Obviously - stay in the Kruger Park

Mpumalanga : The Blyde Canyon, one of the largest canyons in the world

The estuary of Saint Lucia, amongst hippos and crocodiles

 

Kruger National Park:

 

 

We stayed in a private reserve, Thornybush Game Lodge Luxury Collection, which is situated in the Sabi Sand area, in the western part of the Kruger Park, itself one of the oldest, largets and most famous game parks in the world, created in 1926, it covers an area of ​​20,000km2. They provide different lodges, most of which are composed of tents with outdoor bathrooms! The facilities are authentic, very well appointed and decorated, and remain very comfortable despite the precarious aspect of a camp in the bush. Charming and even exciting at first, but a bit boring at the end. Monkeys and other cohabitants in the shower is funny but not every day ....

 

The destination is famous for "locals" and international travelers. On the program: wake up at 4:30, departure at 5am heading for the bush to enjoy the sunrise and especially the awakening of the animals, guaranteed sensational! Incredible variety of animals, lion families, herds of zebras, giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, hyenas and the most beautiful South African cat, the cheetah! Back to the camp for lunch and a nap by a natural pool. A second expedition at the end of the day, it is less hot, the animals gather near the water points of the reserve, to drink and get ready for the night that is falling around us, as we drink in these spectacular scenes and exceptional landscapes. It is important to respect the rules of safety and the instructions of the rangers, the bush is not a theme park but a wild and dangerous universe, unfortunately fatal accidents are not unheard of.

 

 

 

Mpumalanga:

The Blyde River: 

 

Mpumalanga is a very lush, green and forested valley, located between Kruger and Swaziland, it is crossed by various water currents and a spectacular canyon. We discover the famous Blyde River Canyon, the stunning vision of the "Three Rondavels" and, further south, "God's Window" with a breathtaking view, we literally find ourselves in the clouds. Different villages and former mining towns are worth a visit, such as "Bourke's Luck Potholes" where the local legend has it that the site was named after a gold digger (Tom Bourke) who supposedly made a fortune by finding a massive gold nugget.

 

Once again, we come across many animals (elephants, antelopes, rhinos) and an exceptional flora. We stayed in a tent, certainly luxurious but perched on ten meter stilts, in the middle of a hundred hectare area, along a river: "Summerfields Rose Retreat and Spa". An elegant and perfect place for lovers, cut off from the world and... wifi. The closest neighbors are some hippos who come for a swim in the river (not the spa!) at the end of the day.

 

 

Santa Lucia Estuary, between hippos and crocodiles:

 

For the third step, we render ourselves at the east coast, north of Durban by the Indian Ocean, in Zululand, to discover the Santa Lucia Wetlands. This area known for its "water animals" and cruises watching hippos, crocodiles and a wide variety of birds.  We stayed within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal; a World Heritage Site and one of the few natural wonders. By safari requirements, we slept in a "hut" at the "Makakatana Bay Lodge”, which  is situated on the shores of Lake St. Lucia, in pristine nature (the sole private lodge in the national park, managed by its owner). A cruise on Lake St. Lucia is an essential activity in order to observe hippops in their natural environment, excursions along the west and east shores also provide the opportunity to per chance spot whales, groups of dolphins and rhinoceros.

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