Experience the ultimate wildlife expedition through South Africa’s wildest safari reserves; beginning at the Blyde River Canyon you’ll enter the world of ‘big game’ and explore their territories across the awesome Kruger National Park, and private Makalali Conservancy Reserve.
Following your expedition, unwind upon this paradise island of Mauritius - home to world renowned beaches, a kaleidoscope of cultural influences within its bustling capital and luscious rain forests that open up for nature trails.
Dinner
Upon arrival in Johannesburg, your expert guide will greet you and lead you on a tour of Soweto, a township renowned for its pivotal role in South Africa’s fight against apartheid. Visit iconic landmarks such as the Hector Pieterson Museum, the Apartheid Museum and Vilakazi Street and learn about the courage and resilience of those who shaped the nation. In the afternoon, unwind at your hotel and enjoy a traditional South African dinner, complete with the rhythmic sounds of marimba music.
If you are arranging your own international flights, free airport transfers are available and included in the price. Transfers need to be booked with us at least two weeks before the tour starts and you will need to provide your inbound and outbound flight details.
Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the Kruger National Park. On the journey, you’ll be heading onto the Panorama Route, making a stop at the red sandstone Blyde River Canyon and Bourke’s Luck Potholes, nestled within a seemingly endless river canyon that is covered in lush sub-tropical vegetation. Continue your journey to your hotel, where you’ll settle in and enjoy a delicious dinner with fellow travellers, preparing for your exciting safari adventure tomorrow.
Breakfast & Dinner
Rise early for a full-day safari in Kruger, one of Africa’s largest game reserves, spanning nearly 19,000 square kilometres. This is the place where Africa’s 'Big Five'—lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino—roam freely. Kruger is home to over 12,000 elephants, 27,000 African buffalo, and 1,000 leopards, not to mention a staggering 147 mammal species and 500 species of birds. Keep your camera ready as you enjoy an unforgettable day in one of the world’s premier wildlife destinations. Return to your hotel for an evening of food and relaxation.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast, embark on a journey to the renowned Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, a world-class sanctuary committed to rescuing and rehabilitating injured, orphaned, and abandoned wildlife. continue your adventure to a private game reserve nestled in the breathtaking Lowveld, a region renowned for its stunning panoramic views of the bush and savannah.
In the afternoon, set off on your first game drive across this exclusive reserve. Led by an experienced ranger, you’ll traverse the rugged terrain in a state-of-the-art safari vehicle, tracking herds of elephants, the elusive leopard, or watching a pride of lion’s laze in the late afternoon sun. Every turn of the wheel promises a new encounter, whether it’s a solitary giraffe browsing the treetops, a herd of buffalo meandering across the plains, or a cheetah stealthily hunting in the distance. As the sun sets, return to the lodge where you’ll enjoy a well-deserved dinner.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Explore the private reserve with both a morning and afternoon safari. Each drive through the reserve offers a unique opportunity to encounter wildlife in its natural habitat, including the majestic Big 5. Learn to identify indigenous plants, hear the calls of distant birds, and uncover the secrets of the animal kingdom through tracks and signs left behind. After an exhilarating day of wildlife encounters and learning, return to the comfort of your lodge.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Your second day at the Private Reserve awaits, as you take on another day of both morning and afternoon safaris to search for more wildlife. Whether it's watching a pride of lions or spotting cheetahs in the grasslands, every moment promises to be extraordinary. This evening, return to your lodge to relax and unwind, enjoying the peace and serenity of your surroundings. Whether you choose to lounge on your private veranda, take in panoramic views of the bush, or indulge in a refreshing drink by the pool, the lodge offers the perfect setting to recharge and reflect on your unforgettable day.
Breakfast
After breakfast you’ll have your last opportunity to search for the wild animals of this special South African reserve with your final morning safari. Once the drive is complete, you’ll be transferred to Johannesburg where you’ll spend the evening in your hotel, where you can start to sort through all the incredible wildlife photography in your collections!
Breakfast
Today you will fly to Mauritius for your beach stay. On arrival, check into your hotel. The rest of your time here is at leisure.
Breakfast & Dinner
Relax and unwind at your chosen beach hotel.
Transfer to the airport for your scheduled flight back to the UK.
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The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
Your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least 3 blank pages.
South Africa visa requirements
British passport holders are not currently required to obtain a visa to travel to South Africa. This will be granted on arrival.
For clients travelling to South Africa with children under the age of 18: Children travelling with both biological parents must travel with:
• Valid passport of travelling parent and child • Visa, if required • Birth certificate listing both parents (note: these must be the original documents, or certified copies of the originals)
A child travelling with just one of the parents listed on his or her birth certificate must also present:
• Parental consent affidavit not older than 4 months or • Letter of special circumstances issued by director-general of home affairs in the event that a parent or parents are incapacitated or deceased, and no legal guardian has been appointed as yet.
For full details of requirements for travel to South Africa, please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When calling the Travel Visa Company, they will advise you of any changes to the fees or the procedure, they will also advise you of all information they will require in order to apply for the visa. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding these.
Mauritius visa requirements
A visa is not required for British citizens visiting Mauritius. Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. We strongly advise you check your destinations’ Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, early mornings, long days of driving, some days with lots of walking and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The currency in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR). Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM’s are available in most town/cities.
We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. Some local banks will not change money back into Pound Sterling, so do not exchange too much. It is advisable to carry smaller note denominations as some outlets and vendors may not accept the larger notes.
The currency in Mauritius is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR, however it is possible to pay in Euros at larger establishments. We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take extra money with you to cover any dinners where these are not mentioned on your itinerary and personal purchases. Approximately £250-£400 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour.
Tipping
It is customary to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend tipping your guide and driver approximately £6 per person per day in total and £6 (150ZAR) per person per day for the ranger. It is customary to tip your guides/rangers/drivers at the end of your time with them. Tipping for restaurants (recommended 10%) and the porters at your hotels will be at your discretion and done on-site. Tips are accepted in the local currency, US dollars, Euros and British pounds for the guides/rangers/drivers however for waiters, porters etc, please tip in local currency.
This is a partly escorted tour. A tour guide will be with the group from the airport when you land on day 2, until you arrive at the Private reserve on day 6. For days 6-8 a local safari guide will escort you on all the game drives and visits. For all transfers, an English-Speaking Driver Guide will assist the group.
Your stay in Mauritius is not escorted by a tour guide. All internal transfers are included.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels or lodges. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. Scheduled power outages, commonly referred to as load shedding, can be a common occurrence in South Africa. While most hotels and lodges are equipped to mitigate the effects of load shedding, ensuring that your comfort and convenience are maintained to the best of our ability, it's important to acknowledge that not all establishments may be fully functional during these times. As a result, you may experience temporary disruptions to certain amenities such as air-conditioning, television services, the operation of electric kettles, etc. The hotels/lodges and your guide however, will do their utmost to minimize any impact on your stay. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs
Western and international food will be served however some establishments will serve traditional meals giving you a chance to experience local flavours. Vegetarian and Vegan options available, please request prior to departure. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. Bottled water will be available at shops and hotels/lodges.
On your arrival you will be met by a representative from our local agent, African Eagle, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/African Eagle representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.
If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:
African Eagle: Telephone Number 0027 82 325 0201 E-mail duty@ae.co.za
Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for African Eagle 24 hour: 002782 325 0201
