South Africa Safaris: SOUTH AFRICA BEACH AND SAFARI SPECIAL

Day 1
On arrival at OR Tambo International Airport, after collecting your luggage and clearing customs; proceed to the International Arrivals Hall where you will be met by a Wilderness Gauteng representative who will assist you to Federal Air counter for your light aircraft transfer to Rocktail Bay Lodge scheduled to depart at 11:00am.

Accommodation has been reserved for you for 3 nights.

Rocktail Bay Lodge is situated in the northern reaches of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This whole area has been declared a World Heritage Site. Situated offshore from Rocktail Bay is the Maputaland Marine Reserve which offers an additional sanctuary with extraordinary diving and snorkelling encounters with huge shoals of fish, dolphins and whales. The lodge is situated metres inland from the warm Indian Ocean and one of the most incredible beaches in all of South Africa. The lodge is built out of the wind, just inland from the beach within the forest canopy of vegetated dunes that occur along Maputaland’s coastline. Rocktail offers perhaps the most private beach experience in South Africa, with nearly 40 kilometres of unspoilt, pristine coastline where it is possible to walk for hours without meeting another soul. Scuba diving is offered with many  world class dive sites!

Accommodation is in 11 tree-house chalets. Each en-suite room has its own private balcony and an additional outdoor shower in the forest. The main area of the lodge has an inviting lounge and meals are enjoyed either in the separate dining room, at the poolside or under a huge Natal mahogany tree. At Manzengwenya, 11km south of the camp, we have our own fully accredited dive-centre. We offer boating excursions out to sea around low tide to enjoy SCUBA (and snorkelling) on the pristine coral reefs offshore. (Please take special note that dive certification and pre-booking is compulsory for SCUBA activities.) Other lodge activities include fly-fishing, snorkelling, swimming and drives to Black Rock, the nearby Hippo Pools and to the surrounding community in open 4x4 Land Rovers. During the summer months Rocktail Bay Lodge is integrally involved in ongoing turtle research. Guests are able to accompany the resident turtle expert on research drives at low tide at night helping to monitor the turtles’ nesting numbers and behaviour.

Day 4
This morning after breakfast and check out procedures you will be transferred by light    aircraft to Phinda Forest.

Accommodation has been reserved for you for 3 nights.

Phinda Forest Lodge is situated in the Phinda Resource Reserve in Zululand, which spans seven diverse ecosystems and an extraordinary range of wildlife including the Big Five. Phinda Forest Lodge is a masterpiece of glass and timber, set on stilts above the floor of a rare sand forest. Forest Lodge’s 16 glass encapsulated air-conditioned rooms with en suite bathrooms are designed to give the feeling of being at one with the forest habitat.

In addition to twice-daily game drives in open Land Rovers, guests can enjoy riverboat cruises on the Mzinene River as well as canoeing. Phinda’s close proximity to the Maputaland coastline means that guests can also enjoy beach activities such as snorkelling and scuba diving, deep-sea fishing and beach picnics. The “Flight of the Fish Eagle” offers guests a birds-eye view of the pristine Maputaland coastline with some of the highest forested sand dunes in the world, as well as the famed Greater St Lucia Wetland Park.

Day 7
This morning after breakfast and check procedures you will be met by Federal air representative who will transfer by light aircraft to OR Tambo International Airport scheduled to arrive At 3:00pm.