Kruger Safari with Eswatini for 7 Days

We begin our South African adventure in the City of Gold. A magnificent drive through South Africa’s heart to Durban awaits us. We’ll visit Nelson Mandela’s capture location to reflect on the nation’s turbulent history. We’ll then visit the museum, where you’ll confront history yet feel hopeful after learning how apartheid ended. Tonight’s lodging is among many stores and eateries… Go ahead, pamper yourself.

Your morning is free at one of South Africa’s best beaches. Sleep in, stroll the strip, or go to the beach to relax and soak up the sun like a sun junkie. We then head to St. Lucia. Stay tuned for wildlife by day and hippos by night in St. Lucia, home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed iSimanagaliso Wetlands Park. On an optional MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® event this afternoon, we’ll visit a Zulu community to learn about their culture and meet some residents.

Bush or beach? When you can do both, why choose? This morning, you can go around the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, watching for elephants, buffalo, rhinoceros, and antelopes. For Vitamin Sea, join us on a marine safari (with whales, sharks, dolphins, and more). The afternoon will include a Sunset Hippo Boat trip on Lake St. Lucia, Africa’s largest estuary with 800 hippos and 1200 crocodiles. Please join us! Finally, a sunset game drive with a South African buffet dinner is available. This day is amazing and action-packed.

We leave early today to reach the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve around daybreak. Big Five. A half-day game drive at the reserve helped save the White Rhino. Or a picnic lunch! Today’s trip is big. Now that our wildlife bucket lists are complete, we should travel to a different country. Prepare your passports—we’ll meet residents in Eswatini and learn about their culture and language on an MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Locals taught you. Time to sleep like them. Mlilwane’s Main Lodge offers honeycomb thatched cabins with ensuite bathrooms and hotel-style amenities for tonight’s stay.

To wake up in nature. A delicious breakfast and a safari walk with the Trip Manager will start the day. Avoid missing the optional guided wilderness mountain bike ride. Explore freely and safely since there are no Big 5 here. Look for antelopes and warthogs! The big one follows. The famous one worldwide. We’ll stay at a private safari campsite in Kruger’s centre. Struggling to visualise? Imagine canvas tents with mattresses, linen, and stretchers with a raging bonfire. This once-in-a-lifetime adventure will have you sleeping to hyena, jackal, and lion cries.

We wake up early to enjoy the morning breeze. An optional morning safari will capture Africa’s secretive animals finishing their nighttime prey. At lunchtime, you can relax at the camp by visiting the local shop, swimming in the pool, or eating at a restaurant that overlooks the Sabie River and watches the animals drink (yes, it’s preddy special.) This afternoon, safari vehicles return for another optional twilight game drive to see the Big Five and more. Tonight at camp, we’ll have a South African braai or BBQ with sides and sweets.

Our last day. Any time for one or two last early game drives? Yes, it is. You can spot nocturnal cats on a morning game drive or sleep in like the other animals. Later, we’ll do one last Kruger game drive before leaving the park. This is our last chance to see some amazing safari creatures in person. Is the greatest for last? I hope so!

We’ll return to Kruger Mpumalanga or Johannesburg International Airport with heavy hearts and camera rolls. Still not ready to leave? Our Victoria Falls Explorer and Cape Town Explorer tours begin tonight, fortunately!). It’s been exciting… We’ve seen wildlife and formed lifelong pals. Simply put, whither next?