Our next activity will lead us to Marloth Park, another wildlife sanctuary home to dozens of animal species found only in South Africa! We will spend the morning biking and learning more about the land and animals that exist there. In the afternoon, we’ll kick it up a notch with a trip down class III rapids on the Sabie River!

Accommodation: Chalets

Our next adventure takes us south to Kosi Bay, where we’ll spend two days traversing the four interconnected lakes (Amanzimnyama, Nhlange, Mpungwini and Makhawulani) in iSimangaliso Wetland Park. The water (with its sparkling clarity and abundance of wildlife) is famous for the traditional Thonga fish traps, curved woven kraals used for more than 700 years by this community. We’ll spend some time fishing with these traps to catch that night’s dinner! The pristine waters are famous for bird habitats; Kosi Bay is home to more than 250 avian species, including the African fish eagle, flamingos, and the rare palm nut vulture. On its beaches, you’ll spot loggerhead and leatherback turtles. During an afternoon of snorkeling, we’ll hope to catch a glimpse of the nine-striped cardinalfish, emperor angelfish, or honeycomb eel.

Accommodation: Camping

We’ll spend the next few days in St. Lucia, our first real glimpse at the South African Ocean! While here we will explore Hluhluwe–Imfolozi Park, the oldest nature reserve in the country. Known for its wildlife protection efforts, it’s likely we’ll see more of the Big Five here, especially the white rhino. You may also pass by the jackal, common warthog, baboon, and kudu. On the second day, we’ll spend some time in the Emdoneni Cheetah Project, a rehabilitation center for cheetahs, serval cats, African wildcats and, caracal (lynx). Not only will we learn more about the conservation of big cats, but we’ll get up close and personal with a few of their residents! While in St. Lucia we will enjoy some time at the beach, and an evening sunset cruise along the river. 

Accommodation: Glamping

Our next adventure takes us to Ballito where we will be working with a local organization to spread awareness about single use plastics and its effects on marine wildlife. This will include beach clean ups and other wildlife protection service. The following day, we will spend time enjoying the ocean we are working to protect! The Ballito coast, famous for its bottle-nose dolphins, will become our ocean safari playground as we head out to sea in search of marine wildlife spottings! Afterwards, we get our first taste of what it’s like to ride the waves with our first of several surf lessons.  

Accommodation: Camping

For the next few days we get fully immersed in a traditional Zulu community. We will travel onto sacred Zulu land and stay in a local village to get an up close view of what a day in the life of these ancient people looks like. We will enjoy a spectacular view of the valley with a sunrise hike, after which we will join a local school for a cultural exchange of singing, dancing, playing traditional games, and helping in the school. 

Accommodation: Camping

For the next few days, we have a range of adventure in and around Lesotho, a neighboring country to South Africa. We will soar through the mountains on a zip-lining adventure, hike to the world famous Bushman painting sites, and take in the breath taking views of the mountains as we climb through a new country to enjoy the views! 

Accommodation: Camping

Our last full days in this beautiful country will be spent surfing and SUP Boarding in Durban. This sleepy coastal village is South Africa’s best-kept secret for surfing, great for beginners and experts alike. We’ll embark on a tour of the bay by Stand Up Paddle Boarding. We’ll glide through the calm waters of the Indian Ocean, above dolphins, exotic fish, and limestone reefs.

Accommodation: Camping

*Listed above is Bold Earth’s intended itinerary for this trip. All itineraries are subject to change in order to provide the best possible program quality.