May to September in South Africa’s Eastern Cape are cool and crisp with very little rainfall, making for beautiful weather to set out on foot and explore the ridges and valleys of the wilderness. There is no greater way to connect with nature and with this in mind Kwandwe Private Game Reserve has introduced Winter Wilderness Walking and fly camping safaris.
This new activity is inspired by the in-depth training Kwandwe’s highly regarded rangers undergo where they spend seven days traversing the reserve solo, learning the lay of the land, encountering its creatures and appreciating its majesty. The new Winter Wilderness Walking safaris invite guests to also delve deeper and explore this vast 22,000 hectare / 54,000 acre reserve on foot whilst enjoying evenings in a private fly-camp for a truly immersive African experience.
Born of Kwandwe’s ethos for ‘connected, authentic experiences’, the Winter Wilderness Walking safaris allow guests to spend meaningful time connecting with the world around them, as well as with one another. The scale and vastness of the bush becomes significantly more apparent when on foot and to silently, unobtrusively observe a rhino or an elephant grazing from ground level is like no other. Accompanied by a specialist ranger and tracker, guests walk out from their lodge or safari villa early in the morning to enjoy a day long journey through the wilds of Africa.
With the cooler weather and the soft light of the winter sun, guests will walk across plains, along the Great Fish River that meanders 30km through the reserve and explore the varied habitat, encountering a wealth of bird and wildlife along the way. A picnic lunch may be enjoyed before continuing on and ultimately arriving at the private fly-camp for evenings spent beneath the stars.
Light on the environment and lit by lanterns, the camp for up to six guests is comfortable, simple and kept purposely natural. The canvas tents feature hot bucket showers and eco-bathrooms along with off-the-ground beds swathed in duck down duvets and warmed by hot water bottles to ensure a good night’s sleep ahead of another exploratory day out in the bush.
No two walking days are the same. The specialist armed guide and tracker team ensure guests traverse through different landscapes each day making use of a private vehicle to access the further reaches of the reserve, if needed. Guests may set the pace, choose when to walk and when to drive.
Available to 30 September 2019, the Winter Wilderness Walking and fly camping is offered at a surcharge of ZAR 9000 (approx. £490; $645; €570) per night for up to six guests. This includes a private specialist guide and tracker team (armed), private vehicle, private hosted fly camp, big game walks, nature walks, game drives, picnic bush lunch and open-flame cooking.
Full board accommodation starts from R9470 (approx. GB£515; US$680; EU€600 AU$9450*) per person per night and includes twice daily game drives, bush walks, big game walks, birding, all meals and drinks.
For more information, visit: www.kwandwe.com.
