Lebombo Hiking Trail

About the Lebombo Trail

The Lebombo hiking trail offers an unforgettable 3 night 4 day hiking adventure through a pristine wilderness area.

Trails are led by an experienced guide and armed game ranger equipped with hand-held radio communication and a GPS.

Trailists, in groups of no more than 8, hike about 12 to 15 kms per day and overnight en-route, camping wild in rustic unfenced bush-camps.

Trailists depart on foot from the meeting point at the Elephant Release Boma (see details below) for Marula, the first night’s camp, a distance of around 4 to 5 kms.

The trail then crosses the Machampane river and traverses the Lebombo plateau before reaching Palarangala, the second night’s camp in the riverine forest of the Palarangala river valley. (Should you wish to extend the trail to 4 nights then we spend two nights at this camp and walk-out on a circular route exploring the surrounding bushveld)

The route then follows the course of the Palarangala river to a large pool at its confluence with the Machampane river before meandering through the Mopane treed sandveld to Pumbe, the last night’s campsite.

Being located in an area that has been re-stocked with game over the past few years in a joint programme with Kruger National Park, trailists have every prospect of encountering a wide array of wildlife.

Each night offers the prospect of its own special experience, from sunset over the Lebombos, to the call of a fish eagle in the riverine forest, to the trumpeting of elephant amongst the Mopane or the call of lion as they prowl the bush at night.

Trailists gather around the fire as the evening meal is prepared and then head off to the shelter of their 2man-tent to be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the night.

The trail is fairly rugged and therefore a reasonable level of fitness is essential.

The purpose of the Lebombo Hiking Trail is to afford trailists an intimate encounter with the wilderness. The Guide therefore adjusts the pace and distances walked to accommodate the group’s pace and interests.

The Lebombo Hiking Trail is a portered and catered trail with trailists having to carry only a day-pack.

Accommodation

- Campsites are unfenced and located in the bush.

- Basic ablution facilities (bush shower and short-drop toilet) are available,

- Water for cooking and washing as well as firewood is provided.

Rates

Rates – Ported & Catered

- Till 28 Feb 2012: R 3 900.00 per person (SADC resident special: R2 700)

- From 1 March 2012: R 4 250.00 per person (SADC resident special: R2 900)

Trails price includes

- Experienced guide and armed ranger on the trail, equipped with two-way radio communication and hand-held GPS for emergencies.

- Tents, mattresses and equipment as specified.

- Meals (morning and afternoon tea & coffee, trails snacks, brunch, bush dinner).

Trails price excludes

- All road transfers

- Snacks, drinks, soft drinks and drinking water (except as specified).

- Bedding, sleeping bag etc (these can be arranged on special request)

- Parque Nacional do Limpopo entrance fees.

- Kruger National Park conservation fees.

- Moçambique border fees.

- Moçambique visa fee (not required for South African citizens).

- Items of a personal nature e.g. curios, gratuities, etc.

- Personal insurance: medical, baggage, cancellation, etc.

Location

Located in Parque Nacional do Limpopo, the 1,1 million hectare Moçambique sector of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, adjacent to Kruger National Park.

Trail traverses a Big 5 pristine wilderness area stocked with game from Kruger National Park

Trail starts from Machampane Wilderness Camp.

The fence between the two National Parks has not yet been removed in this area but is scheduled for removal by 2010. As a consequence no repair work is being done and animals move freely through the holes in the fence line.

Pack List

The items below are suggested as a check list:

- Sleeping bag, towel and pillow

- Sleeping mat (if you would like an additional one to the one we supply)

- Powerful torch and spare batteries

- Beverages

- Additional snacks

- Additional drinking water (and/or purification tablets)

- Camera, binoculars and reference books (mammals/trees/birds)

- Appropriate clothing, hat or cap and an all-weather jacket/raincoat

- Personal toiletries, medication, malaria tablets, sun-screen, mosquito repellant

- Antihistamine ointment, tablets, eye drops, paracetamol, stingose etc

- Cottonwool/gauze/plasters, scissors and tweezers

- Toilet paper (just in case!!)

Equipment provided

- Two person dome tents with camping mattresses are supplied.

- Basic cooking utensils, cutlery and crockery are provided

Tips

Clothing and Footwear

- For trailists planning to participate on our guided trail, clothing should be comfortable and durable.

- Neutral colours such as khaki are preferable. Light coloured garments such as whites and creams should be avoided.

- T-shirts are not ideal as they provide little protection against the sun on the neck.

- A hat or cap and an all-weather jacket are important items.

- A tracksuit, either woollen or lightweight, depending on the season, is useful.

- Footwear should be worn-in if possible, have thick soles and provide good ankle support. It is preferable not to wear white shoes.

Beverages

1 litre of drinking water per person per day is supplied. We recommend that trailists have water purification tablets or an additional supply of water to meet their individual needs.

Trail participants need to cater for their own beverage requirements bearing in mind safety considerations and import duty regulations (see general information sheet). Moçambique beer and cooldrinks are available for purchase at the Giriyondo border post.