There are many exciting art community and rural tourism initiatives in the eastern part of South Africa (Mapumalanga) and the Kingdom of Swaziland. This version of the Kruger to KwaZulu-Natal Trail emphasizes this aspect of the new South Africa.
On this tour there are opportunities for you to stay at the homes of African families and integrate with these entrepreneurial people. Learn about their customs, life-styles and share in their day-to-day tasks. Enjoy and even learn some of their music and songs. Traditional crafts are becoming rare, and this is an opportunity to find some beautiful and unique handcrafted work, meet the people who produce it and share the beautiful areas they live in. There are options for easy overnight hiking trips through rural and wilderness areas.
Visit Soweto and 'Egoli', the 'city of gold'; as well as the tribal people in this area and perhaps spend the night in an ox-wagon. Follow the trails of early trekkers, gold miners and transport riders eastwards; spend time among the African wildlife on a game-viewing safari through the world-renowned Kruger National Park. Enjoy a scenic drive among the hills and rural villages, stay at a nature reserve and visit a unique arts venue in the Kingdom of Swaziland. Relax and hike in the remote coastal haven of Kosi Bay in Maputaland where you could view loggerhead and giant leatherback turtles as well as birding gems such as Pel's fishing owl, narina trogon, knysna louries, purple crested louries and palmnut vultures. Spend time in Zululand, meet the locals, hike in the Drakensberg mountains, view bushman rock art and the diverse flora and fauna of the region.
DURATION
This tour can vary in length from 10 to 18 days.
BEST TIME
Year round. The Kruger Park area and KwaZulu-Natal are
warm in winter, and mostly hot in summer. Turtle season in Maputaland is November
to February, with the eggs being laid in November and December and hatching
between January and February.
DAY 1 & 2 GAUTENG
You will be met by Vanessa at Johannesburg International
Airport and taken to your choice of lodging. Vanessa grew up and studied in
Johannesburg and knows the area well.
ACCOMMODATION IN GAUTENG
GUESTHOUSES AND HOTELS IN JOHANNESBURG
For those who would like to see Johannesburg's top
malls, art galleries, African art shops and markets there are excellent guesthouses
and hotels in the Melville, Sandton and Rosebank areas.
MOUNTAIN SPA AND NATURE WALKS
Relax and enjoy African nature at a tranquil and luxurious
mountain spa set in 10 acres of indigenous gardens in the Magaliesberg.
LUXURIOUS RAILWAY CARRIAGE
Head for the hills and visit a 'goblin garden' and
charming restaurant built by the owner/artists, set in a beautiful Magaliesberg
forest. Sleep in a luxuriously renovated antique railway carriage.
DIE RING OSSEWAHERBERG
Overnight Voortrekker style in an en-suite ox-wagon
at this country inn which consists of South Africa's largest private collection
of renovated ox-wagons.
DAY 3 & 4 LAPALALA WILDERNESS
To experience the essence of the African bush, we trek
across the highveld to Lapalala Wilderness Game Reserve, which was started by
one of South Africa's well-known conservationists, Clive Walker. We stay in
a rustic bush chalet on the banks of the Palala River, where we can enjoy the
tranquility and absolute peace of the bush, without electricity or other people
in the vicinity! The reserve has rhino, leopard, zebra, giraffe, crocodile and
many species of antelope. On our bush walks you can get the full benefit of
being close to nature and notice those little details so often missed when one
is in a vehicle. Later we will enjoy a home-cooked traditional 'braai' (barbecue)
and campfire in a reed boma, under the stars.
DAY 5 MPUMALANGA
After breakfast, we head east, crossing one of the main
Voortrekker trails at Potgietersrus before dropping down into the lowveld through
Magoebaskloof and the Northern Drakensberg mountains. Mpumalanga is the Swazi
and Zulu word for 'the place where the sun rises.'
An excellent African art collection at the Tzaneen Museum, which is mostly the curator's private collection includes many rare items belonging to the late Rain Queen. The rulers of this dynasty are revered and much mystery and ancient ritual surround them. The collection includes contemporary wood-carvings by world-renowned artists including an exhibit of carvings depicting Tsonga legends arranged under the trees. The pottery collection spans 2 000 years.
You have an option to visit the Karoswerkers, a private rural enterprise that generates income for 700 previously unemployed farm labourers' wives. Traditionally gifted in the art of embroidery, these women create exquisite wall hangings, cushion covers and place mats with traditional mythological and animal motifs. They work at home where they can care for their children and then bring the work in for sale at the studio. This is one of the great community art success stories of South Africa and their work is much sought after.
In the afternoon we could head for refreshments at the pub inside a giant baobab tree! Then have dinner and spend the night at Otter's Den. This private tented camp caters exclusively for one group at a time, so you have the swimming pool, candle-lit dinner, bar and herd of grunting hippos in the river all to yourselves.
DAY 6, 7 & 8
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
These days are devoted to enjoying the spectacular
untamed wilderness of the Kruger National Park and the relaxation that comes
with spending quality time in the African bush. There is nothing to compare
with sipping a morning cup of coffee on your private patio, whilst a family
of giraffe slowly browse their way through a stand of acacias nearby. Or the
thrill of close encounters with prides of lion, elephant herds, a lone leopard,
buffalo, black and white rhinoceros, zebra, kudu, wild dog, hyena, martial eagles,
bataleurs, vultures and many others. We can stop at the informal and imaginative
wayside craft stalls with their colourful carved and burnished wooden hornbills,
loeries, guinea fowls and animals specific to the area.
Spend nights at any of the parks board camps, private camps or private lodges, depending on your preference and length of stay.
DAY 9 & 10 SWAZILAND
In the morning we leave the park and drive south into
the Kingdom of Swaziland. Northern Swaziland has beautiful mountains and rolling
hills where many Swazis live in traditional grass-roofed huts, grow 'mielies'
(corn), herd cattle and sell roadside arts and crafts. We will visit the Ezulweni
and Malkerns valleys that are the hub of Swaziland's art world. We may be lucky
enough to catch a concert performed by talented African musicians at the funky
semi-outdoors Shakespearean-styled theatre, "House on Fire". The gallery, theatre
and the sculptures for sale are worth investigating, as are the other stylish
crafts at "Gone Rural". The attractive orange adobe Marondelas restaurant is
the place to have fresh trout for lunch.
We will spend two nights at the nearby Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. Walks, fantastic birding, mountain bike and horse riding trails, all offer the opportunity to get close to the warthog, zebra, wildebeest, nyala, hippo, guinea fowl, and other animals that live in this safe haven.
Spend a night in an en-suite Swazi beehive hut! Or stay in a chalet in this cheerful and relaxed camp among indigenous palms, euphorbias, acacias and many other attractive plants. The camp incorporates a picturesque lake where you can enjoy a drink in the safety of a wooden deck at the waters' edge and stare eye-to-eye with a hippo! Warthogs wander through camp, avoiding the people and the bird life along the watercourse is superb! Relax in one of the open thatched lounges or sit around one of the great log fires that are lit every night and enjoy the wholesome food cooked up by the enthusiastic staff.
Alternatively, enjoy a luxurious and charming stay at Reilly's Rock, previously the Reilly family homestead, a personal and tranquil haven with an almost spiritual link to years gone by. This secluded retreat is ideal for that sought-after solitude embraced by nature's harmony. The lodge, situated in the heart of Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary has beautiful en-suite rooms and a magnificent old garden with enormous trees and prolific bird-life. Enjoy coffee on the veranda at dawn, and look out for the elusive purple-crested loeries and the flash of their bright red wing feathers.
DAY 11, 12, 13 & 14 MAPUTALAND
From Swaziland we go to an almost forgotten coastal
haven: Kosi Bay. This is a subtropical paradise where loggerhead and giant leatherback
turtles return to breed between November and February every year and pristine
beaches and rocky reefs with tropical fish provide for wonder-filled and relaxing
swims. Kosi Bay has a series of four lakes, each with a slightly different character.
The local people have a complex and ancient system of catching fish in reed
traps, using the tides. Rolling grassy hillsides are dotted with grass-roofed
huts and waterberry trees. There are many African fish eagles in the area, as
well as the rare palmnut vultures that feed exclusively on raffia palm nuts.
Spend the night at Kosi Forest Lodge.
ADVENTURE BLEND EASY HIKING SAFARI
My favourite way of enjoying the diversity of this
area is to spend the first night at Kosi Forest Lodge and then two nights at
the tented camps on the Kosi hiking trail, one on First Lake, and one at Banga
Neck, between the ocean and Third Lake. Then return to Kosi Forest Lodge on
the fourth night. The terrain is easy going and backpacks will be fairly
light (around 22 pounds).
Some members of your group may wish to stay at the lodge and go on day trips, while others hike for two days. Day trips include the early morning canoe trips, trips to the beach and estuary and trips to see the traditional tapping of ilala palm wine.
DAY 12 FIRST LAKE, KOSI BAY HIKE
We take in a quiet morning canoe trip to see the palmnut
vultures near fourth lake, and then cross the third lake, Nhlange ('place of
reeds'), second lake, Mpungwini ('place of firewood') and first lake, Makhawulani,
by boat, look at the famous fish traps, perhaps see hippos, flamingos, and other
water birds on the way and then settle into a gorgeous rustic tented camp, set
in indigenous forest, with a view over the watery expanses. The accommodation
consists of five large comfortable safari tents built on wooden platforms with
mosquito netting on all the doors and windows. This is part of the newly revamped
Community Hiking Trail, which used to be run by the local parks board. We will
be joined by a knowledgeable local guide who will lead us on an afternoon walk
to the estuary known as Enkovukeni ('rise and fall'). We move through lush coastal
dune forest and grasslands, then mangroves and finally reach the ocean and river
mouth to swim and snorkel.
If we are lucky, we can buy fresh fish from the local fishermen and cook it in the traditional way, on the campfire! Enjoy the absolute peace of knowing you are in a place that can only be reached by foot or by boat.
DAY 13 BANGA NECK, KOSI BAY HIKE
After breakfast we hike 14 kms over forested dunes,
do some bird watching and get fantastic views of the lakes. Encounter local
villages and stop in at the 'Tuck shop' (the bush 'corner shop') for a cold
soda. After walking along the ridge which separates the lakes from the ocean,
we will drop down onto the beach for the last part of the hike to the tented
camp at Banga Nek. This forested camp has an ocean view. Spend the afternoon
at your leisure, perhaps swimming and snorkeling in the warm waters of the Indian
Ocean. Take a short night hike to one of the bush bars! If it is turtle season
you can go on a nocturnal turtle tour with the parks board officials.
DAY 14 KOSI BAY HIKE, KOSI FOREST LODGE
Leave midmorning, and hike 7kms over vegetated dunes
to Fourth Lake, known by the locals as "the black one". It has the freshest
water, which is darkened by the tannins from the dense forest vegetation that
surrounds it. Look out for the elusive narina trogon and knysna loeries (beautiful
forest birds). We will be collected on the other side of the forest by a Land
Rover from Kosi Forest Lodge. Spend the afternoon relaxing and relish a luxurious
lodge dinner.
DAY 15 ZULULAND
Leave Kosi Forest Lodge after breakfast and drive southwest
through Zululand. (Or come straight here from Swaziland, if you are doing a
14 day version which does not include Maputaland).
You could visit rural people and shop for craftwork such as Zulu baskets and beadwork. An exciting opportunity came about when local school children expressed an interest in meeting tourists. Every school day, at midday, one can listen to the school children singing traditional songs, the meanings and significance of which is explained to visitors.
ADVENTURE BLEND ACCOMMODATION
RURAL ZULU VILLAGE
Stay at the home of a traditional rural Zulu family,
in a special guest hut in their village. Join in the day to day life of the
family, milk the cows, feed the chickens, visit the fields and eat meals with
the family. The younger school going children in the family translate for the
visitors. This is an especially unique experience.
DAY 16 & 17 DRAKENSBERG
We spend the morning driving down the Zululand coast,
where the fearful King Shaka once ruled a massive 'impi' (Zulu army), wend our
way through the Valley of a Thousand Hills and up to the Drakensberg Mountains.
Being the highest range in South Africa at 10 000ft, the Drakensberg offers breathtaking scenery: a blend of dramatic rock faces, massive spires, plunging waterfalls, endless grasslands, rivers and forests. There are fantastic hikes of all durations and intensity, fresh drinkable water, an incredible diversity of plant life, animals such as baboon and eland that are seen regularly and approximately 300 recorded species of birds. Among these are the endangered wattled crane, cape vulture, black eagle, bald ibis and lammergeyer or bearded vulture. The Drakensberg was once home to the bushman and offers one of the richest rock art sites in the world with more than 600 sites and 22 000 paintings. There are numerous arts and crafts venues including the award-winning and internationally respected Ardmore ceramic studio. The Drakensberg Boy's Choir, who perform nearby on Wednesdays, is rated among the top boy's choirs in the world.
ARDMORE CERAMIC STUDIO
"The vibrant ceramics of Ardmore, ranging
from functional domestic ware to sculptural art in the decorative African tradition,
offer a fine insight into the subtle influences of rural potters at work in
the Champagne Valley of KwaZulu-Natal. These artists combine the elements of
their tribal tradition with the uniquely naïve perspective of a new world."
-From the book, 'Ardmore. An African discovery', Gillian Scott.
Stay at the charming guestfarm next to the stables, which house the ceramic studio on the Ardmore farm at the foot of the majestic Drakensberg. Accommodation is in comfortable, characterful and tastefully-decorated thatched rondawels (round houses) with en-suite bathrooms set in a beautiful garden. Have tea in the garden or next to the fire and enjoy an evening meal with the owners.
This is the perfect launching pad to visit the Injasuti National Park with its gorgeous mountain walks. Here you can swim in crystal clear rock pools and view fascinating rock art.
OPTIONAL EXTRA DAY: LOWER INJASUTI CAVE CAMPING AND/ OR
HIKING TRIP
NOTE: This hike can be done as an 11 km (7mile) day
trip on day 16.
This is a wonderful opportunity to stretch your legs on an easy hiking trail and stir your soul with some down-to-earth camping. A pleasant overnight trip on day 16 (it does not require heavy packs) involves a night spent at Lower Injasuti Cave. The cave is light and airy, with a few bushman paintings at one end and a stream of refreshing pure mountain water that bubbles into an exquisite natural rock swimming pool. The hike is an easy 17 kms (10miles) each way with opportunities of viewing some well preserved bushman rock art, including Battle Cave where you will find 750 paintings depicting a battle between two warring clans. We travel up a valley with gorgeous Drakensberg vegetation where eland are often seen in the bush along the river. Eland are Africa's largest antelope and were sacred to the bushmen.
DAY 18 GAUTENG
After a delicious breakfast we leave the hospitality
of Ardmore and head north along the Drakensberg range, stop to look for Lammergeyers
at the 'vultures restaurant' and then drive 300kms back to the Johannesburg
area. An airport transfer is included.