Five Hike African adventure & Community development
Botsuela Village above the stunning waterfalls, where the community is asking for more eco cook bags
A personally- escorted small group adventure across Southern Africa, for minimum 10 people. Five walks in stunning scenery including Nelson Mandela’s Walk to Freedom and the world-famous Moshoeshoe hike. Plus penguin watching, spa and safari alongside up-close African history and life-changing community development work.
Dates: 28 February to 15 March 2024
Pace: Range of easy walks to optional challenging hikes
Price: £2200 inclusive, plus flights
Adventure leaders: Dr Ken Dunn MBE and Faye Smith
About the adventure
Awe and wonder at the stunning scenery as we get up close with nature
Hope Walking is partnering with a charity Faye has supported for many years, Africa’s Gift to bring you a unique walking experience in Africa. Have you ever dreamed of having a big adventure? A community development trip with a social purpose which you can take in all good conscience, knowing you will be making a practical life-changing and even saving difference in other people’s lives?
This is no poverty tourism, no ‘saviours’ here. This is a close-up immersive small group experience combining a trip of a lifetime with working alongside the communities we visit and sharing experiences which bring mutual understanding and growth. Guided by social entrepreneur, African expert and born raconteur Dr Ken Dunn MBE, we ensure your carbon neutral trip won’t cost the planet and you return mentally and physically refreshed, reinvigorated and changed in the best possible way. We offset our flight emissions by distributing life-saving Eternal Flame eco cookbags (included in your trip price) and support ethical and sustainable locally-run businesses and suppliers throughout our stay in Africa.
Our well-received accommodation is comfortable, but not luxurious. We are still finalising details, so just click the book now button to get the final itinerary and express interest while flights are available and prices lower.
You can read guide Faye’s blog about her life-changing African experience doing a similar tour with Dr Dunn here.
Faye Smith, founder of Hope Walking is entranced by her African Adventure and keen to share the wonder, joy and inspiration she found with our guests
journey itinerary
Wed 28th Feb Flight
Thursday 29th Land Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, transfer to Kedar Lodge Rustenberg.
Friday 1st March Game drive in Pilanesberg National Park before returning for breakfast. Rest then pm game drive, returning for dinner.
Sat 2nd Optional am game drive, or else later breakfast and depart for Bloemfontein.
Sunday 3rd Depart Bloemfontein for Malealea Lodge.
Monday 4th Local orientation, visit to our teaching farm and learn more about the life-saving eco cookbag.
Tuesday 5th WALK 1 Hike to cave paintings and likely on to Botsuela Waterfall
Wednesday 6th Leave Malealea for a meeting / party with the British High Commissioner in the capital Maseru and then journey together to Butha – Buthe to the start of the Moshoeshoe Hike. Camp under canvas for the next three nights. Equipment is provided. Bring your own lightweight sleeping bag if you prefer. Stay in B&B could be arranged.
Thursday 7th WALK 2 Moshoeshoe Hike
Friday 8th Moshoeshoe Hike
Saturday 9th Moshoeshoe Hike Evening of 9th sleep Thaba Bosiu
After a day on the Malealea Community Teaching Farm picking peaches and learning the basics of sustainable agriculture, we shared our produce with the farm manager and Lodge kitchen team.
Sunday 10th Scenic drive to Beaufort West to overnight on route to Cape Town
Monday 11th Scenic drive to Cape Town then pm Walk 3 Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Tuesday 12th Walk 4 in the Footsteps of Mandela Robben Island am | Winelands pm
Wednesday 13th Walk 5 Cape of Storms and Boulders beach am | Table Mountain pm
Thursday 14th Catch up on anything we’ve missed or relax in Camps Bay, pretending we are A-listers! Goodbyes and fly home pm
Friday 15th Arrive back in UK for onward travel home.
£35 for a fully biodegradable Eternal Flame eco cookbag will ensure this women had 6 hours back in her day and won’t be the next of the women and children dying of toxic smoke inhalation every 23 seconds.
WALK ITINERARY
Five incredible walks to blast away the Winter blues in Southern Africa…
1. Hike through rural Lesotho to discover San Cave Paintings in a stunning gorge, an hour from Malealea Lodge.
2. The world famous three-day epic Moshoeshoe Hike (around 60 miles or just complete as much as you wish each day), walking in the footsteps of King Moshoeshoe from Butha- Buthe to the hilltop fortress of Thaba Bosiu. We will be joining a nation celebrating its 200-year birthday – a truly unique experience walking alongside the British High Commissioner, friend of Africa’s Gift.
3. A Long Walk to Freedom. Walk in the footsteps of Mr Nelson Mandela and hear from those who walked the path with him in his Robben Island prison.
4. Hike to the most South Westerly point on the African continent. marveling in the scenery that in 1488, Bartholomeu Dias termed the Cape of Storms and where he died at sea twelve years later. We will be on Terra Firma.
5. On Table Mountain we gain true appreciation by firstly walking its lower slopes in the stunning Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens, before heading to the table top itself. If you are beat by then, the cable car can be your best friend. The must-see flora is unique to the mountain.
And finally, our amble through the Cape Vineyards with appropriate refreshment is not really considered a hike, but a necessary South African essential!
The exact days of hikes and activities in the Cape will be determined by the weather – we may need to switch things for the best fit. All named accommodation is also subject to us booking swiftly to ensure availability.
A dawn safari is an incredible way to end our trip of a lifetime
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
UK passport holders do not require a visa for either Lesotho or South Africa, but they must have at least two clean pages left in their passport and have at least six months left before expiry. Otherwise, a new passport must be sought. Anyone holding a Non – UK passport must seek guidance on visa requirements.
Inoculations must be sought from your medical practitioner immediately. You do not require anything for malaria. General protection (Tetanus) and vaccines against water- borne infections are those likely to be discussed. Please seek an early consultation once you decide to join us.
The cost is £2200 plus flights, based on a minimum of 10 participants. Donations to Africa’s Gift Charity to further offset the CO2 emissions for this visit are appreciated, but four Eternal Flame eco cook bags are costed into your fee.
Faye’s guests love working alongside local women to make eco cook bags, then distribute them to families cooking over open fires
WALK SUMMARY
Date: 28 February to 15 March 2024
Description: 17 day adventure in Southern Africa: trip of a lifetime and community development which makes a life-changing impact in front of your eyes.
Grade: Walks range from easy to challenging hikes. Options can be provided.
Price: £2200 per person excluding international flights, which can be sourced by our trusted travel agent Debbie Dent of Travel Counsellors. With under a month to go, full payment is required on booking.
Walk guides: Dr Ken Dunn MBE of Africa’s Gift and Faye Smith of Hope Walking
Contact for enquiries: ken@africasgift.org WhatsApp 07528 529766
Please pay Africa’s Gift Ltd Registered Charity 1149830 Unity Trust Bank Sort Code 60-83-01 Account 20354257
What’s included:
Fully escorted tour by your two hosts and occasional local guides
All accommodation. Pricing is based on twin share room.
All transport by an experienced safe driver in a well-maintained vehicle.
All meals. A wine tasting experience.
All entries to the National Parks and entry to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Robben Island Museum tour and ferry crossing, and Boulders Beach Penguin Colony.
Cable car fare down from Table Mountain – and up too, should you wish to skip the hike.
Two game drives with local guides/drivers in large open-sided safari vehicles.
Toll roads including James Bond-worthy Chapman Peak’s scenic drive
Also included are stories a plenty from history and culture to ripping yarns of travel and adventures.
Not included:
Tips to service providers – please consider this carefully as tips significantly help many staff who work hard to provide you with an excellent experience.
Drinks are not included and we encourage guests to bring water bottles that can be filled with fresh drinking water.
Additional activities that are not specified.
Travel insurance – which is mandatory.
Cost of inoculations, if required
What to bring: A straight-forward kit list will be issued once minimum numbers have been reached and your booking has been confirmed..
Travelling to the route start:
We always recommend the greenest option of public transport where possible. We offset our flight emissions by eco cook bag distribution and support ethical and sustainable locally-run businesses and suppliers throughout our stay in Africa.
Customer review
Charlotte helping with the peach harvest on the training farm
To find out more read Faye’s blog about her life-changing adventure to Lesotho in Southern Africa January 2023 here https://hopewalking.co.uk/blog-posts/saving-lives-with-ecobags
Charlotte is a life-long registered NHS nurse who has recently specialised as a post-natal doula. She joined Faye and Ken’s last Africa’s Gift trip to Lesotho and learnt so much about maternal health. Read her insightful, inspiring journal here https://hopewalking.co.uk/blog-posts/lotties-life-changing-trip-to-lesotho-with-africas-gift
Kay is a retired optometrist and ambassador for the work of Africa’s Gift. She has been on tree planting, sustainable farming and eco cook bag community development trips to Africa. Read about why she keeps coming back here https://hopewalking.co.uk/blog-posts/my-african-adventure
Why not start your journey today?