Ride The Dragon

An all-inclusive self-drive 4x4 adventure tour through the rugged Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa and Lesotho. It also includes a classic Big 5 safari at a private game reserve.

$3650 per person
The price above excludes international airfare, and is valid for travel between January 1 and December 31 2020.
Pricing is based on two persons per vehicle. If you elect to travel as a single person, a surcharge could be levied.

12 nights

Overview

The tour starts off with a visit to the sandstone cliffs, caves and buttresses of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, then moves on into the mountainous Kingdom of Lesotho, one of the highest countries above sea level in the world. The route drops back down into South Africa via the iconic Sani Pass, descending an awe-inspiring 4370 feet over just a few miles. The following days are spent traversing various passes on gravel roads up and down the Drakensberg escarpment, then the convoy heads north to the geo-trails and convoluted rock formations in the 3.5 billion-year-old Makhonjwa Mountains of Mpumalanga, and the spectacular vistas of the Blyde River Canyon. The safari concludes with a stay at a private game reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park before heading back towards Johannesburg.

The distances to be traveled each day are relatively short (an average of about 200 miles), so there is plenty of time to take in the sights and to stop and explore points of interest. Throughout the trip, you will be accompanied by an experienced national tourist guide and off-road driving instructor. All of the vehicles will be in constant communication with each other via crystal-clear VHF radios, which will allow your guide to ensure your safety and to enhance your experience by providing you with detailed information about the history, culture and attractions of the region.

To round off your trip, you will spend 4 nights at an exclusive safari lodge in the Timbavati, one of the most prolific game viewing areas in South Africa. Accompanied by an experienced and knowledgeable ranger and tracker, you can enjoy close encounters with all of Africa’s Big 5 and a variety of other animals and birds, then relax around a roaring fire in the boma at night before being lulled to sleep by the sounds of the African bush.

The group size will be limited to a maximum of 8 persons. Included in the tour package is the use of a four-wheel-drive double cab pickup or SUV (including insurance and unlimited mileage), fuel and toll fees, all meals and non-alcoholic drinks, accommodation at upmarket establishments and at a private safari lodge, as well as all entry fees, adventure activities and sightseeing expenses. There are no hidden costs. Close Encounters will even take care of all tips and gratuities!

Day 1: Johannesburg

Upon arrival in Johannesburg, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your overnight accommodation. Once all of the group has arrived and the necessary documentation has been completed, you will be transported to a depot to take delivery of your vehicle. If there is time after this, you could explore some of the many attractions that Johannesburg has to offer (Montecasino is an excellent place to visit), or you could elect to relax and rejuvenate after your long flight. A full briefing covering all aspects of the trip will be conducted before you are hosted for dinner at a nearby restaurant, after which you can retire to your room to get some well-earned rest before an early departure the next morning.

Day 2: Johannesburg to Clarens

After a fairly short drive, with breakfast en route, the convoy will arrive at the eastern side of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Not only was this magnificent reserve established primarily to conserve the beautiful mountainous environment (it is considered to be one of the most scenic spots in the country), but it is also home to a large number of game animals as well. After spending some time in the park, we will move on to Clarens, a small town located just a few miles away. The village is an artist's haven, with a plethora of art galleries and antique shops, as well as numerous restaurants and an excellent craft brewery; more than enough to keep everyone busy for the rest of the day.

Day 3: Clarens to Underberg (via Lesotho)

This is a BIG day, in every sense of the word. It only takes about 30 minutes to drive from Clarens to the border post at Caledonspoort, where the convoy will enter the Kingdom of Lesotho. Now follows a series of massive mountain passes as we traverse some of the highest roads in Africa, eventually arriving at the quirky Sani Mountain Lodge. After a quick stop for lunch and photographs, it will be time to tackle the awesome Sani Pass (see picture). This iconic route is bumpy and torturous, but at the same time both breathtaking and exhilarating! At the foot of the descent, the vehicles will pass through a border post back into South Africa, and from there it is only a short drive to the Underberg area where the group will overnight.

Day 4: Underberg to Harrismith

This day starts off with a sequence of back-to-back mountain passes on gravel roads through the foothills of the Drakensberg, as we follow the eastern border of Lesotho towards the north. We will soon arrive in a beautiful area known as the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and make a quick stop in the village of Nottingham Road, then it's back onto the tar through the little towns of Winterton and Bergville before we tackle the impressive and wonderfully scenic Oliviershoek Pass. After lunch at the top of the pass, and if there is still time, we could deviate a short distance to Mount Paul (which has very steep gradients and incredible views over the Sterkfontein Dam), before heading on to our overnight stop in Harrismith.

Day 5: Harrismith to Wakkerstroom

This part of South Africa is known as the Battlefields, as many of the decisive battles of both the 1st and 2nd Anglo-Boer Wars, and the Anglo-Zulu Wars, took place in this area.The route for this day is primarily on gravel roads, and consists of a series of huge mountain passes which traverse up and down the Drakensberg escarpment. There is a fascinating history behind many of these passes, as they were of particular strategic importance at the end of the 19th century. The overnight stop will be in Wakkerstroom, a beautiful little town which is quickly establishing itself as a special place to visit. It has a number of interesting stores and eateries, but it has also long been known as a world-renowned bird-watching destination.

Day 6: Wakkerstroom to Barberton

Our journey through the mountains continues, as we say goodbye to Wakkerstroom and head north, skirting the western border of the Kingdom of eSwatini (Swaziland). After a transition section on tar, the route moves onto gravel roads through the abandoned asbestos mining village of Diepgezet and up into the Makhonjwa Mountains, which, with an estimated age of 3.5 billion years, are said to be the oldest mountains on earth. Next up is the Bulembu Pass, a 30-mile stretch of magnificent scenery which incorporates the Barberton Geotrail, followed by the Saddleback Pass (lots of hairpins and steep gradients), which winds its way down into a valley where the historic gold-mining town of Barberton is located.

Day 7: Barberton to Graskop

We start the day with a climb up into the mountains to Kaapsehoop, one of the most unique and mysterious places in South Africa - it has a human history which, some experts claim, extends back more than 75,000 years! After a leisurely breakfast in the quaint little village, the convoy heads north past the Sudwala Caves and into the enormous forested area that characterizes this part of the country. It won't take very long to get to Graskop (this is the shortest driving day of the tour) which will leave us plenty of time to explore the town and its surrounds. A must-do is the Graskop Gorge Lift and, for those that can pluck up the courage, the Bungy Swing (optional), but there are many other attractions as well.

Day 8: Graskop to Walkers River Camp

The Panorama Route presents some of the most amazing scenery that South Africa has to offer, and God's Window, Pinnacle Rock and Wonder View are all located within a short drive from Graskop. After a quick stop at each of these places, the convoy will move on to the Bourke's Luck Potholes, where everyone can spend an hour or two browsing around this beautiful natural feature. This is also the start of the Blyde River Canyon, and the route from this point onwards winds along the rim of the canyon itself, with two magnificent viewsites along the way. The very scenic Abel Erasmus Pass comes next, followed by a short drive to Walkers River Camp in the Timbavati.

Day 9 to Day 11: Walkers River Camp

Walkers is without a doubt one of the best private game reserves in the country. It is located adjacent to the Kruger National Park, and, as there are no fences between the reserves, animals can move freely throughout this huge conservation area. The group will have the exclusive use of this very comfortable riverside lodge, as well as the full-time services of an experienced ranger and a tracker. Game drives (at least 2 drives per day are included) are all conducted using open-topped 4x4 game viewing vehicles, which allows for very close up and personal animal interactions. At some point during the stay at Walkers, we will also take a short trip to visit Jessica the Hippo.

Day 12: Walkers River Camp to Dullstroom

After an early morning game drive, the convoy will depart from Walkers and head back into the mountains. The route for this day consists mainly of a series of massive mountain passes which follow each other almost back-to-back, as the roads zigzag along the spine of the mighty Drakensberg. An interesting stop en route will be the vintage gold rush town of Pilgrim's Rest, which dates back to 1873. Most of the buildings have been restored to their original condition, and the village has been maintained as a national monument since 1986. Those in the group with an adventurous streak can catch a quick ride on the Long Tom Toboggan, and then its on to Dullstroom where we will spend the night.

Day 13: Dullstroom to Johannesburg

Dullstroom is a quaint and charming village nestled high in the mountains of Mpumalanga - in fact, with an altitude of 2100 meters (6890 feet) above sea level, it is one of the highest towns in South Africa. It is best known for its crystal-clear dams and rivers which are perfect for trout fishing, but it also has numerous excellent restaurants, coffee shops, a craft-beer brewery, a world-renowned whiskey bar, and many other interesting shops, markets and galleries. The convoy will depart from Dullstroom shortly after breakfast to get back to Johannesburg (about a 3 hour journey), where the vehicles will be returned to their depot. You will then be transported to the airport to catch your flight home.