From Our
Guestbook ...

"Our first trip to South Africa and certainly not our last! Everthing has been AWESOME! Guy and Anton are outstanding guides. The trip was so very incredible and we hate to leave. Thank you so much, we can't say enough wonderful things about you. See you next year!"

Red & Jody
Texas

"Fantastic time, jaw-dropping scenery, amazing animals, incredible people - what more can we say !!!"

Kirsty & Don
Somerset, UK

Anne & Chris
South Ayrshire

T. J. B.
North Yorkshire

Ian
South Yorkshire

Skibsted Family
Denmark

South African Safari Holidays:

with

Wild Horizon

Wild Horizon is a small personalised holiday company that specialises in taking small groups on what is typically a real South African experience.

We ensure that our clients experience places that are not frequented by other tourists and many of the places we visit are not easily accessible even to local holiday makers. The trip does this by combining visits to remote little known game reserves, situated in huge conservation areas within the Eastern Cape, where we view game with much of the area entirely to ourselves.

We spend time on privately owned game farms, where we do 4x4 trails through countryside barely touched by man. We walk and stalk the game to get amongst them, enjoy quality fresh water fly fishing, and search for hidden bushman paintings.

After this, we travel to the spectacular Wild Coast, which lies within the Eastern Cape borders, and stay in beautiful accommodation overlooking some of the most undeveloped remote coastline in the world. Here we do boat trips to sea and up mangrove lagoons where we can view dolphins, turtles, participate in deep-sea fishing, estuary fly fishing or just soak in the experience. At all times we experience the local Xhosa culture on a first hand basis.

Our trips are limited to a maximum group of eight people so that the experience remains personal. This is an affordable experience for those discerning people who appreciate the really special things in life. Due to the remote nature of our trip, our pricing is fully inclusive of all local travel, meals, accommodation, entry fees and all related activities. The personalised nature of each client's itinerary necessitates pricing be done on an individual basis. Please contact us to discuss your itinerary and the pricing of your holiday.

Areas Visited On Our Safari Holiday

The Greater Fish River Conservancy Area

The Reserves and Conservancy areas start with the Greater Fish River Conservancy Area, which is 45,000 ha in size, and boasts excellent game viewing and a rich historical heritage.

This was the area that witnessed the frontier wars between the Xhosa people and the English settlers. A number of Forts used during this war are situated within the Conservancy area. This area is situated between the towns of Fort Beaufort, Alice and Grahamstown.

The second area we visit is a Conservancy area of 16,000 ha in the foothills of the Winterberg mountain range, which also boasts excellent game viewing, spectacular mountain scenery and bird watching.

We travel to small (90,000 ha), little known game reserves which are rarely visited, but which carry most of the Big Five and most of the plains game. Here we walk among herds of game, in the shadow of Giraffe, close to Rhino or Elephant or sit in complete remoteness and grass waiting for elusive Kudu or shy Bushbuck. The game viewing is excellent, and the best part of it all is that it is not shared by other visitors.

Our Game Farm, Bultfontein, is situated on the boundary between the Eastern Cape Karoo and the Southern point of the Drakensberg, in the Lady Grey area. Our game farm is special in that it offers extreme remoteness and solitude, mixed with game viewing, massive altitude changes, splendid mountain scenery and challenging 4 x 4 routes.

Here, we visit bushman art unknown to the outside world and watch the rare Black Eagle hunting the edges of the cliff for a careless “dassie” (Rock Rabbit). This is also an excellent  freshwater fly-fishing venue offering not only Trout, but also the much sought after Yellow fish.

The Coastal area which we visit is a completely undeveloped area where few people have access to accommodation. The coastline has spectacular areas of rocky cliffs, secluded pocket beaches, long deserted beaches, rock pools teeming with marine life and beautiful mangrove lagoons.

Activities in this area include excellent bird watching, swimming, fishing in the estuaries, off the rocks or, weather permitting, world class deep-sea fishing. Offshore life is breathtaking, with the opportunity to view at close quarters Whales, Dolphins, Turtles and during season the famous “Sardine Run” as it shoals up the African coast. This area is also rich in gastronomical sea food delights, as it has abundant supplies of crayfish, prawns and oysters as well as, if we are lucky excellent fresh fish.

This region, which used to be called the Republic of Transkei, is the cultural homeland of the Xhosa people. We will travel through the village of Qunu, which is the home village of Mr Nelson Mandela, and pass by his current residence. In Mthatha we will visit the Nelson Mandela Museum. A large amount of time will be spent travelling through traditional Xhosa villages where we witness Xhosa traditions first hand.

Animals That May Be Seen

Blue Wildebeest, Black Wildebeest, Zebra, Buffalo, Springbok, Duiker, Giraffe, Impala, Red Hartebeest, Steenbok, Warthog, White Rhino, Bontebok, Bushbuck, Baboon, Dassie, Elephant, Kudu, Eland, Ostrich, Waterbuck, Mountain Reedbuck, Black Backed Jackal, Mongoose, Porcupine, Blesbuck.

Our Typical Safari Holiday Itinerary

Below we have displayed a typical itinerary of our safari holiday through the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. We can, however, customize our itinerary to suit our client's requirements.

Day One
Upon arrival in East London, guests are collected from East London Airport and we proceed to Double Drift Game Reserve, where we check in and go on a leisurely evening game drive.

Day Two
After early morning coffee and rusks, we embark on a game drive and walk amongst the game - viewing elephants, giraffe etc. After brunch, we depart for Tsolwana Game Reserve, where we check in, and settle down before enjoying a relaxing dinner.

Day Three
We enjoy a leisurely game drive and then depart for Bultfontein Game Farm, in the Lady Grey area. Upon arrival there, we enjoy afternoon drinks whilst overlooking game and beautiful scenery.

Day Four
We follow a leisurely 4x4 trail through the valleys and mountains of the farm, and picnic in the mountains next to a beautiful stream where the remoteness and vastness are surreal. If we are lucky, we view the endangered Black Eagle and Cape Vulture.

Day Five
We all rise early for a hike amongst the game and to view the sunrise over the cliffs. After brunch, we spend some time relaxing. In the afternoon, we visit bushman paintings, and partake of sundowners in a bushman cave. In the evening, we have a final evening braai on the farm.

Day Six
We rise early to depart for the Wild Coast. We travel for approximately 300 km during the course of the day, taking in local traditional villages, beautiful passes and then descend to the Coast. Depending on our time of arrival, we settle in and have sundowners on the deck overlooking the ocean.

Day Seven
We have a lot of fun, with relaxing coastal activities such as swimming, boating, walking, fishing and just taking in the natural coastal beauty.

Days Eight and Nine
Days Eight and Nine include all forms of coastal activities on the remote wild coast; we go boating amongst the dolphins, deep-sea fishing for those interested, take a trip up a mangrove lagoon, snorkel or swim, or just lie back on a remote beach and take in the atmosphere. At all times we are able to experience the local customs and traditions on a first hand basis.

Day Ten
We bid a tearful farewell to the Wild Coast and take the trip, via Qunu, the current home of Mr Nelson Mandela, back to East London, where guests will have a chance to do some last minute shopping before boarding their plane.

Safari Holiday Accommodation & Ammenities

Due to the remote nature of our trip, we carry most of our supplies with us and whilst very comfortable, our accommodation does not boast air-conditioning or Jacuzzis.

It does, however, offer comfortable, clean bedrooms and bathrooms, excellent kitchens and dining rooms with spectacular views and ambience. Food is of a high standard and typically South African and we serve the best local wines and beer.

The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa is varied in its beauty. The landscape ranges from lush forest to arid desert, to hundreds of kilometres of beautiful white beaches and seas. The wooded Amatola Mountain range stretches across the Eastern Cape, and is steeped in early Settler history. Inland, the Great Karoo consists of vast open spaces and sparse bushveld. Traveling east towards the Indian Ocean, you will find a coastline which rates amongst the most beautiful in the world.

Practical Information For A Safari Holiday

Packing Clothing and Accessories:

Laundry can be done every 3/4 days, weather permitting, and as such, comfortable clothing for at least 5 days should be planned for. Note that for game viewing drab, darker colours are recommended. The entire trip is very casual and no formal or semi-formal clothing is required.

• Binoculars
• Cameras
• Dark Glasses
• Sun Block
• Personal Hygiene & Bathing requirements
• Specific Medication (this is important as we cannot always access personal specific medication)

• Hat
• Light Shirts (with collar)
• Shorts
• Light warm top
• Light rain jacket
• Jeans / Khaki longs
• Bathing costume
• Good walking shoes/boots & socks
• Light Running shoes
• Slops for beach and evenings

Same as above, however, heavier shirts, a warm jacket and note the bathing costume must always be packed…..some of our best bathing time is in winter.

Meet Your Host, Guy Swart

Due to the remote nature of our trip, our pricing is fully inclusive of all local travel, meals, accommodation, entry fees and all related activities. The personalised nature of each client's itinerary necessitates pricing be done on an individual basis. Please contact us to discuss your itinerary and the pricing of your holiday.

Contact Guy at:

E-mail: guy@wildhorizon.co.za
Cell: +27 82 655 2739
Tel: +27 43 738 5091
Skype: wildhorizon

We would like to do a brief overview of our operation and trust that this displays our deep commitment to our passion and speciality. Wild Horizon was bought about by our realisation that the days of really remote and special places in South Africa appeared to have “disappeared”.

It is barely possible to travel to South Africa, or even Africa, without being in the presence of other tourists or foreign visitors and most places that are visited have been commercialised to some extent. It is common for the visitor to South Africa, who is of the belief that they should be experiencing something unique, to find themselves surrounded by other foreign visitors or even queuing to view “wild” animals.

This to us is not a true experience of our beautiful continent and as such we have identified an adventure safari holiday that takes the traveller to those few remaining places that are special and not yet commercialised. This is for the traveller who is looking for that out of the ordinary something special that cannot normally be accessed.