Remote and wonderful safari

In July 2024 I took my 2 teenagers to South Africa - on safari! When I first heard about Last Word Hotels “Kitara” 5* luxury lodge, located far in the north of the Klaserie Private Game Reserve, with its unfenced border to Kruger National Park, I knew I wanted to go there. There are only 6 suites at Kitara - so you feel as though you have the entire bush – 60,000 hectares - to yourselves. We rarely saw another vehicle as no external visitors are allowed in the private reserves. This means you never have to rush away from a viewing in order to allow other vehicles to have a look, but of course the welfare of the animals is paramount, and the guides will never outstay their welcome. We had a spotter (Jomo) and a guide (Brandon) with a maximum of 6 guests on our vehicle, and they stay the same for the time you are in camp, allowing them to get to know you and what your interests are. Believe it or not there was not a single complaint from the teens at getting up at 6am for game drives… and the wildlife sightings were much more than we could ever have hoped for, with critically endangered African wild dogs at the top of a wish list that I didn’t even dare to share in advance. Three separate leopard sightings (and a leopard kill in camp the night before we left!); hyena cubs playing outside their den; watching a buffalo slowly meander along the river bank from the terrace of the lodge and spotting a genet with our torch from the balcony of our room one evening… these are memories which will last a lifetime. No light pollution, and going in the dry season, meant a stunning clear dark sky with amazing stars and the Milky Way twinkling above us. One evening we had special sundowner drinks in the river bed with a pop up bar, delicious canapes and chilled champagne where we were joined by elephants peacefully sharing their space with us. The staff ratio was around 3 staff to each guest, so we were totally spoilt - the food and service was exceptional – with so many special touches – I loved the outdoor shower with a view of the river, the mini deserts which greeted us in the room after dinner, along with a light hearted story about one of the animals, and the beautiful flowers placed around the room by the fabulous housekeeping team. I nearly cried when saying goodbye, and I’ve never felt like that before! Tourism’s presence here supports a number of important community causes including Eco Children - a charity who work with 9 primary schools in the towns and villages surrounding the Klaserie Private Game Reserve, benefitting over 5,000 children living in some of the poorest areas in South Africa. Seeing a lack of connection between local communities and their natural heritage, Eco Children provide various nature-based activities to foster an understanding and passion for wildlife, creating a future generation of nature guardians. Removing the fences between the private reserves and the Kruger National Park around 20 years ago created a much larger conservation area, with a positive effect on the natural movement of game. It also prevents over utilization of land and gives a much “wilder” experience for the guest. There are a lot of lodges to choose from when thinking about a safari and I’m happy to chat about all the different areas and reserves. I know that a safari is at the top of many people’s bucket lists - it really is worth it, so please do get in touch and I’d love to help arrange yours.