After landing at Hoedspruit-Eastgate Airport, you will be welcomed by your private guide and road transferred to Simbavati Safari Lodge in the Timbavati Game Reserve – part of the Greater Kruger National Park. The lodge is on the banks of the Nhlaralumi River and exudes an ambience of intimacy and exclusivity, shaded by ancient Jackalberry and Leadwood trees.

Your next three nights will be spent at this safari home-away-from-home. Your private guide will take you deep into the heart of this wild landscape, exploring its intricacies and sharing knowledge about its geological wonders and the history of this famed area.

You will have the opportunity to learn the art of tracking and wildlife photography, delve into bush crafts, and bake bread in true bush style – on an open fire. Your nights are reserved for stargazing, far from the influence of city lights. African skies are among the world’s darkest, and there are few sights as beautiful as the Magellanic Clouds, the arc of the Milky Way and the Southern Cross – the most famed of all southern constellations.

After breakfast, your journey continues to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, one of South Africa’s oldest private game reserves and famed for its big cat sightings, especially leopard. Your next three nights will be spent at Arathusa Safari Lodge which has a traditional bush lodge feel. The name is derived from the local Siswati language and means ‘the land of the rising sun’. Perched on the bank of a waterhole, be sure to keep your camera on hand to capture shots of the female leopard ‘Safari’ who is often seen roaming nearby.

Your private guide will take you on early morning safaris to track down these elusive beasts and make plaster casts of their tracks. You’ll enjoy a presentation on predators, learning about their anatomy, social structures, and evolution. On your last evening, it’s back to stargazing and learning the techniques of night-time photography.

After a hearty breakfast, you will be transferred to the far northern reaches of the Greater Kruger to Pafuri Tented Camp. Arguably the most beautifully scenic area of the region, Pafuri lies literally around the corner from the largest fever tree forest on Earth, as well as the famous Crook’s Corner – where the borders of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique meet.

The tented suites and main decks of Pafuri Tented Camp sit right on the bank of the Luvuvhu River, where you could see elephant and buffalo come down to slake their thirst and graze in the riverbed. You will explore the area with your private guide on thrilling game drives, or on foot and focus on landscape photography and great open skies.

After breakfast at the lodge, it’s time to wish Africa farewell and make your way home. Your last day sees your private guide transferring you to Polokwane for your onward travel arrangements.