South Africa - Featured Trips

What better way to treat yourself to an action-packed reef & shark scuba-diving and Big 5 wildlife safari extravaganza in the glorious and diverse KwaZulu Natal? Starting with diving on Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks, described by Jacques Cousteau as the best shark diving site in the world. Followed by diving in Sodwana Bay, South Africa's diving Mecca and marine reserve within the World Heritage Site St Lucia Wetland Park, and the icing on the cake a wildlife safari in Hluhluwe/Umfolozi National Park.

On arrival in Joburg, catch an internal flight to Durban. Here you collect your rental car (Group B Toyota Yaris 1.4 Sedan or similar) and travel the short distance south to the village of Umkomaas, a popular diving village. Overnight at Umkomaas Lodge or similar on BB basis.

Over the next three days you will be doing 2 dives on Protea Banks (advanced divers only) and 4 dives on Aliwal Shoal.

On Aliwal Shoal during the months of June through to October you are sure to see Ragged Tooth Sharks as they congregate here to mate. During the other months you can find Tiger, Zambezi and Hammerhead sharks. Other species, depending on the season include Manta, Devil and other Rays, schools of pelagic fish, whales, dolphins, and many, many more!

Described by Jacques Cousteau as the best shark diving site in the world, Protea Banks offers exciting drift dives with (depending on the season) Ragged Tooth Sharks, three species of Hammerheads, Zambezi (Bull), Tiger, Thresher, Copper, Dusky, Mako, the occasional Great White and many other species of shark. Overnight at Umkomaas Lodge or similar on BB basis.

Spend the day relaxing and exploring surrounding area. Most days the diving will be done in the morning, so you will have most of the afternoons to explore the local area. Visit the crocodile farm, kayak down the Umkomaas River, visit the fantastic Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve to do a 112-odd meter gorge swing or just go shopping in Durban. Overnight at Umkomaas Lodge or similar on BB basis.

Depart Umkomaas and travel up the Natal North Coast towards Sodwana Bay National Park. Sodwana is situated within the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park (South Africa's first World Heritage Site) and is renowned for its sport fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling. The park lies adjacent to Africa's southern-most coral reefs. The diversity of fish and invertebrates attract many divers and there are some excellent snorkeling spots along this coast as well. In summer, loggerhead and leatherback turtles come out of the sea to nest on the beaches.

Conditions are good throughout the year, but the best diving is from April through to September. On a good day visibility can reach up to 30 metres and water temperature is usually above 20 degrees Celcius and can reach 29 degrees Celcius in summer. Overnight at Coral Divers - En-suite Cabin on HB basis.

5 dives with air & weights at Two Mile Reef at Sodwana Bay. Some of the well know dive sites at Sodwana include Two-mile Reef (most popular site), Quarter Mile Reef (dived most often in January-February when the Ragged toothed sharks congregate here), Stringer Reef (greatest diversity of species at a depth of 14 m), Four/Five Mile (predominance of branching, table and plate corals), Seven Mile (beautiful overhangs, drop-offs and mushroom rocks) and Nine Mile (beautiful green coral tree on the drop-off on the seaward side of the reef).

Optional: Visits and boat trips on Lake Sibaya (South Africa's largest freshwater lake) - a full afternoon required. Overnight at Coral Divers - En-suite Cabin on HB basis.

You will make you way to the nearby Hluhluwe / Umfolozi National Park, one of the oldest game reserves and wilderness areas in Africa. This is big game country where the white rhino was saved from extinction, today the park has the largest concentrations of both rhino species as well as plenty elephant, lion, buffalo and all the common species of game. Full day in Hluhluwe/Umfolozi and plenty of chance to explore the park on a self-driver basis. Included in the price is one guided night drive. Overnight at Hilltop Camp on HB basis.

Take a leisurely drive back to Durban airport, drop off your hire vehicle and check-in for an afternoon flight back to Johannesburg in time for your international flight home.

As with all our itineraries, this trip can be fully tailored to suit your own unique requirements and interests. We can add and/or change destinations and activities to include for example few days of cold water diving in the Western Cape.

However if you would like to get to know the real Zulu Kingdom and enjoy some more off-the-beaten track experiences, please check out our Stay Another Day - KwaZulu Natal. All of our Stay Another Day options create jobs & social upliftment and are as environmentally friendly as possible. They are also carefully chosen for their sustainability and many are FTTSA accredited.

£1,450 per person sharing, all year round

Prices based on min of 2 people travelling and Peak Season supplements may apply.

* This itinerary is available with an International Flight. Prices vary according to date of departure so please contact us for an exact quote. BAOBAB Travel is an ATOL bonded tour operator (ATOL 9168)

Terms and Conditions apply. Price is subject to availability and subject to change due to currency fluctuation.

10 Nights accommodation on mixed board basis
11 Days car hire Group B (Toyota Yaris 1.4 or similar) with Super cover (nil excess)
11 Dives with air & weights
1 guided night game drive
internal return flights (Jo'burg-Durban)

Meals and activities not stated in itinerary
Items of a personal nature
Tips and gratuities
Travel insurance
Visa cost
* International British Airways flight incl. airport taxes