Lesotho Mountain Trail

Pick up your rental car today at either the Johannesburg, Pretoria or Durban airport and head towards the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. This 12.000 acre park is located at the base of the Maluti mountains. The scenery here is a mix of majestic sandstone cliffs (such as those seen in the picture to the right) wooded valleys and wide open spaces. You'll spend the night at the rest camp in basic huts/chalets; your meals are not included. The camp has a restaurant and a pool (with slide) in the shape of a 'mountain springs pond'. The pool feels wonderful after a warm day of hiking. Go on a short hike in the cool afternoon air (1 to 5 hour hikes) or go on a game drive (see zebras, bush bucks, etc.) in your own rental car. You'll see both San and Bushman rock drawings in the park. There are also areas here where you can play tennis or go on horseback rides. In other words, you won't be bored while staying here.

Today you'll travel along the border at Peka into Lesotho. You'll spend the night in a traditional farm house in the mountains at 2000 metres, in the south-western part of Lesotho. This part of the country with its villages and waterfalls is also called Valley of Paradise. Your basic yet comfortable accommodation with restaurant, bar, studio and store was restored by its present owners (both born and raised in Lesotho) from a lodge to its current state. In total, there are approximately 40 rooms. You'll either stay in the farm house itself or in one of the new cottages. In any case you'll always have your own private bathroom. There is a generator available for electricity from 18.00-22.00, so don't forget to bring your flashlight. In the evening, enjoy the local (internationally acclaimed) children's choir and band.

Visit the Karoo natural reserve today for some game spotting. You'll see different types of antelopes (such as hartebeest, springbok, kudu), ostriches, Cape buffalos and Cape mountain zebras. You can also visit a village full of Cape-Dutch style houses; each one of these homes has been declared a monument. Another exciting experience in this area is a balloon ride over the vast wilderness of the Karoo. A cheaper and less elevated alternative would be to venture out and explore the area in your own rental car. The local ' Tourist Information' will answer any questions you may have about activities in the area.

Travel south to Addo Elephant National Park, located in the Eastern Cape province. The area was declared a national park in 1931 when only 12 elephants remained in the area. These days the eco-system has been restored and you'll find more than 350 elephants, 300 buffalos, black rhinos and all kinds of antelopes here (luckily not all in the same spot). There are plans to expand the 125.000 acre park by approximately 4x its size. You'll spend the night in one of the National Park chalets. If you wish, you could join an organized game drive in the Schotia game reserve in the evening. Your accommodation can give you more information about this optional activity.