pre- and post-safari trip extensions
Extend Your Stay in the Kruger Area
Just a short distance from the final camp on our tours is the town of Hoedspruit, gateway to Kruger National Park. Wild Ecotours’ own beautiful ecolodge, Warthog Rest, is located in the Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate and about one hour from Kruger.
We can arrange a 3-day (or more) extension of your trip to include a stay at Warthog Rest. Included in the 3-day stay will be a half-day or full-day at Kruger, your choice of either Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre or Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, and a day to explore some of the additional sites of the area.
Some of the other activities include:
* The Blyde River Canyon is a spectacular scenic spot offering horseback riding, white river rafting, boat rides exploring hippo areas, etc.
* Meet the local Shangaan people with a visit to Shangana Cultural Village.
* Enjoy wine and spirits tasting at local wineries and distilleries.
* Visit Masorini Village, a restored village dating back to the stone-age.
And, don’t forget, at your stay at Warthog Rest, you will have a private chef, indoor and outdoor showers, and a splash pool to relax in after a day exploring South Africa!
Victoria Falls
One of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, Victoria Falls is over one kilometer long and over 300 feet high. Not only is the size of the falls almost incomprehensible, the noise of the falls can be heard almost 25 miles away. It truly is one of the great wonders of the world!
The Victoria Falls airport is located in Zimbabwe with convenient direct flights available from Cape Town of Johannesburg. Below is a sample itinerary for a 4 day / 3 night stay.
Accommodations
Standard Single Room at Elephant Hills Resort B&B or Victoria Falls Hotel (3 nights)
Available activities (charges vary)
- Guided Falls Tour
- Sunset Cruise
- Morning swim in Devil’s Pool
Transport
Transfers to / from Victoria Falls Airport to Elephant Hills Hotel
Cape Town and South African Wine Region
The oldest city in South Africa, Cape Town today is a vibrant, beautiful city and the center of a population of almost 4 million people. The best views are from Table Mountain, and you can get there via foot or a cable car.
A ferry ride to Robben Island will dock at the Nelson Mandela Gateway where you can begin a tour of the place where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison.
Cape Town is about the same latitude as Los Angeles, and the climate reflects that. But a big surprise is that there are penguins which can be seen from multiple locations.
Less than 30 miles from Cape Town is the wine region. The Stellenbosch district features award-winning Cabernet, Merlot, Pinotage, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc.
Gorgeous hotels include Cape Grace and Cape Cadogan.
If you’re so inclined, you can also do shark diving!
Namibia
Namibia is certainly not as well known as South Africa, but that doesn’t mean it lacks important wildlife and conservation efforts. Home to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, CCF is a world class research and conservation organization, and a place where visitors can come to learn more about cheetahs. You can visit for a day, or we can arrange a stay in their onsite ecolodge. You can get a tour of their facility, witness keepers feeding some of their non releasable cheetahs, or watch cheetahs run.
Originally established in 1907, Etosha National Park is free and very accessible by car. It is on a huge (5000 sq km!) “salt pan”, and contains many great waterholes for wildlife viewing, some which are lit at night. Within the park, there are multiple lodging alternatives with different price points and amenities. Etosha is home to over 110 different species, and here you’ll find a healthy population of black rhinoceros.
The Naankuse Foundation Wildlife Sanctuary provides a safe haven and second chance for countless injured, orphaned and conflict animals. Wherever possible their aim is to release animals back into the wild. Broader than just wildlife, the Foundation’s mission is to also conserve the land and cultures of Namibia, through encouraging participation, education and scientific research. Naankuse has multiple sites across Namibia, including their main Lodge with carnivore feedings and cheetah and caracal walks, to their Wine and Wildlife Estate, just to name a few.