South African Walking Safari: South Africa, Swaziland Walking Adventure

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 18 reviews.

Stuart Vine

SOUTH AFRICAN WALKING SAFARI

Written January 2013
A great holiday with a mixture of walking and wildlife. After a couple of very, very, wet days the sun came out, the walking became enjoyable. We had a pretty mixed group and just about everybody enjoyed the experience.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Stalking cheetah on foot in Kruger.
What did you think of your group leader?
Admire and Rob were very good indeed, as was Tsepo, the driver. The earier unusually heavy rains forced changes of both routes and accomodation, but they handled it very professionally. Admire led most of the hikes and both his and Rob's local knowledge was pretty good. Oh, and they could cook pretty well, no complaints on that score.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you go in the South African summer, take really good waterproofs - and make sure you have a waterproof cover for your rucksack (bitter personal experience). Some of the transfers are long, so cultivate an interest in birds - plenty of spotting opportunities when on the road. Take a Kindle or similar too.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We struck lucky, because of the flooding we stayed at Karongwe Private Reserve and benefitted from their excellent guides and trackers. It was with them that we were allowed out of the vehicle to find the cheetahs on foot. The accomodation was fine (sometimes basic, sometimes almost luxurious) and the camping easy (the guys set up and took down the tents). Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge in the Drakensberg is a fascinating place - it looks a little like a 1960s Bond villians hideout. Oh, and if you're a birder the whole trip is just wonderful ;-)
Stephen Taylor

SOUTH AFRICAN WALKING SAFARI

Written October 2012
A good mix of wildlife and walking.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
A choice between walking within 5 metres of a cheetah in the bush one evening and watching the rainclouds break and disappear in a few minutes to allow us to walk in the Drakensburg without a soaking.
What did you think of your group leader?
Admire was full of energy, information, humour and a pretty good cook too. He and back up man Petros did a fine job leading us around South Africa.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be prepared to spend very long periods in the minibus-take an iPod or something similar to pass the time. The time spent driving was really the only downside to the trip-the game viewing was excellent (though I STILL haven't seen a leopard in the wild!!!) interspersed with some great and varied walking. The holiday met our expectations. Going in October, we did not expect quite so much rain-55mm overnight whilst camping in the Kruger,-but somehow we managed to dodge most of it, only getting wet a couple of times.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Your local agents need to provide an awning or dining tent for the days when it rains. On the night in Kruger mentioned above, the guides prepared food in the pouring rain with no shelter, and we ate it in the minibus with puddles in our plates. Funny to look back on but not so great at the time.
Vera Newton Browne

SOUTH AFRICAN WALKING SAFARI

Written August 2012
A brilliant trip from start to finish.  There was so much to see and do. Going in July/Aug - South African winter was the perfect time for walking and seeing wild life. A very varied and exciting experience with something new everyday.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Watching two cheetas eating their kill meters away from us as we were led through the bush on foot. This was an amazing experience.  The trip to the Drakensberg was also very memorable, especially negotiating the metal ladders! Great stuff!
What did you think of your group leader?
Andrew was a first class tour leader and Admire a excellent back up. As a team, they made our holiday from preparing lovely food to always getting camp ready quickly. Their driving was faultless.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Go in the winter as there are no insects or bugs and the bush is very thin so there is a much better chance of seeing wild life.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The change in itinerary by going to the St Lucia on the coast really added to the trip and gave us yet another new experience. The guided boat trip and walk through the bush was very enjoyable. Going to the local bar for a sundowner really rounded off the day as we all sat outside by the water, watching the wild life.
Annica Goddard

SOUTH AFRICAN WALKING SAFARI

Written November 2011
A wonderful holiday which really explores the east side of South Africa. Wonderful walks, great game viewing! Could not ask for more.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Being 3000m high in the Drakensberg with wonderful views and a sense of achievement getting up the ladder!
What did you think of your group leader?
Our group leader - Bongani - was great. Very organised and a good cook! Quite quiet though so did not learn that much specifically about S Africa as a country.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Make sure your plug adaptor covers S Africa as a lot in our group didn't and note that there are two guides on the trip with you all the time so when it coming to tipping them - that is twice as much.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Camping is the best way of feeling right in there with the animals! Great great fun. travelled on my own and felt perfectly safe and well looked after.
Janet Allan

SOUTH AFRICAN WALKING SAFARI

Written November 2011
My first trip with Exodus but I have travelled with similar companies although not including camping.I found the trip to be exactly what I was expecting and as described in the brochure. The camping wasn't arduous at all.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Two things stick in my memory.
1. Being able to walk inside a Game Reserve knowing that the previous evening on a Game drive we had come VERY close to elephants, lion and cheetah with a recent kill. Then on the walk getting very close to the cheetah and her cub.
2. Walking in the Drakensberg Mountains. One day we walked along the Tugela Gorge and even though the rains hadn't come and the river was virtually dry we had lunch in the riverbed of the gorge (thankfully there was no flash flood!). The following day we made the ascent onto the plateau via the 'terrifying' chain ladders. Unable to climb a ladder at home this was MY achievement of the trip. Coming down was much easier thank goodness.
What did you think of your group leader?
Bongani was an excellent leader. Quiet and efficient but able to impart his knowledge when required. He has a wicked sense of humour which took us a while to suss out. After a few days we just didn't believe anything he told us!!
There was a lot of driving during the trip so while we relaxed in the minibus he was working hard and then had the camps to set up on arrival.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
As said before there is a lot of travelling. South Africa is a huge country and the locals think nothing of driving 100's of miles on straight, quiet roads. We rotated our seats around the bus each day as some seats had better views/more legroom than others.
As we move about regularly there is a fair bit of packing/unpacking and not much room in the tents to spread. I found using bags to store underwear, shirts, trousers etc in my main pack made getting the following day's clothes ready easier.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Bongani had Shawn as a camp assistant. As he was too young to be insured to drive the bus it meant Bongani had to do all the driving. I did wonder if Bongani was incapacitated for any reason whether our trip would be stuck.
Beth Marshall

SOUTH AFRICAN WALKING SAFARI

Written October 2011
Amazing experience! Great balance between walking and wildlife and a really diverse trip, you feel like you are seeing a lot of the country without being rushed. Scenery is stunning and perfect for walking. Campsites are fantastic, food amazing. Really lovely, well paced and interesting trip with fantastic opportunity to spot the big 5!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Spotting Cheetha close up on foot and seeing a kill..fantastic moment!
The Drakensberg mountains were stunning, loved the two walks there.
Whole camping experience, beers around the fire, everyone swapping wildlife photos, great atmosphere.
What did you think of your group leader?
Both Bongani and Shawn were excellent leaders, they really went the extra mile and worked very hard to make the trip run like clockwork and it did. Both have a great sense of humour and made it fun and interesting.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
I would reccomend doing all of the optional game drives. You never know what you might see. We were really lucky to see so many animals up close.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just make the most of it. This is one off experience you'll never forget.
Martin Boiling

SOUTH AFRICAN WALKING SAFARI

Written October 2011
Great walking and excellent organisation from experienced and committed guides
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Walking with cheetahs and walking in and around the Drakensberg amphitheatre
What did you think of your group leader?
Outstanding. Committed and professional
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
The long travelling days in the van are the only down side but the experience when you get to your destination is breath taking
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Would have liked the option to spend an extra day in Swaziland and Drakensberg walking