In February 2020 my partner and I travelled to Africa for the very first time. We chose to visit southern Africa, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. We started off in the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town, before heading to the Cape Winelands and self-driving the garden route. From there, we flew to the Greater Kruger area where we went on our first safaris at Garonga Safari Camp and Notten’s Bush Camp. We finished off the trip by viewing the spectacular Victoria Falls before enjoying a final relaxing safari at Chobe Bakwena Lodge.
Our first safari with Bench Africa was unforgettable and we simply can’t wait to go back and explore more of this amazing continent!
Although it was difficult to choose, here are a few of our favorite moments of our African journey:
1. Exploring Cape Town’s interesting history and stunning scenery, whilst enjoying its diverse range of cafes, restaurants, and bars.
2. Taking in the mesmerising Cape Winelands scenery on board the Franschhoek Wine Tram. We hopped between a few different wineries, enjoying delicious cuisine, lots of laughs and perhaps a little too much wine3. Getting back to nature and relaxing at the luxury Grootbos Private Nature Reserve.
4. If you're driving down the Garden Route in South Africa you simply must see the meerkats in Oudtshoorn! Waking before sunrise we ventured out into the desert to meet these little guys as they popped their heads out to start their day! 5. Bungee jumping for the first time off the Bloukrans River Bridge – the third-highest commercial bungee jump in the world. The jump was terrifying, exhilarating and, after the initial adrenaline rush, surprisingly relaxing whilst swinging over the valley listening to the sounds of the river flowing beneath me.
6. Sleeping in the wild at Garonga Safari Camp’s sleepout. We enjoyed dinner and a bottle of red whilst overlooking the waterhole, before drifting off to sleep. We were awoken during the night with some heavy rain. Although we missed the lovely sunrise at the sleepout, the speedy game drive to camp in the dark was an adventure in itself!
7. Being only meters away from a lioness whilst she patiently waited and called for a mate at the Sabi Sands Game Reserve.
8. Watching a pack of Hyenas take down and devour an injured baby zebra from the deck of Notten’s Bush Camp whilst waiting for dinner. The hyenas were polite enough to eat their meal behind a bush that hid the zebra but where we could still watch and hear them finish their food.
9. Being cooled down by the mist from the magnificent Victoria Falls. The sheer size and sounds of this natural wonder of the world is mindblowing!
10. Watching huge herds of elephants play, drink and wallow, from the water. Game viewing by boat whilst enjoying a few drinks at the Chobe National Park was a relaxing way to finish our amazing trip.
If you care about our planet, if you’re desperate to get off the beaten track, if you want to mingle with the locals or just experience ‘the extraordinary’ in Africa then The Safari Guide has it all.
Thank you.
To read the latest issue of The Safari Guide you can download our app.either on your iphone or android mobile device.
