Duration:
10 days

Adult Rate : R5400.00 (based on 2 people sharing)
Rates are subject to availability and season.

The adult rate will be cheaper if there are more adults travelling as the wilderness trail is split per vehicle.

Child Rate : R370.00

This fantastic itinerary focusses on some of the least populated and most wildlife rich areas of South Africa. Game viewing opportunities are excellent and the drive includes some less travelled routes with fantastic scenery.   

10 Day Itinerary IN South Africa

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK 4X4 Adventure

Depart Johannesburg

Day 1 – Dullstroom (+-3 Hours from Johannesburg)
Dullstroom on the Dam Dullstroom is situated in the Highveld half between Johannesburg and Kruger national Park. Relax in the tranquil setting or take part in the many activities the resort has to offer: Flying Fishing Horse Riding Walking Trails Cycling Trails

Day 2, 3 and 4 – Kruger National Park – 4×4 Mafunyane Eco Trail
Entering Phalaborwa Gate (only operational every Thursday & camps can also be booked individually) 4×4 trails allow the visitor to get off the beaten track and explore territories of the park that are rarely seen. The 4×4 vehicles are essential to minimize environmental damage, and they serve as the gateway to a real wilderness experience in the park. Some of the trails have dongas or riverbeds that would make normal vehicles unfit for these trails, especially during the wet season. Because the adventure trails are not gravelled, they are usually closed after a rainfall in order to dry completely.

The Mafunyane 4×4 Eco-Trail is a four day (three nights) self-catering guided adventure activity in the north western section of Kruger National Park between the Olifants and Luvuvhu Rivers. The trail route covers approximately 270km and all participants are required to drive their own 4×4 vehicles, with provisions for the four-day trip, including tents and camping gear, sufficient supply of water, firewood and food.

A knowledgeable and professional trail guide will lead the trail and also provide the necessary interpretation en route. Road conditions vary from reasonably good to sections with steep inclines, crossing of streams and rivers and muddy sections during or after rain and therefore only 4×4 vehicles allowed. Overnight sites have a fireplace, enviro-friendly toilets and a shower for which you heat your water on the fire. This enormous and magnificent park is one of the most popular public-entry game parks in the world. Its density of permanent game is unrivalled with hundreds of different species; 507 birds, 336 trees, 147 mammals, 114 reptiles, 49 fish and 34 amphibians!

Day 5 and 6 – Mapungubwe National Park – Mazhou Camp site (+-4 Hour drive from Kruger)
Set right up against the northern border of South Africa, uniting Botswana and Zimbabwe, lies Mapungubwe National Park – an extensive savannah landscape situated at the meeting place of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers. This is the land of sandstone formations, mopane woodlands, brooding baobabs, ancient floodplains and unique riverine forests that form a dramatic backcloth for the wealth of animal life – elephant, giraffe, buffalo, white rhino, gemsbok and other antelope, extensive bir life, and the more elusive mammal like hyenas, leopards and lions. Mapungubwe is South Africa’s first kingdom, a highly complex society that marked the heart of a pre-Shona kingdom between 1050 AD and 1270 AD, only to be abandoned in the 14th century. The Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape – the virtually untouched remains of the palace sites, the settlement area dependent upon them, and two capital sites that remain – was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 and forms part of the Mapungubwe National Park.

Day 7 – Blouberg Nature Reserve (+-2 hours from Mapungubwe NP)
Molope Bush Camp Situated in the lowveld of northern Limpopo, it is graced with a beautiful mountain as well as typical bushveld. The varying topography, from mountain down to the plains and the Brak River in the south lends itself to a rich diversity of plant and animal life. Our reserve has five different veld types! Unique features are the tamboti woodland, fig forest, baobabs and the Brak River floodplain. It has possibly the largest selection of trees for any similar size reserve in the country, and with this large selection of trees comes a prolific bird population. A good variety of animals, including Buffalo and Leopard, also inhabit the Reserve. Blouberg Nature Reserve is an unknown gem with some fantastic drawcards. For instance; it harbours the biggest breeding colony of Cape Vultures in the world. The breeding colony hosts more than 1000 breeding pairs. Visitors can view these birds at close range, either from below the breeding colony or at the vulture restaurant. Visitors can also book a guided Vulture Trail which takes them to visit the plateau above the colony, and experience a face-to-face encounter with the vultures in flight.

Day 8 and 9 – Marakele National Park (+-3.5 hours’ drive from Blouberg)
Bontle Rest camp Marakele National Park is set in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains in the scenic Limpopo Province, South Africa. Guests can see 4 of the Big Five, abundant birdlife and flora. The Tswana name Marakele or ‘place of sanctuary’ is a fitting name for this South Africa National Park where guests can enjoy game drives and walks whilst exploring majestic mountain landscapes, grass-clad hills and deep valleys. Marakele is also an excellent place to look for raptors, with many species using the updraft generated off the cliff faces of the Waterberg Mountains to ride thermals. Other species to look out for are African Harrier Hawk, Jackal Buzzard and several eagle species including Verreaux’s (Black) African Hawk.

A future development will allow visitors access to the many iron-age sites in the park. It is home to Elephant, Black and White Rhino, Lion, Leopard and Brown Hyena. Resident antelope include Sable, Kudu, Eland, Impala, Waterbuck and Tsessebe. Chacma Baboon and Vervet Monkey are two species to be watched carefully for mischief, especially around the rest camps. Nature lovers can also discover the incredible variety of indigenous and rare flora in Marakele National Park. The drive from Blouberg will take you through the heart of the Waterberg biosphere, be on the lookout for the African wild dogs which still free roam this area. We take you off the beaten track and suggest you drive via the Schoongelegen or Bakkerspas roads, these roads are recommended for 4wd and some of the wildest and most scenic roads in South Africa.

Day 10 – Head back to Johannesburg

End of your 4×4 Safari Experience!!