‘Left my heart on safari’: What it was like visiting South Africa for the first time

I’m staring at dung. Yes. Dung. There are two mountainous piles right on the edge of the red dirt road we’re driving on. We’ve come to a stop, and the smell hits you in the face immediately. This is not what I expected on safari.

And yet, the importance of what I’m looking at quickly becomes clear. The piles might appear the same at first glance, but as our experienced guide Phillip points out, they are, in fact, very different.

You see, it’s rhino poo. Both females, he determines. One pile was left by a female in heat who kicked the dung before moving on, leaving a breadcrumb trail of pheromones for a potential male suitor to follow.

It’s a trail, Phillip explains, we can also follow.

Arriving in the wilderness

I’m on my first official game drive at Kapama Private Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger region of South Africa.

It’s taken less than an hour to spot our first rhinos.

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We’re observing two white rhinos lounging in the long grass. The difference between white and black rhinos has nothing to do with the colour, Phillip says; you can tell by the shape of their mouths.

Black rhinos have hooked upper lips, whereas white rhinos are characterised by a square lip.

These two animals are about 20 years old, he estimates – but they can live to around 45.

My first animal sighting happened long before this moment. In fact, I spotted a group of impala from my plane window, hopping off the side of the runway as we landed near the world-famous Kruger National Park.

Daily flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Hoedspruit-Eastgate Airport make accessing Kruger, and Kapama within, seamless.

You’ll find an open-vehicle waiting for you at the airport to whisk you (literally) across the road, through the gates of the Kapama Reserve, and to your chosen camp or lodge.

The reserve spans over 15,000 hectares, and is home to the so-called “big five”, with lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhinos roaming the area.

Guests can join daily game drives in the morning and the afternoon, as well as optional midday bush walks, accompanied by Kapama’s expert guides and assistant guides.

Choosing the right safari operator

The guide team’s intimate knowledge is really what makes each game drive special and turns it into an immersive encounter.

As the rhinos continue grazing, completely unbothered by our presence, Philip tells us about Kapama’s 24/7 anti-poaching team.

Rhino poaching in South Africa remains a severe conservation crisis however recent statistics show a decline.

“Where the rhino is now, there are people with rifles, but you won’t see them,” Phillip says. “We have our fence, and CCTV all over. So we are doing well when it comes to protection.”

In fact, there hasn’t been a successful rhino poaching on the property since 2012. “Since then, not one has lost a horn,” he adds.

Dehorning is another common practice used throughout South Africa as a measure against poaching. And while it has proven successful to some degree, it’s not something done at Kapama.

“As people we think we are helping the animals (when we dehorn) but to be honest, we are causing stress. They need that horn to protect themselves,” Phillip says.

“We want to protect the animals, and we want people to be able to see the rhino how it is meant to look.”

He speaks of how forlorn a rhino can be without its horn, left “wondering what has happened”.

Sadly, even if a rhino is dehorned, some poachers are not deterred.

“They will still come and shoot the rhino to take that stump. It’s still worth a lot to them,” Phillip says.

It’s one of the many things that make me realise just how important it is to choose the right safari operator.

Yes, you can do a safari on the cheap and chase animals through the National Park. But the operator you choose plays a major role in responsible tourism.

Living out my safari dreams

Kapama didn’t only deliver on that front – it delivered animal sightings beyond my wildest dreams.

There are generally no more than six guests per vehicle, meaning everyone has a “window” seat.

An assistant guide sits at the front of the car. They don’t carry guns, as our guide Kaulani explains. You will spot a big knife, but it’s not for animals. It’s to cut away any overgrown branches.

There is also a strict no standing rule for safety.

Not only is it a moving vehicle, but if you stand you’ll break the silhouette the animas are used to. They see the car and passengers as one large “thing”.

I witnessed that come into play on our very first evening drive when we spotted another of the big five – a male lion.

We actually thought we’d missed our chance when the other car in our group reported a sighting, only for the animals to have disappeared by the time we arrived.

But Phillip was determined, delaying our return to the lodge as another call of lions came over the radio.

I was on the edge of my seat as we rounded a corner and spotted the big cat snoozing at the edge of the dirt track.

He lifted his head, yawning, before standing on all fours and stretching back. “Ooh big stretch,” I thought in my head automatically.

And then it happened, without a single care that we were sat gawking at him, the lion wandered past our vehicle. I held my breath. If I had reached out my hand I could have brushed him. The exhalation that came after was one of shock and awe.

While many think lions are the “scariest” animal you’ll see, our guides point out they are not the ones you actually need to be wary of.

“Buffaloes are the most scary of the big five,” Phillip says. “They give you no warning, and they charge, and they don’t stop.”

We spot a lonely male buffalo, the “old bull”, who roams by himself after being kicked out of the herd by the new, much younger model.

Eventually, we spot said herd, the younger male lounging around, surrounded by females and a few buffalo calves.

According to Phillip, a safari during winter can offer more sightings as there is less vegetation to contend with.

The trees and scrubs are mostly bare making it much easier to spot smaller animals as well.

Plus, in summer, he points out, you’ll have more flies and snakes to deal with.

That’s how we found ourselves surrounded by a herd of elephants as dusk fell on an afternoon game drive. They were stomping their way through the trees.

But we could see two young males chasing each other around, sizing each other up, while a young female grazed with her mother. We were indeed, surrounded.

We also saw a giraffe – one of many – drinking at a watering hole.

Philip explains “you can see how it spends a lot of time looking around first as this puts it in a very vulnerable position”.

Even when we weren’t on an official game drive, the wilderness offered many more memorable moments.

While lounging at the River Lodge wellness centre, I was looking out over the pond only to spot some hippos surface.

And while the “big” animals are very exciting, some of the small things were just as impressive.

Like the shining blue bird, a Greater Blue-eared Starling, almost glowing in the sunlight, and getting to see a Chameleon up close.

We saw all but one of the big five after spending all morning following leopard tracks the great cat did, in the end, elude us.

Though Philip tells us that other guides had seen new tracks over the top of our tyre marks. Major props for trying.

Kapama River Lodge

While most of the action happened when we were out and about, it was an absolute treat to return to Kapama River Lodge each time.

It is one of four luxury camps on the reserve, and the largest, with 64 rooms and 20 more currently under construction.

We stayed in one of the beautiful Tamboti Superior Suites, which were completed in December 2025. Think organic textures of warm stone, soft neutrals, and natural light streaming in through floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the wild grasslands.

Xitsumbeni is the main restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner; guests are also treated to a special dinner experience at the recently opened Boma Restaurant.

You can enjoy traditional South African cuisine cooked over an open fire. And the best part, your guides will join you for the meal.

More to South Africa than safari

The views

While going on a safari was undoubtably the “bucket-list” item, this trip showed me there is so much more on offer in South Africa.

Cape Town stood out to me for many reasons, not least of which were the incredible views. Standing at the top of Table Mountain is an obvious one.

But we were also treated to a spectacular scenic drive with Jeep Tours Cape Town around the Cape Peninsula, which took in the famous Chapman’s Peak Drive.

We stopped at one lookout to see the “Sleeping Rhino” – a beloved local nickname for the mountain massif surrounding Hout Bay and Chapman’s Peak.

You’ll get similarly stunning coastal views if you make the drive out to Simon’s Town on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula.

This is where you’ll find Boulders Beach, the only place in the world where you can get close to African penguins.

Honestly, I think you’d need a week at least to explore all that Cape Town and the surrounding areas have to offer.

The luxury

For a taste of luxury, the new Intercontinental Table Bay in Cape Town opened in December 2025.

You’ll enjoy views of Table Mountain and one of the best breakfast buffets I’ve experienced at a hotel.

(Not once did I need to look at the a la carte options.)

One morning I found myself sitting at breakfast with a view of the sun coming up on Table Mountain and baby seals playing at the end of the pier on the water front.

The culture

Isithumba is a Zulu village located about an hour from Durban, the third-largest city in South Africa. The Zulu are the largest ethnic group in the country.

On our way there our guide Thabo explains many tourists like to visit traditional villages, but often choose “a Disneyland version”. Instead, Isithumba is a living Zulu village. Nothing is for show. This is life as it still is for the thousands of people. It was an eye-opening experience.

Our Zulu Cultural immersion tour, is led by local guide Amimi who takes us on a walk around the village and introduces us to their way of life, their customs and traditions.

We also had an opportunity to meet with a local traditional healer (Sangoma) who services the village.

Any money you spend here, like buying handmade bracelets, plus the price of the tour, goes towards those who live here.

The unemployment rate in South Africa is officially at 35 per cent, but our guide notes it’s probably closer to 44 per cent. Tourism supports 1 in 11 jobs in the country, which is why visits to places like this are important.

Final goodbye

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Back at Kapama, we’re on our last morning game drive before our South African adventure comes to an end.

After stopping for morning tea one last time I spotted some movement in the bushes nearby.

There is a zebra, then two, then three. Suddenly, a ‘dazzle’ of them (yes that’s the term for a group of zebras) is trotting past us.

“They’ve come to say goodbye,” I think.

After packing up our things and farewelling the wonderful team at Kapama River Lodge, we spot even more animals on the drive back to the airport. As the plane lifts off one thing is clear; a piece of my heart will forever remain in this place.

The writer travelled as a guest of South Africa Tourism.