Pumba Msenge Bush Lodge

Romantic Safari + 2 more + 3 more

South Africa Safari & Beach

South Africa, Mauritius

A seamless South Africa and Mauritius holiday.

14 days

from £4,450 pp

Bergs, Battlefields & Bush

Safari Adventure + 2 more + 3 more

Exploring the history & wildlife of KwaZulu-Natal.

13 days

from £4,750 pp

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 1 more + 2 more

Waterfalls to Waterfront

South Africa, Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls, Kruger & Cape Town.

11 days

from £4,950 pp

Kruger, Canyons & Cape

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 2 more + 3 more

The perfect South African summer holiday.

14 days

from £3,995 pp

South Africa Family Holiday

Family Safari + 1 more + 2 more

The ultimate family adventure through South Africa's highlights.

15 days

from £3,495 pp

South Africa Safari Explorer

South Africa's wildlife at its best.

14 days

Safari Wildlife & Nature

from £5,850 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in South Africa

Historical tour

The Eastern Cape has seen the convergence of many cultures, often with bloody results. The indigenous Khoi-Khoi people, the Xhosas (originally from further north in Africa), the British settlers and the Boer farmers all trod paths here and there were a series of conflicts as a result. The tales from this region are not as well-known as those of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift in KwaZulu-Natal, but they are no less interesting and they have had no less an influence on modern-day South Africa. Alan Weyer is a local man who has steeped himself in this history, and also happens to be a superb raconteur and guide, so a tour with him is the best way to get to know more about Eastern Cape history – a side of the Eastern Cape that deserves much greater recognition. Some of our recommended safari lodges work with Alan Weyer and it will be easy to arrange a tour (subject to his availability), other lodges it may take a bit more organizing: if this is something you would like to do, please let us know so we can take it into account when planning your trip. &;

Eastern Cape Bush Walks

Most lodges in private game reserves, in the period around lunchtime between the two usual daily safari drives, offer guests the chance to go on a short safari walk. The focus on these is not the game you’d see on drive. Instead you’ll concentrate on learning about the trees and plants, including their various uses in bush medicine and bush craft. You’ll also have the chance to look at the much, much smaller animals like spiders and millipedes, no less worthy of your attention than the bigger animals in the reserve! Some of the private reserves offer a more intensive walking safari experience, where you’ll walk for large parts of a day through the bush, or even for a couple of days, camping out. Sometimes these will be to walk with cheetahs, which seem particularly comfortable being accompanied or tailed by humans; other times it will just be about the thrill of spending protracted amounts of time on foot in what has become an alien and fascinating environment for modern man, never knowing what is around the next corner, and really getting the chance to understand and appreciate nature. If this is something you are particularly interested in, please let us know so we can direct you towards appropriate lodges and reserves.

Horse-back safaris

The Addo Elephant National Park offers a range of rides for inexperienced and experienced riders. Some of the rides go through the Nyathi section of the park: here you may encounter big game (although not lions or hyenas, which spook horses), as well as plains game. So your ride will focus on the game, getting close to impressive herds of antelope, and maybe even spotting elephant or rhino from horseback. The Zuurberg Mountain section of the park, there is no large game, just wonderful plains game, and miles and miles of the most amazing mountain views to enjoy. The rides are all organized by the South African National Parks board and riding hats are available. Booking in advance is essential. If you’re staying at somewhere like Elephant House, where safari activities are not included in the price, they will happily book the excursion for you and, if you wish, transfer you to and from the Addo. If you are staying on a private game reserve, they are normally prepared to transfer you to and from the Addo, although this varies from lodge to lodge: please check with us. Game viewing on horse back is a specially experience: because the animals do not perceive horses as a threat, you can get much closer to the game than you can on foot, and you can do it without the sound of a game drive vehicle. It makes it a much more intimate game viewing experience, and one you should definitely consider.

Addo Self-Drive Safari

For those not staying on a private reserve, but staying in the Addo National Park or a nearby hotel or lodge, self-driving through the Addo is an interesting alternative to a guided safari. Unless you really know a lot about safari, it should never replace the experience of guided game drives and walks in the company of an expert who can not only find the animals but also explain them to you. However to complement guided game drives, or for those who feel they know their way around their African wildlife, it makes an exciting and rewarding way to see game. The park is laced with a network of roads, some tarmac and many more graded tracks (passable in a normal saloon car). There is a real thrill in setting off into the park, under your own steam, equipped with a map showing roads, waterholes and notable features, a pair of binoculars, a bird and mammal guide, and perhaps a packed lunch. You can then do whatever takes your fancy: spend half an hour with a herd of zebra or impala (which would never happen on a guided game drive), or head for a waterhole and sit with your bird book trying to identify as many species as possible, or simply to drive slowly around, taking in the amazing scenery and hoping to spot some big game.