Kaapsehoop Horse Trails - Itinerary:

Day 1:
Meet Vula Tours at KMIA. Transfer to Kaapsehoop Horse Trails where you get introduced to your horse and your guide. Dinner and overnight.

Day 2:
Depart after breakfast through the Hobbit-like countryside of Kaapsehoop, which is an old gold-mining town. Go through the Blue Swallow Reserve (the Blue Swallow is the most endangered bird in South Africa). Gallop with the wild herds of the Kaapsehoop Mountains. These wild horses, descended from the original horses brought by the gold-miners, have roamed the valleys for more than 100 years. Lunch is enjoyed at the bush camp, followed by an afternoon walk to view the old mines and the magnificent waterfalls high above the Barberton valley. Dinner is served next to a log fire under the stars before a comfortable night's rest in your tent.

Day 3:
Breakfast for man and horse, then set off on a full day ride along the escarpment of the magnificent Drakensberg and through some of the largest pine and eucalyptus plantations in the world, viewing wild horses against the fantastic panorama of the Barberton Valley - an area synonymous with the romance of the gold rush and rumoured to have the oldest rock formations in the world. The Hazy Mountains to the east show the beginning of the famous Kruger National Park. Enjoy a picnic while on the lookout for the rare and reclusive Black Leopard. Small game is also spotted frequently. Return to the bush camp and relax over a camp-fire supper.

Day 4:
After an early breakfast, head back to Kaapsehoop Horse Trails where you can enjoy a warm shower and lunch, repack your things and depart for the Kruger National Park with Vula Tours in an open game drive vehicle. The Kruger is South Africa's most famous game reserve and we will be sure to spot some of the Big Five (leopard, lion, elephant, rhino and buffalo) as well as many other smaller animals and birds. At sunset we arrive at the magical Hippo Hollow Country Estate on the banks of the mighty Sabie River which winds through the Park. Dinner on the verandah will be accompanied by the sight of hippo grazing near the water. The night is spent in a comfortable chalet with a decadent "Out of Africa" atmosphere.

Day 5:
The day starts early with a game drive to look for more animals on a ten-seater open game viewer. Breakfast is enjoyed in the fresh air at a picnic spot where the sounds of crunching your meal might be accompanied by the sound of animals crunching theirs! Back to Hippo Hollow to relax, followed by lunch and a late afternoon drive. Dinner back at Hippo Hollow, perhaps with a show by traditional Shangaan dancers that stirs up the heartbeat of Africa.

Day 6:
By now you are ready to explore some of the hidden wonders of the bush, and look for the less obvious attractions. Your game ranger today will concentrate on the smaller animals and birds, perhaps showing you the "Little Five" and telling you about bush lore. The afternoon is yours to relax in the serene gardens of Hippo Hollow and enjoy sundowners in their convivial bar before dinner and a last night listening to the sounds of Africa.

Day 7:
We return you to the KMIA after a short morning game drive so that you can bid goodbye to the bush and to the friends you have made on this week-long adventure.