The Safari Experience

An African Safari has been on our bucket list for a long time and we finally were able to make it one in the summer of 2022. We had originally planned this trip in November but changed it to June since we were told that the winter/dry season is a better time to see predators and avoid the tourist rush. Turns out it was great advice!

We booked our tour through Lion World Travel as Costco members. It was an eight day trip starting in Cape Town and commencing in a 3 day Safari experience at the Lion Sands Tinga Resort. We doubled down on the "Lions" hoping to get to see some and we were not disappointed! The Costco member pricing was the same however we got a Gin tasting, 1 hour Massage and a Tree House experience (More on that later!).

We flew in from Cape Town to Skukuza Airport which is right in Kruger National Park. Airlink at least at that time was the only carrier that flew there. We were picked up at the airport by our super-friendly guide and tracker from our resort. It was a quick 15 minute ride to the resort where we were greeted by the resort staff as well as Kudus and Antelope! We quickly freshened up and were ready for our afternoon safari!

Day1: Afternoon Safari

Animals: Leopard, Giraffes, Hyenas, Elephants, Monkeys and more

The weather was ideal for our afternoon safari - a pleasant 65 degrees and sunny. I would later regret wearing shorts but would be saved by the blankets our guide had stocked in the vehicle. In just under 15 minutes we didn't need any binoculars to see some Giraffes having an afternoon munch. Our guide explained the ossicones or the two humps on their heads were primarily used by males while jousting for mating rights. Hence their ossicones had less hair compared to the females making it easier to identify their gender. As we drive away from these wonderful creatures we hear some bustling in a tree ahead of us. Monkeys! While taking some photos we hear that there's been a Leopard spotted by other groups and our guide quickly shifts gears to get us there.

Well, not so fast - we are in the way of a heard of Elephants! To see one in person is one thing but to see them in their element is a completely different experience. While we attempted to scoot around them one of the elephants decides to take down an entire tree - cause... why not. What a sight!!

As the light started to fade we pulled up in to our right and were greeted with one of the best sights we will ever see in our lives. A leopard perched in a tree bellyful clutching onto an antelope carcass. He seemed to be content since he was not bothered by the crowd that had gathered under the tree and to make matters more interesting there was a hyena lurking below for scrapes. What a fantastic way to end our very first game drive!

Day2: Morning and Afternoon Safari

Animals: Rhino, Elephants, Buffalo, Giraffes and more

We started right at dawn the next morning with blankets, hot water bags and coffee to keep us warm. Within minutes we were greeted by our elephant friends again. This time they were enjoying a friendly banter. As we were taking photos our guide gets a tip on a Rhino sighting. We are super excited since Rhinos are notoriously hard to spot!

Our tracker sees something up the road and asks the guide to pull over. He points to a big pile of Rhino poop indicating a presence near by. However, the bush is quite thick for the vehicle to go through so our guide asks us if we would like to hike up to the Rhino. Even though we were a bit unsure we couldn't pass the chance to see a Rhino! We took to the ground and our tracker leads us several yards into the deep bush. Suddenly he asks us to stay still and points to this gargantuan Rhino about 50 yards in front of us. An unbelievable sight to highlight our morning!

We saw some more giraffes, a buffalo and a warthog during our afternoon safari. To celebrate our successful drive we had a celebratory drink and snack gazing away at the setting sun.

Day3: Morning and Afternoon Safari

Animals: Lions and Painted Dogs!!!!!

We were so pumped up from the previous day that I don't think I have ever been more willing to wake up at 5:30AM! The only Big 5 member we hadn't seen was the lion and this was our last day at the lodge. Our guide was quite optimistic but as we drove off we got news that there is a pack of painted dogs a group ahead of us had spotted. Off we went! These dogs are Africa's most successful predators hunting as a pack with a success rate of around 70%! We drive up and see a large pack of beautiful painted dogs getting some rest under a tree.

We weren't thinking that would be topped but literally just 10 minutes away we saw the queens of jungle along with their little ones taking an afternoon nap. Our presence didn't bother them in any way. We stand and watch for several minutes - not saying a word to each other - just watching these amazing animals go about their business. What a sight. Unbelievable!

Our safari experience had now come to an end but we took back memories of a lifetime. For those still debating whether an African safari is worth it - don't wait any longer. It's unlike any other experience especially for the animal lovers out there.

Check-ins:

The Tinga Resort - Five star luxury all the way from the lodging to the food to the service. Excellent location - just 10 minutes from Skukuza airport. Our guide and tracker were simply phenomenal. We would never have seen all the animals without their expertise and perseverance.

The Tree-house experience. Read all about it!

No-shows:

The cooler than expected weather. Well - we weren't really prepared for freezing temperatures even though we were going during the winter. The mornings were quite cold - almost freezing temperatures. Pack accordingly!