South Africa

Introduction to the South Africa expedition

Few travellers are prepared for South Africa’s immense diversity. Situated on the southern tip of the African continent, South Africa offers variety not many countries in the world can: dramatic rugged mountain ranges, rolling grasslands, and fabulous coastlines with beautiful beaches. In addition South Africa offers a great opportunity to view wildlife in its natural habitat. With so much to offer, perhaps the biggest challenge for South Africa teams is to decide which route to take!

Expedition summary for South Africa   Location: South Africa Duration: 14 to 28 days Ideal for: A varied expedition with trekking on a variety of terrains Highlights: Working with some of the poorest communities in Southern Africa, big five sightings

Teams will fly into Durban and visit the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal, with an added bonus of the possibility to visit Swaziland, a separate little kingdom north of KwaZulu Natal or Lesotho, a country the size of Belgium, in the heart of South Africa. Temperatures vary greatly, but July and August are winter in South Africa, so teams should be prepared for the cold, especially when in the mountains.

South Africa expedition itinerary

Some possible expedition objectives for South Africa are given below, please note these may alter between now and your expedition. The Expedition Program Manager for South Africa will design an expedition itinerary for you, to best match the abilities and aspirations of your team.

Acclimatization
St Lucia Wetlands – a World Heritage Park (KwaZulu Natal) There are two trails to choose from which will see the team enter the fringes of the Tewate Wilderness area (home to the elusive Black Rhinoceros), passing through parkland, dune forest and swamp forest.

Swaziland
A 3 day trail is situated within the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Swaziland’s ‘Valley of Heaven’ (the Ezulwini Valley) between Mbabane and Manzini. There are numerous trails teams can follow as the Sanctuary is over 4,500 hectares in size. Waterfalls and bushman’s paintings are also plentiful. A 3 or 4 day acclimatisation trek is also available in the Malalotja Game Park, near the capital of Swaziland, Mbabane.

Main Trekking phase
Drakensberg (KwaZulu Natal) This spectacular mountain range bordering Lesotho offers extensive trekking. Teams would experience trails passing waterfalls, forested areas and open plateaux of mountain grassland. The altitude is at around 3,000 metres on the High Berg or about 1,500 metres on the Little Berg. There are extremely challenging treks as well as easier routes available in this area. The 5 day Giant’s Cup trail in the southern Drakensberg or the 5 day Giant’s Castle trail in the central Drakensberg are possible routes for the team. New routes have been set up in the Northern Drakensberg for very fit teams who are looking to take on a big physical challenge.

Projects
The project is often a central focus of an Expedition to South Africa. Projects in South Africa are generally community based and involve working in a local school, doing some maintenance work as well as teaching and playing sports with the local children. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in local village and community life.

Rest and Relaxation
There are many opportunities to relax in and around Durban, including visiting one of the stunning beaches in Durban. Teams could go on game drives in the renowned Hluluwe/Umfolozi Game Reserve, where there will be excellent chances to view the ‘African Big 5’.

Find out more
T: 877 – 333 – 1060
E: infoUSA@wcexpeditions.com