ABOUT WILDERNESS TRAILS

Africa on Foot Wilderness Trails is a one-of-a-kind mobile safari experience in South Africa. This is one is for the adventurers and nature lovers who are looking for a walking safari experience like no other. A sister camp to Klaserie’s Africa on Foot, Wilderness Trails is designed to offer 3 nights camping in the Maseke Balule Game Reserve, each night in a different location.

Each day is spent walking through the 8000 hectare reserve in the Greater Kruger Park, and each night is spent at a new, fully set up mobile campsite in a scenic location. A maximum of 8 guests (sleeping in 4 tents) are taken on the Kruger walking adventure of a lifetime, with plenty of stops in route. A professional Africa on Foot trained guide and tracker team will lead an informative, thrilling, and unforgettable walk in the wild.

LOCATION

Africa on Foot Wilderness Trails is located in the Maseke Balule Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger, situated between Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa in Limpopo Province. It is an 8000 hectare private game reserve, which shares open borders with the Kruger National Park.

The Olifants River courses through the reserve, while prominent mountainous ridges and boulder koppies characterize the terrain, making it an incredibly diverse and interesting region to explore on foot. 

The camp is easily accessible for fly-ins and self-drivers, with the closest airports being Hoedspruit (most popular) and Phalaborwa. Scheduled road transfers can be arranged from O.R Tambo international airport to the Three Bridges restaurant where a transfer to camp can be arranged.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation is in true camping style with Africa on Foot Wilderness Trails. You’re on the move all day, and turn in to a classic dome-style safari tent, pitched on the ground, and equipped with comfortable swags/mattresses and suitable bed linen. Zip in and out of these two-sleeper tents and enjoy the sounds of the wild around you.

The campsites are entirely mobile, leaving no trace behind each day when the location is changed. The ground team will break down the tents and pitch the camp in the day’s new location, so that when guests arrive after an adrenalin-fuelled day in the bush, their tents, bush bathrooms, and bucket showers are ready and waiting.

The idea behind this eco-trails experience is for guests to discover details of the Kruger Park on a far more intimate level, and to learn from the experts as you tread carefully among the wildlife. The environment is completely cared for through the eco-friendly and low impact nature of the campsites.

ROOM INFO

Each of the 4 dome tents can sleep 2 people comfortably on individual mattresses, made up with bed linen, duvets, and pillows.

These foam mattresses roll up easily into canvas covers, and are easily transported and reassembled at the next campsite. Camping doesn’t come more comfortable than this! Each tent has an attached bathroom, which consists of a bucket shower and chemical toilet. A specially designed canvas panel is erected adjacent to the dome tent, creating an enclosed, yet open-air, bathroom facility. Water for the bucket showers is heated on the fire and filled for each shower.

The canvas exterior of the tent is lined with fly screen mesh, which allows the canvas flaps to be opened while keeping the insects out.

Comforts, such as bug spray and mosquito repellant, hand soap, and toilet paper are provided.

ABOUT THE CAMP

This is a mobile safari camp; meaning nothing in the camp structure is permanent. It is designed to be set up and broken down with ease and having as little impact on the environment as possible. The dome tents are pitched on the ground and a temporary fire pit is dug on arrival, and covered up prior to departure.

There is also a ‘mess tent’, which is a canvas construction to house the kitchen, food prep, and washing up facilities. This is where the private chef will work to prepare those fire-cooked meals you will enjoy under the stars in the evening. A dining table is set every evening, and in the mornings to offer up coffee and rusks before departure.

The camp is an intimate setup, designed for the group to socialise around the fire in the evenings, and enjoy the natural ambience of the bush.

FEATURES AND FACILITIES

4 Canvas dome tents each sleeping 2 people on swags/mattresses

En suite bucket showers and chemical toilet facilities

Standing hand basins renewed each morning and afternoon with warm water

Central mess tent for kitchen and dining

Campfire in the evenings

Solar powered lanterns in the camp and one supplied per tent

Light breakfast in the morning before departure, packed brunch to be enjoyed in the bush, snacks provided in the afternoon before 3-course dinner at night

Game viewer for evening safaris and transfers in and out of the reserve

Safari

Walkers will traverse a unique landscape in the Maseke Balule Game Reserve, comprising rocky terrain dotted with waterholes and low-lying woodlands. The walks are at an easy pace and you will stop in route for refreshments. The below is what you can expect during your 3 day trail. 3 Nights camping in different locations, each day walking new ground. A new campsite in a new location, set up prior to arrival, every afternoon. 8000 Hectares of free-roaming Kruger traverse from mountainous terrain to Olifants River. Professional Trails Guide and Tracker conduct two walking trails per day. Morning walk 3-4 hours, afternoon walk 2-3 hours, arrive at camp +-15h00. Environmentally friendly, pack up and go safari camping experience. Nights are spent in the comfort of a classic safari-style dome tent with private facilities. SAFARI EXPERIENCE GALLERY

DAILY SCHEDULE

Departure times for walking safaris depends on the weather and seasons. Summer time walks will depart earlier, while winter time departures will be later.

A general summary of a day’s activity is as follows:

05h30 – Wake up to coffee and rusks, and kit up in walking gear.

Start walk. 09h00 – Rest stop and breakfast. Continue with walk.

12h00 – Drive to next camp, where lunch will be served. Settle into camp life.

15h00 – The afternoon activity will be discussed - it will either be another walking expedition, game drive or combination of both. This will be dependent on the weather and group dynamics.

19h00 – Return to camp, enjoy refreshments. Evenings are spent around the campfire and dinners are served at a safari dining table.

PREDATORS

Following in the footsteps of the herbivorous mammals are the carnivorous species of the South African bush.

Lion, leopard, hyena, cheetah, African wild dog, and the Nile crocodile are some of the prominent predators residing in the Kruger. Smaller predators include jackal, mongoose, civet, and genet, honey badger, among others.

MAMMALS

Some of the world’s largest mammals find their home in South Africa, where elephant, giraffe, hippo, buffalo, and rhino reside in the wild Kruger Park and surrounding private game reserves. Game drives lead to unforgettable sightings of these large species, in addition to general game, such as zebra, impala, kudu, gnu, waterbuck, bushbuck, duiker, and steenbok, while nyala are frequent visitors to the camp itself.

BIRDLIFE

The Kruger habitat accommodates a complete smorgasbord of birder’s delights. Water birds such as herons, storks, plovers, spoonbills, and sandpipers are common along dam edges; kingfishers, orioles, robins, chats, larks, cisticolas, and coucals are some of the veld and woodland birds around; while birds of prey are seen and heard throughout the day.

CHILDREN POLICY

Children from age 12 years and over are accepted.

Children under age 12 are not accepted.

RATE INCLUDES

All meals, bottled water, bush walks & game drives,

teas & coffees

RATE EXCLUDES

All soft & alcoholic drinks.

The Maseke Conservation levy of R450 per person per night & The Maseke Bed Levy of R100 per person per stay (added to your invoice)

No single supplement applies.

TRAIL CLOSURE

Please note that the Trail is closed annually between:

1 December and 31 March each year

NOTES

Rates are quoted in South African Rands.

Rates are subject to change without prior notice

Rates include government taxes where applicable. If taxes increase, we reserve the right to increase the rate accordingly.

We reserve the right to review rates at any given point without notice.

Conservation levies and Gate Fees are subject to change without prior notice in the event of the Private

Nature Reserves amending or adding levies due to budgetary needs

Please note: The Wilderness Trails have set weekly departures days which are Monday and Thursday