A SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI

Day 1 To the Waterberg

Arrive in Johannesburg today and take a light aircraft transfer to the Marakele National Park in South Africa’s Waterberg Biosphere Reserve. In this UNESCO listed reserve, rust-red escarpments rise above open bushveld and rivers cut through the dry landscape. You will be able to explore the wonders of the Waterberg and the Marakele’s private Big 5 concession from a base of supreme comfort. Marataba Safari Lodge combines canvas-and-stone accommodation with sweeping views of the Waterberg Mountains. Spacious tented suites feature air conditioning and generous private decks. Twice-daily game drives, bush walks and river cruises offer opportunities to discover the reserve's diverse wildlife and spectacular scenery.

Overnight: Marataba Safari Lodge

Days 2 - 3 Safari adventures in Marakele National Park

The days ahead are dedicated to safari adventures in Marakele. Set within a private 23,000-hectare concession in the malaria-free Marakele National Park, Marataba delivers exceptional wildlife experiences in a spectacular mountain setting. Expert guides lead game drives and bush walks in search of black rhino, elephant, brown hyena, aardwolf, and the elusive pangolin. The park is also home to one of the world's largest breeding colonies of endangered Cape vultures. You can also absorb Marakele’s striking landscapes and diverse wildlife from a different perspective, with a water safari along the Matlabas River. Other optional activities include seasonal rhino tracking, and exceptional stargazing.

Overnight: Marataba Safari Lodge

Day 4 Travel to the Greater Kruger

Take a light aircraft flight back to Johannesburg and onwards to the Timbavati Private Game Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park. The Greater Kruger is one of South Africa’s most rewarding safari destinations, and staying in a private reserve allows you to experience the rich wildlife in an intimate setting. Your base, Tanda Tula, is a highly personalised luxury lodge with stylish modern suites that immerse you in the surrounding wilderness. During a stay here you can expect exceptional guiding and tracking, and twice-daily game drives with outstanding Big Five sightings. Fine dining, polished service, and uplifting open spaces throughout camp further enhance your safari experience.

Overnight: Tanda Tula

Days 5 - 6 On safari in the Greater Kruger

The next two days are dedicated to safari adventures in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve. Guided by an experienced ranger and tracker, your days will typically include early morning and late afternoon game drives in search of the reserve's prolific wildlife. Species you may spot include the Big Five, giraffe, and wild dogs. Sharing an unfenced boundary with the Kruger National Park, the Timbavati is the birthplace of the wild white lion, although sightings remain exceptionally rare. In between game drives and bush walks, return to camp to relax by the pool and take in uninterrupted views across the surrounding wilderness.

Overnight: Tanda Tula

Day 7 Travel to Phinda Private Game Reserve

Today’s light aircraft transfer will take you first to Nelspruit and onwards to Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal. Phinda is one of South Africa’s great conservation success stories, a private game reserve where patient restoration of once over-farmed land has allowed nature to return. Set between the Indian Ocean and the uMkhuze wetlands of KwaZulu-Natal, multiple ecosystems now flourish at Phinda. These range from sand forest and open grassland to marsh, woodland and riverine thickets. An array of wildlife can now be found in the reserve, which is particularly renowned for big cat sightings. Set on stilts under the shade of torchwood trees, Phinda Forest Lodge’s 16 spacious glass suites are calming and luxurious hideaways positioned between the forest floor and the leafy Sand Forest canopy.

Overnight: Phinda Forest Lodge

Days 8 - 9 Activities in the Phinda Private Game Reserve

Enjoy two full days of nature activities in the Phinda Private Game Reserve. The seven individual ecosystems here attract prolific wildlife and make for a picturesque and varied safari experience. Explore the reserve on early morning and late afternoon game drives with an expert guide and Zulu tracker, seeking the Big Five and other majestic creatures such as cheetah and endangered black rhino. Guided bush walks reveal the smaller details of the African bush, while canoeing on the Mzinene River is another immersive way to absorb these pristine surroundings. Seasonal conservation experiences such as elephant collaring, rhino notching, and pangolin tagging add another fascinating dimension to a stay. In between your adventures, unwind back at the lodge, taking in the sights and sounds of the forest from the swimming pool or your private deck.

Overnight: Phinda Forest Lodge

Day 10 Depart

After a final breakfast at Phinda Forest Lodge, depart for your road transfer to Durban and onward flight.