Safari in luxury: Phinda game reserve & the Oyster Box hotel

  • Eat delicious seafood at The Oyster Box's Ocean Terrace | Photo credit: The Red Carnation Hotel Collection

    Eat delicious seafood at The Oyster Box's Ocean Terrace | Photo credit: The Red Carnation Hotel Collection

  • Umhlanga is an affluent beach town just north of Durban | Photo credit: www.dookphoto.com

    Umhlanga is an affluent beach town just north of Durban | Photo credit: www.dookphoto.com

  • Spend a few days unwinding in luxury at the Oyster Box Hotel | Photo credit: www.dookphoto.com

    Spend a few days unwinding in luxury at the Oyster Box Hotel | Photo credit: www.dookphoto.com

  • Keep a look out for grazing zebras on the grass plains

    Keep a look out for grazing zebras on the grass plains

  • Enjoy a guided bush walk

    Enjoy a guided bush walk | Photo credit: &Beyond

  • A game drive could be the highlight of your stay! | Photo credit: &Beyond

    A game drive could be the highlight of your stay! | Photo credit: &Beyond

  • Finish your day by telling stories on the deck

    Finish your day by telling stories on the deck | Photo credit: &Beyond

  • Can you spot the elusive cheetah?

    Can you spot the elusive cheetah? | Photo credit: &Beyond

Trip ideas

Duration(in days): 7

From: Durban

To:

From

£3,190

Exc. International flights (per person, based on 2 sharing)

Get a quote

or Call 01273 320580

See more ideas for: South Africa

Combine South Africa’s east coast beaches and wildlife   on a safari from Durban. Starting on the sands of Umhlanga, you’ll spend a few days unwinding in luxury at the Oyster Box Hotel enjoying their famous curry buffet and endless sea views before moving north to Phinda Game Reserve. Here you’ll take game drives through the forest looking for zebras munching on the grass plains and leopards stalking them through the undergrowth, before finishing your day with dinner beneath the stars and telling stories of your day around the fire. This trip is an ideal combination of relaxation and excitement which you’ll experience in unparalleled luxury.

This itinerary can be tailored to suit your requirements please contact one of our consultants to start planning your dream trip

Highlights

  • Relax in luxury at the iconic Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga
  • Experience the forests of Phinda Game Reserve
  • Look out for leopards and rare black rhinos on game drives
  • Dine under the stars around the traditional African boma

 

Itinerary in brief:

  • 3 nights Umhlanga
  • 3 nights Phinda Game Reserve

 

Day 1: Arrive Durban

On arrival in Durban you’ll be met at the airport and driven to your hotel, where you will check in for three nights.

Days 2 & 3: Umhlanga

You’ll have two days to relax on the sandy beaches of Umhlanga, only a step away from your luxury hotel, The Oyster Box. Famous for its curry buffet, this stylish hotel is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy one of South Africa’s best-loved hotels. Highlights include eating delicious seafood at the Ocean Terrace, sundowners at The Lighthouse Bar and relaxing on the iconic red striped sun loungers.

Umhlanga is an affluent beach town just north of Durban and a great place to get stuck into some water sports, from surfing to kite boarding. If you fancy a glimpse of city life, its only a 20 minute drive to Durban where you can do some shopping and explore the beachfront of this lively metropolis.

Day 4: Umhlanga to Phinda Game Reserve

After breakfast, take one last stroll along the beach before being driven to Phinda Game Reserve, where you’ll check into your lodge for three nights.

Days 5 & 6: Phinda Game Reserve

Home to the ‘Big Five’, Phinda Game Reserve is an oasis of wildlife around 4 hours north of Durban in the corner of South Africa. As well as the usual suspects like grazing zebra, lions and skittish buffalo, it is also home to some of the less easily spotted creatures such as the elusive cheetah and the rare black rhino. You’ll enjoy morning and afternoon game drives each day, keeping an eye out for leopards lazing in the treetops and hippos fighting for supremacy in the muddy river.

When not out on safari you’ll be able to enjoy the luxurious &Beyond Phinda Forest Lodge, from the secluded rooms with warm African interiors to walking safaris with experienced guides who will introduce you to the environment of Phinda. Floor to ceiling windows invite the forest into your room while the dense canopy provides you with the privacy you want. Breakfast and lunch are taken on an open air deck where monkeys dance through the trees, while in the evenings you’ll gather round the boma (fire) as you indulge in a lantern lit feast beneath the stars.

Day 7: Depart Durban

Today is your final day in South Africa – after breakfast you’ll be driven to Durban Airport in time to catch your onwards flight.

 

KwaZulu Natal has a warm sub-tropical climate and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east and Drakensburg Mountains to the west. Summer runs from September to April, it is hot and humid and experiences most of the yearly rainfall. Winters are warm, dry and clear. This temperate environment makes KwaZulu Natal a great destination to visit year round. 

This itinerary is purely a suggestion, and can be tailor-made to your requirements, so please contact us with your dates and requests and we’ll put together a bespoke quotation for you.

What's included
  • Accommodation for 6 nights
  • 6 x breakfasts, 3 x lunches, 3 x dinners
  • Conservation fees
  • Transfers as mentioned in itinerary
  • Safari activities in Phinda
Not included
  • Personal expenses and tips
  • Porterage
  • Anything not mentioned above