We stayed at Billy’s Lodge, in the Balule Game Reserve, for just one night in February.

Firstly, getting here … true, we stayed in Dullstroom (Critchley Hackle) the night before, so we knew we only had a relatively short drive that morning, but even so, it was less than 3 hours from here via the Strydom Tunnel (tunnel ?? … ha ha … blink and you will miss it !!), so from Jo’burg I reckon it will take about 5-6 hours only if you are driving. If you fly into Hoedspruit Airport, however, you are looking at about a 30 minute drive / road transfer.

To enter the reserve cost us just R60 (although the published entrance fee is R70 - but I wasn’t going to argue with them !! ), and then from the gate to the lodge was very easy … follow the road, turn left at the sign … and we were there! The road was perfectly OK to drive in a saloon car (we had a Toyoto Corolla).

Upon arrival, we parked in the shaded parking area, and were greeted by a cold drink and a face cloth. And had our first wildlife sighting … a tiny tiny bush baby, who had made its home in the thatch just above the main entrance !!

We had to wait for our room to be finished, but that was no hardship at all … we were taken out onto the wooden viewing deck where we just sat and just enjoyed the sounds of the bush. There is also another viewing platform, up high … great views but I don’t like heights very much, so climbing up there and back down again via the wooden staircase was not something I particularly enjoyed !!

Lauren, the manageress, came to find us when our room was ready … what a great girl. The lodge is actually her family home (her mother, Tess, runs the Reservations Office from Johannesburg), so she has lived here all her life … lucky lucky lucky !!

Our room was lovely - rondavel style, so round in shape, with a small tea / coffee station, a comfy bed complete with romantic mosquito net, and an en-suite bathroom with a large walk-in shower.

The lodge has just 4 rondavels in total, so a maximum of 8 guests, so it really is an ‘intimate’ safari experience.

And very reasonably priced … between now and the beginning of December (excluding the World Cup period), rates are just R2,140 per person per night if you book with Travel Butlers. The rate includes all meals, and morning / afternoon guided game drives.

There were just 4 of us for our game drive, and we met our ranger, Jonathan, who had just joined Billy’s only recently from another reserve / lodge. Again, great guy … friendly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic … all the qualities you want from your ranger really !

No sooner had we driven out of the camp, we met a giraffe, and then tracked a MASSIVE bull elephant, who later that evening reappeared back at the camp, and wandered around immediately under the viewing deck … we were able to stand VERY quietly on the walkway looking down on him … I swear we were only a few feet away.

The highlight of the drive was tracking the lions tho … we tracked them this afternoon, and caught a fleeting glance of 2 lionesses just before they disappeared into the bush, but the next morning we actually tracked and found the 2 male lions of the pride, lying in the shade of a bush and who really didn’t care whether we were there or not … so we got some great photos !

That is one advantage of a safari in this reserve (aside from it being ‘fences down’ with Kruger and also being home to Africa’s Big 5) - because the reserve is also ‘home’ to less lodges, your ranger and tracker have to ‘work’ that much harder to find the animals (versus a lodge in say Sabi Sands, where you have more lodges, so therefore more vehicles out on game drives … so you can go on a drive and just wait for the sightings to be called in over the radio by the other rangers !!) … in Balule, however, you actually do some proper tracking … it is so satisfying !!

True, the vegetation is thicker than you will see in other reserves such as Sabi Sands - there are definately more bushes and trees and not so many open spaces, so the slight downside is that you won’t get to see such large herds of wildlife together here. If you like birding, the birdlife is extremely good.

Oh yes, another nice touch was that when we got back from the afternoon game drive, Lauren ‘hosted’ a wine tasting for us all down in the wine cellar - I believe she offers this to all new arrivals, so we were not just singled out for special treatment.

Before we left the reserve the next day, we were taken up to their other lodge, Ezulwini River, for a quick look around. Ezulwini River is much further into the reserve, so from the gate I reckon it will take about an hour to drive here through the reserve. Again, another great lodge - lovely rooms, great guest areas.

It was my first time to Balule, and I sincerely hope it will not be my last. I enjoyed it immensely, I would have NO hesitation in recommending Billy’s, Ezulwini River Lodge OR the reserve to anyone, and overall, 10 out of 10 for everthing.

Guests at AmaKhosi Safari Lodge, about 3 hours from Durban, are used to their rangers taking them off road during exciting game drives in search of Africa’s Big 5 … but recently some guests got a slightly closer encounter than maybe they had bargained for !

An everso slightly curious elephant decided to investigate the Land Rover that the guests were sitting in. He came so close, it would have been possible to actually reach out and touch this gentle giant of the bush.

Ranger Philip Khumalo, however, showed why it is important for all rangers to be fully qualified and comfortable in their surroundings. He instructed his tracker to get into the vehicle, and then told all guests to remain extremely quiet and very still, and eventually the elephant, having satisfied his curiousity about this ’strange metal thing’, wandered away.

Generally, when out on game drives, although the rangers will approach wildlife so that guests can enjoy an unbelievably close encounter, they do like to keep a respectful distance from the animals, in order not to spook or scare them - but if these animals decide to come closer on their own accord, then the ranger has to be prepared for all eventualities. A good and experienced ranger will always ensure that he has parked his vehicle at a sighting with an ‘easy exit route’ - so that he can move away if he feels that it is safe to do so without scaring or frightening the animal greatly. Guests safety always comes first.

I think it is fair to say that these guests probably didn’t need the zoom feature on their camera in this sighting !!

Although already a beautiful lodge, the Phinda Forest Lodge has undergone a recent refurbishment … and if it was ever possible to improve on perfection - well, they have successfully achieved this !

Forest Lodge is just one of lodges situated in the 22,000 hectare Big 5 Phinda Game Reserve, just 3 hours from Durban.

Forest Lodge is unique, in that it is extremely eco-sensitive, and it is set deep in a sand forest within the heart of the reserve. The refurbishment took over a year to complete, and care was taken to protect the natural surroundings.

The suites all now boast newly tiled bathrooms, and each suite has been completely repainted with colours reflecting the Zulu culture and which accentuate the dark, handsome furniture used throughout. Each suite now offers complete privacy and intimacy.

The main guest area in the lodge has also been extended, with over 100 square metres (330 square feet) being added to the deck, splitting it now into 2 levels. The boma area has also been completely rebuit, with the addition of an elevated platform designed to accommodate nighttime choir performances for guests enjoyment while dining around the open fire under the stars.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better … you can also stay here for 4 nights and only pay for 3 between the 6th April and the 10th October (excluding the World Cup period).

So go on … why not ask us to check availability for you now so that you can experience this all for yourself ?

Enjoy FREE return transfers between OR Tambo and the malaria-free 34,000 hectare Welgevonden Game Reserve for a minimum of 2 guests staying a minimum of 2 nights at Nungubane Game Lodge.

Nungubane Private Game Lodge welcomes a maximum of 10 guests in an atmosphere of intimate luxury. Each chalet has a private wooden terrace, from where you can gaze out over an unspoilt nature reserve teaming with wildlife.

Welgevonden is home to a great many species of game, including the Big 5 and 16 species of antelope. Over 250 bird species have been identified ensuring the avid birdwatcher has plenty to spot.

This offer is valid for travel between 1 February 2010 and 31 May 2010 - contact us now to check the availability for you !

Travel Butlers are pleased to now be working with Sibuya Tented Camp, in the malaria-free Eastern Cape.

The 3,000 hectare malaria-free reserve is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including the Big 5 of the African bush - elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo. Over 400 bird species have also been recorded.

A wide range of activities await guests, including guided game drives, fishing, canoeing, and horseback safaris. But the most unique part of a stay here is the 30 minute boat transfer to River or Forest Camp from the main reception area - during which, if you are lucky, you may see dolphins and turtles in the river mouth.

Accommodation is in safari tents, split between 2 camps - Forest and River. Children are welcome at River Camp.

Travel + Leisure Magazine USA has just completed its 2009 Worlds Best Service Awards, asking its readers to nominate destinations around the globe that “really deliver”.

The results were published in the magazine’s June edition, and Sabi Sabi is honoured to have been voted as 7th best hotel overall in the world, the only South African establishment in the World’s Top Ten category. Sabi Sabi’s Earth Lodge has also made the 2009 Conde Nast Traveller Gold List for Best in Ambience and Design.

In its 30 years of existence, Sabi Sabi has become renowned for succesfully balancing luxury and world class safaris, with genuine African warmth and hospitality - inviting guests to enjoy a personalised home in the bush experience. The caring management and staff play an integral part in the overall Sabi Sabi experience, offering superb service that complements the 5-Star accommodation, exciting Big 5 open Land Rover safaris and superb cuisine.

Marketing director, Jacques Smit attributes this international recognition to several factors: “People form the heart of our business. The majority of our team hail from nearby villages and they have an inherent connection with the reserve. They bring a special brand of African hospitality to our lodges that make guests feel instantly at home”.

Ask Sabi Sabi’s returning guests why they come back again and again, and the answer will be, “for the unforgettable experience made all the more memorable by the warmth and hospitality of the staff.” How true !

THE Riverdene Lodge in the Shamwari Game Reserve has been newly renovated to accommodate adults and children, and now has a children’s programme for families. 

The newly renovated accommodation at Riverdene Lodge features 2 supervised playrooms for children’s activities and supervised lawns with a jungle gym; a sports and social programme which incorporates soccer, cricket, treasure hunts and swimming. A special children’s menu is available, and child minders are available at all times.

Upon arrival, each child will automatically receive a Born Free Foundation certificate and a fluffy toy. Daily game drives for children and their parents will be organised with trips to the Born Free Centres and the Shamwari Film Studio. 

Children will be introduced to the Shamwari Game Reserve and Born Free Foundation’s challenge to promote the conservation of species and the protection of habitats whilst maintaining a compassionate approach to the welfare of animals.     

At the Shamwari Film Studio, children will be shown where the popular international Unearthed 2 series was filmed, produced and edited. Children will also be exposed to the filming of the new wildlife series entitled Shamwari: A Wild Life, which will be launched in September 2008.

Lastly, children staying at the Riverdene Lodge will be invited to take part in the special education programme at the Shamwari Animal Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre.

CC Africa has almost completed its R20m refurbishment on Phinda Mountain Lodge in the Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal.

The upgraded lodge now features 25 new suites, 18 of which are already open to guests, as well as transformed guest areas.

The new suites comprise an en-suite bathroom, private sitting area, veranda with private plunge pool and outdoor shower.

The lodge has a central alfresco courtyard and new sitting areas that lead out on to a shaded terrace and three-tiered veranda, with wraparound views of the Ubombo Mountains and surrounding bushveld. A safari shop has opened on the premises, and an open-air boma, swimming pool and shaded observation deck are now available to guests.

For the 10th consecutive year, Shamwari Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape has been awarded the World’s Leading Safari and Game Reserve and the World’s Leading Conservation Company at the prestigious World Travel Awards gala ceremony.

On receiving the 2 awards the CEO, Adrian Gardiner said: “We are very proud to have been recognized as the best by our industry partners worldwide for 10 straight years. When we began, conservation was a small part of tourism. Today, we are very encouraged that more tourists are aware that we must sustain and preserve our environment for the generations to come. It is our firm commitment that tourism should benefit all people, not just the few.”