OUR MULTI-GENERATIONAL SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI TRIP
From our summers spent in San Sebastián to our winter ski trips in Big Sky, travel is one of my favorite topics to share about. It brings me so much joy to hear how my travel tips or packing lists are helpful when you’re planning vacations or how you were able to find the perfect outfit from my travel capsule wardrobe. I wrote about what I was packing for Safari before we left. Below I’ll share what I actually wore, what I wish I had brought, and the entire itinerary for our South African Safari. As well as some frequently asked questions!
WHY AN AFRICAN SAFARI
On Christmas morning 2023 after breakfast, my in laws gave us a folder with the details of this trip. We were all SO excited then, and the excitement just built over the last year and a half. Getting to experience it with my in laws was so special! As they said “the gift is really for us!” … I hope I can give this sort of gift to my grown boys and (hopefully) their families one day.
At the time of our trip, our boys were 10 and 12. I think this was a fantastic age to take them on this. They were both so eager to learn and could not get enough of the nature. I feel like we all got an education on this trip, but for sure my kids were the ones asking the most questions!
GETTING THERE
We opted for a stopover in Doha, Qatar. Which ended up being such a fun spot for us. You can read about that here. I do think a stopover for such a long trip is crucial for a safari. You don’t want to get to the safari part of your trip and be completely jet lagged and exhausted. We also stayed one night in Johannesburg, South Africa. So when we got to our lodge, we were well rested. Many others do different stopovers – Cape Town would be a good one. Though Cape Town, would require a really long first travel day.
So to break it down, we went Miami to Doha, spent two nights in Doha, Doha to Johannesburg, one night in Johannesburg, and then took a puddle jumper to Dulini air strip, finally a 10 minute ride in the landcruiser to our Lodge.
Something to note is that the puddle jumpers, are just that. They are small planes! Our plane coming over had maybe 12 seats. The one going back was slightly larger with around 20 – though only half were occupied. I’m a nervous nelly, so I do get a little anxious on these types of flights. But we made it!
WEATHER/WHEN TO GO
A note about weather if you are planning a Safari. Africa is a huge continent! So, of course, weather can vary all across it. We went to Sabi Sands game reserve, just outside of Kruger Park in early August. Our weather was cold in the morning (40’s!), but by the end of the drive you are peeling off layers. We did not have any rain while we were there, so we were able to drive with the top off the landcruisers. I would always advise you to check the weather about ten. days out from your trip. That will help you pack as wisely as possible. I saw a lot of Safari looks in my research, and many shorts. I definitely wasn’t wearing shorts on our trip! So it varies!
WHERE WE STAYED ON SAFARI
We stayed at Inyati Game Lodge in Sabi Sands which is located just outside of Kruger. This was my in laws second time at Inyati, they had already been with friends. Their first ever safari was not far from Inyati, just inside Kruger at Melawane. They have also been on other Safaris, have seen the great migration, the gorillas … But Inyati was their favorite lodge for getting to see all of the animals. It does not have a fence surrounding it like many, so you will spot all sorts of animals just off your balcony or at meals. True story: JB and I were having a nightcap, and a leopard walked about 15 feet in front of our balcony!
My in laws went on their first safari when JB and I first started dating and they loved to show us their safari videos. So we’ve been hearing about how amazing safaris are for a while! They have been everywhere, but their safaris are something they always talk about. It was also very nice traveling with veteran safari travelers, and having them plan everything! We felt very lucky!
what the accommodations were like
My in laws have been to very luxe safaris, and they have also been where you get one bucket to shower safaris. They knew I wasn’t quite the one bucket to shower type … I’m a girl who likes her creature comforts I’m afraid. Many have asked what the accommodations were like- was I in a tent? was their AC?
I’m happy to report that there was solid air conditioning and it was very comfortable! We were in one of their three family suites. This had a king bed, a queen, and a twin- each with mosquito netting pulled back at night. We never ran out of hot water – which was nice after the morning game drives which is when we all showered.
There are 12 villas, so if you booked in advance, it would be a fantastic spot for a 40th/50th/etc/family reunion here.
WHAT WAS THE FOOD LIKE
I am always thinking about my next meal (: And happy to report that we loved the food at the lodge! I felt like I ate the rainbow everyday between fruit, veggies, and lots of protien. I will get more into schedule below, but essentially you have a light morning breakfast, a big breakfast after your game drive, tea time before your evening drive, then a big dinner. You will not go hungry on safari! You can ask for snacks or sandwiches in between, but those are more made to order. You eat on the terrace (with heat lamps and hot water bottles brought to your table) or around the Boma (fire pit). Both options they make very comfortable!
HOW WAS THE SERVICE
We loved the service at the hotel. Housekeeping is twice daily, with a hot water bottle near your feet before you go to bed. When you get in from game drives they have hot towels for you to wash the dust off. Morning game drives had blankets and hot water bottles to keep warm. They were very friendly and helpful. Especially Goodman! He loved to play soccer with my boys and always had a smile on his face.
HOW WE BOOKED OUR SAFARI
My father in law has been working with Rhino Africa on all of their African Safaris for the last few years. They coordinate the puddle jumpers, the lodge stays, and answer many questions. Specifically he has worked with Landy, who he really likes.
For an African Safari, I think working with a travel agent is very helpful. You want boots on the ground for sure. Our ranger did say you could book directly with Inyati, and they would also help you coordinate your bush flights. Which may save you some money! When looking for an agent, make sure they have the contacts in place, and have actually been to the lodges they are recommending.
Safety WHILE ON SAFARI
IN JOHANNESBURG
I had a lot of questions about safety, how we remained calm when animals are right by us, etc. But I will start by saying, the least safe (and we were still safe) I felt was in Johannesburg. This has to do with a friend of a friend being kidnapped there. Thankfully he was recovered, but that story terrified me. We were only there one night, so I booked the Intercontinental with connecting rooms. It’s a five minute walk from the airport. We had someone from the hotel meet us there (they offer this!), to bring us to check in. Once we checked in, we did not leave. But we also arrived around dinner time, and left at 9am the next morning. We had our dinner and breakfast there. I was hyper aware of the boys while I was there. They did have an indoor pool, which was great for my boys after the travel from Doha. I am sure there are better places to explore in Johannesburg. I’ve heard further outside the city is nice! But that story really stuck with me, and I wanted to err on the side of caution.
ON SAFARI
The general manager, Keith, actually picked us up when we arrived. He is from this area, and assured us we were safe with the animals. He reminded us not to stand up in the vehicle. Otherwise, truly, the animals could truly care less you or the big trucks are around. We saw rhinos, monkeys, leopards, and elephants right off of our room. The monkeys are the ones that interact the most- and want to steal your food! But as long as you aren’t standing or acting aggressive, I do believe you are OK! We were at least. The guides do have a gun on the landcruiser. But we were never in any sort of danger for that.
MEDICINE we took
Definitely talk everything over with your doctor. Africa is huge! Lots of different areas, which will require different medications. I’m clearly not a doctor! We were there during their drier season, so I only saw a few mosquitos. We still decided to take anti malaria pills. We started Atovaquone-proguanil two days prior, and finished a week after we left Africa.
As far as vaccines, we did decide to do a Hep A booster for us all. I personally know someone who has contracted Hep A, and it has been extremely rough. So I was not going to mess around with that. We used House Calls for Kids for all of this, and they talked us through what we needed, and even gave us the shots at home.
You may know I always travel with a stocked medicine kit. But for this, I took it a step further and our doctor gave us additional things like antibiotics/zofran, etc.
WHAT I PACKED/ WISH I HADN’T/ wish I brought
I actually think my safari packing list was pretty spot on for me. I could have brought one less shirt, and rotated a bit more. Here is everything I wore (with pics) on Safari. I packed a gorgeous dress (mostly for a photo opp lol) but never wore it. Things were casual at our lodge!
I really hyper fixated on our bags, as the bush operator had sent over very strict requirements. When it came time to take our flight though, there were three others on our flights with hard suitcases and much bigger! But I guess, better safe than sorry.
Laundry was done daily by the staff for a very nominal fee. One thing you MUST know is that they will not wash your underwear. It is a cultural thing. Thankfully, I had read about this prior, so I made sure to bring enough for all of us. We could have washed in the sink… I guess. lol. There may be lodges that do wash your underwear, so might be something you should reach out to your lodge about prior to going!
They had a lot of different bug sprays at the lodge- so I definitely didn’t need to pack as much as I did, or any at all since it was such dry weather.
I ended up bringing a baseball cap, and a lorna murray. These worked well. But on morning game drives, I could have used a little beanie to cover our ears.
INSIDE MY DAY PACK / WHAT I BROUGHT ON GAME DRIVES
So I actually did not bring my longchamp as planned, because I knew we’d have the patagonia backpacks to lug. So my only carry on was this little fanny pack/sling. Sometimes I surprise myself! I paired it down on game drives. I did bring my own snacks from home. I packed chomps beef sticks, and those built puff bars that the boys love. It also fit lip balm, some hand sanitizer, a power bank, these little individual face wipes, and my camera. I hung my binoculars around the neck.
FOR MY SONS AND HUSBAND
I had A LOT of questions about what I packed the boys (JB included!). They were pretty easy, peasy. I just stuck to the same color scheme. The truth is, you probably have a lot of what you need already in your closet. So shop there first! I shop a little more because – it’s a lot of my job!
Boys: This insect repellant bandana, These pants, These joggers, washable cashmere, a few tops from LL Beans insect shield line “No-Fly”, target tops, and a jacket. They wore baseball caps we had that were green. Make sure one of the long sleeves is a hooded one. That was helpful! We bought one of those from LL Bean. We brought swim trunks, but the water was chilly so they only went once. And of course pajamas. I opted for Petite Plume that are long pants and long sleeves since it could be chilly at night. I brought two pairs. Again, laundry made this all very easy and possible! I don’t know what I would have done without being able to have laundry done.
JB: I also bought JB a few LL Bean “No-Fly” shirts and one pair of pants. He bought a hat at the gift shop, but most of what he brought he already owned, and I just went through his closet. He wore his Barbour jacket for game drives.
*For shoes for all, we each had tennis shoes and sandals (for the Doha portion). We did not go on a hiking safari, so I left my hiking shoes at home.
THE SAFARI EXPERIENCE
Okay now that we’ve gone through the nitty gritty on the lodge, safety, getting there, and what I packed/wish I had… here’s all about the safari.
You have two game drives at Inyati. One in the morning, and one at dusk. We had our own Landcruiser on each drive. If we had been a smaller party, they may have put us with others. But we were able to spread out! In between game drives, my boys did a walking safari, swam in the pool, played soccer around the lawn, and went fishing (but did have it shortened due to a herd of elephants!). You’ll likely be tired after that first game drive, so sometimes we opted for naps!
We saw the “Big 5” the first day, and did every day after that. It was incredible! Oddly enough, I didn’t feel scared, I felt more joy and awe. For our drives, we have a ranger and a spotter. For most of our trip we had George (who was on the cover of National Geographic!), and Sully our spotter. We also had Keith and Surprise! All of them were wonderful, and were very patient answering our sons many questions.
A major highlight for us was seeing the Wild Dogs. I cried seeing the puppies. We got to see them every day but one, after that. It was incredible learning about the packs. They are female led! Watching the mamas come back to the puppies at the end of the day, and the joy that ensued, was something I’ll forever cherish. But it’s all incredible and we all learned so much. Nature has so much to teach us all. Plus, no game drive is the same. So it was always fun wondering what would be next. We did see two kills, some leopard mating (honestly perfect for my boys ages for questions!), and loads of babies. I had a hard time hearing the kills- and the sound of hyenas and leopards chomping through bones. That made me queasy, but no one else felt like that.
One thing to note is that, if nature calls, you’ll have to go out in the bush. Your guide will bring this up, and will make it safe. Thankfully, I tried not to drink too much water or eat much right before any game drive. I will say, I think your body knows its not much of an option, so I was never feeling uncomfortable.
At Inayti, toward the end of your drives, they’ll set up coffee and pastries (morning) or cocktails/drinks and snacks (evening). These were always at such scenic spots!
Would I do it again? Absolutely!! Wes asked “Can we come back next year?” when we were boarding the puddle jumper home. We all feel the same way, and hope we can experience another safari. It’s so beautiful, peaceful, in a way that’s hard to describe in words or pictures. It was such a wonderful gift my in laws gave us, and getting to experience the beauty of nature together was so special! For sure, this was a bucket list trip!
