7-day - Panorama Route and Kruger Park & Swaziland Safari

Itinerary

Day 1: Panorama Route

Stop At: Pilgrims Rest, 23 km From Graskop On the R533 Road, Graskop 1270 South Africa
BEGIN THE JOURNEY AND DRIVE THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST SCENIC AREAS OF THE EASTERN PART OF SOUTH AFRICA. THE TOUR ALREADY STARTS AT THE HIGHVELD TOWN OF DULLSTROOM, A 3 - HOUR DRIVE FROM JOHANNESBURG. AFTER BROWSING THROUGH THE MANY ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOPS LOCATED ON THE MAIN STREET, WE WILL VISIT THE DULLSTROOM BIRD S OF PREY AND REHABILITATION CENTRE FOR A DEMONSTRATION. WE ALSO VISIT A LOCAL BREWERY, ANVIL BREWERY, TO SAVOUR THE LOCAL BEER AND DISHES SUCH AS SMOKED TROUT FOR LUNCH. (OWN COST) FROM HERE WE DESCEND INTO THE LOWVELD EN ROUTE TO THE HISTORIC TOWN OF PILGRIM’S REST. THE ENTIRE TOWN OF PILGRIM'S REST WAS DECLARED A NATIONAL MONUMENT IN 1986 AS A LIVING MEMORY OF THE EARLY GOLD RUSH DAYS IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE LATE 1800S / EARLY 1900S. WE WILL SPEND THE NIGHT AT THE FAMOUS ROYAL HOTEL (OR SIMILAR) WHERE A GHOST TOUR CAN BE TAKEN.
Duration: 10 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: ROYAL HOTEL

Day 2: FOREVER BLYDE CANYON, PANORAMA ROUTE

Stop At: Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, R543, 2351 South Africa
AFTER BREAKFAST, WE VISIT THE INTRIGUING MUSEUMS AND SHOPS IN PILGRIM’S REST, AND THEN DRIVE TO VIEW PINNACLE ROCK AND THEN TO EXPERIENCE THE AMAZING VIEW FROM GOD’S WINDOW. WE THEN VISIT THE BERLIN FALLS, WHERE NUMEROUS LOCAL ARTS AND CRAFT S ARE FOR SALE. FROM HERE WE VISIT BOURKE’S LUCK POTHOLES FOR LUNCH (OWN COST) AND THEN HEAD TO THE ECHO CAVES FOR A TOUR IN AN UNDERGROUND WONDERLAND. WE THEN GO TO THE BLYDE RIVER CANYON, WHERE WE OVERNIGHT AT THE RESORT: FOREVER BLYDE CANYON (OR SIMILAR). DINNER NOT INCLUDED. (B)
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: FOREVER BLYDE CANYON

Day 3: HOEDSPRUIT ENDANGERED SPECIES CENTRE, MOHOLOHOLO

Stop At: Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, R40 Between Hoedspruit and Klaserie Kapama Private Game Reserve, Hoedspruit 1380 South Africa
VISIT KINYONGA REPTILE CENTRE NEAR THE TOWN OF HOEDSPRUIT AFTER BREAKFAST (OWN COST), AND THEN TRAVERSE S TO THE FAMOUS HOEDSPRUIT ENDANGERED SPECIES CENTRE FOR A TOUR AND LUNCH AT THE CURIO SHOP AND DELI. (OWN COST) MOHOLOHOLO WILDLIFE REHABILITATION CENTRE FOLLOWS FOR ANOTHER WILDLIFE TOUR, WHERE WE ALSO STAY FOR THE NIGHT (OR SIMILAR).
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: MOHOLOHOLO

Day 4: BOAT TRIP ON THE BLYDE DAM, GAME DRIVES KRUGER PARK

Stop At: Kruger National Park, Malalan Gate, Nelspruit 1350 South Africa
TAKE A BOAT TRIP ON THE BLYDE DAM. AN INTERPRETATION TOUR WILL TAKE US TO THE KADISHI TUFA WATERFALL AND THE THREE RONDAWELS. AN ABUNDANCE OF WILDLIFE WILL KEEP YOU DISTRACTED WHILE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BLYDE CANYON. THE KADISHI TUFA WATERFALL, AT 200 METERS (AROUND 660 FEET) IN HEIGHT, IS THE SECOND TALLEST TUFA WATERFALL ON EARTH. THE WATERFALL’S FORMATION STRIKINGLY RESEMBLES A FACE WHICH IS CRYING PROFUSELY, AND IS THUS SOMETIMES KNOWN AS ‘THE WEEPING FACE OF NATURE’. COMPLETING THIS WE HEAD TO THE MOPANI REST CAMP VIA PHALABORWA GATE AT THE KRUGER PARK FOR MORE GAME VIEWING. (LUNCH EN-ROUTE NOT INCLUDED) AFTER ENJOYING A GAME DRIVE TO A BUSH BRAAI (BBQ), WE SPEND THE NIGHT HERE (OR SIMILAR).
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: MOPANI REST CAMP

Day 5: GAME DRIVES KRUGER PARK

Stop At: Kruger National Park, Malalan Gate, Nelspruit 1350 South Africa
AFTER BREAKFAST, WE HAVE A GAME DRIVE IN THE PARK FOR THE ENTIRE DAY, EXPLORING EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE SPECTACULAR WILDLIFE SCENERY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE THE BIG 5. WE DRIVE SOUTH TO THE SKUKUZA CAMP, ENJOY A NIGHT GAME DRIVE AND OVERNIGHT HERE (OR SIMILAR).
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: SKUKUZA CAMP

Day 6: JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE’S CHIMPANZEE EDEN, HLANE ROYAL NATIONAL PARK

Stop At: Mantenga Nature Reserve, Mantenga, Ezulwini, Hhohho, Manzini M200 Eswatini (Swaziland)
CONTINUE VIA NELSPRUIT (MBOMBELA) TO THE JANE GOODALL INSTITUTE’S CHIMPANZEE EDEN. NOW TO SWAZILAND TO WATCH GLASS BLOWING AT NGWENYA GLASS. IT IS ALSO A SHOWROOM FULL OF BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED GLASS ORNAMENTS AND HOUSES A NUMBER OF OTHER SMALLER CRAFT OUTLETS. WE DRIVE TO THE MANTENGA CULTURAL VILLAGE, A LIVING MUSEUM OF OLD TRADITIONS THAT REPRESENT CLASSICAL SWAZI LIFESTYLE DURING THE 1850s. IT COMPRISES 16 HUTS, KRAALS AND BYRES FOR CATTLE AND GOATS, REED FENCES AND OTHER STRUCTURES, AND ENJOYS TRADITIONAL DANCES, A GUIDED TOUR OF THE HUT VILLAGE AND WATERFALL. WE ALSO HAVE A TRADITIONAL LUNCH HERE, AND DRIVE TO THE HLANE ROYAL NATIONAL PARK FOR THE NIGHT. DINNER (NOT INCLUDED) CAN BE ENJOYED AT NDLOVU CAMP’S LARGE RESTAURANT.
Duration: 11 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: HLANE ROYAL NATIONAL PARK

Day 7: HLANE ROYAL NATIONAL PARK

Stop At: Hlane Royal National Park, Simunye Eswatini (Swaziland)
AFTER A 2,5-HOUR SUNRISE GAME DRIVE AT HLANE ROYAL NATIONAL PARK’S NDLOVU CAMP WE HEAD BACK TO NELSPRUIT, AND THEN TO JOHANNESBURG TO LEAVE YOU AT THE O.R. TAMBO AIRPORT FOR YOUR FLIGHT BACK HOME. (B)
Duration: 11 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.