PRIMITIVE TRAIL WALKING SAFARI

There are a range of different trails at different times of year.
Primitive Trails - 4 nights
Base Camp Trails - 3 nights
Short Wilderness Trails - 2 nights 
Extended Short Wilderness Trails - 3 nights
The three latter are conducted from permanent tented camps and have good comfort levels with morning and afternoon day walks from the camps. For more information click here.
 
Primitive Trails - 3 or 4 nights 
Truly get back to nature with these trails. You carry your own kit, sleep under the stars around a camp fire, in the wilderness areas of the park, living with the Big 5. A unique and amazing experience. 
 
Explorer Trail
This is a combination of the shorter trails with two nights in the permanent tented camps and two nights sleeping out under the stars, as on the Primitive Trails.

​Day 1: You will drive north to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi National Park, three hours away. Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, also spelt uMfolozi) was established on 30 April 1895 and is the oldest game reserve in Africa. This reserve is managed as one protected area of approximately 96 000 ha and is renowned for its wide variety of bird and animal life. Besides the ‘big five’, cheetah, wild dogs and many other well-known bushveld species inhabit the park, it is THE park that saved the white rhino from extinction and hosts the world’s largest populations of both black and white rhino. Self-catering accommodation at Hilltop camp in 2-bed rondavels, or Mpila camp safari tents. There is also a restaurant and pool on site at Hilltop.

Days 2 to 5:
Primitive Trail in Imfolozi NP - 4 nights sleeping in the bush in a Big 5 national park.
Four nights are spent in the Imfolozi Wilderness Area, combining backpacking and sleeping under the stars in Big Five territory. All equipment and food are provided, but there are no tents or set campsites. Camping follows a strict ‘no trace’ ethic. Bathing is done in the river and water is collected from streams. Packs are heavy, as you carry all your own food and gear, but walking distances each day are reasonable.

On the trail it is advisable that everyone leaves their watches and cellular phones behind, and gets to experience the freedom of not being bound by time, and not having to continually meet deadlines and appointments.
This is a more primitive wilderness trail, aimed at the outdoors enthusiast who would like to combine a wilderness experience with backpacking and sleeping out under the stars.

The trail is fully catered - all equipment, bedding and food is provided. (Unfortunately no special diets can be catered for). Trailists are required to assist with food preparation, and camp setup.

At 10:30 you will be met by the Wilderness Trails staff who will issue us with our kit. After a light lunch and a briefing, we set off into the Wilderness area, where we will spend 4 nights and 3 full days, accompanied by a Trails Officer and a Field Ranger. The trail ends at Mpila camp 10:30 on the last day. All four nights are spent out in the bush, in no set camp, as the Trails Officer will choose a site for the overnight camp. Camping follows a very strict 'minimum impact - no trace' ethic, in line with wilderness principles.

The ethos of the trail aims to facilitate an experience of living basically, with a minimum of sophistication in equipment and food. Water is collected from springs or rivers in the wilderness area, and bathing is done in the river wherever possible. A very important part of the trail is spending time alone on watch at the fire at night. This is where one gets to embrace silence and solitude, qualities that are difficult to find in today's world of fast moving technology.

Small camps are set up at night, with trailists sleeping under the stars around a small fire, (a lightweight rain shelter is provided for bad weather) after enjoying a meal prepared by the trails guide and an assistant. Distances covered in walking are not excessive, due to the need to carry all equipment. Backpacks are sometimes left at a campsite and day walks taken to explore the wilderness area.

Equipment provided 
• First Aid kit • Water containers • Toilet trowel, paper etc., • Food • Backpack • Personal Water bottle • Knife, spoon, cup and plate • Groundsheet • Rain shelter (fly sheet) • Sleeping bag • Sleeping mat (optional) • Cooking pots etc. • Large plastic bag (to put contents of backpack into in case of rain)

Day 6: Return to Mpila Camp around 10.30 AM. Drive to King Shaka International Airport. End of services.

Included: Park fees, accommodation as described, meals on the Primitive Trail, guiding, equipment as above for the Primitive Trail.
Not included: vehicle hire or transfers, fuel if self-driving, tips, meals and food kitty, beverages, personal items.

Contact us for a quote, either self-drive or with transfers as part of a longer tour. 

Want to stay longer:
Indigo Safaris can organise a relaxing stay after the trail in one of the four-star safari lodges in the area. Or use this as a warm up to a Drakensberg trek, on one of the several routes through these rugged mountains. We can also arrange diving trips or guided tours of the Zululand Battlefields, or you could rent a vehicle and drive yourselves around and visit the Zululand coastline, either in lodges or camping in a fully-equipped 4x4. Indigo Safaris can take care of all your requirements. If you want still more game viewing, we have great guided Greater Kruger lodge safaris too.