The inside edge on our wonderful wilderness experience

The word itself conjures up images of vast savannahs dotted with game, spectacular skies and endless horizons... Safari! It's one of the most emotive, appealing and evocative travel ideas out there, but what's it actually like to be "on safari" in the African wilderness?

Romantic in the extreme, and the perfect way to spend indulgent time for lovers of all ages, friends and family alike, a safari is filled with incredible experiences... Dining al fresco, watching incredible sunsets, taking in the amazing wilderness landscapes and big skies that make wild Africa so special and exploring on foot, taking in all of the tiny details so often missed on open safari vehicles. 

Here in the Klaserie in the heart of South Africa's Greater Kruger the safari experience is vastly different to those sweeping images of East Africa's great plains filled with wildebeest that grace the brochures, social media and digital platforms of global media and travel gurus alike. 

While we do have open areas of gorgeous grassland, our topography is significantly different, consisting of gently undulating lowland acacia scrub and thickets of bushwillows and mopane - the "bushveld" that's typical of this region. Add to this a wealth of marula trees, shambok pods, the ubiquitous knobthorns and the tall, riparian trees that fringe drainage lines and seasonal river beds (including the jackalberry, tambotie, leadwood and weeping boer bean) and you begin to get a very different image of the African wilderness.

Spectacular in its own right, the Klaserie landscape also differs greatly depending on the season. At this time of year at the height of the dry season as winter gives way to spring the bush is sparse and dry and the dominant colours are golden browns and greys, punctuated by the soft yellow sandy soil that acts as an overlay to the underlying bedrock of granite and gneiss. 

In the rainy season (November to April) the Klaserie is transformed to a lush, verdant paradise where every shade of green is represented and the grasses grow long and tall with the bush thick and seemingly impenetrable. It's wondrous to behold, and the air is filled with incredible birdlife as our summer migrants feast on the wealth of food the rains bring with them. 

Out into the wild!

As is the norm with most safari lodges and camps in Africa, you head out into this magical wilderness twice a day to explore and spot the myriad wildlife species that call it home. Game drives take place in open safari vehicles so expect the wind in your hair and the sun on your skin for most of the time! This is why a hat and sunscreen are so important, irrespective of the season!

Morning drives depart just as the sun is rising over the horizon and the wilderness is waking to the promise of another day, stopping for coffee and cookies along the way and returning in time for a hearty breakfast. The early mornings give you the chance to see predators that have been active during the night, perhaps on kills they may have made.

Afternoon drives leave in the late afternoon and take in the fabled "golden hour" of afternoon light as the sun begins its descent to the horizon, pausing for traditional sundowners before taking in the early hours of the evening as darkness descends on the African bush and nocturnal species begin to appear. The last hour or so of your drive makes use of a spotlight to find these more secretive animals and you return to the lodge at around 7pm for drinks and a marvellous dinner under the stars.

No two game drives are ever the same, and even if you were to cover identical territory during your morning and afternoon adventures (which you never will as we always work to provide variety in the ground we cover) everything will look different, thanks to the constantly changing light and movement of animals. 

Driving along, with the sights, sounds and smells of the African wilderness all around you, a game drive is a sensory adventure with the added bonus of not knowing what waits around the next bend in the road! That's the beauty of a safari - no matter how many times you go out into the bush it always feels like the first time! It's thrilling, exciting and soul soothing all at the same time and it becomes addictive!

Fear of missing out makes most of our guests eager to do every single drive, but sometimes it's nice to just sit on our deck in the afternoons and watch Africa pass by as animals come and go from the waterhole in front of the swimming pool and birds chatter noisily in the undergrowth. You'll sometimes spot monkeys and dwarf mongooses foraging on our lawns as well! 

Whatever your choice, being on safari is a life-changing experience that shifts the way you look at the world around you. It's a privilege to see iconic species in their natural habitat and share a few precious moments in their presence, just as it's incredibly special just to be out there, in the wilderness, listening to the sounds of nature in all its wonderful, untamed glory.

Africa's waiting for you... So give us a call and let's get you here!

Images: Into My Wild Africa/Douda Aida