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Published: April 07 2014

Four hours North of Johannesburg are the provinces of Mpumalanga and the Limpopo. Mpumalanga is host to the Blyde River Canyon, perhaps the largest "green canyon" in the world and the second largest canyon in Africa. The Limpopo province is, most famously, home to the Kruger National Park. I must mention that on your holiday to South Africa you do not necessarily travel here after visiting Johannesburg; depending on the time of year, you may prefer to make this the last part of your holiday.

The best time of year to visit the game farms is in the winter months of June – August. This is the dry season, which makes it easier to spot the animals; they visit the watering holes in larger numbers and it is cooler. The Cape, however, is ghastly in the winter months so I would recommend a compromise and suggest travelling to the game reserves in late March – April or October-November so you can enjoy the Cape as well. Malaria is a factor to consider when traveling to Kruger. Although the Kruger Park is a low-risk zone, certain parts are malaria areas. Malaria is highest in risk from December to April. Good prophylactics are on the market and I suggest taking them, but please consult your doctor. I have found that the drugs taken just one day before you arrive have less side effects, if any. The drugs taken two weeks before had worse side effects. As always, prevention is better than cure; in addition to the drugs, a good mosquito repellent plus protective clothing at night are essential.

If you have the time it is worth staying two nights in Hazyview and experiencing the Blyde River Canyon. I am in favor of D.I.Y. travel so I recommend driving yourself around the area. The road systems are good and with GPS on smart phones you don't even have to get lost. Word of warning: Watch out for potholes, especially after heavy rains.

Blyde River Canyon Panorama - Photo Wikipedia

How to get there: Fly into Nelspruit (from any of the major airports), rent a car at the airport and drive to Hazyview. Stay at Perry's Bridge Hollow boutique hotel at approximately $200 per night for a double-occupancy room or at Plumbago Guest House at $85 per person per night, including breakfast.

Perrys Bridge Hollow boutique hotel

The next day drive from your hotel along the Panorama Route to Blyde River Canyon and God's Window. It is a long drive (around 65 miles) and the weather needs to be clear. Be warned there is a bit of climbing to get the full effects of the view. There are places to eat along the way and plentiful curios on the roadside. Feel free to stop to browse but expect to be harassed. You may also find yourself being sold a sub-standard item. Your hotel will probably be able to recommend a reputable arts and crafts shop where you can purchase the beautiful stone carvings endemic to the area. There is the Shangana Cultural Village, which may be of interest, and they do sell curios that will be of a good standard.

Shangana Cultural Village Evening Festival - Photo Dream Fields Guest House.

Another glorious way to experience the Blyde River Canyon is from the air. A hot air balloon ride is a spectacular way to do this. Check out www.suncatchers.co.za for more information.

Hot Air Balloon Ride - Photo suncatchers.co.za

For dinner: Summerfields restaurant occasionally offers dining on the riverbank, which is stunning. Ask your hotel to call and check that they are offering dinner down by the river when you are there.

The following morning, visit Elephant Whispers and enjoy a close-up encounter with the African elephant, a truly spiritual experience.

Photo seasonsinafrica.com

If you are an avid golfer there is an excellent golf course located at the Sabie River Bungalows. Your hotel can arrange this for you or you can book a tee off time by calling +27 13 737 7311. The course offers lunches and dinners, has a pro shop and a good bar. The course is amongst South Africa's top ten courses and was designed by Peter Matkovitch and Dale Hayes.

After your elephant ride or golf game, head off on your safari adventure. Depending on your budget various levels of luxury accommodation are available. I would recommend stretching the budget here. This is an once-in-a-lifetime experience and splurging a little is highly rewarding. All of the private lodges are remarkable, but for those who won't faint at the thought of spending $1500 per person per night sharing then Singita lodges are, frankly, other-worldly. There are four in the Kruger Park area: Ebony Lodge, Boulders Lodge, Lebombo Lodge and the Sweni Lodge. Take a look at www.singita.com and good luck trying to choose at which of the four you'd rather stay. Hamilton's Tented Camp offers a trip back in time; think Robert Redford and Out of Africa. You'll get to experience silver service dinners over-looking the Nwatswitsonto River. Hamilton's is around $380 per person, per night, sharing.
Hoyo Hoyo is a funky interpretation on traditional African architecture and is centered around offering a cultural experience as well as a game reserve. Their rates are $280 per person, per night sharing.

Photo Singita Lebombo Lodge

Photo Hoyo Hoyo Safari Lodge.

Please check what the lodge's policies are if you have young children as many of the camps are not fenced. On that note, please understand that the wildlife is very dangerous. All of your game drives will be done in open vehicles with both a tracker and a game ranger. The animals are used to the vehicles but not to your voices, electronic sounds (yes, like camera zooms) or movement within the vehicle. You will be allowed to take pictures but please do so in a courteous manner and ask your game ranger to prompt you when it would be safe. Many game rangers are wildlife photographers and will be able to advise the less experienced photographer. Please enjoy your game drives in silence and stillness in order to absorb the serenity of the African bushveld and so as not to disturb the animals or other visitors. The game ranger carries a rifle to protect you but he does not actually want to shoot the lion that responds to your shout of excitement.

Photo singita.com

For your comfort, and in order to not look silly, game drive attire is: muted tones, comfortable closed footwear, preferably long pants (for the mosquitos), a fleece or hoodie. and a wind proof rain-proof jacket for the evening drives. For dinner back at camp, a splash of glamour is encouraged. Other equipment: a good pair of binoculars, a good bird book – Robertson's or Newman's, a book on African wildlife, an SLR camera, sunglasses and a sun hat. This will be one of the best things you have ever done and the camps are so luxurious that you will probably never want to leave. I was depressed for a week after a six star safari experience because it was so exceptional. If you can, sit close to the ranger and/or tracker as you'll hear great stories, soak up extra information and have a more comfortable ride up forward. You may or may not see the entire Big Five, a safari term referring to: the lion, elephant, leopard, Cape buffalo and rhinoceros. It was initially used to describe the level of danger involved in hunting these animals but has been adopted for game viewing as well. I have been on safari many times and every time have seen a few of the Big Five but not all. Focusing on the Big Five is tacky and you may miss the beauty of the Lilac-breasted roller, the fragility and majesty of a Kudu bull, the ingenuity of the dung beetle, the eerie call of an African Fish Eagle, the graceful lope of a giraffe, and the list goes on...

Lilac Breasted Roller Bird - Photo south-african-lodges.com

Your safari experience is a hard one to beat so that may be a good reason to leave it till last. We'll go to Cape Town next. Situated on the Western tip of Africa, surrounded by the treacherous Atlantic Ocean, it is visually spectacular, arguably the most beautiful city in the world, with much to offer to the visitor with world-class dining, wine routing, scenic drives and many other activities. You can read all about it in the next article.

{module Stephanie Bekink}