Cultural Rendezvous

Tour: 5 Nights | Tour Type: Self-drive | South Africa | Mpumalanga

Departs on Request from Johannesburg

Day 1: Johannesburg – Pilgrim’s Rest (D)
A friendly UTc representative will meet you at the airport in Johannesburg and hand over all the required documentation for your trip. They will also assist you in hiring a car for the start of your adventure. You will travel eastward along the N12 and join the N4 at Witbank. At Belfast, head towards one of the highest towns in South Africa, Dullstroom, and continue along the breath-taking panoramic route to Lydenburg.

Your final destination for the day is the tranquil gold-mining town of Pilgrim’s Rest. It’s a living museum of the 19th-century Transvaal gold rush and the entire town has been declared a national monument. There are many shops and other buildings dedicated to reliving the history of Pilgrim’s Rest and gold mining still takes place in hills surrounding the area. Stay overnight at Pilgrim’s Rest Royal Hotel for an evening of late Victorian splendour.

This charming hotel offers a unique experience that will transport you back in time. The elegant style and time-honoured hospitality typical of the Victorian era is reflected in the décor, from the reception area through to the lounge and the popular remake of a 19th-century bar. This luxurious nostalgia continues into your suite, which is furnished with genuine antique brass beds, washstands, wardrobes and a deep Victorian ball-and-claw bath. 

Day 2: Pilgrim’s Rest – Kruger National Park (BD)
Rise early this morning to have a hearty, old-fashioned breakfast in the hotel’s informal restaurant or outside, with an exquisite view.

It’s a morning to travel to places of natural wonder. Bourke’s Luck Potholes is the first of these and is a natural water feature that marks the beginning of the Blyde Canyon. Thousands of years went into the creation of the cylindrical rock sculptures. Whirling water has formed a series of dark pools contrasting with the streaked white and yellow lichen-covered rocks. The Potholes were named after a gold digger, Tom Bourke, who staked an unprofitable claim nearby.

Your next exploration involves the Blyde Canyon, which has one of the most spectacular views in South Africa. Its cliffs rise between 600m and 800m from the riverbed. The canyon forms part of a nature reserve, inhabited by various species of antelope, wildcat and birds, including parrots and loeries. This great escarpment is extremely popular for its fresh mountain scenery and magnificent panoramic views.

Another highly recommended panoramic stop-off is God’s Window. The vastness of the scenery is awe-inspiring and majestic cliffs plunge over 700m to the Lowveld. God’s Window is only a small part of a 250km-long rampart of sheer cliffs, rock formations, canyons and waterfalls that make up an area of breathtaking scenic grandeur.

For a fun and interesting cultural experience visit the Shangana Cultural Village near Hazyview before reaching the Kruger National Park. The homes of the descendants of Chief Soshangana are set in the shade of ancient umbhaba trees in a reserve of forest and grassland. You can go on a guided tour of the village to learn about their rich heritage and way of life and meander through the bustling African arts and crafts market.

End your day at your hotel, 100m outside the Kruger National Park. The Protea Kruger Gate Lodge is in itself a special treat under the towering indigenous portico. The wooden boardwalk to the reception area leads you steadily higher to your elevated and air-conditioned suite. Watch the African sunset from your veranda and settle in for the night listening to the sounds of the bush.

Day 3: Kruger National Park – Malelane (BD)
Rise early this morning to go for a game drive and try to spot one of the Big Five – rhino, buffalo, elephant, lion and leopard. You can venture off into the park on your own or with an experienced game ranger, organised by the Malelane Sun. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head off to one of the Kruger Park’s rest camps and indulge in a variety of succulent game meat and sausage grilled on an open fire, accompanied by delicious vegetables and a variety of fresh salads.

Spend the rest of your day touring the park and its enormous range of animals, insects and birds. The Kruger National Park is home to an amazing 34 species of amphibian, 114 species of reptile, 507 bird species, and 147 types of mammals. It’s characterised by a unique combination of savannah, thornveld and woodland eco-zones. Enjoy the unrivalled diversity the Kruger National Park has to offer. Leave the park at the Malelane Gate and travel to your hotel, located just outside the park on the banks of the Crocodile River.

Have your luggage taken to your luxury thatched chalet so you can spend the afternoon relaxing on the Malelane Sun’s special viewing deck, situated right on the river. Order cocktails from the a la carte restaurant and savour the beautiful African sun setting while hippos and crocodiles glide by in the river below. Retire to your spacious suite with its private patio and fall asleep to the soothing sounds of nocturnal wildlife in the background.

Day 4: Malelane – Swaziland (B)
Before checking out of your hotel to continue to your next destination, go for another early morning game drive to absorb the natural beauty of the park and spot wildlife you may have missed yesterday. Upon leaving the park, travel through the Jeppe’s Reef border post and enter one of Africa’s best-kept secrets. Nestled between South Africa and Mozambique is the mountainous grandeur of the Kingdom of Swaziland, one of only three monarchies in Africa. King Mswati III is the leader of this tiny country, which has safeguarded Swaziland’s rich culture, social and natural heritage for future generations. 

Drive through the Piggs Peak area into the country’s capital, Mbabane, where you might want to stop and explore the town’s lively Swazi Market. Mbabane is a sophisticated business centre offering an upbeat alternative to the tranquillity and sense of timelessness found in more outlying areas that you travel through to reach the Ezulwini valley for your overnight stop. The National Museum and the royal seat of power are found in the village of Lobamba, in the Ezulwini valley. The Royal Village is closed to the public, but the parliament is sometimes open to visitors.

The combination of royal custom and quality is reflected in the Royal Swazi Sun Hotel. The winding, tree-lined approach is the first hint of graciousness that continues right through this regal colonial hotel. The luxurious and spacious suites look out onto sweeping verandas with views of unspoilt, wide-open spaces. The activities on offer range from various outdoor sports, hiking, rafting and game drives, to more leisurely attractions like the Royal Swazi Spa. Relax in a peaceful environment and treat yourself to a range of alternative holistic therapies and specialised beauty treatments before dining on exquisite cuisine and retiring to your elegant suite.

Day 5: Swaziland – Zululand (B)
Now that you’ve experienced the authentic mystique and culture of Swaziland it’s time to move on to another destination rich with culture and heritage. Travel through the industrial hub of Manzini and pass through Big Bend to the Golela border post to re-enter South Africa in northern KwaZulu-Natal. Under the baking heat of the African sun, the cobalt blue Indian Ocean, mangrove swamps and languid lagoons give way to rolling hills and lush indigenous forests, with the Drakensberg mountains as a breathtaking backdrop in the distance. The sheer majesty of this region will leave a lasting impression on your mind. Several historic military landmarks bear witness to major campaigns of the Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Boer wars.

Spend the night in the award-winning Hilltop Camp on the summit of a forested hill in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve. Stunning views of the surrounding countryside can be seen from stylish accommodation that ranges from a luxury lodge to a variety of superbly appointed self-catering accommodation facilities. Field rangers are on standby to take visitors on forest trail walks or night and day game drives. After a day of exploring the camp and its surroundings, dine at the attractive a la carte restaurant decorated with photographs and memorabilia detailing Hluhluwe’s history. The bush lodges provide complete privacy so you can rest in comfort.

Day 6: Zululand – Durban (B)
Wake up to the sounds of the bush this morning and eat a full English buffet breakfast at the quaint Mpunyane Restaurant. We recommend a visit to the Isimangaliso Wetland Park, formerly known as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, before your departure to Durban, where a beach holiday can be organised by a friendly UTc guide. Isimangaliso is a World Heritage Site and a cruise on the lake is a truly awe-inspiring experience. See the superb variety of fauna and flora and look for hippos and other wildlife common in the vicinity.

Then drive south through the sugarcane fields to Durban and return your hired car at the airport or continue to experience the excitement that Durban has to offer with a customised beach stay orchestrated by UTc.

Read more