Current as of: September 17, 2025 - 10:31
South Africa: Walking & Wildlife Trip Notes
- Ways to Travel: Guided Group
- Destination: Eswatini (Swaziland), South Africa
- Programmes: Walking & Trekking, Wildlife
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Activity Level:
3 out of 7 - Moderate
- 15 Days: Land Only
- Ages: 16+
- Trip Code: TZS
- Carbon Footprint: 31kg CO2e
Trip Overview
Follow hiking trails, animal tracks and the best guides on a journey deep into South Africa’s untamed heart
Ready to discover the wild side of South Africa? Pack hiking boots and binoculars for an adventure of scenic hikes and iconic safari adventures. The highlights come thick and fast: the trails of the Drakensberg mountains, safari in Kruger National Park, dramatic natural wonders on the Panorama Route, an exploration of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and so much more. Better yet, you’ll be guided by tour leader who knows every track and trail – your key to unlocking the really wild side of the Rainbow Nation.
At a Glance
- Accommodation: 2 Superior nights (lodge), 8 Classic nights (chalets/lodges), 4 Simple nights (chalets)
- Six days of hiking and three shorter walks
- Group normally 4 to 12, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
Highlights
- Combine stunning walks and wildlife-watching in one unforgettable adventure in southern Africa
- Hike the most scenic trails in the dramatic Drakensberg mountains over several days
- Spot iconic safari animals on multiple game drives in Kruger National Park
- Walk the most picturesque trails in Malolotja Nature Reserve, Eswatini
- Cruise Lake St Lucia where hippos and crocodiles populate the waters
Is This Trip for You?
This trip is graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page.
Suitability: Good health and reasonable fitness are important and you should take regular exercise before travelling on this trip. Moderate trips are either fairly easy, medium-duration walks or harder, shorter walks. There is some walking at higher altitude and occasional longer/harder days may be involved.
Terrain: Generally, underfoot conditions are fair. On Day 7, conditions can be hot with very little shelter from the sun. We climb as high as 9,515ft (2,900m), with walking days normally four to eight hours.
Ladders: There are some ladders to climb while walking in the Drakensberg. The ladders are in two stretches, a longer one (about 100ft/30m) and a shorter one(about 50ft/15m). Neither is quite vertical and they are metal ladders with thick, square edged footholds and comfortable handholds. While they’re not particularly physically challenging, they can constitute a slight mental challenge to some – but one that is worthwhile for the incredible views from the top of the escarpment. The guides are extremely experienced in taking our groups up and down these ladders and are always happy to help.
Safari: The game viewing is generally best from July to September as visibility improves with trees losing their leaves and because game is more restricted to areas that have water. The bush at this time, however, is much drier compared to earlier in the season and scenically the country is generally at its prettiest from April to June. The migratory birds are visible between October and April.
Journeys: There are a few long drives (the longest being six to seven hours on the first and last days) but the reward is a trip that offers an amazing variety of walking through diverse scenery, plus exciting game viewing, in a comparatively short time.
Legal note: All group members joining this tour will be asked to sign an indemnity form at the start of the holiday. This indemnity form is a requirement of the South African Tourism Service Association, of which our local supplier is a member. As a client of Exodus Travels Ltd, your rights under the Package Travel Regulations (1992) are unaffected, and Exodus remains liable for the actions of our sub-contractors.
Water safety: This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.
Adult min age: 16
Min group size: 4
Max group size: 12
Itinerary
Land Only
- Start City: Johannesburg
- End City: Johannesburg
Ascents, descents and distances: All ascents, descents and distances listed in the daily itinerary have been measured by our local partners or tour leaders, in many cases with satellite-based mapping software. However, different GPS measuring devices can give differing results, particularly on winding paths or in mountainous terrain. Measurements stated throughout these Trips Notes are given to help you understand the types of terrain and distances you will encounter. Timings stated will vary depending on the pace of your group.
Accommodation
Lodges and chalets
We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located, offers good value for money, and plenty of comfort. To help you find your ideal adventure, each trip is given a Comfort Level rating, which indicates the overall standard of accommodation. For more on our ratings, see our Comfort Level guidelines.
Worth knowing
- Tailor your trip: Extend your adventure by securing extra hotel nights before or after the main itinerary. Speak to your sales representative to book.
- Private rooms: Like most tour operators, we room solo passengers together. If you’d prefer to have a private room, it’s normally possible to do this for a supplement. Speak to your sales representative to book. On the nights in the Drakensberg and Eswatini, you might share a chalet/cabin with other members of the group. However, you will still have a single room to yourself.
- Internet: Wifi is available most nights but is not always very reliable.
- Nights 11-12: At Thendele, the chalets consist of two rooms sharing a bathroom and lounge.
Single supplement from £ 500
Food & Drink
In the itinerary, we state which meals are included on which day. The list below provides an indication of what these will consist of:
- Breakfast: Cereals, coffee, tea and toast, the occasional cooked breakfast.
- Lunch: Cheese, cold meats, salads, bread or rolls.
- Dinner: Potjies (stew), braais (barbecue), stir fries, pasta. Most generally cooked on the open fire.
We need at least two weeks’ notice to deal with special dietary requirements (eg vegetarian or allergies.) For this reason, if you did not indicate these on your booking form please advise your sales representative as soon as possible. The tour leaders do all the shopping, meal planning and cooking for each group. They will always try to obtain fresh produce wherever possible. Each tour has two cool boxes for meats and fresh produce and one cool box for cold drinks. We supply the following drinks: fruit squash served with breakfast and tea or coffee served with breakfast and dinner. All other beverages will be at your own expense.
For meals not included, dinners can cost on average 350-500 South African rand (US$20‐US$30) per person and lunches 150-250 South African rand (US$8-US$13). A wide range of à la carte menus and buffets are available at the different lodges, ranging from different meats to vegetarian and vegan options. Snacks, such as biltong (dried, cured meat), droëwors (dried, cured sausage) nuts, including the usual variety you would get at grocery stores, are also available along the way during pitstops.
On days when the group are on morning game walks or drives, we have an early morning cup of tea or coffee and rusks followed by the walk. Once we return to camp, we have a large brunch around 11am. In the early afternoon, we have a snack-style lunch and dinner will be served after completion of the optional game drives.
The water provided on this trip is safe and clean drinking water, normally from boreholes. It is not bottled water, however. If you would rather have bottled water then this will be at your expense, though we would encourage you to make use of the safe drinking water provided as this helps diminish plastic consumption.
Transport
Transport is by minibus fitted with forward-facing seats and towing a trailer for equipment and luggage. For game drives on the private reserve, we use an open four-wheel-drive Land Rover.
Weather & Seasonality
Although the greater part of South Africa lies south of the tropic of Capricorn, the temperature is moderated by the altitude. The average midday temperature is likely to be about 22C (72F) on the coast and 24C (75C) inland. This trip covers various different weather regions. Generally, inland areas will be dry between April and October (although storms can occur), whereas rain is more common at this time in the Drakensberg Mountains. In August, the nights can be very cold, especially in the Drakensberg where temperatures can drop below freezing. However, the days are warm and crisp with generally cloud-free skies. From November through February, rain can sometimes be expected and the temperature will be higher. However, as anyone who has travelled to these parts will say, rain is often a blessing, it manifests the local colours, drops the sometimes sweltering temperatures and never generally lasts too long. It also means the nights are incredibly clear.
Joining Instructions
Key information
Start hotel: Mogodi Lodge, Kowyns Pass Road, Graskop, 1270, Graskop, 1270, South Africa
Phone: +27 13 767 1110
Recommended arrival time: This trip starts at the arrival airport. The group meet with the leader for the transfer to the start hotel.
Airport: Johannesburg O.R. Tambo (JNB)
On arrival
We provide one group transfer from the airport. To join this transfer, you either need to be at the airport before the transfer leaves or meet the tour leader at our pre-tour hotel and go with them to the airport to meet the rest of the group.
Speak to your sales representative for the transfer time. From the airport, we drive to Graskop, which is around a five-hour drive, so it is not recommend trying to make your own way.
Catching your return flight
We have a long journey back to Johannesburg Airport on the last day of the trip. There’s one group transfer to the airport.
You can join this transfer at no extra cost, but please speak to your sales representative for the time of the transfer. If the group transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Johannesburg
Location end: Johannesburg
What To Take
Essential Equipment
- Good trekking boots
- Neutral coloured clothing for the game walks
- Torch (flashlight) and spare batteries
- Portable charger
- Towel
- Backpack (at least 25 litres)
- Hat
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
- Waterproofs
Please note, hard cases may not fit in the vehicle so please bring soft bags.
Water included: Plastic bottles are a big issue in many countries where recycling isn’t yet widely available; they often end up in landfill or get burned. Both processes are harmful to the environment and we would like to reduce our impact here. For your trip, we provide an alternative to single-use plastic bottles to reduce the plastic used. This means that safe drinking water will be available throughout; all you need to do is bring a bottle to refill along the way. Please add this to your packing list.
Optional Equipment
- We strongly recommend a good pair of binoculars and camera
- Walking poles may be useful on some of the hikes
Practical Information
Visa
South Africa
Travellers from the UK, US and most (though not all) EU states normally do not need a visa to enter South Africa. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/south-africa
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/south-africa
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SouthAfrica.html
Please note, all travellers to South Africa who require a visa need at least two consecutive blank pages in their passport (ie a left- and right-hand page) to enable an entry visa to be issued.
Additionally, any child under 18 travelling to South Africa needs to be in possession of an unabridged birth certificate with the names of both parents. If a child under 18 is only travelling with one parent, they will also have to have an affidavit, no less than three months old, from the absent parent confirming the child can travel with the other parent; a court order granting full legal guardianship of the child; or a death certificate of the deceased parent.
Eswatini (Swaziland)
Travellers from the UK, US and most EU states normally do not need a visa to enter Eswatini. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
- Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/eswatini
- Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/eswatini
- United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/eswatini/entry-requirements
- USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Eswatini.html
Vaccinations and Health
South Africa
There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.
Malaria prophylaxis is essential if travelling in the greater Kruger area; seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic about which tablets to take. The rest of South Africa, including the Garden Route, has a low risk of malaria.
Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is also a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we recommend taking the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Eswatini (Swaziland)
There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you have travelled from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic. There is also a risk of malaria in Eswatini, please confirm the recommended course of action with your doctor or travel clinic.
Malaria prophylaxis is essential on this trip, and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take.
Bilharzia is known to occur in some of the lakes or rivers visited on this itinerary, we therefore advise all to take advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim.
Local Time
South Africa's time zone: Africa/Johannesburg (UTC +02:00)
Electricity
South Africa's electricity: Plug types M (three round pins), N (three round pins) and C (two round pins) – 230V, 50Hz
Eswatini (Swaziland)'s electricity: Plug type M (three round pins) – 230V, 50Hz
Money
South Africa's currency: South African rand (ZAR)
Eswatini (Swaziland)'s currency: Swazi lilangeni (SZL)
ATM Availability
Money can be changed at the airport on arrival in South Africa. ATMs are widely available in all the major towns, so should be available every four days or so as the trip proceeds. Credit cards are widely accepted in most shops, bars and restaurants and will be accepted for all optional activities.
The Swazi lilangeni (plural Emalangeni) is linked to the rand, and South African currency can be used in Eswatini but not vice versa.
Extra Expenses & Spending Money
We suggest you allow about 180 rand (US$10) per day for incidentals.
Optional excursions
- Kruger National Park night drives: 307 rand (US$16) per person.
- Optional tree-top canopy tour in Malolotja Nature Reserve: 750 rand (US$39) per person
- Johannesburg city tour 900 rand (US$48) per person
- Apartheid museum with transfers 1000 rand (US$54) per person
- Johannesburg Township and city tour 1330 rand (US$72) per person
Tipping
Our local staff are paid fairly for their work, but we would still recommend for your leader and driver approximately 90 rand (US$5) per person per day. For local guides on included activities in the itinerary, as a guideline, allow for the amount of US$1 per guide per excursion.
Tipping is expected but not compulsory in both South Africa and Eswatini. In most restaurants, an average of tipping 10 percent is common and service staff and local guides rely on tipping as part of their wages, but be sure to check. This tip is voluntary and can be declined if service was unsatisfactory.
Sustainability and Impact
As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.
We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.
This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.
Important Information
Optional activities and excursions
If you would like to join an optional activity or excursion outside those listed in the itinerary, your leader may be able to assist with selecting a provider. However, Exodus has not assessed the safety standards of activities or excursions that are not listed in the Trip Notes. All optional activities or excursions are undertaken at your own risk.
Important Information
Your Safe Participation
When booking this trip, you should be confident in your ability to participate in all activities described in these Trip Notes. If you have any doubt about your suitability, please call us and ask to speak to one of the experts on this itinerary.
Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely take part in an activity, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to miss that activity.
By booking this trip you agree to our Booking Conditions which clearly state that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these rare instances we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred.
Seatbelts
All vehicles used by us should be equipped with working seatbelts, except where approved by us based on the vehicle type or journey. Wherever seatbelts are available, we require our customers to use them for their own safety, even where it may not be a legal requirement.
How to Book
Speak to our friendly team of experts to plan your adventure:
- Check availability: our website shows real-time availability or contact our team by phone, email or live chat.
- Hold a space: You can provisionally hold a space to give you time to finalise your travel plans.
- Confirm your booking: Payment of a deposit will complete your booking and secure your place on the trip.
After booking
You will receive a confirmation document and invoice, which includes extra information and guidance about your travel arrangements. Our dedicated Customer Operations team will help you with any pre-travel questions or arrangements and can easily add extensions or extra accommodation to your booking. Final Joining Instructions will usually be sent out two to three weeks prior to departure.
Adding transfers to your booking
If you have arranged your own flights and would like to add transfers to your booking, please provide your arrival and departure details to our Customer Operations team around four to six weeks before departure.
- Where free transfers are included, they are available for any flight but can only be added to your booking once we have received your flight schedule.
- Where group arrival and departure transfers are available, these operate at fixed times. You will need to arrive in time to meet the scheduled transfer. If the timings don’t align with your travel plans, our team can arrange private transfers once they receive your flight schedule.
Trip Note validity
Trip notes may be updated after booking; if any updates significantly impact the inclusions or itinerary you will be advised in writing. A link to the most up-to-date Trip Notes will be sent out with your Final Joining Instructions before departure.
The information in these Trip Notes is given in good faith. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes, and occasionally it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. In these circumstances we will make the best-possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.
