We left Cape Town and flew to Hoedspruit Airport, the launchpad for Kruger National Park. A short drive later, we were in “the bush” and starting to see animals! First up – my favorite – giraffes, which we spotted from the highway, along with elephants. We got to Simbavati Hilltop Lodge, dropped our stuff in our room, and jumped in a jeep for our first safari. Almost immediately after pulling out of camp, we saw elephants and, not too long after, we saw a lioness which led us to see three lion cubs – they were super cute, tumbling and playing with each other. We viewed them – and their carefully watchful mother – for 15 minutes, at least.

Our first camp was small — just 16 guests. The schedule every day was wake-up call at 5 a.m., coffee in the main lodge at 5:15, and in the jeep by 5:30. That drive lasted for 3 hours, then back to the lodge for a huge breakfast, then free time – most people napped – until 1 p.m. lunch, then pool time until around 3:00, quick change, tea (small snacks and beverages, like the classic British tea), then back on the jeep at 4:00 for our evening safari. Back at the lodge around 7, then a huge dinner.

The bush plane between camps was interesting – a 9-seater that transports people around Kruger National Park. When we were picked up on a lonely airstrip with absolutely no buildings, there were already two people in our plane. We flew 15 minutes, landed and picked up two more people, then flew less than 5 minutes to our stop. We’re pretty sure our pilots were younger than our kids – maybe mid-20s at the most. But they did a great job getting us safely to our second camp.

Both of our camps were beautiful with top-notch service. The people go out of their way to make sure you have an amazing trip – both on the game drives, where they would track footprints and go cross country so we could see an elusive animal, and at the lodge, where your every wish was met.

One interesting fact we learned is there are three groups of animals to “find.” The one everyone knows is “The Big Five,” which consists of majestic creatures like lions, elephants, rhinos, Cape buffalos, and leopards. These animals were specifically chosen for this group because of their reputation as challenging targets for hunters. Additionally, there is a category known as “The Small Five,” consisting of tortoises, birds, mammals, and insects. Lastly, there is “The Ugly Five,” which is comprised of the warthog, hyena, vulture, Maribou stork, and wildebeest. We saw all of the Big Five, all but one of the Ugly Five (didn’t see the stork), and a few of the Small Five. We also saw hippos, crocodiles, lots of Kudu and eland and other antelope-type animals, giraffes, zebra, ostrich, and more. We even saw a cheetah as we were leaving the last camp for the airport – a very rare sighting! Each of these animals has unique characteristics that make them noteworthy in their own right. It was truly a remarkable experience to witness the diversity and beauty of these magnificent creatures during our journey.

Truly an amazing experience!