Andre van Vuuren Safaris

Andre van Vuuren Safaris We offer guided self-drive wildlife safaris to interesting and bucket-list destinations in Africa.

We can also fly to a certain point and travel further by road. A substantial number of professional and business people have joined Andre van Vuuren on safari in the past. Many of them would like to return to certain destinations in Africa, but cannot leave their businesses and practices for long periods of time. To cater for this demand we have created some exciting shorter safaris, while still v

isiting some of the same interesting and bucket list destinations. Andre is involved with a company that has specialized in fly-in safaris to Africa for the past 12-years and decided to make use of their expertise to offer this type of safari to various destinations in Africa. The concept is based on a 9 day break-away, starting on a weekend and returning the following weekend. Participants will therefore only need to be away from work for 5 days. We will fly to a specific point and from there we will travel further by road. Depending on the destination, we will either make use of 4X4 game drive vehicles and/or a minibus. Destinations include:

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK – Wildebeest Migration (Tanzania)

VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK – Gorilla trekking (Rwanda)

SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK (Zambia)

BOTSWANA

Our 2025 Namibia Safari is Fully Booked but will be on offer again…. Watch this space!
07/01/2025

Our 2025 Namibia Safari is Fully Booked but will be on offer again…. Watch this space!

15 Interesting Facts You May Not Know About Namibia

1. Namibia is home to the world’s oldest desert, the Namib Desert, which is estimated to be around 55 million years old.

2. The country has some of the clearest night skies on Earth, making it a popular destination for stargazing and astrophotography.

3. Namibia was the first African country to incorporate environmental protection into its constitution, guaranteeing the sustainable use of its natural resources.

4. The country has a diverse landscape, from the dunes of the Namib Desert to the lush wetlands of the Okavango Delta and the savannahs of Etosha National Park.

5. Namibia is known for its stunning salt pans, especially the Sossusvlei pans, which are surrounded by towering red sand dunes that can reach heights of over 300 meters.

6. The Himba people, one of Namibia's indigenous groups, are known for their distinctive appearance, with women applying otjize (a mixture of butterfat and ochre) to their skin and hair.

7. Namibia is one of the few countries in the world to have a government-supported wildlife conservation program, which has led to a dramatic recovery of certain species like black rhinos.

8. The skeleton coast, along Namibia's Atlantic Ocean coastline, is named for the numerous shipwrecks that have occurred due to its dense fog, rough seas, and strong currents.

9. Namibia’s capital city, Windhoek, is known for its German colonial architecture, which reflects the country’s history as a former German colony.

10. The country is a leading producer of uranium, and its mines are among the largest and most productive in the world.

11. Namibia is home to the world’s largest population of cheetahs, which roam the country’s vast grasslands and savannahs.

12. The country is known for its cultural diversity, with over 10 distinct ethnic groups, including the Nama, Damara, and San people.

13. Namibia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, with a population density of just 2.5 people per square kilometer.

14. The Namibian government has invested heavily in the tourism industry, with eco-tourism and adventure tourism being key drivers of the economy.

15. Namibia’s official language is English, but many Namibians speak indigenous languages such as Oshiwambo, Nama, and Afrikaans, which are widely used in daily life.

Elephant Sands.
06/11/2024

Elephant Sands.

ZAMBIA November 2024.Day 2:We overnight at Elephant Sands and left this morning for a two night stay at Chobe Safari Lod...
06/11/2024

ZAMBIA November 2024.
Day 2:
We overnight at Elephant Sands and left this morning for a two night stay at Chobe Safari Lodge before proceeding to Zambia.

Our Bush Truck took some time off and got a bit of TLC while we were in the Kgalagadi. It is time to rig and prepare the...
02/11/2024

Our Bush Truck took some time off and got a bit of TLC while we were in the Kgalagadi. It is time to rig and prepare the Navara again for some serious stuff.
This time our Year End Safari to Zambia.
Liuwa Plains, the bat migration in Kasanka National Park and Bangwaelu Wetland Swamps in search of the Shoebill Storks.
Watch this space……..
Alu-Cab: Ultimate Overland Products
Maxxis Tyres South Africa
Opposite lock 4WD & Vehicle Accessories Africa
Shana Coetzee
Cross Country Insurance Consultants
Front Runner South Africa
Takla products

The MAXXIS 980 BRAVO A/T Tyre is made for the white gravel roads and the red dunes of the Kalahari.....what a performer!...
29/10/2024

The MAXXIS 980 BRAVO A/T Tyre is made for the white gravel roads and the red dunes of the Kalahari.....what a performer!
Maxxis Tyres South Africa

Our first stop on our way to the Kgalagadi…..Sun River Lodge in Upington.
12/10/2024

Our first stop on our way to the Kgalagadi…..Sun River Lodge in Upington.

Almost on the road again. Leaving first thing in the morning for Kgalagadi TFP……both Botswana and SA side.Watch this spa...
11/10/2024

Almost on the road again. Leaving first thing in the morning for Kgalagadi TFP……both Botswana and SA side.
Watch this space!

SAFARI YEAR PROGRAM 2025We had a very busy 2024 safari season and want to thank all our clients for the great support an...
10/10/2024

SAFARI YEAR PROGRAM 2025

We had a very busy 2024 safari season and want to thank all our clients for the great support and wonderful new friendships.
It seems as if we are doing something right as all our 2024 safaris were fully booked.

The 2025 Year Program is finalized. Please go through it and let us know in which of them you are interested. Alternatively, make a printout of it and put it on your notice bord.

SAFARI YEAR PROGRAM 2025

TRANSKEI WILD COAST
11 – 20 October 2025
Destinations will include:
* Msikaba
* Waterfall Bluff
* The wreck site of the Grosvenor
* Mbotyi River Lodge
* Port St. Johns
* Coffee Bay
* The Whole in the Wall
COST R 9 500 pps

2. ZIMBABWE WITH ZEST
12 – 26 May 2025

Destinations will include:

* Chobe National Park (Botswana)
* Hwange National Park
* 24 Hour cruise on Lake Kariba
* Mana Pools National Park
* Nyanga National Park (Eastern Highlands)
* Lake Kyle
* Great Zimbabwe Ruins
COST R 24 400 pps

3. MEANDER TO MALAWI
23 June – 14 July 2025

Destinations will include:
* Chobe National Park (Botswana)
* South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)
* Lilongwe
* Lake Malawi
* Victoria Falls
COST R 14 000 pps

4. "SNOW SAFARI"
3 – 8 August 2025

Destinations will include:
* Lady Grey
* The Wartrail
* Rhodes
* Joubert 's Pass
* Lundean's Neck
* Oliviershoek Pass
* Carlisleshoek Pass
* Naude's Neck
COST R 9 000 pps

5. BOTSWANA & OKAVANGO DELTA
September 2025

Destinations will include:
* Nata Lodge
* Moremi Game Reserve (Third Bridge and Xakanaxa)
* Khwai – Mbudi Camp
* Savuti
* Chobe National Park
COST R 16 500.00 pps

6. LIUWA PLAINS, THE BAT MIGRATION IN KASANKA AND SHOEBILL STORKS IN BANGWUELU WETLANDS – ZAMBIA
1 - 21 November 2025

Destinations will include:
* Chobe National Park (Botswana)
* Kabula Tiger Lodge
* Liuwa Plains National Park
* Kafue National Park
* South Luangwa National Park
* Kasanka National Park
*Bangwuelu Wetlands

COST R 18 000 pps

ALL PRICES ARE BASED ON 2024 COST. WE ARE WAITING FOR OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS TO LET US KNOW IF THEY ARE GOING TO INCREASE THEIR PRICES

SHOEBILLS - VERY EXITING NEWS!!! We decided to add a third dimension to our Liuwa Plains and Kasanka National Park Safar...
13/08/2024

SHOEBILLS - VERY EXITING NEWS!!!

We decided to add a third dimension to our Liuwa Plains and Kasanka National Park Safari namely a three-day visit to Bangweulu Wetlands to see the Shoebills.

WE HAD A CANCELLATION and can take another vehicle with. This is really one of our signature safaris and will only take six vehicles. All bookings are already made.

DATES:
4 – 24 November 2024
COST: R 18 000 pp

This safari is a combination of the wildebeest migration in Liuwa Plains, the migration of the straw-colored fruit bats in Kasanka National Park and a visit to the Bangweulu Wetlands in search of the endangered Shoebill..

Please leave your email address or send us an email to [email protected] if you are interested and we will forward you the detailed itinerary and booking documents.

Good night to all our FB Friends from the majestic Victoria Falls.
15/05/2024

Good night to all our FB Friends from the majestic Victoria Falls.

Zimbabwe 2024We had a great day and will spend the night at Elephant Sands.Tomorrow a border crossing into Zimbabwe and ...
14/05/2024

Zimbabwe 2024
We had a great day and will spend the night at Elephant Sands.
Tomorrow a border crossing into Zimbabwe and then to Victoria Falls…..Takla products
Opposite lock 4WD & Vehicle Accessories Africa
Maxxis Tyres South Africa
Sat4Rent-SA

Zimbabwe 2024Our first night in Botswana at KwaNokeng Lodge. All went fine and we had a smooth border crossing. Tomorrow...
13/05/2024

Zimbabwe 2024
Our first night in Botswana at KwaNokeng Lodge. All went fine and we had a smooth border crossing. Tomorrow further north to Elephant Sands……

Busy doing final checks on equipment that maybe in use on our Zimbabwe Safari. The group will meet tomorrow morning and ...
12/05/2024

Busy doing final checks on equipment that maybe in use on our Zimbabwe Safari. The group will meet tomorrow morning and then travel up through Botswana to Zimbabwe.
WATCH THIS SPACE………..

Happy Leopard Day!
05/05/2024

Happy Leopard Day!

Busy preparing for our annual Zimbabwe Safari that leaves in a bit more than a weeks time.
04/05/2024

Busy preparing for our annual Zimbabwe Safari that leaves in a bit more than a weeks time.

Lilie Cycad Reserve is in the Selati Game Reserve and home to Encpehalartos dyerianus which occurs on only two hills in ...
25/04/2024

Lilie Cycad Reserve is in the Selati Game Reserve and home to Encpehalartos dyerianus which occurs on only two hills in the reserve. There are less than 300 plants and the only place to be found in the world.

14/04/2024
"SNOW SAFARI" to the SOUTHERN DRAKENSBERG!Dear Facebook Friends, It is almost time to start the planning for our annual ...
21/01/2024

"SNOW SAFARI" to the SOUTHERN DRAKENSBERG!

Dear Facebook Friends,

It is almost time to start the planning for our annual winter visit to the “Wild Side of the Drakensberg”.

The Eastern Cape Highlands, also known as "The Wild Side of the Drakensberg" is growing in popularity as a safe and un-commercialized mountain destination with spectacular scenery. It is an unspoiled area, perfect for 4x4 enthusiasts and currently offering superb value for money.

Come and join us to this Winter Wonderland from 16 - 21 July 2024. All accommodation are in the form of guesthouses and B&B’s.
Cost R 8 500 pps.

Please send an email to [email protected] or call me on 082 935 7405 if you are interested in joining us.

The itinerary will be as follows:

Day 1.
Lady Grey - Meet and Greet
We will meet each other in Lady Grey where we will spend the first night together at Lupela Lodge. It is situated on a farm between Lady Grey and the turn-off to the Wartrail. We will overnight on a Bed and Breakfast basis and I suggest that we have our ons braai that evening,.
Day 2 - 3.
Wartrail and Bidstone Cottages.
Today we will head for Lundeans Nek and the Wartrail area. Wartrail is a mountain farming community steeped in tradition. Many of the farms are still inhabited by direct descendants of the original settlers to the area. One of the local farmers, Alan Isted, will meet us on the road and es**rt us on short a hike up the mountains to interesting caves and rock formations. The scenery is nothing short of spectacular. Lundean's Nek connects this part of the Eastern Cape to the Lesotho border at Telebridge. We will drive passed the remote Lundean's Nek police station - whose primary roles are to prevent rustlers taking stolen stock across to Lesotho and to prevent smugglers taking green grass or diamonds in the opposite direction. Just beyond the police station the summit of the pass provides fantastic panoramic views of the Maloti Mountains. We will overnight at the Bidstone Cottages for the next two nights and explore the area. We will travel from the farming community of Wartrail up to the high plateau, traversing the Volunteershoek Pass. The road is narrow with some precipitous drop-offs. After the steepest section, the road gives wonderful views of Halstone Krans and the valley farmlands beyond. There are some interesting rock formations along this section, the most notable of which is 'Funnystone' which lends its name to the farm opposite. We will have lunch at Tiffendell. Tiffindell Resort was established in 1993 to give South Africans an opportunity to ski near their homes and others to ski in Africa. The carefully selected position of the resort, on the south facing slope, ensures that the snow lasts, extending the time available for snow skiing. Slopes cleared and groomed during summer quickly transform to ski runs after even the lightest of snowfalls.
Alan is the owner of this B&B in the mountains and he will treat us with dinner and interesting stories (Dinner will be for your own account).

Day 4 - 5.
Roundabout Rhodes
Rhodes has a colourful history dating back to the 1880s and features many Victorian buildings. In 1997 the entire village was proclaimed as a Conservation Area in the Government Gazette which gives it official protection in order to preserve its unique character - it is the only complete village in the country that is a National Monument from one end to the other. We spend the next two nights with the characterful Dave Walker at Walkerbouts Inn in Rhodes and will explore the town and area.
We are going to drive up Naude’s Neck. With a summit of over 2,920m above sea level, Naudés Nek Pass is the highest dirt road in South Africa. Connecting Maclear with historical Rhodes, this pass is based on the route taken by the intrepid Naudé brothers in the 1890s. Following the path that their horses instinctively took they carved out the route with picks and shovels. We will have tea/coffee and scones at Tenahead and will return via Tiffendell back to Rhodes. You will pass under the highest point in the Cape (3.001m above sea level). Known by local tribes as 'Makhollo' (Great Mother), the Europeans named this peak Ben McDhui after the mountain in Scotland and it is affectionately referred to as BenMac by local residents.

You can visit our page (Andre van Vuuren) to see some images taken on previous trips to the Southern Drakensberg.

We are looking forward hearing from you.

Address

Ndlambe
6189

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