DESTINATIONS SAFARI | AFRICA
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The pool at Elephant Lodge; the Newmarket Holidays fam trip group; Elephant Lodge; giraffes in Welgevonden Game Reserve PICTURES: Lasse I Henriksen; Shutterstock/Sean Heatley; Josie Klein
AGENTS’ VIEWS
Jess Adamson, Hays Travel, Chester-le-Street “The morning safaris were fantastic as we got the chance to see lots of
animals before it got too hot for them, and then we had time to relax by the pool with a cocktail in the afternoons, so the itinerary allows for the best of both worlds. The cultural evening was my favourite part – the dancers were incredible. It was an optional extra, so advise customers to add it on as it’s not to be missed.”
Laura Gallagher, Hays Travel, Norwich Tesco “I had never been on a safari before, and this is a great one for beginners, as none
This is our first game drive of the trip, and the anticipation is palpable among those in the vehicle. We stop suddenly, sending a cloud of dust into the air, and look out across the sandy plain. As the dust settles, we spy a pair of cheetahs strolling between bushes before sitting down to groom their spotted fur. While we excitedly grab our cameras, two rhinos lumber into view, marking our first big-five sighting of the trip. Minutes later, our guides
encourage us to get out of the vehicle to stretch our legs. “But we just saw some cheetahs!”, we protest, hesitant to risk a close encounter. However, the guides
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don’t seem fazed, so we jump out and take the opportunity to snack on some beefy biltong – keeping one eye out for predators that might also want a bite.
SAFARI STAYS Welgevonden game drive complete, we head to our base for the week: the 100,000-acre Sebatana Private Reserve, sold exclusively in the UK through Newmarket Holidays. This trip is the escorted tour specialist’s first fam trip since the pandemic, showcasing its bestselling safari holiday and marking its new partnership with Hays Travel, with 11 out of our group of 14 coming from the agency.
The rustic lodgings at the
14-room Elephant Lodge provide a tranquil sanctuary close to the national parks in the area, which are all easily accessible. Yet the wildlife sightings aren’t confined to the reserves. When I step onto the lodge’s terrace, I come face-to-face with a herd of impala grazing on a grassy spot just two metres from my bedroom door. I sit to watch as they slowly munch their way along the tree-lined fence surrounding the lodge. After they’ve moved on, I don my swimming costume and make a beeline for the pool, gasping as I plunge into the cool water – a welcome relief from the African sun.²
of the game drives are more than a few hours, so it isn’t overwhelming. The itinerary was quite quiet on a couple of the days, but there were optional excursions that are worth doing, as you get more opportunities to see the animals, which is what it’s all about. The food at Elephant Lodge was amazing and it was fun to try lots of different types of meats we wouldn’t normally get in the UK.”
Clare Harrington, Hays Travel, Tees and Wear “The guides totally made the trip. Dana and Janko had clearly studied for
years and were fantastic at sharing information while driving along. I thought the trip was going to be a lot more intense, but there was a surprising amount of time to relax, which made it far more enjoyable as we weren’t tired all the time. The value for money is exceptional.”
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