Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
South Africa and Eswatini: Kruger, Zululand and the Durban coast
11 days from Johannesburg to Durban: three nights by southern Kruger, two in Eswatini's Ezulwini Valley, rhino country in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, the St Lucia estuary and a night on the Durban beachfront.
11 days · Johannesburg to Durban · up to 12 guests
The Nelson Mandela Bridge and central Johannesburg at night, where the trip begins Photo: South African Tourism, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mandela_Bridge,_Johannesburg,_Gauteng,_South_Africa.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 11 days, 10 nights
- Start and end
- Johannesburg to Durban
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Easy
Mostly game drives in open safari vehicles, with early starts on two days. The longest walk is the guided walking safari in Mlilwane, about 2 to 3 hours and 4 to 6 km on grass and dirt tracks at an easy pace. Optional ranger-led bush walks in Kruger and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi run about 3 hours. You can sit out any walk; the longest road day is about 5 hours with a border, broken by a sit-down lunch.
- Meals included
- 10 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 5 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 610 (estimated price)
- Season
- May to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Three nights by Kruger's southern gates, with a full day in an open vehicle and a sunset drive
- A guided walking safari among zebra, wildebeest and nyala in Mlilwane, Eswatini's oldest protected area
- Glassblowers at Ngwenya Glass and candle makers in the Malkerns Valley
- A morning in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, the park that brought the white rhino back
- A late-afternoon boat on the St Lucia estuary among hippos and crocodiles
- The Eastern Shores road to Cape Vidal, where forested dunes meet the Indian Ocean
- A bunny chow lunch in Durban and an evening walk on the Golden Mile
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 610 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Johannesburg
OR Tambo International Airport to your hotel in Rosebank or Sandton
- Dinner
- Stay in Johannesburg
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into OR Tambo International Airport (JNB), where a driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the drive of about half an hour to your hotel in Rosebank or Sandton, the leafy northern suburbs with restaurants and shops within walking distance.
Afternoon
If you land by about noon, your See Sight Tours guide takes you in the afternoon to the Apartheid Museum, south of the city centre, where you enter through a door assigned by the race printed on your ticket and walk through the history of segregation, resistance and the 1994 election. It is the right place to start a trip through South Africa, and a few hours is enough to take it in.
Evening
In the evening the group meets for a short briefing on the days ahead: early starts in Kruger, two border crossings and what to wear in an open vehicle. Then we sit down together to a welcome dinner nearby.
Included
- Pick-up at OR Tambo International Airport (JNB)
- The Apartheid Museum with your guide, for guests landing by about noon
- Welcome briefing and welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing if you land later in the day
Activity: Land by about noon to join the Apartheid Museum visit; the museum's opening days are confirmed with your final itinerary.
Fly to Kruger, first drive in the park
Johannesburg by air to Kruger Mpumalanga International, then by road to Malelane
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Malelane (Kruger)
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
Instead of five hours on the N4, we take a morning flight of about an hour from Johannesburg to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport near Mbombela, while our vehicle and driver go ahead by road. From the airport it is about an hour east along the Crocodile River valley, past sugar cane and citrus farms, to Malelane, a small town on the southern edge of Kruger National Park and our base for three nights.
Afternoon
Lunch is at the hotel, then a rest. Mid-afternoon we go through Malelane Gate in an open safari vehicle with a local guide for a first drive in the south of the park, where granite koppies rise out of thick bush and the river draws elephant, buffalo and hippo.
Evening
We are back out before the gate closes, around half past five in winter, and dinner tonight is together at the hotel.
Included
- Domestic flight from Johannesburg (JNB) to Kruger Mpumalanga International (MQP)
- Afternoon game drive in southern Kruger in an open safari vehicle with a local guide
- Kruger conservation fees
- Lunch and dinner
Free time: Short rest after lunch
Activity: Soft bags are easiest on the domestic flight; the baggage allowance is confirmed with your tickets.
A full day in Kruger
Malelane Gate to the Sabie River and Lower Sabie, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Malelane (Kruger)
We are at Malelane Gate when it opens, around 6 am in winter, in an open safari vehicle with a local guide and blankets for the cold first hour.
Morning
Early morning is when lions are still on the move and the light is low and warm. The route follows the guide's information and the sightings of the day, usually north through the southern bushveld towards the Sabie River, one of the park's richest areas for elephant, leopard and big herds at the water. Kruger covers nearly two million hectares, so this is one corner of it, done slowly.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal at a rest camp restaurant, Lower Sabie or Skukuza depending on the route, with a view over the river. In the afternoon we work our way back south, stopping at waterholes and dams, and leave before the gate closes.
Evening
The evening is free in Malelane.
Included
- Full-day game drive in Kruger National Park in an open safari vehicle with a local guide
- Sit-down lunch at a Kruger rest camp
- Kruger conservation fees
Free time: Evening free in Malelane
Activity: A game-drive day inside the park, about 180 km on park roads at safari pace; a long day in the vehicle, about ten hours with stops; the open vehicle is cold before sunrise in June and July, so bring a warm layer and gloves.
Walk or rest, then a sunset drive
Malelane and southern Kruger
- Breakfast
- Stay in Malelane (Kruger)
Morning
After a long day in the vehicle, the morning is your choice. The active option is a ranger-led bush walk in Kruger, about three hours on foot with two armed rangers, looking at tracks, dung beetles, termite mounds and birds, and the large animals from a respectful distance; walks start early and the group is small. The easy option is a slow breakfast and a morning by the pool or along the Crocodile River, where hippos and crocodiles are often in view from the bank. The middle of the day is free.
Evening
In the late afternoon we go back into the park in an open vehicle for a sunset drive, when the heat drops, the animals come down to drink and the light turns gold. Back in Malelane, dinner is your choice, at the hotel or in town.
Included
- Late-afternoon sunset drive in Kruger in an open safari vehicle with a local guide
- Kruger conservation fees
Optional experiences
- Ranger-led morning bush walk in Kruger (price shown at booking; minimum age confirmed at booking)
Easier option: A slow morning at the hotel and the Crocodile River bank, watching for hippos and crocodiles.
More active option: A ranger-led morning bush walk in Kruger, about three hours on foot with two armed rangers.
Free time: Middle of the day and the evening free
Activity: The walk is about three hours at an easy pace on uneven ground, with long stops. The sunset drive covers about 40 km of park roads from Malelane Gate.
Into Eswatini, and the glassblowers at Ngwenya
Malelane to the Jeppe's Reef border, Piggs Peak and Ngwenya, then the Ezulwini Valley
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Ezulwini Valley (Eswatini)
- Drive about 4 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive south to the Jeppe's Reef border, about 45 minutes away, and cross into Eswatini, a small kingdom with its own king, flag and traditions, almost surrounded by South Africa. The road climbs from the lowveld into green highlands and pine forest around Piggs Peak, one of the prettiest drives on the trip.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down stop on the way. In the early afternoon we reach Ngwenya Glass, where glassblowers turn recycled bottles into animals, vases and glasses; you can watch them work from the gallery above the furnace. From there it is about 40 minutes through Mbabane, the capital, and down into the Ezulwini Valley, our base for two nights, a few minutes from Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary.
Evening
The evening is free; there are restaurants in the valley.
Included
- Border crossing at Jeppe's Reef with your guide
- The highland road through Piggs Peak
- Ngwenya Glass: watch the glassblowers at work
- Sit-down lunch on the way
Free time: Evening free in the Ezulwini Valley
Activity: About 200 km and 4 hours of driving on mountain roads, including the border, broken by lunch and the glass workshop. Ngwenya Glass sits near Motshane, just off the Piggs Peak road above Mbabane, so there is no backtrack.
Mlilwane on foot, candles in Malkerns
Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, then the Malkerns Valley
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Ezulwini Valley (Eswatini)
- Drive about 30 min
Mlilwane is Eswatini's oldest protected area, a sanctuary of grassland, forest and hills below the Nyonyane peak. With no lions or leopards here, it is one of the few places on this trip where you can walk among the animals.
Morning
Early in the morning, before the heat, a local guide leads us on foot across the open grassland: zebra, blue wildebeest, impala, nyala and warthog are usually close, and the guide reads tracks and birds as we go. The walk lasts about two to three hours at an easy pace.
Afternoon
After a late breakfast we drive ten minutes to the Malkerns Valley for lunch, then visit Swazi Candles, where artisans shape and colour wax candles by hand in animal and patterned designs, with a craft market alongside.
Evening
The afternoon and evening are free: rest, walk Mlilwane's self-guided trails or watch the hippo pool.
Included
- Guided walking safari in Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary
- Mlilwane entry fee
- Sit-down lunch in the Malkerns Valley
- Swazi Candles workshop and craft market
Optional experiences
- Guided mountain biking or a horse ride in Mlilwane (price shown at booking)
Easier option: A shorter loop on the walking safari, about an hour, turning back with a guide.
More active option: In the afternoon, a self-guided hike on Mlilwane's trails towards the Nyonyane peak.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: The walk is about 4 to 6 km on grass and dirt tracks; wear neutral colours and closed shoes.
Across Eswatini to Zululand
Ezulwini Valley to Manzini, Big Bend and the Lavumisa border, then Hluhluwe
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Hluhluwe
- Drive about 5 h
Today is the longest road day and the one day over our four-hour cap: about 290 km and five hours including the border, because there is no shorter road between Eswatini's highlands and the Zululand reserves.
Morning
We leave after breakfast and drive east through Manzini and down into the lowveld, past sugar estates around Big Bend and the Lubombo hills on the horizon.
Afternoon
At Lavumisa we cross back into South Africa at Golela, then stop for a sit-down lunch that splits the day before the last hour or so into KwaZulu-Natal.
Evening
We reach Hluhluwe, a small town between Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and the iSimangaliso wetlands, in the middle of the afternoon, with time to settle in and sit outside before dinner together at the lodge. Our base here is two nights, so tomorrow's early start does not mean packing.
Included
- Border crossing at Lavumisa and Golela with your guide
- Sit-down lunch after the border
- Dinner at the lodge
Free time: Late afternoon free
Activity: About 5 hours of driving with the border, over our usual cap because no shorter road links the two areas; broken by a sit-down lunch and short stops.
Rhino country: Hluhluwe-iMfolozi
Hluhluwe to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and back
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Hluhluwe
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi was proclaimed in 1895, one of the oldest protected areas in Africa, and is known for the rescue of the southern white rhino: in the mid-twentieth century the park held most of the world's survivors, and rhino moved from here restocked reserves across Africa. We go through Memorial Gate at opening in an open safari vehicle with a local guide. The northern Hluhluwe section is hilly and green, with long views over the valleys; white and black rhino, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and lion all live here, and the park has the Big Five.
Afternoon
Breakfast is a picnic in the park and lunch is at a park camp, Hilltop, with a terrace that looks across the hills.
Evening
We are back at the lodge mid-afternoon for a free late afternoon, and dinner is together again tonight.
Included
- Morning game drive in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in an open safari vehicle with a local guide
- Park conservation fees
- Picnic breakfast and lunch in the park
- Dinner at the lodge
Optional experiences
- Ranger-led morning walk in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi in place of the drive (price shown at booking)
Easier option: Stay at the lodge after lunch rather than joining the last loop of the drive.
More active option: A ranger-led morning walk in the park, about three hours on foot, before joining the group for lunch.
Free time: Late afternoon free
Activity: An early start at gate opening, around 6 am in winter. A game-drive day inside the park, about 100 km on park roads including the run from Hluhluwe town to Memorial Gate.
Cape Vidal and the St Lucia estuary
Hluhluwe to St Lucia, the Eastern Shores road to Cape Vidal, and the estuary by boat
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in St Lucia
- Drive about 2 h
A short drive of about an hour takes us to St Lucia, a village on the estuary inside iSimangaliso Wetland Park, listed by UNESCO in 1999. We go straight on through the Eastern Shores gate and drive the road north to Cape Vidal, about 32 km between Lake St Lucia and forested coastal dunes, with loops through grassland where buffalo, kudu and sometimes rhino graze, and hides over the wetlands. At Cape Vidal the dunes meet a long beach on the Indian Ocean; from June to November watch for humpback whales offshore.
Afternoon
Back in St Lucia, lunch is in the village. In the late afternoon we board a boat on the estuary for about two hours among hippos, crocodiles and fish eagles, as the light goes.
Evening
The evening is free; after dark, hippos sometimes graze on the village verges, so keep to lit streets.
Included
- Eastern Shores road and Cape Vidal in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, with entry fees
- Sit-down lunch in St Lucia
- Late-afternoon boat on the St Lucia estuary
Optional experiences
- Whale-watching boat from St Lucia, June to November (price shown at booking)
Free time: Evening free in St Lucia
Activity: Bring a swimsuit for Cape Vidal; swim only where it is marked as safe.
Down the coast to Durban
St Lucia to Durban on the N2
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Durban
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive south about three hours on the N2 through sugar cane country and past Richards Bay to Durban, the biggest city on South Africa's Indian Ocean coast.
Afternoon
Lunch is a bunny chow, Durban's own dish: a hollowed-out quarter loaf of bread filled with curry, created in the city's Indian community, which has been here since indentured workers arrived in the 1860s. Your guide takes the group to a local spot and shows you the right way to eat it, with your hands. In the afternoon we walk through the spice and incense stalls of the Victoria Street Market, then check in on the beachfront.
Evening
Before sunset we walk part of the Golden Mile, a promenade of about 6 km above the beaches, with surfers, joggers and piers into the surf, to the bowl of Moses Mabhida Stadium. We end the trip with a farewell dinner together.
Included
- Bunny chow lunch with your guide
- Victoria Street Market
- Guided walk on the Golden Mile beachfront
- Farewell dinner
Free time: Short break after check-in
Activity: About 3 to 4 km on the flat for the promenade walk. The Victoria Street Market keeps shorter hours on Saturdays and Sundays, so on a weekend we time the visit to its opening hours.
A last morning by the sea, depart Durban
Durban beachfront to King Shaka International Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
The last morning is free. Walk the promenade early, when the light is soft and the surfers are already out, have coffee facing the sea, or take a last swim at a lifeguarded beach. Checkout is late morning, and your guide sees the group to King Shaka International Airport (DUR), about 35 km and 40 minutes north of the city along the coast, where the trip ends. Book a flight leaving after about 1 pm.
Evening
Most international journeys from Durban connect through Johannesburg or a Gulf hub; we can book an extra night in Durban if you would like to stay on, or a transfer to Umhlanga, the beach town on the way to the airport. If you are flying on from Johannesburg the same day, allow at least two hours for the connection, and keep any rand you need for the airport.
Included
- Drop-off at King Shaka International Airport (DUR)
Optional experiences
- Extra nights in Durban or Umhlanga (price shown at booking)
Free time: Morning free on the beachfront
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 1 pm.
- Johannesburg1 night
- Malelane (Kruger)3 nights
- Ezulwini Valley (Eswatini)2 nights
- Hluhluwe2 nights
- St Lucia1 night
- Durban1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: May to October is the dry winter: the bush thins and animals gather at water, so game viewing is at its best, and malaria risk is lower. Mornings are cold in open vehicles and the days are warm and dry. Humpback whales pass the St Lucia coast from about June to November.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- A first safari with comfortable hotels, not camping
- Travellers who want wildlife, culture and a coast in one trip
- Walkers who want to be on foot among animals at least once
- Two countries without long days on the road
Not for you if you want
- A luxury private-reserve lodge safari
- Travellers who want the Panorama Route or Cape Town (see our other South Africa trips)
- Anyone who does not want early starts on safari days
- A beach holiday: the coast here is two days, not a week
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
10 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Johannesburg1 night
- Malelane (Kruger)3 nights
- Ezulwini Valley (Eswatini)2 nights
- Hluhluwe2 nights
- St Lucia1 night
- Durban1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 10 nights in en-suite hotels and lodges: 1 in Johannesburg (Rosebank or Sandton), 3 in Malelane by Kruger's southern gates, 2 in the Ezulwini Valley by Mlilwane, 2 in Hluhluwe, 1 in St Lucia village, 1 on or near the Durban beachfront
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
- We name each hotel when we confirm your dates
Transport
- Pick-up at OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) and drop-off at King Shaka International Airport (DUR)
- Domestic flight from Johannesburg to Kruger Mpumalanga International (MQP)
- Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver for the group from Kruger to Durban
- Open safari vehicles with local guides in Kruger and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi
- The St Lucia estuary boat
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, with local guides on game drives, the Mlilwane walk and the estuary boat
Activities
- The Apartheid Museum, Johannesburg (for guests landing by about noon)
- Afternoon game drive, full-day game drive and sunset drive in Kruger National Park
- Ngwenya Glass, Eswatini
- Guided walking safari in Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Eswatini
- Swazi Candles, Malkerns Valley
- Morning game drive in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
- Eastern Shores and Cape Vidal, iSimangaliso Wetland Park
- Late-afternoon boat on the St Lucia estuary
- Victoria Street Market and a guided Golden Mile walk, Durban
- All park conservation and entry fees
Meals
- 10 breakfasts
- 8 lunches, including a rest-camp lunch in Kruger and a bunny chow in Durban
- 5 dinners: welcome dinner in Johannesburg, first night by Kruger, two nights in Hluhluwe and a farewell dinner in Durban
Not included
- International flights to Johannesburg and from Durban
- Visas, if your passport needs them
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed: 5 dinners and 3 lunches (days 1, 4 and 11)
- Drinks
- Tips for guides, rangers and drivers
- Optional activities: Kruger and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi bush walks, whale watching, mountain biking or riding in Mlilwane
- Malaria tablets and vaccinations
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 610 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Ten nights in en-suite hotels and lodges, 10 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 5 dinners, the flight from Johannesburg to Kruger, airport transfers at both ends, your own vehicle and driver, a See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every drive, walk, boat and park fee in the day plan, including the full-day Kruger drive, the sunset drive, Mlilwane, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and the St Lucia boat.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. Comparable trips on this route take 16 to 22. With 12, the group travels in one or two safari vehicles, so nobody is packed into a rear row, and everyone fits around one table at lunch.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from Johannesburg to Durban. Local guides drive the safari vehicles in Kruger and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, lead the Mlilwane walk and run the estuary boat, because the parks require it and they know the animals' movements day to day.
How fit do I need to be?
Not very. Most of the wildlife is seen from open vehicles. The Mlilwane walk is about 2 to 3 hours at an easy pace on grass, with a shorter loop if you prefer. The optional bush walks run about three hours. Expect two very early starts at the park gates and one day of about 5 hours on the road, broken by lunch.
Why are there early starts if you avoid them?
Only on the two park days that need them. Kruger and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi open their gates around 6 am in winter, and the first hours are when lions and rhino are most active and the light is best. Every other day starts after a normal breakfast.
Is there a single supplement for solo travellers?
Yes. A room of your own is from CAD 610 more, about 17 percent of the trip price, and we show it before you request to book. Solo travellers join the same group and the same tables; nobody is put in a lesser room or seat.
When is the best time to go?
May to October, the dry winter. Grass and leaves thin out, animals gather at water, and malaria risk is lower. Mornings are cold in open vehicles, days warm and dry. From about June to November, humpback whales pass the St Lucia coast.
Do I need a visa for South Africa and Eswatini?
Canadian, US, UK and EU passports are currently visa-free for short tourist stays in both countries. You cross the Eswatini border twice, so at least six months of passport validity beyond your travel dates, with at least two blank pages, is the safe rule. We confirm it for your passport at booking.
Is it a malaria area?
Kruger and the lowveld are malaria areas, and northern KwaZulu-Natal and eastern Eswatini carry a lower risk. The risk drops in the dry winter months we travel. Talk to a travel clinic about tablets before you go, and bring insect repellent and long sleeves for evenings.
How is this different from your Kruger and Victoria Falls trip?
Our Kruger and Victoria Falls trip drives the Panorama Route, sees Kruger from Hazyview near its western gates, adds a private reserve and flies on to Zimbabwe. This one uses Kruger's southern gates, then goes on by road through Eswatini to the rhino parks, the St Lucia wetlands and Durban, with a walking safari and two border crossings.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, from CAD 6,470 per person. If you would rather travel independently, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, drives and transfers for your dates.
How does booking work?
Pick a start date and request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 3,595 per person sharing a room, with taxes included.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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