Hike, Kayak and Wild Swim South Africa

Arriving at Johannesburg's O. R. Tambo International Airport, you'll meet your driver for the transfer. Settle into the van with your fellow adventurers for a four-hour road trip through South Africa's interior, to reach the base of the Drakensberg Mountains. Check into your hotel, stretch your legs on a nature trail through the forest, or do some gentle pilates with your local host. Regroup at dinner time, where you’ll chat about the adventure to come.

Load up your trekking pack and leave your main luggage at the hotel as you set off for the wild trails of the Drakensberg Mountains. After a hearty breakfast at your hotel, hit the path with your local guide and hike up and over sandstone cliffs, via Lone Rock with its displays of San rock art. Continue up through a sloping section to reach Sugarloaf Gap and hike along the ridge, bypassing Broom Hill with sublime views across to the former homeland of QwaQwa, while bearded vultures circle overhead.

Today’s hike starts with a short but fun 4x4 transfer to where the trail kicks off along a well-trodden path which ascends gradually towards the Witches and Zigzags, taking you to the base of the Sentinel massif. From here you’ll follow the contour path below the Western Buttress, with the land sloping steeply to the north and east giving you wonderful views of the Maluti Mountains in neighbouring Lesotho. The action ramps up after 3km when you reach a network of chain ladders to help you navigate a 35m ascent, followed by a short scramble from there to the escarpment top. There’s the option to summit Mont-aux-Sources (the highest peak in the area at 3282m) before hiking across to Tugela Falls. With a 983m freefall over the escarpment, Tugela vies with Angel Falls as the highest waterfall in the world.

Lap up the last of the views from this epic spot as you hike down the beautiful Mahai Valley. There are a series of waterfalls and natural swimming pools along the way, so make sure you've packed your swimmers. After your hike, say bye for now to your Drakensberg host and jump in a transfer to Colenso, where you’ll be met by your next host in the Tugela River Valley. Once at camp – eyes peeled for wildlife – tuck into lunch and settle into your riverside abode. Your activities here will be led by the weather, seasonality and what the group wants to do: you can paddle down to Warthog Island (either by whitewater raft or by kayak, depending on the river's water levels), hike to an incredible look-out point to abseil down the rock at sunset, or simply zen out in a hammock. Back at camp in the evening, wrap up an exhilarating day with a delicious dinner enjoyed under star-studded skies.

Rise in the cool of the early morning for a stroll around Hippo Hill, where there's the chance of a close interaction with the relaxed resident herd of giraffes. An unforgettable start to your day, you're also likely to encounter antelopes, warthogs and a plethora of birds before returning to camp for a hearty breakfast. If river levels are right (usually from January to March) it’s possible to do a longer section of rafting; alternatively, you can hike to a secret waterfall. There will be plenty of time to soak up the tranquil surrounds of your riverside camp with a refreshing dip, or simply kick back by the riverbank. A sunset abseil is highly recommended if you didn’t get to this do this the day before. Enjoy another night of open-sky dining around the campfire before tucking in for the night.

Relish one last bush walk before returning for a cool shower and leisurely breakfast. A 4x4 journey returns you to Colenso, where you’ll bid the Tugela team farewell. Settle back into the van for a five-hour road trip to the Wild Coast. On the way you will reunite with your guide from the first few days of your adventure before reaching your lodge on the Mtamvuna River, the border of the Eastern Cape.

Time to hit the hiking trail on South Africa's famous Wild Coast. A short boat ride will take you to the river mouth, where you’ll meet your local Pondo guide and set off along the beach. Stop off at a petrified forest and the Mzamba fossils, before reaching the Nyameni River. From here, head inland over grassy dunes, arriving at the Xolobeni community for a warm welcome. During this homestay experience you'll gain an insight into local village life and hear how this community uses the income from tourism to fight proposals for prospective mining projects in the area. Enjoy a beer at the local shebeen or a visit from a traditional healer, before feasting on a traditional Xhosa dinner and settling down for the night.

After breakfast, bid farewell to your homestay hosts and hike back to the beach then on towards Mtentu, passing through the red sand dunes. Your guide will offer insight into the cultural and archaeological significance of these dunes, with human occupation dating back to the last ice age. Today’s hike ends at a community-owned ecolodge – your final base for the trip. Perched above the alluring Mtentu River estuary, it’s a short stroll down to the beach where you can dip in the waves or wade into the warm waters of the estuary.

Today’s adventure will immerse you in the river environment. Jump in a kayak or canoe to paddle up the cliff-lined estuary until you reach a small inlet. Here, secure your kayak and then hike upstream, scrambling and wild swimming your way up the cascading tributary to reach Swallowtail Falls. This majestic waterfall is surrounded by a natural amphitheatre of rock, plunging into a deep pool which beckons a rock jump and wild swim (if you do feel like taking this final day a little easier, you can take a more gentle amble to a viewpoint with a swim at Paradise Pools providing a relaxing end to your time on the Wild Coast). Back at the lodge, celebrations are the order of the day, as you toast to an epic adventure.

After the last breakfast of the trip, you’ll be collected for a 4x4 transfer back to Mtamvuna River. You'll collect your main luggage before continuing on to Durban's King Shaka International Airport in time for onward flights, departing late afternoon or evening.