Freephone an expert 01306 744 656

Send Enquiry
Opening Times
Monday
10am - 6pm
Tuesday
10am - 6pm
Wednesday
10am - 6pm
Thursday
10am - 6pm
Friday
10am - 6pm
Saturday
10am - 2pm
Sunday
Closed

Call 01306 744 656 or

For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni
For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni 

Things to do in South Africa

Safari for the soul at Garonga

I love spending as much time as I can in the bush, watching the animals and seeing the beauty of nature…

By Bonginkosi Mkhabela
Tracker at Garonga

Garonga is located within the Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve. Covering an area of 22,000 hectares, the landscape is of rolling hills and wildlife rich open plains, set against a backdrop of the Drakensberg Mountains.

Our philosophy is safari for the soul as we encourage guests to slow down and absorb the sights and sounds of nature.  Spending time with animals and learning about their behaviour is an integral part of what I do. I track animals by following their recent movements so that when we take guests out on their morning and afternoon game drives in our open Land Rovers, we hope to show them the diversity of our wildlife.  We are in a Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) area but may also see giraffe, zebra, hyena, hippo and wild dog. Our birdlife is colourful and prolific with over 200 species identified. I love spending as much time as I can in the bush, watching the animals and seeing the beauty of nature.

We also offer our guests a choice of walking safari.  On our interactive walk, I will show our guests some of our smaller flora and fauna and explain their importance to our ecosystem. I will also teach guests some of my tracking techniques. Whilst on a walking safari I have seen a leopard stalking a warthog and heard the noise made by vulture chicks as they were eating. As part of our safari for the soul experience we also offer our guests a solitude walk. We walk in complete silence. I will point to a plant or insect, but no explanation will be given until we get back to the camp as we want guests to fully immerse themselves in nature without any distraction. After an explanation we then leave guests alone for 20 minutes to meditate and reflect on what they have experienced.  They may then wish to spend time on our yoga deck or relax in a hammock to rejuvenate their mind, body and soul.

Categories

  • Trips to take
  • Unwind
  • Wildlife

Available in these itineraries…

Alfred & Bonginkosi Mkhabela

Bonginkosi (Bongi) grew up in the village of Huntington and joined the team at Garonga in 2018. He is qualified both as a tracker and a guide.  He loves spending as much time as he can in the bush, seeing the beauty of nature, watching animals and learning about their behaviour. When he isn’t looking after guests, Bongi enjoys playing soccer.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.

Freephone an expert 01306 744 656

Subscribe to Newsletter

Let us inspire you with holiday ideas, exclusive event invites and travel offers from our network of contacts around the world.