Immerse yourself in South Africa’s lowveld bush country, for a classic safari experience in one of the continent’s richest wildlife regions. Tune in to the sights, sounds and smells of the ever-changing bush, and track wildlife at a child-friendly pace with one of the country’s top wilderness guides. Visiting and local youth connect through shared cultural activities, nature learning and community service.
Our host in South Africa is Wilderness Vision, which carries out environmental education and sustainability projects with schools and community organizations throughout the region. This trip builds personal, social and environmental awareness, exploring the power of nature as not just a place, but a way of life.
Highlights Include:
– Get to know local children and families
– The “Big Five”: lions, leopards, elephants, rhino and buffalo
– Overnight stay in traditional Shangaan village
– Community service (plant food gardens, improve schools, etc.)
Cost:
From $4,000 per person
Included:
– Accommodations for 11 nights (details below)
– Airport transfer at arrival and departure
– Ground transportation for all program activities
– Trip leader and trip guides
– Entrance fees for all excursions described in itinerary
– Three meals per day
– Pre-trip reading list and resources
– Global Buddies T-shirts
– Modest donations to our local host organizations
Not Included:
International and domestic flights; travel insurance (highly recommended); personal expenses, including local purchases and alcoholic beverages; tips.
Airfare:
International flights are arranged separately, as are domestic flights between Johannesburg and Greater Kruger National Park area. Families may make their own arrangements or work with us to secure competitive airfares and insurance rates.
Register:
A deposit of $500 per person will hold your place on the this trip. Please register early, as our trips fill quickly.
While we make every effort to maintain the listed price, drastic fluctuations in fuel costs and currency exchange rates may require the addition of a fuel surcharge or foreign exchange adjustment. All prices based on double occupancy; single supplements apply.
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ARRIVAL: You will be met at Johannesburg International Airport and transported to your accommodations, where Global Buddies staff will greet you and orient you to the area. Traveling families gather for an opening dinner to welcome them to South Africa. |
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PROGRAM BEGINS: Our program begins with a full day in Johannesburg. Visit the amazing Apartheid Museum for a compelling introduction to South Africa’s dramatic journey from apartheid to democracy. Tour Soweto, the historic heart of the anti-apartheid struggle, which is now a vibrant, trend-setting metropolitan township. |
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Leave urban South Africa and fly to Mpumalanga Province. We’ll visit Induna adventure camp, where children and adults can partake in some high-energy outdoor fun. We’ll choose from a variety of adventurous activities like quad biking, rafting, mountain boarding and hiking. Get to know your fellow travelers in this comfortable setting, surrounded by rivers, mountains and forests. |
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Head to the bush via the Panorama Route on the edge of the Drakensberg Mountains — one of the most scenic drives in the world, with breathtaking views that rival the Grand Canyon. By afternoon, we’ll be in Klaserie Game Reserve, which shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park. Enjoy an authentic, old-school safari – tracking game by day, eating dinner under the stars, sharing stories around the campfire. Two nights in a remote tented camp on the Klaserie River. |
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Spend the day exploring what the bush has to offer, with morning and evening game drives and a variety of other activities. Our guide is one of the most knowledgeable game rangers in all of South Africa, and you’ll be amazed at the wealth of nature lore and facts about animal behavior you’ll absorb. Have the opportunity to meet local families. |
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Move on to Timbavati Game Reserve, continuing to explore the area’s animals, plants and extraordinary bird life. Depending on what is happening in the bush that day, we may search out the roar of nearby lions, follow fresh leopard tracks or look for signs of passing elephants. Two nights in rustic cabins. |
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Our in-depth encounter with the bush continues, as we spend a full day exploring the Timbavati Game Reserve. An optional visit to an elephant research center offers the chance to meet scientists surveying the movement patterns of elephants in the reserve. Share cultural exchange with members of the local community. |
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Onward to Mafunyani Cultural Village, for an overnight stay in an authentic Shangaan village. Meet local families, see daily Shangaan life, view a cultural performance and join South African students in community service. Enjoy local fare and sleep on traditional reed mats in authentic Shangaan huts. |
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After roughing it deep in the bush, we’ll end our trip with a bit of understated luxury at a private safari lodge. Settle into the rhythm of a less hurried era, where game drives mix with relaxation, and take the time to absorb and reflect on everything you’ve learned. Apply your newfound knowledge of the bush, as you seek out some of the area’s spectacular diversity of wildlife – elephant, giraffe, wild buffalo, white rhino, lions, leopards and more. Two nights in private cottages. |
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DEPARTURES: After a morning game drive, bid farewell to the bush – though you may have the call of Africa in your blood by now – and fly back to Johannesburg International Airport. Families may explore further on their own or begin their journey home. |
We reserve the right to adjust individual items on this itinerary as needed; the main components will not change.