24 day South Africa camping tours

After arrival at Johannesburg airport, pick up your luggage and our South African representative will meet up with you right after customs. Our representative will take you to the 4X4 rental office, not far from the airport. While at the rental office be sure to check your 4X4 and camping equipment to make sure it's all working properly. After all of the required formalities are finished, you're all set for your 'great adventure'! The first leg of your trip will take approximately 4 hours. Drive over the N4 past Witbank to your first accommodation near Nelspruit and close to Kruger Park. To help you recoup from your day, we've already set up tents for you in this beautiful area. This gives you enough time to enjoy the campfire during your first evening here. Your stay here is based on full board.  

Today on the South Africa camping tour you'll have a quiet day so that you can recoup from yesterday's drive. You could, for instance, drive out to the northern part of the Drakensberg mountains and at the same time get used to driving a 4X4. This area was specifically added to this itinerary because of it's ideal location for an introduction to 4X4 driving. If you feel a little insecure driving a 4X4, then this is your chance to practice driving through water crossings and deep potholes. If you're interested, John or Shaun can let you in on all of the in's and out's of 4X4 driving. If you've already mastered it, this would be the perfect day for a horseback ride through the rugged terrain.

Our local contacts in South Africa can inform you on the best places to stock up on supplies and also warn you where not to buy supplies. This will save you time and money when you get back on the road on your camping tour.
 

The following morning you'll take down your tent after your first self-made breakfast. Now it's time for some serious safari activities on your South Africa camping tours. Wake up early so that you can experience a game drive in your own car on your way to Kruger's Orpen gate. Your next accommodation is a small farm in the middle of the bush; lunch will be waiting for you when you arrive. The lodge is beautifully located and from the veranda you'll be able to look out over the bush waterholes. 

In the afternoon you'll leave your own 4X4 behind and take part in a professional game drive in an open land rover. A local game tracker with years of experience in tracking wild animals will lead you in the search for the Big 5. 

After a morning game drive and a hearty breakfast you'll head off to the well known Blyde River Canyon. This is the third largest canyon in the world and the panorama views are spectacular. Don't forget to take a few rest-stops along the way, for instance for a picnic at one of the many waterfalls. From Blyde River Canyon you'll have a view of the Three Rondavels, God's Window en Wonder view. The park is approximately 26.000 acres and the canyon itself is 30 kilometres long with panoramic views along the entire length of the canyon. You'll spend the night of Day 6 of the South Africa camping tour at a spacious holiday resort camp site with a swimming pool, bar/ restaurant and a supermarket. 

You'll spend the entire day in this area on your South Africa camping tour. Rest out and relax a bit and then leave for a day trip through the surrounding area around mid-morning. A must-see during your day trip is Bourke's Luck Potholes. The potholes can be found where the Blyde River and the Treur River meet. Currents and whirlpools at this spot in the riverbed have created round holes in the surrounding rock formations. It's quite a sight to see! You may also want to stop by the town of Sabie and the former mining town Pilgrim's Rest with its' charming small cafés and historic houses. This would be a great place to stop for lunch. At the end of the day you'll return to the holiday resort's campsite.

Next up on the camping tour is Swaziland. You'll cross the South Africa/Swaziland border through a special 4X4 route. At the simple border crossing you'll receive a stamp in your passport and from then on you'll be travelling through the kingdom of Swaziland. The beautiful mountain trail makes for quite an enjoyable 4X4 ride. From Piggs Peak you'll drive over paved roads to the capital of Mbabane; a bustling and somewhat chaotic city. You can stop here for a visit to the local markets and to stock up on supplies. Then you'll leave the city and head towards the Ezulwini Valley and the Mlilwane National Park. You'll spend the night at a campsite with a bar, restaurant and a swimming pool. In the evening you can sit back and relax by the campfire.

If you don't mind waking up early this morning, go on a short horseback ride through the park (reservations must be made a day in advance; this is also a fun ride for beginners). Horseback riding through the park at sunrise is an unforgettable experience. If you're not much of a fan of horses, you can also choose to rent a mountain bike for a ride through the park.

Later you'll leave Swaziland by way of the Lavumisa border crossing. Once back in South Africa, the camping tour continues to the small town of Mkuze and the Mkuze Game Reserve, which lies at the border of St. Lucia Park. There are an incredible amount of unique birds in this area, as well as crocodiles, hippos, elephants and rhinos. Once you've reached the park, sometime in the afternoon, drive down one of the fun 4X4 routes through the southern part of the park. You'll spend the night at the park campsite.

Today you'll be able to explore the park by 4X4 once again, in search of large or small wild animals. After breakfast you'll leave the park and continue on towards Cape Vidal, the coastline behind St. Lucia Park. The coastline is made up of enormous sand dunes that border on the Indian Ocean. It's a great location for swimming, snorkelling and climbing sand dunes.

You can only drive a 4X4 in this area if you have a special permit and these are hard to come by. We suggest exploring the dunes by foot. You'll spend the night of South Africa camping tours at the Cape Vidal campsite.

The beaches at Cape Vidal are so beautiful and inviting that you could easily stay there all day long. However, there's so much more to see in this area such as nearby Greater St. Lucia Wetlands Park. St. Lucia Lake is home to an abundance of flora and fauna and features four different eco-systems within an area of 40 km: swampland, wetlands, bush lands and grasslands. During your visit to the lake you might see crocodiles, hippos, flamingos, pelicans and many fish-eating birds. A flat-bottom boat leaves from St. Lucia twice a day for a two hour cruise over the lake. These cruises can easily be booked on location.

If you're interested in seeing more natural parks on your South Africa camping tour you can choose to visit Hluhluwe Park, which is 60 km west of St Lucia.
 

Today you'll go on a long, yet beautiful, drive to the middle of Drakensberg and then on to Champagne Castle, at 3377 metres its peak is the second highest in the country. You'll spend the night at the Injisuthi camp site, near Cathin Peak and Monks Cowl. This park is beautiful, and not as frequently visited as other parks in Drakensberg. You'll spend another night at the camp site with a small store for stocking up on supplies. 

Today you'll reach the summit of this most spectacular South Africa camping tour - literally! You'll drive on a winding sandy road that connects the kingdom of the Zulu with that of the Lesotho. Having a 4X4 is definitely a necessity in this area and you'll be able to experience its full potential while driving in this along this path. Forget your worries, try not to hurry and take time to enjoy the view'; you'll only be travelling a short distance today. At the end of the day, you'll spend the night in a chalet at the top of the mountain pass. During the chilly evenings, you'll really enjoy your heated chalet. Dinner and breakfast are included in the price of your trip. There aren't any stores in this area.

From the top of the mountain pass, drive into Lesotho towards Maseru, the capital. Stop at Semongong to see the Maletsunyane Falls, the highest of southern Africa. Tonight on the camping tour you'll stay at a traditional farm house at approximately 2000 m in the mountains 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 transformed by it's present owners- both born and raised in Lesotho- from a lodge to it's current state. In total, there are approximately 40 rooms. You'll stay in either the farm house rooms or the new cottages, all of them have private bathrooms. There is a generator available for electricity from 18.00-22.00, therefore a flash light is always a necessity.

Today you'll drive out of Lesotho by way of the southern Telebridge border crossing into South Africa and head your camping tours towards the Mount Zebra National Park. The park isn't far from the town of Craddock and was once founded to protect the nearly extinct Cape Mountain Zebra. Luckily their numbers have increased and today there are more than 350 of these animals roaming the park. Aside from the zebra, you'll also spot black rhino's and buffalos in this park. The park is perfect for 4X4 driving and lends itself for great game drives. You'll spend the night at the park campsite and you'll have access to a small store and restaurant if you arrive at the campsite on time. 

Today your South Africa camping tours will take you south towards Addo Elephant National Park, which lies in the Sundays River Valley at the Eastern Cape. The park was declared a national park in 1931 when there were only 12 elephants emaining. These days the eco-system has been restored. There are more than 450 elephants, hundreds of buffalo, black rhinos and all kinds of antelopes roaming the park. At the end of the day you'll set up your roof top tent on top of your 4X4 at the park campsite. There is a bar, restaurant and a store nearby. If you would like to join a game drive in the evening, make reservations ahead of time or book the game drive at the park. 

Today you'll travel further south on your South Africa camping tours towards the coast and on to Tsitsikamma National Park. The park is completely bordered by sea on one side and it is unlike any other park you may have seen in the past. The park has a rugged coastline with massive cliffs created by relentless pounding waves. There is also a more gentle side to this remarkable coastline; secluded beaches, waterfalls and fynbos in river valleys. You may even spot a few dolphins playing around in the surf if you look closely. If you arrive at the right season (July to November) you could even spot whales here. The possibilities in this area are endless, for instance you could go on a number of fun hikes through the area. The Otter Trail is especially popular here. However you can also go kayaking, diving, snorkelling, walking on tree tops or black water tubing. In the evening, when the entire world becomes quiet, you'll hear the unmistakeable peaceful sound of the surf. This park also has a store and a restaurant.

On Day 19, you'll continue your South Africa camping tours on towards Cape Town, passing the popular town of Knysna along the way. While in Knysna, visit Knysna Heads, the gateway to the sea or visit the shopping mall near the sea. After a while you'll reach the Wilderness Park where you'll spend 2 nights at a campsite. The park is located in beautiful wetlands and is the habitat of the Knysna Loerie. There are also plenty of outdoor activities to take part in, such as mountain biking, hiking or going on a boat ride. The beach is approximately 500 metres away from the campsite, so you could even choose to relax and unwind on the beach. You might even spot the same dolphins you met while you were in Tsitsikamma.

You'll only travel a short distance today to the town of Oudtshoorn, in the middle of the semi-desert region of the Karoo. Here you'll find the country's centre of ostrich farming. If you're interested in learning more about this unusual animal, you could visit one of the many farms in the area. While you're in this area, you should most definitely try to drive through the Swartberg Pass. Some people say it's the most beautiful mountain pass in Sough Africa..... and we agree with them! While you're driving up winding unpaved roads to the summit of the mountain you'll have the most magnificent view of the area. If you have some time left over after your drive, you may want to visit the Cango caves. There are tours every hour. There's lots of crawling involved, so claustrophobics may find it hard going. You'll spend the night at a campsite near the caves; stores and restaurants located in town. Click here for more information on Ostrich farming and the Swartberg pass.

This morning you'll head out on your last long drive of this itinerary: the road to Cape Town. You'll drive straight through the Karoo along the Route 62 to Cape Town. The last few days of your South Africa camping tour will be spent in a friendly guest house in the Sea Point district. The guest house has a great central location close to the centre of town, the waterfront and Table Mountain. The guest house also has a pool for you to cool off in. A delicious breakfast is included in the price of this trip.