South Africa Ultimate Cat Experience I

Itinerary

Tuesday, September 22

Depart U.S./Canada

Wednesday, September 23, 1 Night (D)

Arrive Johannesburg (JNB). Airport shuttle provided by nearby hotel. Welcome dinner and drinks this evening. Overnight Protea Hotel O.R. Tambo

Thursday, September 24 – Monday, September 28, 5 Nights (B, L, D, Bev, Lau)

After breakfast, depart from Johannesburg and take a private charter flight (55 minutes) to Londolozi Game Reserve. Here we’ll be escorted by rangers to the Londolozi Founders Camp where we’ll stay for five nights. Luggage will go by road, so there are no weight restrictions for domestic travel.

Londolozi Weekly Wildlife Sightings
Leopards of Londolozi

Daily, we’ll head out early on safari for the best light. Dan will rotate between safari vehicles to help each guest with camera questions and settings. Midday, when the light is harsh, we’ll have time for downloading memory cards, small workshops or to relax near the pool. There will be a second game drive beginning in late afternoon until dusk. Some nights we’ll stay out late for a “spotlight night safari”, another way to view the wilds of Africa. Evening drinks and gourmet dinners. Londolozi is famous for its abundant leopard population but also boasts home to high concentrations of white rhino and lion. Herds of elephant and buffalo and also zebra, hyena, cheetah, giraffe and a vast variety of antelope may be seen. Since it is privately owned, Londolozi is not bound by the strict rules of Kruger National Park. We can drive off-road into the heart of the bush and take guided walking safaris with their excellent team of rangers and trackers. We can stay out for evening sunsets until after dark unlike Kenya reserves. Londolozi has two of the 17 master trackers in South Africa. With over 42,000 acres to explore, no two game drives will be the same! Londolozi has camera lenses available to rent (must be arranged prior to tour) and gives guests usage of their photographer’s multi-media center.

Tuesday, September 29 – Thursday, October 1, 3 Nights (B, L, D, Lau)

Game drive and breakfast, and then we’ll transfer by road (approximately 45 minutes) to MalaMala Game Reserve. Overnight Rattray’s Camp for three nights.

MalaMala Blog
MalaMala Wildlife Viewing Stats

No other destination can compete with MalaMala’s Lowveld’s pristine wilderness location. Since human impact is kept to a minimum and only MalaMala guests are allowed access to this privately-owned 33,000 acres, we can enjoy longer periods of wildlife sightings and increased photographic opportunities. Game drives daily conducted by qualified rangers along with spotlight game drives at night. MalaMala is South Africa’s first and largest private ‘BIG 5’ reserve (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros). Wild dog, cheetah and many other mammals and birds provide for some of the finest game viewing/photographing on the African sub-continent. Many international wildlife documentaries have been filmed on this reserve.

Friday, October 2 – Sunday October 4, 3 Nights (B, L, D, Bev)

Drive one hour from Mala Mala Main Camp to Sabi Sabi Game Reserve. Overnight Bush Camp for three nights. Since 1979 Sabi Sabi has hosted visitors from all over the world, drawn to this unique area by the promise of the safari experience of a lifetime. Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, situated in the world-renowned 65,000 hectare Sabi Sand Wildtuin in the South-Western section of the Kruger National Park, is a wildlife oasis, where you can observe at close quarters the age-old natural relationship between predator and prey. Big game abounds and roams freely throughout this pristine part of the ancient African continent.  The diverse habitat is home to spectacular wildlife including the Big 5 – lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant – as well as cheetah, wild dog and some 200 other animal species indigenous to the area.

Monday, October 5 (B)

Fly to Johannesburg late morning by private charter plane; luggage will arrive by road. Fly home this evening.

Tuesday, October 6

Arrive home

If you have time, please read Tanya’s “My First South African Experience” letter about her visit to South Africa in fall 2013.