Malamala Game Reserve, South Africa
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YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO JOIN AN OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO MALAMALA GAME RESERVE, SOUTH AFRICA PREPARED ESPECIALLY FOR THE ATTENDEES OF THE INTERNATIONAL ELEPHANT CONSERVATION & RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM HELD AT ZEBULA GOLF ESTATE & SPA, BELA BELA, SOUTH AFRICA OCTOBER 21-25, 2019 YOUR ITINERARY: MALA MALA GAME RESERVE DAYS 1/2/3~ JOHANNESBURG/SKUKUZA/MALA MALA RESERVE Today you will fly to the legendary Mala Mala Game Reserve, founded by Michael Rattray, a legend onto himself. It is not unusual to see Michael at MalaMala, as he, along with his wife Norma, spend a lot of time at the reserve and are the perfect hosts during the evening meals at the boma. Situated in the eastern part of South Africa in the province of Mpumalanga, it shares a common border of 26 miles with the Kruger National Park and is part of a conservation gene pool that covers 5.5 million acres of land in the heart of the South African lowveld. This low-lying region of flat bush country contains habitat types ranging from riverine thicket to open savannah. Because of its latitude and elevation, malarial mosquitoes and tsetse flies kept man and his domesticated beasts at bay for centuries, allowing nature to flourish undisturbed. Tsetse flies are no longer prevalent within this region and malarial prophylaxis has now opened this area up for man to enjoy. Today this area is known to have the greatest diversification of animal species on the African continent. Over two hundred different species occur in abundance while the ever-changing birdlife provides even the most experienced ornithologist with rare finds. Only guests accommodated in one of the three Mala Mala Game Reserve camps may traverse this immense tract of privately-owned game land. Under the expert guidance of both your personal ranger and tracker, you’ll enjoy all that Mala Mala Game Reserve has to offer. Mala Mala’s photographic safaris are conducted in open 4-wheel drive vehicles which allows for total freedom of movement and the ability to leave the road and track down Africa's Big Five (buffalo, lion, leopard, rhino and elephant) and other interesting wildlife. After dark, spotlight safaris provide the opportunity to view nocturnal creatures and carnivores on the hunt and walking safaris with an armed ranger can be arranged on request. The success of the safaris can be measured by the fact that more than 76% of Mala Mala’s guests are members of the exclusive “Big Five Club,” which means that they have had contact sightings of the Big Five. This phenomenal rate of viewing success is directly attributed to the fact that Mala Mala comprises 45,000 acres of pristine game viewing land, making it the largest privately owned game reserve in South Africa, with human density and impact on the land being kept to an absolute minimum. Another reason is the unfenced border between Mala Mala and the Kruger National Park, which allows herds of animals to migrate unhindered to the perennial Sand River which flows north to south through the Mala Mala Game Reserve for 28 miles. Mala Mala Main Camp, where you will be staying, combines unpretentious comfort with unparalleled game viewing, including the "Big Five" (rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant.) It is regarded as one of the best game lodges in the world and has won numerous international awards. Its ochre buildings cluster amid shady trees and manicured lawns on the banks of the Sand River. The rooms are spacious, thatched rondavels, each enjoying a spectacular view and equipped with 'his' and 'hers' bathrooms, air-conditioning, insect-proof screens, telephone/intercom, and extra-large twin beds. The entire camp is furnished in rattan, but despite the comfort, Mala Mala retains a camp atmosphere. The Camp also features two landscaped swimming pools and large reed enclosed boma for evening dining which has been the Mala Mala tradition for over sixty years. Overnights at MALA MALA MAIN CAMP. (All Meals Daily) www.malamala.com DAY 4~ SKUKUZA/JOHANNESBURG After breakfast, transfer to the airport today for your flight to Johannesburg. INCLUSIONS • Roundtrip flights between Johannesburg & Skukuza. • Superior accommodations in MalaMala Game Reserve as indicated or similar. • All meals daily. • Local guides throughout. • All applicable hotel and lodge taxes and gratuities for baggage handling. • Park fees per the itinerary. • Complimentary luggage tags. • Complimentary emergency evacuation insurance. EXCLUSIONS • Round trip air transportation between the USA and South Africa • Passport and visa fees and service charges for obtaining visas. Visas are currently not required for South Africa • Excess baggage charges levied by airlines. • Gratuities to drivers/guides/naturalists and other conveyance attendants. Gratuities should only be given as a reward for exceptional service and is at your discretion. We estimate $10 per person/per day for the safari driver. $10 per person/per day for the camp staff. $ 3 per person for each arrival and departure transfer from the airport / hotel. These are daily per service estimates and an exact tipping chart will be detailed on your final itinerary. • Meals and beverages, other than specified. • Laundry and other items of a personal nature. • Personal and baggage insurance. • Cost for anything not specifically mentioned in the listing above. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ITINERARY SEQUENCE IS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF WRITING, BUT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA Participants: • Participants must be able to climb in and out of safari 4x4 vehicles or minibuses, small aircraft and boats/canoes unassisted. They should also be able to tolerate riding on uneven, bumpy dirt roads for long periods of time (6-8 hours maximum), as well as some off-road experiences when opportunities allow. • Participants should also be able to stand and/or walk moderate distances at an easy pace for up to a few hours at a time when visiting villages, towns or other sites. Some, if not most, of this walking may be on uneven ground or uphill, often at higher elevations and altitudes that many people are not used to. In general, this trip requires: • Flexibility and good humor – unexpected changes and/or glitches will occur • A spirit of adventure and curiosity • Interest in and willingness to appreciate a destination with uneven infrastructure and a bending definition of comfort. That being said, some locations are nestled in absolute luxury where pampering is the norm. Upon registration, you must provide your full legal name as it appears on your passport. In the event an airline ticket is issued with incorrect information you have provided, you will be responsible for charges associated with reissuing the ticket BRING-A-BOOK FOUNDATION Your safari will include a visit to a local school. We encourage you to bring colorful books and magazines, as well as schools supplies such as pens, paper, crayons, soccer balls, etc., which you can present to the children during your visit. Many of these children have never owned a book in their life and the connection you’ll make with them is invaluable. You’ll find that children in the schools are eager to meet with visitors, practice their English, learn about your culture and proudly share their own. You are often welcomed with a local song or dance. After seeing schools first hand, meeting the dedicated teachers working under the most difficult conditions and children hungry for knowledge, many travelers have wanted to help the schools they visited or continue to support a child’s learning opportunities after they return to their homes. Bring-A-Book is an innovative effort adopted by Classic Escapes to expand education opportunities for school children. The Bring-A-Book Foundation is a registered Kenyan Charitable Trust that was created as a way to facilitate travelers’ wishes to help the schools and is used to get books into the hands of children as quickly and economically as possible. With compassionate ground operators such as Rangers Safaris, Wilderness Safaris and &Beyond, Classic Escapes has expanded the reach of BAB to Tanzania, South Africa and Zambia, and to other countries our travelers visit around the world. Information will be given to you with your final documents, but if you wish to help further, feel free to call Classic Escapes at 800-627-1244 for details. CLASSIC ESCAPES CONSERVATION FUND In keeping with our mission to provide exciting, educational, and fun-filled experiences that nurture and directly support the diverse wildlife and cultures we visit around the world, Classic Escapes has established the Classic Escapes Conservation Fund to ensure that a percentage of all profits go to support conservation and wildlife researchers performing their critical work in the field. Project support has included wild dog, elephant, rhino and cheetah conservation in Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia, penguins in Punta San Juan Peru, tiger preservation in India, and sponsoring school children in Kenya, among many other projects around the world. By traveling with Classic Escapes, you are supporting travel as a tool for building the mutual respect, awareness and understanding that are vital to preserving this planet for future generations. YOUR JOURNEY AT A GLANCE INCLUDING: MALAMALA GAME RESERVE, SABI SANDS, SOUTH AFRICA COST: PER PERSON, BASED ON DOUBLE MALA MALA MAIN CAMP OCCUPANCY INCLUDING FLIGHTS JO’BURG/SKUKUZA/JO’BURG LAND ONLY COST BASED ON 2 TRAVELERS: $4,195 PER PERSON BASED ON 4 TRAVELERS: $4,195 PER PERSON BASED ON 6 TRAVELERS: $4,195 PER PERSON BASED ON 8 TRAVELERS: $4,195 PER PERSON BASED ON 10 TRAVELERS: $4,195 PER PERSON SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT* $1,695 PER PERSON, ADDITIONAL * SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS ARE VALID FOR FIRST TWO SINGLE ROOMS BOOKED. IF MORE THAN TWO SINGLE ROOMS, ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENT MAY APPLY.