Day 1
Your safari at Hoedspruit Airport (HDS) were you will be met on arrival by a member of our team and transferred to Rukiya Safari Camp just 25 mins away. Hoedspruit's Eastgate Airport has three daytime flights arriving each day from Johannesburg, that are scheduled to assist international visitors to easily connect with Hoedspruit.
Rukiya is a luxury tented camp within the Wild Rivers Reserve nestling along the banks of the Blyde River among age old tress, a truly stunning location. Later in the day, you’ll take a you'll take a game drive within the reserve, enjoying a sundowner as the sun sets and returning to the lodge for dinner.
Day 2
Your morning game drive, which will take you through the Wild Rivers Reserve and into the adjacent Balule Reserve (part of the Greater Kruger Park) where you will be able to enjoy your first big five game drive. Breakfast will be served 'alfresco' in the bush.
On return to Rukiya there will be time to rest and relax before lunch, perhaps take a dip in the pool, sit by the river, or simply enjoy the views from your private deck. On your first full day on safari, we will include our unique bush senses experience. Some of our senses are dulled by modern living, but this simple and fun exercise quickly hones one’s bush senses, ideal preparation for any safari. Your late afternoon game drive will return to the lodge for dinner and an opportunity to relive the events of the day with your fellow guests.
Day 3
An early morning game drive will again visit the adjacent Balule Reserve, breakfast will be served in the bush before return to Rukiya. Today you will have the chance to try your hand at camera trapping. You’ll be given a motion activated camera trap to put at a place of your choosing on the reserve, with the aim of capturing images of the resident Leopards. Over the remainder of your safari your camera will photograph any animal that walks by day or night. We’ll leave the camera in the bush and see what animal pics you capture at the end of your safari. We also encourage our guests to download our Leopard research App and become a citizen scientist by using the App while on game drive to help monitor Leopard movement, enabling you to rightfully become part of our Ingwe team should you wish.
Day 4
After breakfast we will transfer to the nearby transfer to the nearby Thorybush Reserve, famed for its exceptional game viewing and a favoured location for movie stars and the rich and famous, providing a lovely sedate bush atmosphere, with personal and friendly service. Even on bush roads it takes only 45 mins to transfer to Thornybush so you will have plenty of time to settle in and relax before afternoon high tea and game drive. Again, returning to your lodge for dinner.
Day 5
Today you can enjoy two game drives within the Thornybush Game Reserve which is also part of the Greater Kruger Park. Your day will start with an early morning wake-up and an invigorating cup of fresh coffee, followed by a morning game drive returning to the lodge for breakfast. You will have plenty of time for a well-deserved rest during the heat of the day, where there will be time to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of the African bush. The afternoon game drive will cover previously unseen areas of the reserve, again returning after dark in time for dinner.
Day 6
On your last morning in Thornybush, your game drive aims to visit those parts of the concession that we haven’t had time to reach previously, offering an opportunity to get those final photographs, before returning to the lodge for breakfast. Then transfer to Klaserie Game Reserve (approx 45 mins), arriving in time for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive. Returning to the lodge after dark for dinner.
Day 7
No two days are the same on safari and nature calls the tunes, making each day a fresh adventure. You can enjoy morning and afternoon game drives traversing pristine big five country. But remember game viewing doesn't necessarily stop when you are back at your lodge. Animals will often walk by, so keep your cameras close, as you never know who will appear from Elephants, Zebra, Wildebeest and Giraffe to name but a few. As ever breakfast, lunch and dinner together with snacks while on game drive are included.
Day 8
After your morning game drive, you will return to your lodge for breakfast. Then transfer back to Rukiya Safari Camp. It is at this point that guests often remark that returning to Rukiya “feels like going home” and makes an ideal end to your safari.
Day 9
An early morning game drive will take you through the Wild Rivers Reserve and into the adjacent Balule Reserve where breakfast will be served in the bush before return to Rukiya. There will be time to rest and relax and enjoy lunch, and when the heat of the day has faded a little, you can recover the camera traps you set on day 3. Then together with your guides you can review your camera trap pictures, hoping to find Leopards, and many more animals that have been roaming the reserve day and night in your absence. All photographs will be available for you to copy and take home.
Day 10
A final game drive followed by brunch. We will then transfer you back to Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport.