Cape town, South Africa

Highlights

- Safari Experience In Manyeleti (Greater Kruger Park)
- Walking Safari in Kruger Park
- Trout Farm Stay in Mpumalanga

Description

This authentic South African  Safari and Farmstay experience takes you directly into Hoedspruit Airport, the mini hub of the African Bush.  There you will be met by your hosts Mike and Jacky and accompanied to the Safari Camp where you will enjoy a quick light lunch and a welcome drink. Not to waste any bush moments, you will then take your positions on the open Safari vehicle with your highly experienced and local resident guide and head “into Africa” for your first Safari experience. The afternoon will be spent seeking out the iconic African creatures that call the Manyeleti Reserve their home. Sundowner drinks and snacks will be enjoyed out in the bush while soaking up the vastness and peace that is the African bush before making your way back to camp for fireside drinks and an African style dinner. 

From here on in, the “order of the day” will be an authentic Old World African Safari Experience!

Up with the birds before sunrise, eager for the adventure of searching for the myriad of creatures that inhabit the Greater Kruger National Park.  This experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity with the very real possibility of encountering “The Big 5 “in their natural environment. Your hosts will afford you genuine South African warmth, delicious meals and ensure that you have the best wildlife experience possible. 

The Safari camp is a wholly community owned and managed camp with shared accommodation in comfortable, Safari Style Tents with ensuite bush bathrooms. The camp has a bush pool which is awesome for cooling off in the Summer months.  There is also a bush massage parlor where you can absorb the sounds of nature while enjoying a little indulgence. The camp meals are all homestyle meals with a few African food experience treats. 

The Farmstay Trout Farm stopover essentially breaks a long road trip and gives an opportunity for RY’s to enjoy South African homestyle hospitality with a few home comforts and relaxation on the farm.

Who Is This Experience Good For

- Anyone who loves nature, wildlife and beautiful scenery. 

Meet Our Local Hosts

Mike and Jacky have been hosting Remote Year Safari trips for several years and love sharing their home, African bush knowledge and are focused on the authenticity of the African Safari experience they host. The community owned and managed safari camp  will blow you away with their welcoming hospitality and astounding knowledge of the African bush. Your extremely knowledgeable Safari Guide Mpho Malopane has been guiding in the Manyeleti and greater Kruger areas for his entire adult life.  He is a wonderful personality with amazing tales about his daring experiences in the African Bush.  He will show you the smallest of creatures, the tracks and signs that nature gives him and the incredible beasts that make African Safari what it is.  Mpho has recently, largely through the great patronage that RY has afforded this Safari camp and this region, been able to start his own guiding business and partnering with your Safari hosts, enhancing every bush experience for each RY guest.

Itinerary

DAY 1 - Cape Town to Hoedspruit and Open Vehicle Safari
Travel from Cape Town to Hoedspruit ( HDS Airport - flying with either SAAirlink or CemAir) arriving between 12h00 and 13h00 and be met  just outside arrivals by your host/s Jacky or Mike and  be driven to the Safari Camp. Arrive at the Wild Olive Tree Tented Safari Community camp in time for a light camp lunch.  Quickly familiarise yourself with your shared, (2 guests sharing per tent) en suite tented accommodation before boarding the open Safari vehicle for your first Safari experience out on the open plains of Africa.  Enjoy drinks and snacks in a choice sundowner spot in the bush before heading back to camp for dinner.

DAY 2 - Walking Bush Safari and  Open Vehicle Safari
04h00 am start with a 20 min drive to Orpen Gate in the Kruger National park for a 2 to 3 hour professionally guided Bush Walk. After this exhilarating walking Safari grab an espresso or enjoy a quick browse around the souvenir shop. Return to the camp with tales of incredible sightings for a hearty brunch of fresh fruit, homemade muesli and yogurts followed by a hot plated breakfast. The warm mid hours of the day are spent doing the camp walking trail, having a back  massage at The Bush Spa, relaxing at the swimming pool or simply resting in your tent. Internet connectivity is limited so it’s best not to plan important work over these few days. Mid-afternoon will be teatime (beverage and a light snack) before boarding the open Safari vehicles again for late afternoon into the evening game encounters.  This time of day promises excellent viewing with possible experiences with all the species that Africa is famous for. After sundowner drinks in the bush, return to camp to freshen up and once again enjoy the fireside dining that Africa is known for.

DAY 3 -  Open Vehicle Safari and Travel To Trout Farm
5AM rise to get out on the last open Safari trip of the experience. Enjoy the soft light and freshness that is early morning in Africa. Keep your eyes peeled for beautiful birds while continuing the quest for the Big 5 game viewing that the Manyeleti is known to deliver. Return to the camp for another sumptuous brunch after which we pack up and head for the farm for an overnight South African farmstay experience. The journey to the farm takes about 5 hours which will be broken with a few leg stretches and a lunch stop.   Arrive at the farm and familiarise yourself with your shared accommodation and relax into an afternoon with drinks, snacks and homestyle comfort. Take a stroll or just soak up the space quietly easing into the evening when a South African style home dinner and wine will be enjoyed.

DAY 4 - Morning On the Trout Farm and Afternoon Travel To Johannesburg for flight to Cape Town
A relaxed morning starting with coffee and rusks on the farmhouse verandah followed by weather permitting farm activities which could include a  farm walk, fly fishing or a swim. A hearty farm breakfast will be enjoyed before gathering ourselves for the journey  to Johannesburg. 4 hour journey back to Johannesburg with a coffee and comfort stop en route. Late afternoon flights back to Cape Town from OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg to Cape Town  with memories of an authentic African Safari etched in your mind.

What's Included

Ground Transportation 
- Meet & greet at Hoedspruit Airport by your Safari Hosts
- Transfer to the Safari Camp and to bush activities while at camp.
- Transfer to the Farmstay 
- Transfer to Johannesburg (OR Tambo Airport) from the farmstay 

Meals 
- All meals while at camp and the Farmstay  (brunch, teas & dinner)
- Snacks and waters during road trips

Conservation, Park Entrance  and Game Guide Costs
- All fees for the Manyeleti Reserve
- All fees for the Kruger National Park 
- 3 Open Vehicle Safari activities within the Manyeleti  Reserve with the very real likelihood of viewing Elephants, Cape Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, Impala, Zebra, Giraffe and rarer possibilities of Cheetah and Wild  Dog.  
- A Bush Walking Safari Experience in the iconic Kruger National Park where the on foot experience brings incredible bush sharing knowledge as well as the very real possibility of viewing African Bush animals en route. 
- The services of highly experienced personal safari guides. 

Accommodation
- Shared Tented accommodation with en suite bush bathrooms at Wild Olive Safari Camp  (2 pax per tent)
- Share accommodation at the Farmhouse with shared bathrooms (2 pax per room) 

Drinks
- Safari Sundowner Drinks and Snacks
- Drinks at the Farmhouse homestay experience

What's Not Included

Meals
- Lunch and drinks in transit

Drinks 
- All drinks at the Safari camp - the camp is a licensed premises so drinks need to be bought from the camp and then paid in cash before departure.

Tips for Safari Guides and Safari camp staff
-  R 1000.00 per guest collated by Jacky and given as individual envelopes to the community camp staff before departure. 

Air Transportation
- Flights into Hoedspruit Airport and out of OR Tambo Airport. 

Know Before You Go

- Minimum Needed: 5 people
- Maximum Capacity: 10 people
- Booking Deadline: 21 days before event
- Weather Dependent: No
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Special Clothing Required: Yes - Comfortable walking shoes, Comfortable easy fitting clothing – Days are hot, and evenings cool down. Ensure you have muted clothes for walking safari (no white/bright colours). Rainproof jacket for Summer and Warmer jacket and beanie for  Winter months for evening and dawn game drives, Sunscreen, swimming costume and towel & sun hat, sunglasses. Bring a headlamp for the safari stay
- Special Dietary Restrictions: All dietary needs catered
- Extra Cash: Needed for tipping / additional services (Spa treatments on site)
- Accommodation: Shared Rooms. The accommodation is large authentically safari type 2 guest tents with “camp style” en suite bathrooms adjoining each tent. The safari camp is a “Green” camp and is powered with solar - Internet connectivity and electrical power points are limited.  There are no power points in the tent rooms.
- Additional Information: Manyeleti is on the periphery of malaria areas. The hosts do not take malaria prophylaxis, but you may do so for your own peace of mind. It is not required.