South Africa Kruger National Park Safari

Day 1: Arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport. Overnight in Sandton, Johannesburg
Day 2: African Bush. Transfer to lodge from Johannesburg
Day 3: Safari cycling, 12.5 - 25 mi. (20 - 40 km)
Day 4: Letsitele and Kaross Workshop, 16 mi. (25 km)
Day 5: Wolkberg Mountains, 9.5 - 28 mi. (15 - 45 km)
Day 6: Blyde Dam and the Kruger National Park, 23 mi. (37 km)
Day 7: Kruger National Park (Full day)
Day 8: Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, 12.5 - 25 mi. (20 - 40 km)
Day 9: Echo Caves, 17 mi. (27 km)
Day 10: Departure

Changes to the order of the itinerary can occur due to the availability of accommodation. A bicycle tour can be affected by changing weather conditions and therefore the itinerary of a tour may change. But don’t worry, there is always Plan B and the best solutions will be researched and offered to for an equally exciting tour. This map corresponds with the itinerary for 2019. We will post the revised map for 2020 at the end of the 2019 travel season

Day 1: Arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport. Overnight in Sandton, Johannesburg

Welcome to South Africa! Upon arrival, you will notice that you are in a country filled with smiles. A guide will meet you at O.R. Tambo International Airport and accompany you to your overnight accommodation in Johannesburg. The rest of the day is at your leisure where you can rest or explore some of Sandton’s attractions. Please take a look at our recommendations below:

• Nelson Mandela Square (right across from your hotel)
• Hop-on-hop-off Johannesburg (www.citysightseeing.co.za/destinations/joburg)
• Sandton City Mall
• Soweto (depending on your arrival time, we can add a 2 or 4-hour cycling tour through Soweto. The tours start at 10 am or 2 pm and includes lunch and a transfer from your hotel to Soweto and back; Price: 90 or 110 euro per person).

Includes: Transfer to accommodation

Day 2: African Bush. Transfer to lodge from Johannesburg
Your transfer will depart at 10 am from your hotel. Travel time from Johannesburg to your overnight accommodation is approx. 5 hours. Along the way, you will stop to visit an Open-Air Museum which demonstrates the daily life of the Bakone people who inhabited the Polokwane area 250 years ago. The next two evenings will be spent at a Private Game Lodge near Bandelierkop. After settling in, you will end your day with a bushwalk to get acquainted with the African bush and a cozy dinner in an African boma. (B)

Includes:

• Transfer to lodge from Johannesburg
• Open Air Museum
• Bushwalk

Day 3: Safari cycling, 12.5 - 25 mi. (20 - 40 km). 500 - 1000 ft/150 - 300 m of elevation
Your first bike ride is an exploratory ride through the bushveld. The aim with this safari cycle is to have personal encounters with some of the animals of the African Bush. The Lodge has a wide variety of non-dangerous animals including Giraffe, Impala, Zebra, Kudu and many bird species. Learn more about the lifestyle and habits of the different species as well as the tracking of animals. Join us for a Sunset game drive or alternatively enjoy a relaxed afternoon next to the swimming pool. Dinner will be a unique South African experience served in the boma. (B, L, D)

Includes: Bike ride and Game Drive

Day 4: Letsitele and Kaross Workshop, 16 mi. (25 km). 500 ft./150 m of elevation
Your next location is the Letsitele Valley and the small subtropical farming town of Letsitele. Letsitele is well-known for the production and export of different varieties of Citrus fruit. The morning’s ride will take you through orange tree groves with a stop along the way to visit a citrus packhouse to learn about the workings of a citrus farm, from the planting and farming phase, ending with the packing and export of the fruit. From the packhouse,  you continue along the canal to the Kaross embroidery. Kaross was started by Irma van Rooyen to create opportunities for rural women to make a living through their embroidery skills. Indulge yourself in the beauty of the embroidery followed by a typical South African lunch. Your stay for the next two evenings is at the Coach House Hotel and Spa. (B, L, D)

Includes:

• Kaross tour
• *Depending on the time of year, we may visit a citrus packhouse. Alternatively, we may visit an avocado/ macadamia nut packhouse

Day 5: Wolkberg Mountains, 9.5 - 28 mi. (15 - 45 km). 1,400 - 2,150 ft/420 - 650 m of elevation
After enjoying breakfast overlooking the majestic Wolkberg Mountain range of Limpopo we will explore this area on your bicycles. The Wolkberg Mountains separate the highveld from the lowveld of Limpopo. It also contains some of the most intensive and well established Avocado and Macadamia Nut farms in South Africa. Your bike route for the day is a circular one that passes through Pine and Eucalyptus plantations with splendid views of the surrounding mountains and farms. Lunch will take place at a local restaurant with picturesque views of the area. A relaxing afternoon awaits our guests at the Coach House Hotel. The Hotel has a Spa that offers optional massage and Spa treatments. Drinks can be enjoyed in the historical bar and lounge and guests can enjoy the breath-taking views of the Wolkberg Mountains from the comfort of their balconies or next to the pool. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Blyde Dam and the Kruger National Park, 23 mi. (37 km). 1350 ft./410 m of elevation
The cycling itinerary follows the Blyde River through the canyon to a spectacular viewpoint of the Blyde Dam. The Blyde River rises on the western slopes of the Drakensberg near Sabie in Mpumalanga and flows northwards past the town of Pilgrim's Rest for more than 62.5 mi./100 km, through a region of extraordinary beauty along the eastern escarpment and into the Blyde Dam which was completed in 1974. Along the way be on the lookout for kudus and baboons. After lunch,  you will depart for the Kruger National Park. Enjoy your first evening in Kruger with a “braai”. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Kruger National Park (full day)
Today is your big Kruger Safari day. Although Kruger is renowned for the Big 5, it has so much more to offer. Get your cameras ready to capture the special moments in one of Africa’s largest national parks covering an area of 19,485 square kilometers. This wildlife sanctuary is like no other, its atmosphere so unique which will allow you to experience the true heartbeat of Africa. After your day in the Kruger National Park, we will be treated with a delicious dinner. Take time to share stories and photos of your special day in the African bush. (Brunch, D)

Includes:

• Full day in KNP
   

Day 8: Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, 12.5 - 25 mi. (20 - 40 km). 1400 - 2040 ft./420 - 620 m of elevation
Welcome to the Blyde River Canyon, the third largest and greenest canyon in the world. Your bike ride starts at the Pinnacle Rock where your bikes will be made ready whilst you savor the magnificent view. The route follows the escarpment all the way to Wonder View, which is said, on a clear day it is possible to see all the way to Mozambique. The next stop for the day is the Lisbon Falls which is the highest waterfall in Mpumalanga. Extend your bike ride by cycling to your lunch spot or hop into the bus for a relaxed drive to lunch, after which you will visit the Bourke’s Luck Potholes. The potholes were formed over centuries of water flowing from the Treur and Blyde River. From here it is a short drive to the famous Three Rondavels lookout point and onto our overnight stay overlooking this escarpment. (B, L, D)

Includes:

• Entrance to Lisbon Falls and Bourke’s Luck Potholes

Day 9: Echo Caves, 17 mi. (27 km). 1090 ft/330 m of elevation
This underground wonderland was stumbled upon by a local farmer in 1923, whilst looking for his lost cow. We will visit the cave before driving along the Abel Erasmus Pass and entering the Lowveld for your last evening. The adventure begins with a late afternoon game drive in an open game viewer with an experienced guide. Dinner will be served in a boma around a fire with sounds of the African night in the background.
(B, L, D)

Includes:

• Entrance to Echo Caves
  Game Drive

Day 10: Departure
Your final day starts with a bushwalk accompanied by an experienced game ranger through Big 5 territory. Experience the bush as never before with the chance of a cheetah encounter on foot. After the bushwalk, enjoy a leisurely breakfast whilst saying farewell to your cycling companions. This will be the end of our time together. Return to your home country via the Eastgate Airport in Hoedspruit or a transfer to Johannesburg. Advice on your return journey or an extended stay is available on request. (B)

This tour offers a variety of accommodation throughout the trip to give you a complete feeling of what this area has to offer. The 3-star accommodations range from lodges, to hotels, to chalets, all of which have been chosen to offer you the uttermost comfort after each bike ride.