The Adventure

When the great African coastline was formed one part of it was left rugged, wild and untamed. This section of our coastline has known many names and been home and the birth place to one of the greatest tribes in all Africa – the Xhosa. The Xhosa of this part of the Wild Coast are known as the Pondos.

For 300 years, the Xhosa have been the custodians of this gem in our country, living in their little beehive huts that dot this green, pastoral landscape. The area is still very rural, traditional, with a very basic road network. It is on these roads, and many kilometres of legal jeep tracks that we will explore the rugged coastline, shipwrecks, pristine estuaries and crystal waterfalls.

The whole area lends itself to safe walking, mountain biking and wonderful fishing, so bring the toys along as there is time during the tour for these environmentally friendly and fun activities.

The Team

Your tour leader is an experienced nature conservationist and adventure guide. He will be in radio contact with you at all times and impart a wealth of biological, cultural, historic and four-wheel drive knowledge.

Three meals a day will be prepared by our experienced bush chef, with fresh salads, potjiekos, braais and many other surprises appearing on the menu. The good old “koffie pot” will be on the fire from six till late.

This is not a very “technical” 4x4 trip, but should you experience any difficulty, the Bhejane crew do have the “know how” and recovery equipment to assist with off-road problems.

You will at all times be safe, the crew will spare no effort to make you comfortable, provide you with good wholesome food and, most importantly, see that you have a good time.

All the camps will have hot showers and flush toilets.

Adventure itinerary

Day 1:

We meet in outskirts of the town of Lusikisiki (an hour’s drive from Port St Johns or Kokstad) early afternoon and then proceed to our first camp on the Msikaba River that forms the border with the magnificent Mkambati Nature Reserve where we will spend the next two nights.

Each deck tented accommodation unit has two twin beds, en suite bathroom, hot shower, flush toilet and solar lighting. The camp is nestled within the coastal forest margin on the beach. Once you have settled into your accommodation and are relaxing around the campfire, the tour leader will explain the activities of the next few days.

There is time for a walk on the beach before one of many good dinners.

Day 2:

After early morning coffee and rusks there will be a little free time to walk along the beach or go for a paddle on the magnificent Msikaba Estuary. We all then return to camp for a big breakfast and get our vehicles ready for the day’s outing.

Our day trip, with a picnic lunch en route, will take us to a Cape Vulture colony (the rarest vultures in Africa) of over 170 birds nesting on cliffs of a magnificent gorge. We will then head on to the meandering jeep tracks that will take us along the coastline. We will only be using existing legal tracks and never drive along the beach.

We will visit the wreck site of the Grosvenor and get some insight into the unbelievable treasure hunting tactics that people have attempted over the years to get to her alleged secret treasure. En route, there will be ample time to enjoy the nearby beaches or to cool off under a waterfall.

We return to camp in the late afternoon in time for a beach sundowner before dinner and bed.

Day 3:

We pack up after breakfast and, our route for the day which leads to our next camp, will take us through the local tea plantations and past some awe inspiring waterfalls. We will also visit a World War II airstrip and bunker complex used by airmen to bomb German U-boats off the coast.

Our camp for the next two nights has the same type of accommodation with a lovely lounge area that overlooks one of the most unspoilt estuaries you will ever encounter.

There is time for a late afternoon beach walk, paddle or a cast or two.

Day 4:

After a hearty breakfast, once again pack the vehicles for a day trip and a bit of technical 4X4 driving. Our destination is a secluded beach after a beautiful drive through the indigenous sub-tropical forests. We once again have lunch en route and return to camp early enough to enjoy the beauty of the estuary.

Day 5:

Sadly, after breakfast, we say our goodbyes and we guide you back onto the Lusikisiki/ Port St Johns tar road.