June 2024 (dates to be confirmed)

Join us for a mini expedition as we walk the proposed corridor route between Amakhala, Lalibela and Kareiga game reserves.

The objective is to recce the route for the inaugural 2025 Expand Expedition and sanity check the logistics.

Hiking across mainly wild bush, we’ll be sleeping out under canvas (or the stars if you prefer) and often walking through “Big 5 Game” country. We’ll finish up by navigating 15Kms or so of the Boesmans river to complete the journey at the Indian Ocean. After our journey, we’ll transport to Kariga for two day of luxury and guided game drives. Each day, we’ll be joined around the campfire by a key personality involved in the project and we’ll have to a chance to learn their story in one of the most elemental ways going back millennia.

Provisional Itinerary (subject to change)

Day 0

We’ll rendezvous and overnight at the beautiful Leeuwenbosch Country House, home to Will Fowldes and family.

• Kit check, briefing and last minute route updates
• Drinks in the legendary Leeuwenbosch pub, followed by dinner and then…
• Night drone demonstration by Seseko and Will Fowlds

Day 1

From Leeuwenboasch across Amakhala Big 5 Country to Giles’ safe campsite (which isn’t in Big 5 Country!)

• We’ll have armed rangers guiding us through a morning walk
• We’ll pass through a key feature of the proposed animal corridor between Amakhala and Lalibela reserves
• Camping and fireside chat with Seseko who will share his story
• Distance hiked: 10 to 15kms

Day 2

From Giles’ campsite on Amakhala through the planned corridor to Lalibela game reserve.

• Join Will Folwdes for a veterinary intervention
• Guided walk across the LAibela game reserve
• Vehicle transfer to Tanglewood conservation area
• Camping and fireside chat
• Distance hiked: 10 to 15kms

Day 3

From Tanglewood to our campsite at Altin Grange’s cliff – a spectacular camping spot.

• Guided drive to Tanglewood lookout and across to Bakenkop and Bulela
• Afternoon hike from Tanglewood and across to cliffs and spring at Altin Grange
• Camping and fireside chat with Peter Chadwick – CEO of CLI
• Distance hiked: 8kms

Day 4 – the hard day

We’ll trek 30kms across wild bush from Altin Grange cliff to Bulela, Melta and Kikuyu where we’ll be collected and transported to our final night’s campsite on the banks of the Boesmans River.

• Hard hiking through the bush, often off the beaten tracks
• We’ll be making an early and break the day with a long rest at lunch time
• Camping by the river and fireside chat with Chris Reynecke – the head of conservation of Kariega

Day 5

We’ll start our final day in the bush with a demonstration from the Anti Poaching Unit and their tracking dogs. Then we’ll paddle down to the estuary mouth of the Boesmans River.

• Tracking dog demonstration with the Anti Poaching Unit head – Daniel
• Kyake down the Boesman’s River around 15Kms to the Indian Ocean
• Transfer on river boat to Kariega Game Reserve
• Distance Paddled: ~15Kms

Day 6 and 7

We’ll finish off our trip in luxury with guided game drives, amazing hospitality and interesting chats.

• We’ll get the chance to find Thandi on twice daily game drives
• We’ll enjoy a talk on the Conservation Landscape Initiative project – the rewilding of ~1m hectres which makes up the Albany Biodiversity Corridor
• Talk by Lindy Sutherland – founder of the Kariega Foundation
• Luxury fireside chats!