Expert Led 10 Day Safari

We are delighted to once again offer our very popular private safaris hosted by OTS founders Will and Carol Fox. They will share their enthusiasm and expertise in big cat conservation, African wildlife and recount many stories from their time working in the African bush and from the many TV documentaries they have worked on. 
A detailed itinerary is shown below which includes time spent at our safari base: Rukiya Safari Camp with privileged access to a private concession in the Kruger Park, plus stays at Nzumba Safari Lodge (Klaserie Game Reserve) and Shimungwe Safari Lodge in the ThornyBush Game Reserve, where we have also have exclusive access for our group, hosted by Will and Carol.

2025 Dates: 29th August - 7th Sept

Day 1
Your safari begins 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, where we have exclusive use of the whole camp for this special group safari, hosted by Will and Carol.
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
A 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 we have private access and you will be able to enjoy your first big five game drive as well as a bush breakfast. Lunch is followed by time to relax and enjoy the views from your private deck with river views, before your afternoon game drive in the Wild Rivers Reserve, which returns home for a sumptuous dinner. On your first full day on safari we will include our unique bush senses experience. This is an activity that Will and Carol were first introduced to many years ago when they were studying with with some of South Africas Master trackers and has been developed over many years and has proven to be very popular with our safari guests. In a fun way it encourages you to use all of your senses when in the bush. Not just sight, but also smell, hearing and touch. 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. Will and Carol will lead this bush exercise which will also include an introduction to basic field craft. You can learn basic skills that aim to enable you to experience more from the natural world wherever you are.
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. Territorial behaviour changes almost on a daily basis and is dependent on many factors, making this a fascinating and fun exercise and rightfully invites you to feel and become part of the Ingwe team should you wish.
Day 3
An early morning game drive will again take you through the Wild Rivers Reserve and into the adjacent Balule Reserve, 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 may join Will and Carol learning to track leopards and other predators within the reserve, returning to camp for drinks and dinner hosted by Will and Carol.
Day 4
After your morning game drive you will return to Rukiya and transfer to your next location.
Here we split into two groups (max six persons in each). One group will take route one and head to Nzumba Safari Lodge (Klaserie Game Reserve), for three nights and follow that with three nights at Shimungwe Safari Lodge (ThornyBush Game Reserve), while the other group will take the reverse route (route two), visiting Shimungwe first and then Nzumba.
We split into two groups, because unlike Rukiya (which has has six guest rooms available), Nzumba and Shimungwe have only four rooms. At each venue we have exclusive access. 
Which ever route you take, we aim to arrive at your lodge in time for a late lunch, after which there will be time to rest and relax before you set out on an afternoon game drive. Sundowners will be served in the bush before returning to the lodge as darkness falls, where a sumptuous dinner awaits you.
Will and Carol will host both groups at Nzumba, which is also a key location for their Leopard Research program.

Route 1: Nzumba - Shimungwe
Will and Carol will host both groups at Nzumba, which is also a key location for their Leopard Research program.
Day 5/6: Nzumba Safari Lodge lies within the Klaserie Game Reserve and is another key location for our Leopard Research project. Our private traversing area of Klaserie offers both wonderful game viewing and often exclusive access making this a fantastic location to view wildlife. No two days are the same on safari where nature calls the tunes, making each day a fresh adventure. Across the next two days at Nzumba we will 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 come to the waterhole to drink, 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.
During your first day at Nzumba we will also spice things up a little with a camera trap competition. Each guest will be invited to place a camera trap out somewhere on the reserve where you feel a leopard(s) will pass by. Will and Carol have been using camera traps in their research since the very early days of camera trap development (indeed Will can be said to have 'written the book' on camera trapping for large predators), so they will be on hand to offer advice. Over the next two days your camera traps will operate around the clock photographing passing wildlife. We'll judge the results on your final morning.
Day 7-9: After breakfast on your final morning in the Klaserie reserve you will transfer to Shimungwe Lodge within the Thornybush Game 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.
No two days are ever the same on safari. Your next days in the Thornybush Game Reserve start with an early morning game drive, returning to your lodge in time for a late breakfast/brunch.. There will be time for a well-deserved rest during the heat of the day, where you can relax and enjoying watching animals passing by. The afternoon game drive will start after high tea and will cover previously unseen areas of the reserve, followed by dinner often taken around the fire in an outside boma.

Route 2: Shimungwe - Nzumba
Day 5/6: Shimungwe Lodge within the Thornybush Game 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.
No two days are ever the same on safari. Your next days in the Thornybush Game Reserve start with an early morning game drive, returning to your lodge in time for a late breakfast/brunch.. There will be time for a well-deserved rest during the heat of the day, where you can relax and enjoying watching animals passing by. The afternoon game drive will start after high tea and will cover previously unseen areas of the reserve, followed by dinner often taken around the fire in an outside boma.
Day 7 -9: After a morning game drive and breakfast you will transfer to the near by Klaserie Reserve (approximately 45 mins) arriving in time for a late lunch. Nzumba Safari Lodge lies within the Klaserie Game Reserve and is another key location for our Leopard Research project. Our private traversing area of Klaserie offers both wonderful game viewing and often exclusive access making this a fantastic location to view wildlife. No two days are the same on safari where nature calls the tunes, making each day a fresh adventure. Across the next two days at Nzumba we will 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 come to the waterhole to drink, 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.
During your first day at Nzumba we will also spice things up a little with a camera trap competition. Each guest will be invited to place a camera trap out somewhere on the reserve where you feel a leopard(s) will pass by. Will and Carol have been using camera traps in their research since the very early days of camera trap development (indeed Will can be said to have 'written the book' on camera trapping for large predators), so they will be on hand to offer advice. Over the next two days your camera traps will operate around the clock photographing passing wildlife. We'll judge the results on your final morning.
Day 10
Time permitting, an early morning game drive before breakfast, hoping to get those final photographs or enjoy the last sights and sounds that will stay in your memory for ever. After breakfast you will transfer through the reserve to Hoedspruit Airport (approximately 30 mins) for your homeward flights.