Africa Safaris: suggested tours and itineraries 
Tembe Elephant National Park and Safari Lodge

II. The Maputaland Meander

Approximate cost for this 9 day all-inclusive tour, done through an Independent Tour operator would be in the region of R11800 per person (2 persons minimum).  The costs reduce as the group becomes larger.

Day 1, 2 & 3

Depart Durban International Airport in a luxury 16 Seater Mercedes Sprinter Vehicle. En-route to Tembe Elephant National Park we stop over at Ghost Mountain Inn in Mkuze and enjoy their abundant bird life as we lunch on the patio. "It's a great and strange mountain. It is haunted also, and named the Ghost Mountain" wrote Rider Haggard in his book, Nada the Lily. Your guide will explain to you why this legendary mountain is shrouded in mystery and held in such awe by the local people.

Tembe is the Africa that tourists seldom get to see, - raw, natural beauty with an abundance of game and rare species in an environment unchanged by time. Situated in the northern region of Maputaland, Tembe is home to a profuse diversity of wildlife. The park protects the largest and only indigenous herd of elephant in KwaZulu-Natal.

We enjoy a late afternoon game drive for your first glimpse of this untamed reserve. Tonga dancers will weave a magical spell around you with their pulsating, rhythmical dancing, and after dinner and a nightcap Africa's night sounds will lull you to sleep along with the sounds of soft canvas billowing in the night breeze.......

Set out in the early morning on a game drive through the park, trying to spot the elusive grey ghost that appear and disappear at will, despite their tremendous bulk. Tembe Elephant National Park sports some of the biggest tusked elephant in Africa, and the possibility of bumping into a 100 pound per side tusker is very real. Spend the night in luxury, rustic safari style accommodation.

Early morning departure after breakfast towards Ndumo Game Reserve. Ndumo is undoubtedly one of the top birding spots in South Africa, with almost as many species as in the entire Kruger National Park. We enjoy a few hours of game viewing before departing back to Tembe. Lunch will be served. We spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing. Dinner is served before relaxing around the camp fire.

Day 4 & 5

After departing Tembe Elephant National Park we travel to Kosi Forest Camp. Situated in the Kosi Bay Coastal Forest Reserve, the luxurious 16 bed Kosi Forest Camp allows guests the unique opportunity of canoeing the Kosi Lake System.

Other activities include snorkeling on the Maputaland reefs and fly-fishing the salt and freshwater lakes. Guests will be accompanied by trained guides, in open-air vehicles during all excursions. Spend the next two nights enjoying all this lodge has to offer.

Day 6 & 7

After breakfast we depart for Nibela Lake Lodge. Nibela Lake Lodge is located in the World Heritage site area of the Greater St Lucia Wetland National Park. Access to the lodge is from False Bay National Park where guests are transferred by boat to the lodge. Each chalet has its own private viewing deck and leads to the main lodge by spectacular raised wooden walkways. Activities include guided walks and lake cruises.

Day 8 & 9

Depart for Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve. One of the largest game parks in South Africa, the Hluhluwe Umfolozi National Park is renowned for its wide variety of bird and animal life. Besides the "big five", elusive cheetah, wild dogs and many other well-known bushveld species inhabit the park, offering visitors a rich game viewing experience. Both nights will be spent at the Hilltop Camp.

Hilltop's rustic thatch design merges tastefully with the natural surroundings, and at its high altitude, the camp is cooler than the rest of the reserve, a welcome retreat after a day's game viewing. Dinner will be enjoyed.

Starting off with a drive northwards in the reserve where breakfast will be served at one of the many picnic sites. The journey then continues in an easterly direction for more game viewing. Lunch will be served at Mapumulo water hole. While lunch is enjoyed you may view hippo's at close quarters.

The next morning the journey will take you through the Memorial Gate where you will leave the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve and will continue along the D21 and then a brief stopover at a traditional Zulu village for an authentic Zulu cultural experience at Shakaland. Return to Durban International Airport.