A Beginners Guide to Africa (Part 2 of 3): Safari

Once we experienced all that Cape Town had to offer, we caught a plane and headed to what people usually think of when they think of Africa: safari! The place we chose for our safari experience was the Thornybush Game Lodge, located in Hoedspruit, South Africa. Adjacent to Kruger National Park, Thornybush consists of 18 individual bungalows (several come with private plunge pools). All meals and beverages are included in your stay. They even have a full-service spa and beautiful pool if you’re looking for some extra relaxation in “the bush.” One thing to be aware of is that this is an “open lodge,” meaning that every type of wild animal found in the reserve has the ability to walk through the lodge at any time. While the daytime is relatively safe, you are not allowed to walk unaccompanied on the grounds without an armed guide or ranger during the evening. Three full days is recommended for your stay (although we wished we had done an extra fourth day by the time we left).

The real experience at Thornybush, however, are the twice-daily safaris. Your morning safari starts at 6 am and lasts for three hours. Your guide and your tracker (both incredibly knowledgable; feel free to ask them any questions you might have) take you and up to six other guests out in open-top Land Rovers to view all the natural beauty and wildlife that Africa has to offer. You’ll get within feet of giraffe, white and black rhino, cheetah, elephants, lion prides, impala and countless other species of bird, reptile and mammal. You return to the lodge around 9 am for breakfast with the rest of the afternoon at your leisure. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can ask your guide to take you on a walking safari during the afternoon that lets you get extremely up close with every aspect of the African wild (I did it and it’s well worth the time). The evening safari starts at 5 pm and includes a “sundowner” break where you stop in the bush for evening cocktails and snacks while you watch the surreal African sunset. You return to the lodge at 8 pm for a delicious four-course dinner (if you get the chance, try the impala meat).

You simply cannot go wrong with Thornybush Game Lodge. From the wildlife to the accommodations, as well as the transportation, safety and security, your safari adventure will be the experience of a lifetime.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to South Africa. In need of further inspiration? Check out Chris Lugo’s trip report, A Beginner's Guide to Africa (Part 1 of 3).