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| Duration: | 9 Day(s) - 8 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | All In One Tours |
(8 NIGHTS / 9 DAYS – ALL IN ONE)
The 3 Bs – Bush, Berg and Beach
2N / 3D Hluhluwe–Umfolozi – KwaZulu-Natal North Coast
Day 1: All Meals – Own Cost | Hluhluwe–Umfolozi
Depart from Durban International Airport and arrive at Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park just before lunch. Lunch at the lodge, followed by your chosen activity from the list below, or enjoy a late afternoon sundowner at the lodge while viewing the magnificent African sunset (depending on flight arrival times).
(Please read additional activities below. These must be booked in advance and are at an additional cost.)
Overnight at Lodge
Day 2: uMfolozi National Park
After breakfast at 08h00, depart for a game drive in uMfolozi National Park. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, depart for a boat cruise on the St Lucia Estuary, viewing hippos, birdlife, and crocodiles.
Overnight at Lodge
Possible Activities
Birding
Cheetah encounter
Cultural tours (own cost)
Deep-sea fishing (own cost)
Elephant interaction
False Bay Park visit
Frogging tours (own cost)
Golfing (own cost)
Hluhluwe–iMfolozi Park drives
Ilala Weavers visit
Kayaking (own cost)
Kosi Bay trip
Mkhuze game drive
Muzi Pan visit
Ndumo game drive
Night drive
Rhino tracking
Scenic flights (own cost)
St Lucia boat cruise
Tembe Reserve visit
Zulu Croc Reptile Park
Accommodation Description
We offer comfortable accommodation in spacious air-conditioned rooms, all nestled within an unspoiled natural sand forest. High ceilings and air-conditioning ensure a comfortable stay. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms and are fitted with a fridge and tea- and coffee-making facilities, allowing you to relax on your private veranda overlooking the tranquil forest.
Family rooms feature interleading doors, making them ideal for families while still allowing privacy.
Location:
Umkhumbi Lodge is superbly located near Hluhluwe with easy access to iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Mkhuze National Park, Sodwana Bay, and Kosi Bay beaches. The area offers opportunities to see the Big Five, abundant birdlife, and nesting loggerhead and leatherback turtles.
Nearest airports:
Durban King Shaka International Airport and Richards Bay Airport.
On-site Facilities
Splash pool
Laundry service
Wi-Fi at reception
Safe for valuables
Private restaurant and bar
Walking trails
Shuttle service available
Visa and MasterCard are accepted
Additional Note:
Umkhumbi’s rates include DB&B (Dinner, Bed & Breakfast).
We suggest bringing binoculars and walking shoes.
Day 3: Southern Drakensberg
Depart after breakfast at 08h00 for the Southern Drakensberg. Afternoon at leisure.
Overnight: Underberg Hotel
Lesotho Overland Tour – 2 Nights / 3 Days
Day 4: Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Departure at 08h30 from Underberg/Himeville to the World Heritage Site. Ascend the legendary Sani Pass with its dramatic views of the Sani Valley and the Drakensberg Escarpment within Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park.
View the proteas along the route and the 12 Apostles formations. Border formalities will be handled by your guide. At 2,874 m, stop for refreshments at Sani Stone Lodge. Continue to a Basotho village for a cultural explanation.
Ascend Black Mountain Pass (3,280 m) following the Senqu River. Nearby stands Thabana Ntlenyana (3,482 m).
Picnic lunch en route. Pass the Letseng Diamond Mine, the highest diamond mine in the world. Continue to Tlaeeng Pass (3,255 m), the highest road in Africa, known as the Roof of Africa. Pass of Guns and Mahlasela Ski Slope follow before arriving at Oxbow.
Descend via the Hololo Valley to Butha-Buthe, named after King Moshoeshoe’s mountain stronghold.
Overnight: Oxbow Lodge
Day 5: Katse Dam
After breakfast, travel to Katse Dam via Hlotse. Pass unusual rock formations and the Leribe Farmers Training Centre. Picnic lunch en route.
Cross the Malibamatso River before reaching Katse Dam. Security formalities handled by your guide. Guided tour of the dam wall and dinner at the lodge.
Overnight: Katse Dam Lodge
Day 6: St. James Mission – Return to South Africa
After breakfast, visit St. James Mission. Return via Sani Stone Lodge for refreshments. Border formalities handled by your guide while descending Sani Pass.
Lunch in Himeville, then continue via Donnybrook and Ixopo farmlands and Zulu villages en route to the coast. This is a long travel day (approximately 10 hours).
Overnight: Aliwal Shoal Dive Resort
Day 7: Travel to the South Coast
Continue through the scenic Donnybrook and Ixopo farming regions and Zulu rural villages en route to the dive resort.
Overnight: Dive Resort
1N / 2D Umkomaas – KwaZulu-Natal South Coast
Day 8: Diving at Aliwal Shoal
After breakfast at 08h00, transfer to the beach for a morning dive. Return for lunch, followed by an afternoon dive.
Overnight: Aliwal Shoal Dive Resort
Day 9: Departure
Depart after breakfast at 08h00 for Durban International Airport.
Overview of Dive Destination
Aliwal Shoal is a fossilised reef approximately 5 km offshore, home to over 1,200 fish species, corals, and diverse shark populations. Nearby wrecks include the Produce (1974) and Nebo (1884).
Umkomaas is a small coastal diving village 48 km south of Durban, located at the mouth of the Umkomazi River.
The resort grounds offer secure parking, ocean views, a restaurant, pool, and dive centre.
Included:
All accommodation and meals as indicated
Airport transfers x2
Transport in a 4x4 vehicle
Mineral water
Excluded:
Personal expenses and insurance
Beverages and alcohol
Tips for guides
General Information – Lesotho Overland Tours
Guests travel through rural, unspoiled terrain and should maintain a flexible mindset. Accommodation and meals are generally basic and rustic. Packed lunches are common, and toilet facilities en route are limited.
Routes may change due to weather, road conditions, or unforeseen circumstances. Some lodges operate generators for electricity.
Please bring soft bags only (no large suitcases).
Cost based on a minimum of two people.
Valid passports are essential.
Please advise on nationality due to visa requirements.
This is true, unspoiled Africa — at its best.
