KwaZulu-Natal Bush Safari

Longing to see the BIG 5? Then this KwaZulu-Natal Bush Safari is a must, visiting the Hluhluwe and iMfolosi Game Reserves in KwaZulu-Natal

Duration: One day or extended if required.
Trips to one of our many parks or game reserves in KwaZulu-Natal can be done in a day but it is often better to spend at least one night and perhaps even two to experience a KwaZulu-Natal Bush Safari to its full. Nothing can be more enjoyable than…

To experience a night and a very early morning game drive is a truly unique experience.
To watch the sunrise or sunset in the stillness of the African bush is simply a stunning event.
To sit round a fire enjoying a barbeque or a ‘braai’, as it’s known locally, with a beer or glass of good South African wine is fantastic.

And then, of course, chatting about the sightings in the bush, rounds off the day.

The Bush_Solitary leopard — Solitary Leopard

Having been an Honorary Ranger some years ago assisting our National Parks in a variety of ways I’ve had many such experiences and they never cease to amaze me.

An unforgettable experience awaits you on the KwaZulu-Natal Bush Safari – The Big 5!

Nothing quite beats the unbelievable excitement of driving around a corner and being confronted by one of the BIG Five. That kind of memory never goes away. The smell of the bush and the beast, the stillness or the roar gets the adrenalin going, always.

The privilege of being in the middle of a breeding herd of elephant slipping quietly but quickly by, downwind of a herd of buffalo lifting their snouts testing for any potential danger, to stare at a solitary leopard lazing and posing in a tree, to witness a wild dog pack lock on to and run down an antelope and reduce it to horns and hooves in minutes and then move on again as perpetual hunters and runners do, swopping the lead all the time. That’s what the KwaZulu-Natal Bush Safari is all about!

Every day in the bush is a good day!

Please contact me for more information on the KwaZulu-Natal Bush Safari Tour. Should you have more than one day available, this tour can be tailor made to include a trip to the Wetlands World Heritage Tour.

Interested?

Please fill in this contact form and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Iain Schouten
Tel: +27 31 716 8232
Cell: +27 79 649 3690

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Midlands Meander

This full day country tour will take you inland to the heart of KwaZulu-Natal. Thousands of local and foreign visitors ‘do’ the Midlands Meander annually, taking in the spectacular country scenery of rolling hills and waterfalls. The Midlands is the largest art and craft tourism area in SA and so a special attraction of this tour is being able to stop off at any of the many arts and crafts studios along the way. All of these attractions make up the quaint kind of country living offered by the Midlands.

Heading out west from Durban these are some of the highlights of the trip:

Pietermaritzburg

Pietermaritzburg is the second largest city in the province and is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal. A Victorian style of architecture is very evident and this city is home to many quaint antique shops, markets, restaurants, art galleries and museums. The annual Dusi Canoe Marathon starts here and it is also the beginning or ending point of the world famous annual Comrades Marathon between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. This Marathon annually attracts about 15 000 participants.

Howick Falls

Leaving Pietermaritzburg we head on to Howick and stop at the world famous Howick Falls which is 95 m (310 ft) high.

Nelson Mandela Capture site

Visiting this sculpture of Nelson Mandela at the Nelson Mandela Capture site is one of the highlights of the Midlands Meander tour. This powerful memorial marks the place where Nelson Mandela, was captured on August 5, 1962. He had been on the run for 17 months and his capture marked the beginning of his 27 years in captivity.

A small museum exhibits old photographs and traces Madiba’s political path through the years.

The sculpture is truly amazing! As you walk nearer and nearer to the sculpture, Mandela’s face appears from the jagged steel rods. Artist, Marco Cianfanelli designed the rods so that each of the 50 rods line up to create the illusion of a flat image, the face of South Africa’s beloved, Nelson Mandela.

Michaelhouse School

Michaelhouse, was founded in 1896 and is one of the leading South African boarding schools for senior boys, with an international reputation. It is beautifully situated in the Midlands and the school is marked by its distinctive architecture.

Caversham

Midlands Meander - babbling stream — Caversham Mill

In the heart of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, is the historical Caversham Mill. The Caversham Mill Restaurant is first class and a great place to stop for lunch. Sitting in the restaurant, on the deck, or on the lawns, you’ll enjoy a feast for you eyes with the tumbling waterfall and the wheel of the old mill. The setting is spectacular, overlooking the Lions and Impafana Rivers.

Rawdons Hotel and Country Estate

This is another possible lunch or tea stop over, beautifully situated in a lush garden. The hotel has a thriving independent brewery which can be enjoyed in the famous Rawdons pub.

Gowrie Estate

Another lunch/tea venue, idyllically set overlooking a classic golf course.

Arts and crafts

'Groundcover' - for fine handcrafted leather — ‘Groundcover’ – for fine handcrafted leather

A highlight of this trip is being able to stop off at various arts and crafts centers. As many of these art studios are on working farms you may also get the opportunity to meet some of the artists themselves.

Altogether you’re promised a wonderful day out, soaking all the beauty that is offered by the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal.

Contact Me to find out more…

Iain Schouten
Tel: +27 31 716 8232
Cell: +27 79 649 3690

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Rural Zulu Cultural Tour

Experience the traditional Zulu way of life with a fascinating full one day tour to the PheZulu Cultural Village, in the Valley of a Thousand Hills.

PheZulu Cultural Village

Traveling for about 30 minutes to the west of Durban we arrive at PheZulu Safari Park, set in the magnificent Valley of a Thousand Hills. The Valley of a Thousand Hills is a very apt name with rolling hills visible for as far as the eye can see. There are several attractions in the Village, giving one a feel for the traditional way of life.

PheZulu Safari Park

Scoutie with some Phezulu folk from the Gasa clan

At the PheZulu village, the Gasa clan give you, the visitor a taste and feel for the rhythm of Africa. Have a look inside the traditional beehive shaped thatched huts and learn about the various artifacts, rituals and beliefs of the fascinating Zulu culture.

A highlight of this day tour is the Zulu dancing with dancers dressed to the hilt in traditional clothing. The dancing is really impressive!

Crocodile and Snake Park

Cultural rural Zulu tour — Snake and crocodile

Phezulu boasts a Crocodile and Snake Park with a knowledgeable guide to share some interesting facts with you. You can even have a hands-on experience with Cleo a 3.2m long Burmese python weighing 42 kilograms.

Game Drive (optional extra)

An optional game drive is available from the Crocodile and Snake Park. This game drive gives incredible views of the surrounding valleys and you can learn a bit about the medicinal plants in the area.

Latest sightings on this trip include Blesbok, Impala, Wildebeest, Zebra, Giraffe, Bush Buck, Duiker and Bush Pig.

Time for Lunch! (optional extra)

Somewhere between all this activity you’ll no doubt have built up an appetite. Fancy a Crocodile Steak or a traditional Zulu meal? Or perhaps a less adventurous meal of toasted sandwiches and burgers? If your time allows, sit down for a relaxing meal at The Boma Restaurant.

Curio Shop

The curio shop is very well stocked with every African artifact imaginable. There is a wide selection of:

• Stone Carvings
• Wood Carvings
• Ostrich Eggs
• Pottery
• African Jewellery
• African Beadwork
• Zulu Spears and Shields
• Large Format Prints and Paintings

You’ll definitely find a beautiful memento of your trip to the PheZulu Cultural village.

After a full and exciting day, we leave the beautiful Valley of a Thousand Hills on the scenic route back to your accommodation, ‘on roads less traveled’.

Keen for a taste of traditional Zulu Culture? Contact me to find out more…

Iain Schouten
Tel: +27 31 716 8232
Cell: +27 79 649 3690

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Drakensberg Mountains

This one or two day tour takes you to the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, a world heritage site that encompasses South Africa’s highest mountain range.

The Drakensberg mountain range is also known by its Zulu name of uKhahlamba, meaning ‘Barrier of Spears’, certainly an apt name. Formed millions of years ago by the slip in the continental shelf, these mountains rise up and peak at in excess 3400 metres above sea level. They extend for 100’s of kilometers from North to South and are again very evident in the Eastern part of our country in Mpumalanga.

Majestic Drakensberg Mountains Tour

Travelling inland from Durban we soon pass Pietermaritzburg, the capital of KZN and then head up the hill to Hilton. A bit further on we reach, Howick and the beginnings of the Midlands Meander. On our left we see the majestic Drakensberg Mountains

In the distance, we can spot the place where the Voortrekkers crossed over the ridge in the 1800’s with their wagons and cattle. It’s really hard to imagine how difficult these circumstances and conditions were . For 4,000 years or so the Drakensberg mountains was home to the indigenous San people. Many caves in the area attest to their simple lifestyle. Bushman (San) Caves containing fascinating bushman paintings, or rock art, are easily accessible after a 2.5 km walk from the main Giant’s Castle Camp.

Cave outlook — Outlook from the Bushman caves at Giants Castle

Mountains Champagne Valley.enhanced header — Champagne Castle, Cathkin Peak & Sterkhorn

A trip to the Drakensberg and back in the evening is a great day out. Spending a night here is even better, substantially increasing this fabulous experience.

These majestic mountains are so special to me, a tonic for the soul. These words come to mind…

‘Miles and miles of majestic mountains – range upon range. Standing tall – witness to many tragedies over the years, most unsolved. Furious storms erupt every afternoon in the summer months and freezing snow and ice in winter.

Gloriously green always.
Mysterious and many moods.’

Sani Pass

Consider turning your one day tour into a two day tour and including a visit to Sani Pass. A trip up Sani Pass takes you into Lesotho, the source of the mighy Tugela River. Here you can enjoy a drink in the highest pub in Africa!

There are so many possibilities so allow me to create a personalized Drakensberg Mountain Tour to suit your particular needs and time while visiting KwaZulu-Natal.

Contact me to find out more …

Iain Schouten
Tel: +27 31 716 8232
Cell: +27 79 649 3690

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Battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal

Visit to the Historical Battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal

On this Day Tour we focus on the famous battle sites of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift (1879).

Many famous battles were fought on the vast fields of KwaZulu-Natal. The history of these battles will be answered on this tour. Along the way we pass through other important sites and the ongoing commentary will give you a good overall history of what happened in these Anglo Boer, Anglo Zulu Wars.

The land of King Shaka!

battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal — King Shaka

Born the illegitimate son of a king Shaka became a military expert as a very young man. He was ruthless, feared by all and with a big chip on his shoulder he became king at the age of 16. He soon founded the Zulu nation incorporating tribe after tribe through force, while employing the skills of his warriors.

A warrior nation!
Murdered by a brother in 1828!
What a story!

The Battle of Isandlwana

The raging battle at Isandlwana (1879) was fought in extreme conditions when the Zulu claimed a famous victory. Never had the British suffered such an embarrassing defeat in all their battles around the world. On this Battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal tour we walk those fields, which are really graveyards with cairns everywhere. Quiet and still, peaceful but eerie. From the vantage point of a hill nearby we are able to sit and gaze out in wonder and ponder the military genius of the Zulu army which was so efficient in victory.

The Battle of Rorke’s Drift

From Isandlwana we continue on to Rorke’s Drift where, on that very same day a party of some 3000/4000 Zulu’s broke away, anxious at being given an opportunity to”wash their spears” in the blood of the British. They defied the king’s orders and stormed over the Buffalo river into Natal to attack the small base at Rorke’s Drift, which was essentially a hospital.

How did those 139 brave souls at Rorke’s Drift manage to stay off that mad crowd of Zulus all night? Against all odds, they did. You will have plenty of time to step back into history, learn about this battle and have a look at its museum. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded to British soldiers who fought here, the most ever awarded in a single battle.

For this one day tour we depart at 06h00 and enjoy breakfast on the way with a tea/coffee break. We return home some 13 hours later – a long but thoroughly enjoyable day out.

Fancy turning this into a two day tour and visiting other battle sites? This can be easily arranged as there are many very comfortable establishments in the area at which to overnight.

Interested?

Iain Schouten
Tel: +27 31 716 8232
Cell: +27 79 649 3690

…or contact me now through the Contact Page.