On Safari in South Africa

Going on safari in South Africa is a holiday of a lifetime, because no wildlife film can ever recreate the true-life experience. Just think, tomorrow you could be in the African bush sitting as close to a panting lion as you now sit to your television or computer screen.

You could be within charging distance of a white rhino and purring distance of probably the most beautiful animal you have ever seen - the sleek and slinky spotted leopard.

Safari doesn't have to Break the Bank

Safari does not have to be that expensive, especially with a strong Pound and Dollar against the African currencies. Don't let the bad press about South Africa convince you not to go.

Allow me to report the good news, which is that South Africa offers some of the closest game viewing in Africa, along with a choice of the most superior accommodation, excellent service and good value for money. With a fully pre-planned holiday or a go-as-you-please itinerary, you are highly unlikely to encounter anything to mar your trip.

The only problem you might have, is which of the many private game reserves to choose. The lodges mentioned in this article are all close to Kruger National. There are so many excellent venues, that personal recommendation and budget constraints are the best way to decide.

One reserve that I recommend to family and friends is Tshukudu Game Lodge. It is family owned and run and you are received like a long lost friend. Visitors tend to come time and again because of this homely welcoming atmosphere. Another reason is to see the orphan animals wandering around the homestead.

Orphan Lion Cub

Eliza the lion cub, rescued from certain death by a new dominant male on the prowl, was a cute fluffy six month old when I first saw her, and is now two. She still keeps her claws retracted when playing with the staff, but it won't be long before she is banished from the early morning game walk for being too boisterous.

Two ex-orphan Kruger elephants, Tambo and Becky, also come on the dawn game walk and silently creep up behind you before heavy breathing down your neck. This mischievous pair appear from the bush on command and are growing in naughtiness, as I found out when I was suddenly frisked by a firm trunk.

Back at the lodge, Cutlet the warthog, snuffled around my legs and smeared me with engine oil that he had wallowed in. This lodge is for true animal lovers who like to touch as well as look.

Tshukudu is one of the few lodges often visited by South Africans as well as foreigners. Not only is it affordable, but it is unpretentious and suitable for families with children (preferably over 10 yrs old). Accommodation is in cute little cottages looking out onto the African bush.

The food is home cooked with plenty of it, and supper is traditionally served in an open-air reed-enclosed boma around a roaring fire. Like most private reserves there is no fence around the lodge and roaming wild lions regularly pad through the compound during the night.

Their roar will interrupt even the most heavy sleeper. This terrifying sound may be a mile away but the low resonance will seem to be coming from right outside your door. Of course it could be just that, so a midnight stroll should be avoided.

Luxury Tented Camp

Another altogether different lodge is M'Bali in the Timbavati Reserve. This is a luxury tented camp, which means your walls are made of canvas but the interior is still like a hotel bedroom. Each abode is perched on a wooden platform on the hillside with your own private elevated veranda and wonderful views over the dam.