Itinerary

1. Day 1: Mapungubwe National Park

   • Arrive at Tambo International Airport at 06: 00

   • Depart from the airport for Mapungubwe National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site), an ancient fortress and burial place. Excavations in the 1930s uncovered a royal graveyard containing human remains and several artefacts. Mapungubwe is an essential link to the indigenous  African past and was declared a world heritage in 2003.

   • Check in to your hotel and enjoy the view while lounging around.

   • Head for a night safari.

2. Day 2: Mapungubwe National Park

   • At 05:00, depart for an early morning safari game drive, searching for crepuscular mammals like leopards, caracals, African wild cats, and general game for 3 hrs.

   • After freshening up and breakfast, depart for a heritage site walk and then lunch.

   • Head for a day drive to the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers, where the borders of South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana meet.

   • Return to the lodge and relax.

   • Depart for safari sundowner drive.

3. Day 3: Polokwane- Percy Fyfe Nature Reserve

   • Post breakfast at 06:30, checkout and then depart for Polokwane.

   • Check-in at Schoemansdal, a Voortrekker town and museum that lies west of Louis Trichardt. It is built on the site of an original Voortrekker Village and depicts aspects of the lifestyle of the Trekkers.

   • Then, head off to Bakone Malapa Village. Check-in at Bakone Malapa Museum, a traditional Pedi Homestead, where visitors can see the everyday practices of a traditional household.

   • Lunch on traditional cuisine, and then head for shopping around Polokwane.

   • Depart for Percy Fyfe Nature Reserve, check in and enjoy the vicinity.

   • At 16:30, depart for a Sunset safari to search for diurnal and nocturnal animals.

   • View the sunset with Amarula –“The Spirit of Africa”, as you gorge on drinks and snacks.

4. Day 4: Venda-Thohoyandou

   • After a 06:30 am breakfast, checkout and depart for Venda and Thohoyandou.

   • Check into Venda and lunch at Aluwani restaurant for a Vha-Venda Cuisine.

   • Depart for a must-visit trip to Tshatshingo potholes and the mystical lake of Dzivha Fundudzi. This lake is of spiritual significance to the Venda People, as is the sacred forest at Phiphidi.

   • Then, head off for Venda artists in Thohoyandou- an area highlight.

   • Shop around and check in at Protea Hotel.

5. Day 5: Modjadji Nature Reserve

   • After a 06:30 breakfast, checkout and depart for Modjadji Nature Reserve, north of Tzaneen. It is named after the legendary Rain Queen, Modjadji, the traditional ruler of the Lovedu people.

   • Explore its cycad forest, the world’s largest concentration of the unique species Encephalartos Transvenosus-also, also known as the Modjadji Palm. The Lovedus have conserved this forest for many generations.

   • Check in and have lunch.

   • Head off for various activities, such as foot angling, boat angling, and canoeing.

6. Day 6: Bela Bela

   • At 05:00, depart for an early morning forest hiking and game walk.

   • Return to the lodge, freshen up and head for breakfast.

   • Depart for Bela Bela (Warmbaths) of Thaba Kwena, where you will encounter a massive gorge of crocodiles.

   • Visit their welcoming curio shop, where you will find various gifts, memories, and leather products, including wallets, purses, and belts.

   • Depart for Waterberg Zipline Adventures is a two-hour ziplining activity from one platform to another in the middle of the splendid Waterberg Mountains and the Waterberg Biosphere Region.

   • Then enjoy lunch and shop in Bela Bela.

   • Then, head for a Five Star Zebula Nature Reserve & Bush Lodge, check in and marvel at the view area.

   • Head for an Adventure Elephant-back safari and return to the lodge for supper.

   • Depart for a night safari drive and return overnight.

7. Day 7: Quad Safari

   • After grabbing your breakfast at 07:00, depart for a guided walk and a quad safari. 

   • Return for an animal encounter tour, where you interact with the cheetahs, lion and tiger cubs, snakes, caracals and animals.

   • Have lunch and depart for adventure activities such as clay target shooting, paintballing, archery, and horseback safari.

   • Relax at the swimming pool, rejuvenate yourself at a spa and then head for supper at the restaurant.

   Overnight at Zebula Lodge.

8. Day 8: Marakele National Park

   • Depart to Thabazimbi for Marakele National Park, the home of both the big and small 5. It also holds the title of being the world’s largest breeding colony for Cape Vultures.

   • Take a Thabazimbi tour, lunch and then depart for Marakele National Park.

   • Check-in, view the vicinity and then depart for sundowner safari game drive + safari bush braai, i.e. having a meal in the bush under a galaxy of stars.

   • Return to the lodge for showers and overnight stay.

9. Day 9: Marakele National Park

   • Post-breakfast, head on a hiking trail with a packed lunch.

   • Return to the lodge and spend the day relaxing at the pool.

   Have a campfire supper at night.

10. Day 10: Departure

    • Depart for the Lenong/Vulture viewpoint drive after breakfast.

    • Return, check out and depart for Marakele Predator Centre.

    • Head for Tambo International Airport; on the way, have lunch and shop in Johannesburg.