In Search of the Big Five – A Small Group Safari

Depart from the UK airport most convenient for you with British Airways at no extra cost. Your flight will depart from London Heathrow, with complimentary regional connections from Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen or Belfast.

Upon arrival, and after the usual immigration formalities, we board our waiting coach for our transfer to Dinokeng Game Reserve, and the fabulous Mongena Private Game Lodge. En-route to the lodge, look out for our first animal and bird sightings. Settle in to our accommodation prior to our first open jeep game drive later in the day.

Wake early for a pre-breakfast game drive. Located in Gauteng, South Africa, Dinokeng Game Reserve is over 18,500 hectares and home to South Africa’s Big Five: elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, lion and cheetah. Later in the day, join an evening game drive or join a lake cruise for an opportunity to see elephants taking an afternoon bath, and hippos playing in the waters whilst relishing the magnificent African sunset.

Following a hearty breakfast, we bid farewell to Mongena and the Dinokeng Game Reserve as we make our way eastwards into South Africa’s beautiful Mpumalanga Province. The quaint village of Dullstroom is our destination – known for its excellent fishing opportunities, panoramic walks and fresh country air. Aptly named, Dullstroom (‘stroom’ meaning stream) enjoys an abundance of water, marking the beginning of the Crocodile River and home to other major tributaries. It serves as a convenient stopover en-route to our next two game reserves in the Lowveld region of Limpopo. Our hotel for the evening is the fabulous Walkersons Hotel and Spa. Reminiscent of a traditional Scottish country fishing lodge, relax in beautiful surroundings with a drink prior to dinner.

Early risers may wish to follow the Walkersons mountain trail, which is almost fully paved for safety and convenience, and covers a distance of approximately 1.8km to the summit. The views are fantastic and a number of antelope species can be seen in the area. After breakfast we continue our travels as we make our way to the Makalali Private Game Reserve. Upon arrival at the outstanding Main Lodge, settle in, and enjoy a welcome drink prior to lunch. Later in the afternoon we meet our rangers for our first open jeep safari at Makalali.

Rise early for our morning game drive as we continue our search for the Big Five. Keep your eyes peeled for cheetah and wild dog, who also call Makalali their home. Makalali means ‘place of rest’ in Shangaan – and you can do that in style today, by the main lodge’s spectacular large crystal-blue pool, with its decking area overlooking the adjacent watering hole. Later, prepare for your afternoon game drive with accompanying sundowners. Enjoy!

Rise early to join the morning game drive. Hopefully by now, we may have ticked off three or four of the Big Five. Perhaps the leopard is being elusive? Enjoy another relaxing day prior to your afternoon game drive. Dinner this evening is a real pleasure as we dine under the stars in Makalali’s stunning boma.

Enjoy one final game drive prior to our departure. A short drive away, our final game reserve awaits. The privately-owned Balule Game Reserve is adjacent to and open-bordered with the greater Kruger National Park. Our home is the boutique Greenfire Game Lodge, which is situated in a beautiful natural environment, perfectly complimenting our safari experience. Become acquainted with this wonderful lodge, relax and enjoy an authentic home- cooked lunch prior to meeting our rangers and taking our first evening drive.

Take an early morning drive. The rich diversity of vegetation within the Balule Reserve ensures excellent game sightings are guaranteed. In addition to the Big Five, there is an abundance of bird life and smaller mammals attracted by the riverine forest and open plains. Later in the day, we join our rangers for our evening drive.

Whilst the big game is the undoubtable highlight of Balule, we can also look forward to spotting an array of other African wildlife, such as a variety of buck, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest and over 250 bird species living amongst the savannah, riverine forest and wooded mountains. Whilst back at the lodge, view the river or riverbed (dependent on season) from the comfort of your own secluded balcony, in between game drives.

The landscape and wildlife in Balule is nothing short of superb. Enjoy our last full day in this very special reserve and of course, Greenfire Lodge. This evening, after our day’s viewings, we join our new-found friends in Greenfire’s boma and exchange memorable tales of our wildlife sightings, during our final South African dinner.

One final game drive prior to breakfast and then it’s time to bid farewell to South Africa’s wildlife. No doubt we will have memories and stories to last a lifetime. We leave Greenfire and Balule as we make a short journey to Hoedspruit Airport in time for our flight to Johannesburg. Our onward flight to London Heathrow departs this evening.

Explore more of Africa…

Take the opportunity to explore Africa further by extending your holiday with a three-night stay at Victoria Falls, with a guided walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Victoria Falls; or add a stay amid Botswana’s abundant wildlife with a fabulous six-night extension to Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park; or visit Cape Town with a three-night stay experiencing pristine beaches to rugged mountains, the perfect addition to your African adventure.

We arrive direct into London Heathrow this morning. For regional UK airports, flights will connect via Heathrow. After two fabulous weeks our search for the Big Five is complete.