For an active family with a love of the outdoors: a comprehensive, luxury adventure to South Africa's Kwazulu Natal province for safari, mountains and sea

Personalised journeys from start to finish

Every trip helps support Conservation

Every detail taken care of

  • Personalised journeys from start to finish

  • Every trip helps support Conservation

  • Every detail taken care of

What's included

  • All internal flights
  • All private ground transfers
  • All game drives and included activities at Phinda, Thonga and Qambathi
Use this itinerary to inspire your bespoke journey

At a glance

This is a family adventure to South Africa that has it all, with no need for travelling great distances as safari, mountains and sea all sit within the tremendous KwaZulu Natal province.

Perfect for the active family with older children (12 years and up), we’ve set this trip solely in the ‘Kingdom of Zulus’ for a beautiful journey through ‘the Drakensberg experience route’. You get the region’s year round warm climate, the scenic beauty of the interior plains, Drakensburg Mountains and adrenaline-pumping activities such as zip lining, hiking, horse riding and even cave sleep outs.

Enjoy a Big Five, deluxe safari in the perfectly placed Phinda Game Reserve where you can track leopard and black rhino. Dive, snorkel and watch turtles hatch (in season) with five days relaxing on  the Indian Ocean beaches of the northern Elephant Coast.  We’ve selected only the best, family friendly accommodation options too.

Example trip itinerary

Days 1-4

Drakensberg Mountains

Meet and greet at Johannesburg Airport Meet and greet at Johannesburg Airport

On arrival at Johannesburg airport you will be met airside by a Jacada representative as you enter the terminal building. You will be fast-tracked through immigration, assisted with baggage collection and assisted to your onward arrangements.

Flights & transfers

Flight

Flight from Johannesburg to Durban

Transfer

Private transfer from Durban to Qambathi Mountain Lodge

 
Three days exploring Kwazulu Natal's interior Three days exploring Kwazulu Natal's interior

Spend your days in KwaZulu Natal's very scenic interior where many significant and epic battles took place between the Boers, Zulus and the British to shape the modern South Africa. Filled with wildlife reserves, the wonderful scenery of the Drakensburg Mountains' sweeping hills and wind-swept plains is a perfect place for walking, hiking, rock art and adventure activities. We can arrange for private, interest-led tours with expert local guides all tailored to your time and tastes.

Days 4-7

Phinda

Flights & transfers

Transfer

Private transfer from Qambathi Mountain Lodge to Phinda Game Reserve

Accommodation in Phinda

Three days at Phinda Private Game Reserve Three days at Phinda Private Game Reserve

This 'Big Five' reserve encompasses seven distinct habitats, including the rare dry sand forest, which is a preferred habitat of the leopard. The rocky hillside, wooded and floodplain landscape provides ever changing scenery and the chance to see the rarer species, such as the elusive cheetah or the scarce black rhino. Phinda has the highest concentration of privately owned Nyala antelope in the world and with only six remote lodges sharing the reserve, the game experience is personal and exclusive. The reserve offers one of Africa’s finest game viewing experiences and thrilling safari activities which include game drives, nature walks, riverboat cruises, canoe trips and White Rhino tracking.

Days 7-12

The Elephant Coast

Flights & transfers

Transfer

Private transfer from Phinda Reserve to Thonga Beach Lodge

Accommodation in The Elephant Coast

Five days at Thonga Beach Lodge Five days at Thonga Beach Lodge

Sitting on the wild and pristine beaches of the Elephant Coast, enjoy your days here at the very comfortable Thonga Beach Lodge however you like: relaxing in this unspoilt coastal wilderness, to plenty of water-based activities such as snorkelling, scuba diving, kayaking and fishing to choose from. Don't forget there's bird watching, turtle tracking (in season), guided walks and various cultural excursions to fill your time and entertain many interests too.

Thonga activity: snorkelling shallow reefs spotting sub tropical fish species Thonga activity: snorkelling shallow reefs spotting sub tropical fish species

Enjoy a couple of hours snorkelling the shallow reefs spotting sub tropical fish with one the lodge's expert guides.

Thonga activity: scuba diving Thonga activity: scuba diving

Enjoy a scuba diving tour with the lodge's excellent guides to dive sites where there are over 1250 species of fish.

Thonga activity: boat ride at Lake Sibaya Thonga activity: boat ride at Lake Sibaya

Arrive into Cape Town International Airport where you will be met by your Jacada Private Guide and taken to your hotel for check-in.

Thonga activity: kayaking Thonga activity: kayaking

Day's at leisure to enjoy the magnificent sites that this cosmopolitan city has to offer. If you wish we can arrange for you to have a private guide and driver to take you to see the various art galleries, museums, shopping areas, beaches or Winelands surrounding Cape Town.

thonga-beach
Thonga activity: guided walks along the coastline Thonga activity: guided walks along the coastline

Bordering a beautiful beach, all part of the unposilt Maputaland Coast, staying at Thonga you are ideally placed for some great walks along this coastline.

Flights & transfers

Transfer

Private transfer from Thonga Beach Lodge to Richards Bay airport

Flight

Flight from Richard's Bay airport to Johannesburg

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We design private journeys for people who wish to go beyond the typical and experiencing something truly special. Our amazing team of travel designers, concierges and local guides work together to create unique journeys that get deep under the skin of where you’re visiting.

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Family Safari, Sea and Mountains Adventure

12-Day Example Trip
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How we work

We create fully personalised trips from start to finish, working with you to pick locations, accommodation and guides that suit you.

Every trip helps support Conservation.

From in-depth private tours to restaurant reservations, we take care of every detail so you can make the most of your journey.

Ariel view of waves breaking on a forested shoreline