After an incredible stay in Cape Town, Victoria and (her son) Andrew’s journey continued north into the greater Kruger ecosystem—it was finally time for safari! In her own words ….

This remarkable region, encompassing Kruger National Park and its surrounding private reserves, spans more than 8.5 million acres. Thanks to close cooperation between public and private entities, the unfenced borders allow wildlife to roam freely, creating a truly natural ecosystem. With convenient access via Skukuza Airport, Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, and Hoedspruit Airport, combined with some of the best wildlife viewing on Earth, it’s easy to see why this region is so renowned.

We spent 10 days exploring, dividing our time between Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, Thornybush Game Reserve, and Sabi Sands Game Reserve. For our clients, we often recommend the private reserves for their exclusivity, reduced vehicle traffic, and the ability to go off-road (conditions permitting – as protecting the ecosystem is very important), as well as unique activities like night drives and walking safaris.

While the terrain across the reserves shares similarities, they complement each other beautifully—making split stays seamless with easy transfers. The guides in each area do communicate by radio, and there’s a real camaraderie and respect, which carries over to the sightings to ensure that the game is not impacted by our presence.

All three reserves are prime “Big Five” territory, and over just 3–4 nights, guests have an excellent chance of seeing lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo. During our stay, we were incredibly fortunate: multiple leopard sightings, lions, wild dogs, and nearly daily rhino encounters, alongside abundant plains game—impala, kudu, nyala, bushbuck, giraffe, and zebra—plus hippo, elephant, and extraordinary birdlife.

Some of my personal highlights included spotting fish eagles and European rollers, watching industrious dung beetles and camouflaged chameleons, and—most excitingly—seeing my very first honey badger. A truly unforgettable moment was encountering two tiny leopard cubs. We’d seen two female lions with 7 cubs earlier in the week which was also thrilling, but I’d never seen leopards that young before.  We approached a thick area of bush, down what felt like a ravine, which our guide navigated deftly and waited until we saw the mother call – the two heads popped up in two spots. One was tucked away, whilst the other was gnawing on an impala.

The landscape was quite green after some early summer rains, with the bush thickening daily – cloudy days brought relief to the hot summer temperatures which reached well into the 90s on some days. The summer days and rain meant the wildlife was very happy and we delighted in all the babies everywhere, even if it meant watching quite a few impala lambs being devoured like an appetizer…

Our safari days were perfectly punctuated with shaded coffee stops and spectacular sundowners in the African bush — after all, a gin and tonic just tastes better with an African sunset.

Where Victoria Stayed

Timbavati
We began at Walker Plains, a beautiful family-run camp with rooms spread out on either side of the main lodge, all overlooking sweeping plains often dotted with zebra and impala.

Next was Kambaku River Sands, where elephants greeted us right outside our room. The spacious accommodations and riverbed setting attracted constant wildlife activity. We also visited Kambaku Safari Lodge, currently undergoing refurbishment and ideal for families, featuring a kids’ club and nature trail.

Our final stop was RockFig Safari Lodge, a stunning new lodge that impressed with both design and warm hospitality. Game drives here were exceptional, including sightings of elephant, leopard, rhino, and a lion pride with very young cubs.

Thornybush
At Saseka Tented Camp, we experienced a beautifully designed tented stay with artistic interiors, expansive outdoor decks, and riverbed views.

We also visited Thornybush Game Lodge, a larger, family-friendly option, and Serondella Lodge, an intimate, family-owned lodge with just seven rooms—perfect for couples or small groups and known as “the place of elephants.”

Sabi Sands
Many travelers pair Timbavati or Thornybush with the iconic Sabi Sands. Our road transfer was easy and we enjoyed traveling through the communities –the Sabi Sands are accessed by a number of gates, depending on which lodge, and the travel time is approximately 2 hours.

We began at Simbambili Game Lodge, perched above a dry riverbed with views over a lively waterhole—complete with a warm elephant welcome. The rooms are spaced nicely apart and we loved their boma dinner experience and musical talents of their staff.

We then headed to the western sector, first to a gorgeous and intimate lodge, Dulini Leadwood. With just 4 rooms, it felt very cozy and luxurious and the team creates intimate dining experiences for guests. We loved our lunch on the upper deck, particularly as a large herd of elephants crossed the open area in front of the lodge and proceed to entertain us as they bathed and crossed the river. The river front location ensures this is a common occurrence and something shared with its sister property, Dulini River, located about 10 minutes up river.  While all three properties in the portfolio (Dulini Moya being the third), have their own unique character, they all share an incredible team of lodge staff and guides.

At Leopard Hills Private Game Lodge, we enjoyed expansive valley views and learned about the legacy of the leopard that inspired the lodge’s name. We also visited Savanna Private Game Reserve, where recent updates—especially to the main area—are looking fantastic. Their Savanna Suite is a perfect option for families.

Our final few days were spent in the southern area of the reserves, at Sabi Sabi. Home to 4 lodges, their décor reflects yesterday, today and tomorrow. We stayed at Sabi Sabi’s Earth Lodge, and from above the property almost blends into the landscape. The architecture is very modern with organic design elements, blending inside and out, with a water feature in the main area and almost earth like walls in the spacious suites. We had the opportunity to visit the other 3 lodges, each with their own charms. Selati has a more traditional safari décor, with thatched roof suites and memorabilia of the early days of safari, blended with all the modern comforts. Bush Lodge is their biggest property and brilliant for families – it has several villas as well as an awesome kids’ club. Little Bush Camp is a cozy camp, tucked into the bush itself and feels incredibly immersive.