lesotho tour, garden route tours with Acacia Africa

Day 1 Johannesburg – Lesotho / Malealea
Departing Johannesburg early, crossing the farming province of the Free State, crossing the SA/Lesotho border into Maseru, the capital, we head for Malealea, a breathtakingly beautiful remote part of Lesotho. The afternoon is spent visiting a traditional local Basotho village, exploring handmade crafts and beaded jewellery, and deciding on optional activities for the next
day. The evening is spent watching various Basotho children’s choirs and local Basotho music bands demonstrating their homemade instruments, entertaining us around an open fire

Day 2 Malealea
Today we saddle up on a guided pony trek following narrow trails weaving through rural mountainous terrain. The rest of the day is free to choose selected hiking trails, visiting nearby waterfalls, bushman paintings, traditional healers, or interacting with locals, visiting schools and markets. The evening brings the smell of wood fires burning and as dinner is prepared we can enjoy the serenity of Basotho land.

Day 3 Malealea –Amphitheatre / Drakensberg
We re-nter SA, travelling via Clarens and the Golden Gate NP, stopping at beautiful viewpoints. Afternoon cross into the KwaZulu-Natal, hiking and discovering Royal National Park with an informative guide, exploring ancient bushman paintings and rock art. Royal Natal boasts some of the most splendid mountain scenery in Africa, The Amphitheatre being a world famous feature, a rock wall approximately five kilometres in length, and five hundred metres high. We retire to our bush lodge in the late afternoon, in preparation for a full day hike.

Day 4 Amphitheatre – Tugela Falls
After a light breakfast and day packs ready to go, we board an all terrain vehicle carrying us over rough roads, finally reaching a spectacular altitude of 2500 meters. This is the most famous hike in South Africa, accessing the highest escarpment in one day and witnessing the highest waterfall in Africa. After absorbing the view of the crystal waters gushing miles below us, we start our two hour decent by carefully climbing down the rock face ladders and foot paths. This evening is enjoyed relaxing in the stillness of the Drakensburg sharing stories over a wholesome dinner.

Day 5 Amphitheatre – Dundee
After breakfast we continue to Dundee, and joined by a passionate local guide we visit the battlefield sites which date from colonial wars involving the British, Zulu and Afrikaner settlers, - Blood River, Talana Hill and Rorke’s Drift. This evening we return to nearby Dundee savoring the night at a quaint lodge in this agricultural town, once occupied by the British forces.

Day 6 Dundee – Durban
Departing the Battlefields, via Pietermaritzburg, arriving in Botha’s Hill overlooking the Inanda valley (valley of a thousand hills), we join a guided tour of a traditional Zulu village, including a dance show by children and village leaders, followed by a guided tour on a reptile farm. Lunch in a rustic restaurant in the valley. Continuing down hill, arriving in Durban we visit uShaka Marine World hosting fascinating salt water aquariums. We enjoy the night at an upmarket beachfront lodge, where we may venture for a beach walk or explore the night life using taxis.

Day 7 Durban
After breakfast we may explore the many attractions and multi cultures Durban offers; Wilson's Wharf on the Victoria Embankment, BAT centre, harbour cruise - the biggest working port in Africa. Shop until you drop in modern shopping malls, beachfront stalls or the famous Indian Market, or spend time on all year round beaches. Durban is a day to remember from its excellent entertainment theatres, clubs and township tour.

Day 8 Durban – Chintsa / East London
Departing Durban early, traveling through mountain passes from the foot of the Drakensberg, through the rugged wild coast region, formally known as Transkei, birthplace of Nelson Mandela. We visit Nelson Mandela museum. Traveling further south through rural lands of the native Xhosa people, we arrive early evening in the quaint coastal town of Chintsa spending two nights absorbing the peace and tranquility the Eastern Cape offers.

Day 9 Chintsa beach
This rustic spot, with wild untouched beauty inherited its name from the river on which it lies, meaning ‘crumbling banks’ in Xhosa. Enjoying Sunday with the combination of freedom and tranquility, we take a guided village walk, thereafter choosing to wonder the many bush trails, tan on beaches or join exciting optional adventures; fishing, surfing, bike trails, canoeing or trying your hand on a beach horse trail.

Day 10 Chintsa – Addo Elephant Park
After breakfast we continue towards Grahamstown, the national university town for arts and culture. You may explore the town or visit the historical museum before heading for Addo Elephant National Park, enjoying a late lunch and serious animal spotting. The park boasts over 400 individual elephants, with lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, buck and antelope too. We spend the night on the outskirts of the park, Avoca resort, enjoying stillness with sun downers on the river banks at our peaceful holiday resort.

Day 11 Addo Elephant – Knysna / Tsitsikamma Forest
Depart after breakfast for a fulfilling day of stunning sights and exciting adventures within the Tsitsikamma Forest. Tsitsikamma National Park is a multi-dimensional destination, forming the top section of the magnificent Garden Route National Park. Proceeding to Knysna, renowned for its endless estuary, and visiting the famous bungee jump Bloukrans Bridge we settle into Knysna for the night with time to browse stores on the waterfront.

Day 12 Knysna
After breakfast your guide will take you to the famous heads overlooking the town, exploring the rocks and admiring scenic views. Enjoy the serenity and magical atmosphere of this wonderful destination for the rest of the day. From boat cruises, fishing trips, or the bird park, Knysna will leave you with a yearning to return. After an early dinner you can again explore the narrow streets with cosy pubs and a lively waterfront.

Day 13 Knysna – Hermanus
Relaxed from Knysna hospitality, we head south through scenic coast roads, mountains and rivers to Hermanus, famous for whale and dolphin sightings, and for the outdoor enthusiast, detouring via Cape Agulhas, where the two oceans meet, at the most southern tip of Africa. We visit the gigantic, 165 year old lighthouse before lunch in the Cape style town. Afternoon is spent exploring Hermanus, whale watching if in season, or canoeing, yachting, diving or surfing. Evening is spent enjoying the town’s atmosphere, inhaling the cool Atlantic breeze.

Day 14 Hermanus – Cape Town
A free morning where you may choose to visit the Old Harbour Open-Air Museum that is a provincial heritage site, join a whale watching tour or explore the town’s variety of shops and boardwalk on foot. Departing Hermanus before lunch we follow the rough coastal route to Cape Town, visiting a winery on the outskirts of Cape Town, and our tour ends towards late afternoon at the foot of Table Mountain in the popular mother city of South Africa, Cape Town.

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