Eastern Cape Safari Tour
Day 1 – Arrival in Port Elizabeth – Amakhala Game Reserve
Upon arrival in Port Elizabeth, you collect your Group B hire car (VW Polo or similar) from the car hire company outside the Arrivals Hall. You depart Port Elizabeth and travel along the N2 Highway towards Grahamstown. After one hour's drive, you will arrive at Amakhala Game Reserve, a unique conservation initiative between neighbours. Your accommodation is at Amakhala's Woodbury Lodge, set in a spectacular krans and decorated in traditional safari style. Each stone and thatch chalet boasts a unique and breathtaking view from their wooden decks. You are taken on a late afternoon river safari, which offers excellent bird watching – fish eagles and three species of Kingfisher are regularly sighted, as is the rare Cape clawless otter. You return to Woodbury Lodge in time for a bush supper served around the fire.
Accommodation:
Woodbury Lodge -more info
Woodbury Lodge
Woodbury Lodge is spectacularly set against a cliff above the Bushman’s River valley, on the Amakhala Game Reserve approximately 75km from Port Elizabeth. Guests are accommodated in comfortably appointed stone-and-thatch lodges, each with air-conditioning and en-suite bathroom. Guests are often thrilled by the late afternoon sighting of the elephant herd passing by.
A range of activities are on offer, such as game viewing, river cruise and canoeing, or you can just relax around the pool and enjoy some sun while the birds keep you company.
Woodbury Lodge is graded 4 star.
Basis:
Full board (all meals and game activities)
Day 2 – Amakhala Game Reserve and Lalibela Game Reserve
After a leisurely breakfast on the wooden decks of the lodge, you set off on a game drive to see elephant, rhino, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe and zebra, as well as some of the antelope species occurring in Amakhala, such as black wildebeest, blesbok, impala, gemsbok and red hartebeest. You check out of Woodbury Lodge in the late morning and drive to the nearby Big Five game reserve, Lalibela. Upon check-in at 13h00, you are transferred by landrover to to your lodge, which is thatched and decorated in a relaxed Pan-African style. Secluded thatched chalets are placed where magnificent indigenous gardens merge into the surrounding bush. After high tea, you are taken on your first game drive at Lalibela. This late afternoon/evening game drive is an opportunity to search for nocturnal animals, such as the elusive bat-eared fox, aardvark, black-backed jackal, aardwolf and the curious spring hare. You return to the lodge in time for a sumptuous safari cuisine dinner.
Lalibela Game Reserve
Day 3 – Lalibela Game Reserve
This morning after a light breakfast you are taken on another game drive. Game drives at Lalibela bring you face to face with a multitude of game species, ranging from the mighty Big Five (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard) to tiny blue duiker and rock Hyrax. Lalibela is also home to cheetah, hyena, hippo, giraffe, zebra, warthog and numerous species of antelope. You return to the lodge for a grand brunch. There is time to relax around the sunny pool, do some bird-watching from the observation deck or read a book in the privacy of your room's private deck. After tea you set off on another night drive, returning again in time for dinner.
Day 4 – Lalibela Game Reserve and Addo Elephant National Park
This morning you are taken on your last game drive at Lalibela. After brunch you are taken by landrover to reception to collect your car. It is approximately one hour's drive to Addo Elephant National Park. You check in at the Elephant House, an exclusive lodge on the edge of the National Park. This thatched colonial style lodge surrounded by rolling lawns and indigenous trees offers guests all the splendour of a bygone era. Elephant House offers optional game drives in a landrover with an experienced ranger into Addo, or you can choose to self-drive in your own car. Elephant House belongs to "Good Cooks and their Country Houses" and stylish dinners are on offer.
The Elephant House
Day 5 – Addo Elephant National Park
Today you can choose to go on more game drives in Addo with the Elephant House ranger or you can drive yourself. The Elephant House drives depart at 09h00 and 14h00. Addo is home to the highest concentration of elephant in the world and has a central role in the story of the survival of the African elephant. Lion have recently been re-introduced to the Park.
Day 6 – Addo Elephant National Park to Cape Town
After checking out of Elephant House you leave Addo at 11h00 and drive to Port Elizabeth, returning your hire car at Port Elizabeth airport upon departure.