KwaZulu Natal North Coast Adventure

Pick up your rental car from Durban Airport and drive to the St. Lucia Estuary and the owner-run Makakatana Bay Lodge. Your rural retreat for the next two nights is set in a mangrove forest with spectacular ocean and beach views.

Elegantly decorated with a distinct emphasis on Zulu culture, Makakatana Bay Lodge is in one of the most beautiful areas of KwaZulu Natal and its serene and secluded surroundings make it the ideal place to relax at the start of your adventure. Unwind on the pool deck or enjoy a scenic walk on the beach, a wilderness area in its own right.

Experience a Big 5 safari on an excursion to the Hluhhuwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve or go on a wetland exploration into the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a highlight above all for birdwatchers.

Drive down to the Coastal Cashews rendezvous point and be transferred to the Rocktail Beach Camp, a peaceful retreat in the Maputaland Coastal Forest Reserve.

Rocktail is set in this dense, indigenous forest and is close to a beautiful and remote beach. Embrace the wilderness with quiet walks along the beach and through the forest, a haven for a large number of bird species. Spend time scuba diving or snorkelling in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean with the chance to see manta rays, sea turtles and even whale sharks.

Relax and unwind back at the camp's swimming pool or enjoy an afternoon snooze in your luxuriously appointed tent. If you are feeling adventurous, a visit to Black Rock - a 20-metre fossilised sand dune - is well worth it.

Transfer back to Coastal Cashews to pick up your rental car and drive to Phinda Mountain Lodge in the phenomenal Phinda Reserve for a 3-night luxury safari. Excellent game viewing awaits guests at this conservation gem: enjoy expertly-led game drives, guided nature walks and even rhino-tracking excursions to ensure a close-up and genuine safari experience in this private and exclusive Big 5 reserve.

Relax on boat cruises or even explore the wetlands by canoe before returning to camp and watching the sun dip behind the blue Lebombo Mountains. Ending your day at Phinda is best done with a gourmet meal around a fire in the open-air boma. Relax, reminisce about the day's events and enjoy the starry sky above you.

Head down the KwaZulu Natal coast after breakfast to Coco De Mer, a luxurious boutique hotel situated in the heart of a forest on the beautiful Ballito coast.

Spend your days soaking up the sun on the beach and enjoying the great variety of activities that this sunny coastal location has to offer - scuba diving, golf, fishing, horse riding, kite surfing, whale watching and 4x4 trails are among the favourites.

Leave the coastal town of Ballito and drive back to Durban to drop off your rental car at the airport whereupon your tour ends.