SOUTH AFRICA WILDLIFE SAFARI
August 2023
8 day expedition / 6 days wildlife viewing
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve and Bonamanzi Game Reserve
South Africa
- 6 Spaces Available -

8 day expedition with 6 days of wildlife viewing

African Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs and Wild Dogs

Includes a night safari seeking out Leopards, Bush Babies and Genets

Trip Itinerary

DAY 1
TRAVEL DAY
We pick you up at the Durban International Airport  (DUR), and drive you 3 hours to the Bonamanzi Game Reserve, which is where we will be staying during our time here.

Once we arrive we will help you check into your lodging, the rest of day is yours to wander around the area and see what wildlife is lurking about.

We will get together at 7PM in the dinner room, to discuss the morning plans, and have dinner.

Day 2
WILDLIFE SAFARI ( # 1 Safari )
We meet up with our guide at 6:30AM and head out in search of wildlife at Bonamanzi. Bonamazi game reserve is a Big 4 park, no lions.

We will be seeking out, close up encounters with elephants, buffalo, rhinoceros, giraffes, wildebeests, nyalas, zebras, leopards, and monkeys.

At noon we break for lunch, then head back out at 3PM for a late afternoon session to find more wildlife.

At the end of the day we will stop to enjoy a cold beverage and watch the sunset, with hopefully zebras or elephants in the background.

DAY 3
WILDLIFE SAFARI ( # 2 safari )
Early morning start. We meet up with our guide at 6:30 and head out to the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve. Today we will spend 6 hours seeking out wildlife. Hluhluwe is a Big 5 park, with a very healthy elephant and Southern white rhinoceros population. We will also seek out the elusive black rhinos, cape buffalos, lions, leopards as well as wild dogs. 

Day Three Continues - We will return to Bonamanzi at 1PM, rest for a couple of hours, then at 3PM we will head out in a private skiff on the Hluhluwe River to seek out hippos to photograph.

There are also opportunities to encounter, monitor lizards, crocodiles and a diversity of water birds, including the beautiful African pygmy kingfisher.

We will watch the sunset on the river then return you back to your lodge to clean up for dinner. 

DAY 4
WILDLIFE SAFARI ( # 3 Safari)
Early Morning Start. We meet up with our guide at 6:30 and head out to the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve. Today we will spend 6 hours seeking out wildlife.

We return to Bonamanzi at 1PM, rest for a couple of hours, then at 3PM we will head out

DAY 5
WILDLIFE SAFARI ( # 4 Safari )
6:30AM, we return to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve and spend the morning hours seeking out wildlife.   Everyday is different out here and we never know what to expect.

NIGHT SAFARI
We will return to Bonamanzi at 1PM, rest for a few hours then prep for a night game drive at Bonamanzi, seeking out leopards, bush babies, ganets, and other wildlife that is active during the night. 

DAY 6
WILDLIFE SAFARI ( # 5 Safari )
6:30AM, we return to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve and spend the morning hours seeking out wildlife.   

Nile Croc Encounter. Right outside our lodgings is a big pond which contains Nile crocodiles. This is a great opportunity for some close-up dusk photography, with these habituated dinosaurs.

DAY 7
WILDLIFE SAFARI ( # 6 Safari )
This is our final day of safari and we will again spend it at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve seeking out the amazing wildlife here. 

In the evening for our final dinner we will enjoy a Braai (barbeque dinner), over looking a specular view of the river. Ganets and bush babies are often seen in the trees above us as they wait for us to leave so they can sneak down to find scraps left from our dinner.

DAY 8 - We will leave Bonamanzi at 7AM and return you to Durban International airport for your journey home. 

YOUR NEXT MOVE…
Let us know you are interested in joining us. 

PLEASE NOTE, On these trips;
- We will not leave if there is a predation event happening. We understand that watching a lion or wild dog, making a kill is gruesome and hard to watch, however that is very natural, and part of the experience, so please keep this in mind when signing up for this expedition.

PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION POLICY 

PAYMENT POLICY

• A non-refundable deposit of $800 USD is required to reserve a space on SDM adventures.

• 50% of the expedition cost (balance) is due 180 days prior to departure.

• 100% of the expedition cost (balance) is due 90 days prior to departure.

• A 4% surcharge is applied to payments made via credit card.

• A 3% paypal surcharge is applied to payments made using paypal.

• Payments can also be made via wire transfer. Just let us know and we will send you the bank transfer info.
  Please add $40 to cover bank fees.

• Payments can be made by mailing a U.S. Check, or U.S. Money Order Payable to:

• SDM adventures
  332 East 15th St.
  San Juan, Texas 78589
  
  CANCELLATION POLICY 
  
  All cancellations made more than 120 days prior to departure will receive refund (less an administrative fee of $500 USD per person). This fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. However, if we manage to fill the trip after you cancel, we will apply the deposit towards any of our trips that you sign up for, during the following 12 months. If you cancel again during that period, you will lose the deposit.

• Cancellations made (91 to 120), calendar days prior to departure, are assessed a cancellation fee of 50% of the entire trip price, (including extensions).

• Cancellations made within 90 days of departure date will not be refunded, therefore we strongly recommend all guest purchase travel insurance.

• All cancellations must be made in writing by mail or by email to sdm@sharkdivermag.com, - received and acknowledged by SDM Adventures.

• We are not responsible for cancellations due to medical or other reasons.

• No fees will be refunded if you withdraw after an expedition begins.

• We are not responsible for any fees associated with non-refundable air travel, we highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance.