If the idea of working with primates in Africa then this program,where you will join a pioneering rehabilitation center in South Africa to help conserve the Vervet monkey, could be what you are looking for:

The Vervet Monkey Foundation is currently home to more than 700 monkeys, most of which are Vervet’s and they are in much need of volunteers who not only want to work with animals, but have a love for them as well. You should be willing to become completely involved in the care and rehabilitation of these wonderful primates.

The Vervet Monkey Foundation is located near Tzaneen in the Limpopo province at the foot of the Wolkberg mountains and is only an hour and a half drive from the Kruger National Park, so during your visit you can also explore one of the most beautiful regions of South Africa. During your stay as a volunteer, you will be living in a tent village. It is a bush camp so be prepared for a truly outdoor experience! Although your accommodation is fairly basic the living and sleeping conditions are pretty comfortable as the village is equipped with a sink, fridge, showers with hot and cold water and eco-toilets.

As a volunteer, you can join for a minimum of two weeks but can stay much longer and will be fully trained in all aspects of animal care needed for this project. Not only will you learn about these primates, you will also experience the fascinating flora and fauna of South Africa and enjoy life in a traditional African bush camp.

Those volunteers who are interested in furthering their studies on Vervet monkeys are also very welcome to do so: Back in 2006 the Vervet Monkey Foundation became a full member of the Pan African Sanctuaries Alliance (PASA) and they have a purpose built sick bay area for the monkeys which may also appeal to Vet nurses / students.

More Details & Enquiry Form >> Vervet Monkey Volunteer Program

More on Volunteering Wildlife Work in Africa and Volunteering in South Africa

Photo Credit: Arno & Louise

It is still not to late to go on safari in South Africa during the World Cup
You can be on a small group safari in the Kruger National Park in South Africa with your own safari guide and chef AND never miss a game as you can watch all the World Cup soccer (football) action on our private satellite TV!

This South African safari and tour operator specialises in small group and private wildlife experiences in the the world famous Kruger National Park and what is more they are one of the few specialist Kruger operators that will not be increasing their normal rates during the world cup period and because there are a few places left, you can now get up to a 40% discount.

All safaris are full board (includes all accommodation, meals, professional guiding in open-sided game viewing vehicles and all conservation and entrance fees in the Kruger National Park. They do not use tents your accommodation will comprise of en-suite serviced lodges with air-conditioning.

Safari activities include 2 game drives per day and an optional bush walk with an armed ranger.

Satellite television (all matches shown) will be made available so you wont miss a game while you are out in the bush.

Available Cheap Safari Deals

Please Note: The available dates are listed below, but The safari operator has informed us that they only have limited spaces left on their safari itineraries in the Kruger National Park during the soccer world cup in June and July 2010 and they are going fast:

6 Day Safari (5-nights)
Dates: Anytime between 28 June and 9 July 2010 – 40% discount on their standard rate
More Information & Make An Enquiry

4 Day Safari (3-nights)
Dates: Anytime between 28 June and 9 July 2010 – 40% discount.
More Information & Make An Enquiry

3 Day Safari (2-nights)
Dates: Anytime between 21st June and 23 June 2010 – 40% discount.
More Information & Make An Enquiry

Dates Not Available?

If the exact dates that you are looking for are not available, take a look at all the World Cup Safaris on offer.

Safaris Include:

• Private en-suite accommodation
• All meals and refreshments with meals (refreshments: SA wine, beer and bottled water)
• All entrance and conservation fees
• All guiding courtesy your own safari guide
• All game viewing activities in our private open safari vehicle
• All itineraries are conducted inside the Kruger National Park
• Road transportation from Johannesburg or Nelspruit return.

I recently received the following question on combining a photographic safari holiday with some scuba diving:

Hi,
I was wondering if you could assist us with any suggestions for our safari
holiday: As I am a photographer and my girlfriend a newly qualified scuba diver, we are hoping to combine a safari with some diving. Do you have any packages and advice?

As it is a fairly common question, I thought it may be useful to post my answer on the site:

You guys obviously enjoy the same things as I do: photography, diving and wildlife!

I learnt to dive in Kenya – mostly because it was cheap and I had a few days to spare, see my article on Scuba Diving in Kenya. Kenya is also obviously a good place to go on safari – just make sure that you don’t get one where you go in a mini van packed with tons of other tourists as you will find it very difficult to get any decent photography done.

Whilst Kenya is great, I personally think that a fantastic place to combine scuba diving and Africa’s wildlife is the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park.

It has all the wildlife you could ever hope to see in the reserve and if that is not enough you have the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Parks nearby. I have heard that the diving at Sodwana Bay which is Part of the Greater St Lucia Wetland reserve and located within the Maputaland Marine reserve is the place to go Scuba Diving in South Africa, although as yet I have not been lucky enough to try it for myself.

Because it is a national park, you can hire a car travel around by yourself, giving you the time to stop and take photographs of whatever you like. Accommodation in South Africa’s National parks is excellent and much cheaper than staying at a lodge, just book early as the fill up quickly.

What is more is from here if you are feeling adventurous, you could travel up into Mozambique where there is also some great diving, but far less wildlife.

I hope this helps as I don’t actually sell any packages on my site, just advertise them.

For more holidays, a good place to look is the Safari Holidays section on my site, there are holidays that include diving as well as, photographic specific ones

Just look for a holiday that is similar to your requirements and fill in the enquiry form under it and the operator will get back to you directly.

Contemporary luxury accommodation in the remote wilderness of Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Winner of numerous local and international awards, including One of Five Best Baths in the word with a View, The Outpost Safari Lodge is located in the northern region of the Kruger National park known as the Makuleke.

Home to large herds of elephant and buffalo, this remote region of the Kruger covers about 28 000 hectares, with the Limpopo River and Zimbabwe on it’s northern border and Crooks Corner and Mozambique on it’s eastern border. Whilst the location may be remote and the terrain rugged, it does not mean that you have to rough it.

Unlike most safari lodges that have a far more ethnic design, the Outpost is unashamedly contemporary in it’s design and is made up of the main lodge and 12 stand-alone living spaces set against the side of a hill overlooking the Luvuvhu River. Each living space comes with it’s own own private outdoor terrace, indoor lounge and bedroom and an incredible award-winning en-suite bathroom with stunning views of the African bush.

Awards

• 101 Best New Hotels – Tatler Guide 2005 (UK 2005)
• 100 Best New Hotels in the World – Conde Nast Traveller (US May 2004)
• One of Five Best Baths with a View – Independent Newspaper (UK April 2004)
• Hottest New Game Lodge – Young Rich Travel (Australia September 2003)
• South Africa’s Sexiest Bathrooms – Style (South Africa July 2003)
• Best Safari Lodge – Wallpaper (UK May 2003)

More information:

• The Outpost Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park
• The Outpost Information and Booking Request form

The Mziki Wilderness Trails

Mziki is a Zulu name for the Common Reedbuck and is also the name given to three hiking trails, or bush walks in St Lucia, South Africa. The Mziki Trails, could have been named the Ingwenya Trails or the Nyathi Trails as the Common Reedbuck is just one of the many animals, including hippo, buffalo, elephant, crocodile, kudu, waterbuck, red and grey duiker, vervet and samango monkeys, baboons, banded mongoose, bushbuck, bush pig and leopard that occur in this particular area of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park or as it is now called, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

The three looped day walks all begin and end at the Mount Tabor hut not far from Mission Rocks on South Africa’s northern KwaZulu-Natal cost in the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park and are ideal for those looking to combine a bush walk (walking safari) with coastal hiking, where you will get to see some incredible views of the Indian Ocean as well as the fantastic dune forests, rock pools, open grasslands of the eastern shore and the possibility of seeing the wealth of wildlife in this unique part of South Africa.

Once you arrive in St Lucia you must report to the trail office at Mission Rocks, about 15 km north of the town of St Lucia. From here you will leave your car at the car park at Mission Rocks and take a 2km walk up to your base for the next few days at the Mount Tabor hut. This hut was actually built by the Royal Air Force as an observation post during the second world war and provided radar support for the Catalina flying boats who supplied air cover for allied shipping in the area. The hut can be described as basic but comfortable, with beds and mattresses are supplied for up to 8 people. Crockery and cutlery is also supplied and there is a two plate gas cooker, but fridge or freezer. Ablutions take the form of a bucket shower and a long drop toilet with a view! Firewood is provided. There is a ladder that you can climb up onto the roof of the hut and makes an excellent vantage point and it must be said that generally the views from Mount Tabor are fantastic and is the perfect place to take wonderful sunrise and sunset photos.

Trail One
At about 10km long, the first trail takes you in a southerly direction, known as the South Coast loop. The outbound section meanders through open hill sides, freshwater pans, hippo paths and indigenous dune forest and pine plantation, where we saw red duikers and a female bushbuck and a huge variety of birds. Trees of interest includes the ornamental coral tree in the open veld, the long-lived milkwood tree of the dune forests and the rare forest fig. Most of the return leg is along rocky coastline where tidal pools abound with interesting marine life.

Trail Two
This is another trail that is about 10km long, it is known as the Lake Trail or Mfazana Pan loop and it takes you in a westerly direction through indigenous forest, past the Mfazana freshwater pan. During the rainy season this pan is the home of many species of waterfowl, hippos and crocodiles. We saw waterbuck near the waters edge, crocs, a pod of hippos in the distance and plenty of waterbirds, including the impressive saddle-bill stork, yellowbilled storks and spoon-bills. It is important to be wary of hippos in this area as they often leave the water to graze in the forests even during the day. From the pan the trail crosses the St Lucia/Cape Vidal road, goes over open grassland until it reaches the shore of Lake St Lucia. At this point the trail swings north along the lake shore for about 1,5km, then leads inland and back to Mount Tabor.

Trail Three
The North Coast loop is almost 20km long and is even more remote than the other two bush walks. From Mount Tabor ridge, the trail heads northwards along the then drops down into Bokkie Valley where you can often see the Mziki (reed buck) that these trails are named after. Apparently there are about 4 thousand reed buck on the eastern shores of St Lucia. We saw bushbuck, red duiker, kudu, waterbuck, warthog, monkeys but not a single reedbuck. From here the trail leads through forested dunes and then returns to Mount Tabor along approximately 8km of uninhabited coastline. As beach-walking during high tide is often difficult, you are advised to plan this hike so that it coincides with the low tide.

Things to remember:
You are in a wildlife area, and as such it is important to be cautious, especiall when near the pans or lake as crocodiles and hippos are plentiful. The hippos will often lie up in the indigenous forest during the day. You can go on Mziki hikes with a guide, which I would highly suggest if you are new to the bush as not only will they be able to ensure your safety, but will pass on a wealth of information about the bush, it’s animals as well as some local culture and traditions.

Further Reading:

• Mziki Hiking Trails – Including Contact Information
• Greater St Lucia Wetland Park
  
• Take a look at more Zulu and other African names for Animals

Lets face it, most holidays are not cheap, especially if you are looking to go on a safari holiday in South Africa as a family. But there are some things you can do to reduce the cost and for some of the best deals around, South Africa’s fantastic National parks are hard to beat, with accommodation costs are way cheaper than private game reserves and lodges.

Surely one of the best is the newly renamed iSimangaliso Greater Wetland Park, (was the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park) that lies between St Lucia and Kosi Bay in the northern part of  KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. Here you will not only find some of Africa’s finest wildlife, but endless beaches, awesome scuba diving, great fishing and reasonably priced accommodation much of which is designed with families in mind.

The Simangaliso Wetland Park is formed from 16 areas of land, and individual reserves that now make up 8 interlinking ecosystems, supporting a bewildering array of wildlife. The National Park is fairly new, but at it’s core is Lake St. Lucia, which was declared a game reserve more than 100 years ago, making it  one of Africa’s oldest protected areas.

The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park now consists of 220 km of coastline and beaches as well as three lake systems (Lake St. Lucia, Lake Sibaya and Kosi Bay), huge swamp forests and linked game reserves that hold the highest density of Black Rhino anywhere in the world, plenty of White Rhino, with Mkhuze Game reserve within the park one of the best places to find them. The park as a whole also holds more than half of all South Africa’s bird species, 110 butterfly species, about two thousand flowering plants and 5 turtle species, it is no wonder that it is listed as a World Heritage Site.

Top Spots within the Park

• Lake st Lucia: Lake cruises where you can view hippos, crocodiles and a stunning variety of bird life.
• Kosi Bay: Ideal for snorkelling
• Lake Sibaya, South Africa’s largest freshwater lake, with crystal clear waters.
• Sodwana Bay: One of the world’s top ten scuba diving destinations.
• Mkhuze Game Reserve: Leopard, rhino and a true birders paradise.
• False Bay: Great for sea fishing and boating.

Self Drive
Because this is a National Park, you are free to drive around under your own steam, you can either hire a car from the airport on Johannesburg and drive down to Natal, taking the N2 southwards and then the R618 turn off to Mtubatuba and follow this road for 27km until you reach St Lucia town. Or catch an internal flight to Durban and hire a car there, taking the N2 northwards and the R618 to Mtubatuba. Either way it gives you the freedom to explore and will be cheaper than staying at most private game reserves. Take a look at Self Drive Holidays and Safaris in South Africa fro more info.

Not to Miss

• A Sunrise walk on the beach, remember this part of South Africa lies on the East coast of Africa and you will be treated to fantastic sunrises with the sun peering over the ocean.
• Between November and January, watch turtles lay their eggs on the beach.
• A picnic at Mission Rocks or Charters Creek.

Things to Keep in Mind
This is a malaria area, and whilst that should not put you off from visiting, you do need to take precautions: Red more about Malaria here
Remember there are plenty of potentially dangerous animals in the park, again this should not stop you from visiting, just be responsible, foe example don’t go swimming in any of the lakes, there are crocodiles.

For More information take a look at the Safari Holiday Guide to the iSimangaliso Greater Wetland Park.

Whilst I was researching for a new section on Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park in South Africa, I came across this great video (see below) posted by a couple who take the day out to visit Hluhluwe and it tells of their day as well as some advice on how to get the best out of self drive safaris.

As with pretty much every National Park in South Africa, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi has an excellent road network, making them ideal for self drive safaris and whilst I do believe that if you are a novice in the bush, you will get more out of it if you have a qualified guide with you, I can also understand that it is sometimes more enjoyable to do your own thing. So below are the self drive safari tips provided by the couple as well as a few that I have added myself.

Advice for Self Drive Safaris

In the video the tips they pass on are listed below:

1) Drive Slowly
I could not agree more, you really need to drive slowly, not only will your vehicle thank you if you are on dirt roads, but your chances of seeing game will dramatically improve.

2) Avoid the Mid Day Heat
Again this is excellent advice. If you ever stay at a safari lodge and go on game drive with a safari guide, the drives will almost certainly be either in the early morning or late afternoon as most Southern African animals are much more active at these times. So get to the wildlife reserve early go on a game drive till mid morning and then during the mid day, relax, have some lunch or laze around a swimming pool to keep cool and then go out again later in the afternoon to maximise your chances of viewing the wildlife.

A few More tips:

Stop on Bridges
I noticed in their video that they stopped on a bridge and looked up and Down the River, this is a great tip – most animals need to drink at some time or another and because of this sources of water always make great places to find many species of animals and birds. You never know what you might see. Even if the river is dry, many animals especially larger ones like Elephant will use dry riverbeds as highways, partly because they are easier to walk down than through the middle of the bush and because there is often an abundance of food sources growing on river banks – so it is kind of like an animals version of a street market.

Use a 4×4
This is not so much due to the roads, as mentioned earlier most National Parks in South Africa have an excellent road network, perfectly fine for a saloon car. It is more for the height advantage, the higher up you gan get the better, this is especially important during and after the rainy season when there will be plenty of tall grass about.

Use Hides
Many Reserves will have game viewing and bird watching hides located in the park. The are usually positioned in areas where wildlife is often seen (water holes are a favourite). So find out where they are on the reserve, try and get to one either early in the morning or later in the afternoon and hopefully you will get plenty of sightings.

On a recent trip to South Africa, we had a night to kill in Johannesburg because of an awkward connecting flight time. This could be a common problem when the World Cup hits South Africa in 2010.

We decided to stay that the City Lodge Airport Hotel in Johannesburg, here is my review:

Price: About £40 per night
The City Lodge Airport Hotel in Johannesburg, is as the name suggests conveniently located near the Johannesburg International Airport. There is a transfer shuttle bus from the Airport to the hotel every half-hour, which takes about 5 minutes.

We arrived at around 6am and found the shuttle bus waiting at the “public transport” area located outside the hotel, the driver was courteous and helpful and we were soon at the check in desk. This service is very convenient, but the hotel does charge an nominal 44 rand fee (about £3) per person.

The hotel is also not far from the giant Eastgate shopping center in Johannesburg. We organised a taxi to take us there from the reception and it cost us 90 rand (£6) and there are taxis available from the center to take you back to the hotel.

Our room was clean and tidy and came with the usual including air-conditioning and a nice flat screen TV. The bathroom had a fantastic shower, which was very welcome after the 10 hour flight from London Heathrow Airport.

Outside there is a nice pool area and peaceful garden, at the end of which is a small gym that guests can use free of charge. That afternoon, we sat and enjoyed a sun-downer in the garden and watched the local bird life that included a Hadada Ibis that came down onto the lawn just in front of us.

Meals were interesting as you can either order for the small hotel menu, or as we did go to the reception and order a “delivery service” from a number of local restaurants that will deliver the food to the hotel, who then will set up a table for you in the dinning area for you to eat your meal. I think this is a fantastic way of helping local businesses as well as allowing you the guest a greater choice of food.

If I had one bad thing to say about the City Lodge Airport Hotel, it would be that the area surrounding the hotel is not that scenic, but being near to the airport, I guess you should kind of expect it.

Safari-Guide Opinion
Overall the hotel is excellent for the price and is very conveniently located to the airport and is perfect should you need a one night stay-over. Highly recommended.

City Lodge Airport Hotel
Sandvale Road
Edenvale, 1610

Reservations: clairport.resv@citylodge.co.za

Directions:
At the Barbara Rd exit off the R24
4km from O.R.Tambo International Airport
3km from Edenvale or 8km from Eastgate for shopping & dining out

HluHluwe Elephant: 1 German Car containing Swiss Tourists: 0

A Swiss couple had a holiday experience that they will never forget, when came a little too close to an elephant on their African safari in HluHluwe Game Reserve in South Africa.

For me it really illustrates the importance of going on a Safari Game Drive with a qualified safari guide (field guide). Sure there will always be accidents, even with a qualified safari guide because the African bush and it’s animals can be unpredictable at times.

A trained field guide will not only will they have been trained in animal behaviour and what to do in an emergency, but they will also be able to point out many interesting aspects of what you are looking at. Their local knowledge will also mean that you are bound to see more of the wildlife as well.

Self Drive Safaris
Most of the National Parks in South Africa, including the Kruger National Park, Addo Elephant National Park and the HluHluwe uMfolozi National Park allow you to go on a self drive safari, but usually only on certain roads. Most also offer Guided Game Drives as well as options to hire a guide who will travel with you in your own vehicle.

So please when you go on Safari to one of the many National Parks in South Africa make sure you organise a guided game drive as I am sure the Swiss couple of Rico Beltrame and his sister Angela would vouch for.

For those who are interested, Rico Beltrame and his sister Angela were both fine after the incident although the damage to the rented cost about R7000 to repair!

I was born and grew up in Africa, whilst my parents house was in a “Malaria Free” area, we would often go on our holidays into the bush to places like Mana Pools on the Zambezi river or onto Lake Kariba. Both these areas have Malaria.We would always take medication and I have to say that in 30 years neither I or any of my family ever got Malaria. So I feel that as long as you take the sensible precautions like the full course of medication and cover yourself up in the evenings, malaria should not be an issue.

If you still do not feel comfortable travelling to an area that has malaria, but still want to go on a safari holiday, there are plenty of places that can offer you the wildest splendor that Africa has to offer, without the fear of Malaria.South Africa has some of the best safari locations that are in so called malaria free areas, so here are a few ideas for you:

Malaria Free Safaris in South Africa.

Madikwe Private Game Reserve
Madikwe is famous for its excellent sightings of African wild dogs. I was lucky enough to have visited Madikwe a few years back, when I was still studying to become a safari guide and we did indeed have some excellent wild dog sightings. On top of this Madikwe is a true malaria free Big 5 safari destination. Many reserves claim to have all of the Big 5, but only have White Rhinos, instead of the much more feared and endangered Black Rhino. Madikwe Game Reserve has both and I was lucky enough to have seen both on my trip to the reserve.

The views on Madikwe Game Reserve are also stunning, the reserve is located right on the Botswana border, and covers a vast 75,000 hectares and only about three hours’ drive from Johannesburg and the international airport.

I think that the combination of the stunning bush scenery, high concentrations of wildlife especially the predators, luxury lodges, fully qualified game rangers and all within easy reach of Johannesburg International airport make the Madikwe Game Reserve one of the best Malaria free reserves in South Africa, if not the whole of Africa and I would highly recommend a safari at Madikwe.

Welgevonden Private game Reserve
The very difficult to pronounce 34 000 hectare Welgevonden Game reserve in the Waterberg region of South Africa’s northern Limpopo province is another excellent malaria free option for a safari. I must admit to having a soft spot for this reserve as I have worked on Welgevonden as a field guide, although not a true Big 5 reserve (it does not have the black rhino) It more than makes up with it by having a large population of white rhinos as well as elephant, lion and buffalo. There are the elusive leopards on the reserve, but are not often seen.

Welgevonden means ‘well found’ and I can promise you that you will not be disappointed by the stunning scenery of the sometimes rather mountainous surroundings that can make for spectacular game drives.

In total Welgevonden is home to over 50 different mammals and boasts one of the largest populations of white rhino on a private reserve anywhere in Africa. On top of the usual suspects of Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest, Lions, Elephants and Buffalo, there are rare and unusual species too, such as brown hyena, aardwolf and aardvark which are all best seen at night. At one end of the reserve you will find grassy plains that wouldnt look out of place in Kenya’s Masai Mara. Here you’ll find many antelope species, from the largest eland to the majestic Kudu as well as cheetah, lion and leopard who are always close by. The diversity of habitat on Welgevonden enables such a wide range of wildlife including over 300 bird species, including rare blue cranes.

Welgevonden is only a two hour drive from Johannesburg and is a malaria free safari location that I would highly recommend.

Below is a video of photos that were taken by myself or a few of my guests whilst I was working at Shidzidzi & Nungubane Lodges on the Welgevonden Game reserve.

If you are wanting to go on a Safari, but need to somehow beat the crunch, I managed to find one of the best Safari Deals to South Africa:

South Africa Splendour
Your six day stay in South Africa will be split up between 2 nights at either the Shamwari Game Reserve, Jock Safari Lodge or Sanbona and then 3 nights stay at a stunning hotel in Cape Town, where you will/can go on Safari Game Drives, Game Viewing, Birdwatching, Golf, Horse Riding, Sailing, Wildlife Viewing and Wine Tasting and all this from only £408 per person (the quoted price is R6,100 S.A. Rand /person)

For this Safari Deal & other Tours & Safaris in Africa follow he link.
Note: To find this Safari Deal, you can Enter Package ID Number: 1477 into the ID Search box mid way down on the right hand menu

The Safari Holiday in More Detail
This 5 night South Africa Splendour package will include 2 nights at any of the Mantis Collection Private Game Reserves (see choices below) and 3 nights at your choice of either the Lake Pleasant Living Hotel in Knysna, Bushman Sands Hotel in the Eastern Cape, any 1 of the 5 Last Word Retreats (The Constantia, The Long Beach, The Franschhoek, The Bishops Court, The St. James) in and around Cape Town or The Table Bay Hotel at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

Which Safari to Choose?
For your 2 night Safari you get to choose between 3 Safari Lodges, depending on which you pick will decide on the whole package cost.

Sanbona Wildlife Reserve
Sanbona is Located at the foot of the Warmwaterberg mountains, in the heart of the Little Karoo, between Montagu and Barrydale on the famous Route 62. Sanbona Wildlife Reserve consists of 54 000 hectares of undulating mountains and plains where you will discover indigenous fauna and flora, rock formations and San rock art.

Your accommodation on the reserve will be at Tilney Manor, which has six luxuriously appointed private rooms, each offering a private lounge with fireplace, veranda, freestanding bath, wonderful private outdoor showers, air-con, satellite television and mini bars or Khanni Lodge, an idyllic Klein Karoo summer house tucked away in a secluded valley with wrap-around verandas, a rim-flow swimming pool, an airy dining room and adjoining lounge with fireplace, outdoor patio and bbq facilities.

If you choose the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve safari your total stay for the 5 night package will be R6 100 per person sharing (about £408)

Jock Safari Lodge
The Jock Safari Lodge is located in the heart of the famous Kruger National Park at the confluence of the Mitomeni and Biyamiti rivers, the camp offers stunning views with the pool literally on the confluence. The name of this unique luxury lodge is set by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick’s animal classic “Jock Of The Bushveld,” a story written at the time of South Africa’s first gold rush but the only gold you will be after is Africa’s Big Five, with this area regarded as one of the best in the Kruger national parks for “big five” sightings.

On top of the fantastic wildlife, any expectations you have of comfort and quality will be exceeded at the Jock Safari Lodge. They have 12 Luxury air conditioned suites, overlooking a river which offer guests the unique opportunity to experience the gracious style of old world elegance surrounded by unspoilt wilderness. The bathrooms and outdoor showers share the same river view and there are often sightings of animals, including elephants, rhino, zebra, lions and giraffe can be seen from the comfort & privacy of your own room! On top of this your private terrace has its own plunge pool and a wooden walkway to a lapa overlooking the riverbed.

If you stay at the Jock Safari Lodge your total 5 night package will cost R6 500 (SA Rand) per person sharing

Shamwari Game Reserve
Shamwari is located in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The Game Reserve consists of 20 000 hectares (49000 acres) of fantastic the malaria free wilderness. The reserve has received numerous international awards, including the World’s Leading Conservation Company and Game Reserve for five consecutive years.

During your safari, you will stay at one of 4 lodges:
Long Lee Manor lodge is a restored gracious Edwardian mansion has the feel of a country manor, located in the African bush where you will experience the style of living of a past era, with uncompromising service. Long Lee Manor accommodates 38 guests in elegant en-suite bedrooms, all with air-conditioning and underfloor heating.

Bayethe Lodge consists of luxury air-conditioned twin-bedded tented suites, with en-suite bathroom, outdoor shower, private plunge pool and deck. From here you will enjoy early morning and evening game viewing drives in open land rovers, guided nature walks, bird watching and historic tours are all part of this magnificent experience.

Riverdene Lodge has nine fully air-conditioned twin rooms with a small lounge area. The public areas consist of two elegantly furnished casual lounges and a glorious sunroom, a rim flow swimming pool with sun deck and poolside bar.

Bushmans River Lodge is located along the Bushmans River with spectacular views and comes with a fully inclusive service, complete with your own game ranger and chef! Bushmans River Lodge has 4 suites and can accommodate 8 guests or 4 sharing.

If you stay at Shamwari your total cost for the package will be R 6 500 (SA Rand) per person sharing – 5 nights

The Prices quoted at the Game Lodges (Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, Jock Safari Lodge, and Shamwari Game Reserve) are on a fully inclusive basis, (meals, accommodation, game drives, walks, local drinks) and include VAT and Tourism Levy. The Hotels (Lake Pleasant Living, Bushman Sands, and The Table Bay Hotel) are on Bed & Breakfast basis. The Last Word Retreats include Bed, Breakfast and local beverages

Follow the link for this Safari Deal & other Tours & Safaris in Africa
Note: To find this Safari Deal, you can Enter Package ID Number: 1477 into the ID Search box mid way down on the right hand menu

This is truly an INCREDIBLE OFFER and is not to be missed!