The best of land and sea can be experienced on this tour. Why choose between the quintessential African safari and diving the epic Sardine Run when you can have it all. The Sardine Run is a true divers bucket list event, taking place between June and July each year. Bait balls swirl through the water attracting predators from miles away. Sharks, whales, dolphins, marlin and others attack from below, Cape Gannets and Gulls attack from above…and in the middle…is you. The Kruger National Park is one of the most renowned game parks in Africa and one can experience the wonder of seeing wild animals in their natural environment. Nomad Dive 11-day Kruger and Sardine Run combines both of these once in a lifetime experiences into one jam-packed tour.
Tour Overview :
- Min. : 2 person, available for Group
- Diving Trip / Non Diving Trip
- 11 Days 10 Nights
- South Africa
What's included
- 5 Day Dive
- Dive Gear
- Accommodation for 11 Days / 10 Night
- Airport Transfer
- Breakfast 9x , Lunch 6x , Dinner 9x
What's excluded
- All personal expense
- Alcohol, softdrink
- Tips
- Air fare ticket
- All expenditures outside the package
Itinerary
Day 1
Please note that during the next few days (while we are visiting Kruger National Park), the order of activities could change without prior notice and a degree of flexibility is needed. This is to allow for maximum game viewing opportunities and experiences. Leaving the city of Johannesburg behind us we make our way east through the coalfields of Mpumalanga. Our journey today follows in the footsteps of the old trade-routes to the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park. We set up camp at our base for the next three nights and enjoy a lovely sundowner drive.
Day 2
This morning we enter the Kruger National Park for a full-day of game viewing. Our activity package offers you the opportunity to explore the park in open game viewing vehicles, giving you access to areas our truck can’t always go.
Day 3
As is customary when on safari, we rise early this morning to enjoy a guided bush walk. Being in the bush on foot offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the smaller details of this great wilderness area. After our walk, we exit the park and journey along the scenic Panorama Route where we will visit God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the Three Rondavels. We return to camp in the evening to enjoy a lovely local dinner and dance.
Day 4
We enjoy our last drive through the park before setting off to Belvedere Estate. We arrive at Belvedere Estate in the late afternoon and all travellers are invited to join us for a traditional meal tonight. This can be booked with your guide on the day before arrival. Many great tales are shared and tonight is for celebrating the many wonders of African travel.
Day 5
This morning we will fly to the Eastern Cape town of East London.Leaving the city of East London behind us we travel north along the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape to the small town of Coffee Bay, our launch site for the famous Sardine Run.After settling intoyour hotel you will have the chance to explore this stunning area and visit the iconic “Hole In The Wall”.This evening you will have a full breifing on the operationof the Sardine Run adventure over the next few days.Please note that during the next few days we will be subject to weather and ocean conditions and may not be able to launch each day. To account for this risk we have created this lengthy stay in Coffee Bay in order to ensure you have the best possible chance. Please also note that Nomad cannot guarantee Sardine Run action at any time and are only able to book tours in the best possible window to the best of our ability.
Day 6/7/8/9/10
The annual Great Sardine Run is a natural phenomenon which usually occurs during the months of June and July, when massive schools of sardines migrate from the colder waters around the Cape to the warmer waters of Kwazulu Natal to give birth to their offspring. Once they’ve laid their eggs, they return to the Cape, closely followed by thousands of dolphins, birds, fish of prey, whales and sharks. The ocean awakes and the thrill is simply indescribable.After Breakfast at 7am you will be transferred to Mapusi, the most spectacular, idyllic river mouth from where we launch our boat. On the banks of this river divers get ready for the launch. The 4 x 4 drives the boat down into the river. Divers and the crew have to push the boat further until there is enough water under the keel and all rocks are cleared. Once it is safe, the skipper gets on the boat and starts the motors. When he has enough water under the keel, he calls all guests on. With speed the boat drives over the sandbank and into the waiting basin.Once all waves have passed, the skipper chooses the safest moment to launch out to sea. In the meantime our plane has taken off and done a good fly over in search of animal activity. The skipper and the pilot are in constant radio contact whereby the boat gets directed to the best action on hand.Sardine Run Action consists not only of silver fish but more so of activities such as whales, dolphins, sharks and gannets. The highly experienced and skillful crew will approach anything interesting with great care and only when it is safe will the divers be allowed to enter the water. More often than not this will be done on mask and snorkel. There is a constant off–the–boat and on–the–boat which requires stamina and a certain fitness.Obviously it is always the client’s choice if he wants to remain on the boat or jump into the water.To make a long day out at sea as pleasant as possible we offer sandwiches, fresh fruit, chocolates, cookies, fruit juice and water on the boat. Each day we will launch (weather permitting) and spend a full day out at sea to give you the best chance of action. We return by latest 3pm each afternoon when you will get a chance to rest, relax, hike the area and charge those all important cameras. Each evening we have a sumptuous buffet and bar for tales of the day just past.
Day 11
Today we will retrace our steps from Coffee Bay back to the town of East London(where we will board a flight to the City of Johannesburg.Our tour will end on arrival into Johannesburg International Airport).
