Game Drives in the Manyeleti Our professional guides and trackers are trained to take guests on guided activities. Before departure on a drive or walk, your guide will give you an orientation on safety, as well as, the area and game you could expect to see. Daily game drives in open 4x4 Land Cruisers depart the lodge early in the morning and again late in the afternoon, into the dark starry Manyeleti evening. The guides will discuss the drive times with you to suit your needs and comfort as well as optimum levels of animal activity. Guides and trackers will share with you a holistic and enriching experience, focusing on all animals, big or small, to ensure an understanding of this entire ecosystem. Our security guards will wake you up in the morning where you may join all guests for morning refreshments in the lounge or pre-arrange tea and coffee to your room. Should you wish to take a walk, please arrange this with your guide or lodge management. Remember to bring along your camera, hat, sunscreen and warm jacket for the cool mornings or evenings. Game Walks The Manyeleti Game Reserve is renowned for its numerous walking trails and wilderness areas. Walking is a wonderful and exhilarating way to appreciate the smaller insects, animals, tracks and plants of the bushveld. Our highly trained and experienced guides will take you into the most amazing sycamore fig groves, open savannah plains or simply close to the lodge to explore and appreciate the smaller animals and wonders. Due to safety regulations, no person under the age of 16 is permitted on a bush walk. Manyeleti Community Visit This is a 2-3 hour informal excursion where we take you into the neighbouring community where many of our staff live. You will have the opportunity to meet families, view crafters at work, and perhaps visit a local school or a sangoma (traditional healer). Cost: R 500.00 per person Excludes Sangoma visit, payable in cash to Sangoma Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre & Cheetah Research Project This is a 3 hour excursion. Visiting the cheetah breeding project, you are taken on an educational tour to view the beautiful king Cheetah and other endangered species. R 1 630.00 per adult R 690.00 per child Includes entrance fees 1 Elephant Whispers Duration: 1 1/2 hours Experience the thrill of close encounters with six majestic African Elephant. Learn how to work with elephant, and have a chance to test your newly acquired skills! Experienced Handlers saddle you up to take a wander through the trees on the back of a gentle giant. For a memorable hour, guests have the chance to interact with these enormous creatures – handing out pellets and touching the varying textures of their trunk, tongue, skin and feet. After the interaction, saddle-up and set off into the African bush on the back of the elephant. Enjoy a different perspective while embarking on a journey that was once a privilege reserved only for kings! Cost: R 2 370 per adult R 1 545.00 per child Includes entrance fees Mariepskop Day Trip Take a drive up to the Mariepskop Mountain, which is the highest peak in the northern Drakensberg. It stands tall on the eastern side of the Drakensberg Escarpment, its back to the Blyde River Canyon. Ascend the mountain and you will stand 1 945 metres above sea level, the Indian Ocean and even Maputo visible on a cloudless day. To reach the top there is a steep pass between Klaserie and the ridge of the Drakensberg. This wilderness is not only incredibly scenic but is also incredibly biodiverse. Few people know about Mariepskop or the pass, so it is not unusual to have much of the indigenous forest to yourself. For birders the patches of fynbos high up on Mariepskop give rise to an extraordinary number of birds that are difficult to spot anywhere else, like Gurney’s sugarbird, and the Cape canary. The combination of bushveld, montane forest and fynbos is infinitely rewarding to the birder, and raptors favour the peak. On the way up the pass look out for red-collared widowbird and Steppe buzzard. You will take a drive up to Mariepskop after breakfast and spend the day exploring and have a picnic lunch, and be back in time for the afternoon game drive Cost: R 700 per adult R 400 per child Jessica the Hippo Come and meet the world famous Jessica the hippo. She is about an hour away situated near Hoedspruit and would really like to meet you - she has a lovely sweet nature. You can pet her and feed her and take photos with her. An absolute must see! Please note that this excursion is done in a closed air-conditioned vehicle. Cost: R 1 630.00 per adult R 690.00 per child Includes entrance fees 2 Kruger National Park This excursion takes to you into the world heritage site of Kruger National Park where you can see the beautiful sights and animals. Please note that this excursion is done in a closed air-conditioned vehicle. Includes a packed lunch. Cost: R 3 000.00 per adult Includes entrance fees Panorama Tour This a full day’s excursion where you visit the beautiful sights of Gods Window, the Three Rondawels and the nearby towns of Graskop and Pilgrim’s Rest. You will also stop and have lunch at the famous Harry’s Pancakes. Cost: R 2 755.00 per person R 1 135.00 per child Hot Air Ballooning This is an early morning excursion, where you will fly over the bushveld in a hot air balloon to view the sunrise. Light refreshments will be served after the scenic flight. This excursion is extremely dependant on the weather conditions. Cost: R 4 655.00 per person Stargazing in the Manyeleti The word Manyeleti means ‘Place of many stars.” Under African skies, the Milky Way burns bright, bright enough to pick out the belt of stars lining the centre of our galaxy. Getting far away from the city and out into nature is a real treat at night, when one can look up into a star-studded sky and marvel at the countless planets and stars out there. The skies here have little light pollution and mostly cloudless skies, especially in summer, making it a perfect place on the making it a perfect place on the planet for stargazing. Tintswalo guides will use the powerful mead telescope for a special stargazing adventure. Arrange with your guide about this unique star gazing experience. The heavens are just part of the magical view that comes out at night. Terms and Conditions All the above rates include: The transfer/tour/entrance, a packed breakfast or lunch as well as local drinks. Advance bookings for all the above activities are essential. Ask for group discounts. This activities updated 11/4/2018 3.