best known for successfully protecting the endangered rhino. Today, rhinos are frequently poached in South Africa and protection is still very much needed. You can see beautiful scenes at the water places in the park where all kinds of animals come to quench their thirst, play and bathe.

You will stay two nights at Rhino Ridge Game Lodge on a full board basis including safari activities and tea / coffee (other drinks and conservation fee not included). This relatively new and luxurious accommodation is the first private concession holder in the middle of the oldest game reserve in Africa: Hluhluwe Imfolozi. From your room you have a spectacular view of the reserve. Enjoy a sundowner drink on the deck, take a refreshing dip in the beautiful pool or go with your ranger to the Big Five. Game drives take place in the early morning and (after) afternoon.

The Drakensberg is called ‘Ukhahlamba’ by the Zulu’s which means ‘barrier of spears’. The mountain range forms the backbone of this area and the natural border with Lesotho. The views are breathtaking, nature and bird lovers will certainly enjoy themselves here. You can make a choice from the wide range of walking and hiking routes in the area. Always ensure that you bring warm clothing and plenty of water. You pay an entrance fee at the entrance of the park and you can buy route maps in the shop / reception. Not a lover of hiking? You can drive to the Thendele Camp in the park from where you have a breathtaking view of the Amphitheater.

You stay two nights in the beautiful Montusi Mountain Lodge based on bed, breakfast and dinner. This lodge is only a 20-minute drive from the Royal Natal park. After the long drive on day 11 and a good night’s rest, you can explore the Royal Natal park at your leisure on day 12.

Today you continue your journey along the Sterkfontein Dam to Clarens (approximately 130 km). The part of the route along the dam can be difficult to pass after heavy rainfall or in the event of fog as it is partly unpaved. Before you reach Clarens, you drive through the beautiful Golden Gate Highlands National Park where you can take beautiful pictures of the grasslands and sandstone formations. For those who would like to walk in the mountains, this is a paradise! In this park you can also visit the interesting Basotho Cultural Village.

Overnight stay in Clarens near Mont d’Or on a bed and breakfast basis.