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5-Day Sani Pass and Luxury Wildlife Safari
Durban to Durban
Tailor-made South African Guided Safaris Tours
Day 1: Durban - Himeville
We will collect you from your overnight accommodation or from the King Shaka International Airport in Durban and travel on the edge of the "Valley of 1000 Hills" and then past the capital city of Pietermaritzburg onto the “Midlands Meander”. The Midlands Meander is what weavers, potters, woodcrafters, leather workers, artists, metalworkers, box makers, herb growers, cheese makers, beer brewers and pianos have in common. You will find them all, and a great deal more on the Midlands Meander map - South Africa's first, largest and most popular art and crafts route. From a very small beginning, the Midlands Meander has grown to well over a hundred stops on four routes. Originating with the arrival of the first settlers in the early 1800’s the area boasts many wonderful homes and barns, an attraction to lovers of architecture. As you tour the Midlands Meander you will also notice that this area is home to a number of the country’s most famous schools.
From here we travel inland, to the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains on the scenic route through the frontier towns of Bulwer, Underberg and Himeville, where we overnight at Moorcroft Manor. Moorcroft Manor offers classically decorated rooms all with bathrooms en suite. Selected satellite television, ceiling fans, hairdryers and robes are available in all their rooms. The remainder of the afternoon you are at leisure.
Day 2: Himeville - Sani Pass
This morning we transfer to our 4X4 vehicles for the ascent up the Sani Pass and into Lesotho. Breathtaking scenery and alpine conditions dominate this truly magnificent corner of this province. The Sani Pass is a spectacular mountain road that is a well-known entry point into Lesotho from South Africa’s Natal Drakensberg Park. It is the gateway to the ‘Roof of Africa’ scenic route that links the spectacular scenery of the Drakensberg with the mountains of northern Lesotho. The Sani Pass is the only border post between Kwazulu-Natal and Lesotho. The Sani Pass was once a rough mule trail descending the Eastern Highlands of old Basutoland into Natal. Tough drovers brought wool and mohair down the Pass on donkeys and mules to be exchanged for blankets … clothing … maize meal … the essentials for life in a remote, impoverished country. And a young man had a dream … of operating a motor vehicle service up this fantastic Pass, using the 4-wheel drive vehicles he had seen on service in World War II. The Sani Pass was born. Once we have entered Lesotho we will stop off at a Basutho village where one can learn more about the life of these very friendly people, in this, one of the world’s poorest countries. Lunch will be at the “highest pub in Africa”, the Sani Top Chalet, for your own account. We will also have some time here to walk along the edge of the escarpment for stunning views into KwaZulu Natal, before descending the pass to Moorcroft Manor. *NB. Warm clothing is a must, no matter the season of the year! You will also need valid passports for the crossing into Lesotho. The ascent of the pass is subject to the prevailing weather conditions.
Day 3 and 4: Nambiti Private Game Reserve
After breakfast we make our way to Ladysmith and then to the extraordinarily beautiful and geographically diverse Nambiti Private Game Reserve, home to elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino (including the rare and endangered Black Rhino), as well as over 30 other animal species. It is also rich in birdlife and indigenous flora. Unlike most other game reserves, the Nambiti Private Game Reserve has the carrying capacity of almost twice that of wildlife regions such as Botswana, thus being able to carry more game per hectare than many other game reserves. Knowledgeable guides will plan a safari that takes into account your particular interests and requirements.
Over afternoon tea, our ranger will discuss what you hope to see during the afternoon game drive. This game drive begins in the afternoon and lasts until after dark, when spotlights are used for a glimpse into the nocturnal bush life. Listen to lion’s roar in the dark or admire the small nocturnal animals. We may enjoy sundowners in a scenic location as the sun slowly sinks beneath the horizon.
Dinner is waiting for you at your lodge's boma or the dining room upon your return.
Day 5: Nambiti Private Game Reserve - Durban
After our morning game drive and breakfast in this very productive private game reserve, we leave and head for Durban, arriving in the early afternoon.
If time permits, we may also visit the Durban Botanic Gardens. The Durban Botanic Gardens traces its origins to colonial times, when it was founded in 1849 for the introduction and trial of potentially useful commercial crops. The gardens later developed collections of sub-tropical trees, palms and orchids. The Durban Botanic Gardens remains a classic botanic garden, reflecting the universality of the plant kingdom. It has, for over 100 years, had a fine mixed arboretum of African, Asian and American trees.