LOTHENI / GARDEN CASTLE / HIMEVILLE
8 DAY CAMPING-MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE

Type of Safari: Camping /Self Drive or Self Catering/ Self Drive or speak to your tour operator for a guided tour of the Lotheni - Himeville Route.

Activities: Hiking , Birding

Region: This camping safari first takes you to the Lotheni Nature Reserve, then Himeville Nature Reserve followed by Garden Castle  in the Drakensberg. If you don't want to camp and you need more details:

How to get there tips:
International Tourists:
Fly in from Johannesburg International airport to Durban airport. Then hire a car or other suitable vehicle. The Drakensberg Region is suitable for cars. If you wish to camp, you will need to hire camping equipment in Durban or Pietermaritzburg.

DAYS ONE, TWO AND THREE
LOTHENI NATURE RESERVE
UKHAHLAMBA DRAKENSBERG PARK
Wind through Pingpong Cutting up the Lotheni river valley and into the reserve. Book in and set up camp with views up to the main escarpment. Lotheni has some wonderful scenic hikes and the hiking booklet will allow you to plan your activities to fit in all the best places whether it's the Gelib Tree trail or Jacob`s Ladder. The Lotheni River has brown trout and some nice runs and pools to test your skill with a fly line.

DAYS FOUR, FIVE AND SIX
GARDEN CASTLE
UKHAHLAMBA DRAKENSBERG PARK
Break camp and leave Lotheni driving towards Himeville village. On the other side of Underberg village on the Swartberg road turn right to Garden Castle. Set up camp and make yourselves comfortable for the next three days. The wildlife in this part of the berg is diverse and the walks particularly scenic with many rock art sites in the sandstone caves and overhangs. A challenging hike takes visitors from 1840m up to the top of the Rhino with the reward of magnificent views from Lesotho to East Griqualand.

DAYS SEVEN AND EIGHT
HIMEVILLE NATURE RESERVE
Break camp and drive from Garden Castle back to Himeville village and into Himeville Reserve where you set up camp in the small but well appointed campsite. The reserve has two dams and fishing at the right time of day should net you some nice trout. Use one of your days here to do the Sani Pass trip. If your vehicle is not suitable there are a number of tour operators that do daily trips into Lesotho up Sani Pass. Other wise making sure that you have your passports leave early in the morning and spend the day going up the pass with its wonderful views and wild flower covered slopes. At the top you can have lunch at the Sani Top Chalets which has the highest pub in Africa.