Things to do in South Africa

Wildlife encounters and stylish villas at Karula, Kapama Private Game Reserve

The birds start twittering, the predators deliver their last calls, and all other animals start to emerge with the dawn of a new day…

By Ian de Weerd

Head Guide at Kapama Karula

Set amongst the riverine trees of the Klaserie River, staying at Kapama Karula makes you feel as if you are in a different world. Early morning is my favourite part of the day. You get to see the sun rise over the river from our main lounge and from every villa. The birds start twittering, the predators deliver their last calls, and all other animals start to emerge with the dawn of a new day.

The lodge is perfectly positioned to maximise the views over the river. We have ten stylish villas and a couple of family villas that have two en suite bedrooms and a spacious lounge. Each villa has floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto the deck where you will find a heated pool, a great place to unwind between game drives.

We have a variety of locations for our meals. Lunch poolside is a popular choice. Evening meals normally take place under the stars in our boma, however, if guests prefer, we can arrange a private cosy fireside dinner in the library.

I enjoy interacting with our guests and delivering a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience. When I am taking guests on safari, I love to see the excitement on their faces when they get to see an animal that they have always dreamt about seeing. We are set on 15,000 hectares and have 40 different mammal species including the Big Five and 350 bird species. No two game drives are ever the same and I have been fortunate to have experienced many incredible wildlife encounters. I’ve seen two honey badgers attack a baby nyala antelope only to lose it to a hyena. The highlight of my career was when I saw the birth of a baby elephant.

As well as twice-daily game drives, we offer guests the chance to take an educational bush walk where they can learn tracking skills and the medicinal benefits of our plants. If you want to exercise, we have a state-of-the-art fitness centre with treadmill, cardio and weight-lifting equipment. In contrast, a visit to our award-winning spa or a yoga or meditation session will leave you more relaxed than ever.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Cape Town, Safari and Mozambique Beach
by Adele Jones

Length13 Days

Price range£5,095 - £5,375pp

Alfred & Ian de Weerd

Ian de Weerd grew up in Vereeniging and has worked in the tourism industry for 14 years, primarily as a guide. Ian has a National Diploma in Tourism Management and an NQF4 Field Guide and Trails Guide qualification. He has been guiding on Kapama Game Reserve for three years and is currently nearing completion of his Professional Field Guide creditation. When he isn’t guiding, he enjoys photography, videography and doing woodwork.

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.

Laura Preston

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Having travelled extensively through Africa, Laura has a wealth of experience. She is passionate about Tanzania’s diversity from the quiet wilds of Ruaha that feel completely private to the silvery sands of Zanzibar and Stone Town’s spice-laced streets. In South Africa, she sought out the best views over Table Mountain, cocktail in hand, as well as the lesser-visited Kruger conservancies for more exclusive safaris. But her favourite place in the world has to be the Serengeti for its wide-open plains and incredible game that epitomise that feeling of Africa.
Wayne Howarth

Head Safari Guide at Kariega Game Reserve

Wayne loves being outdoors and has spent most of his life between the family farm and working on Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape. He has been guiding at Kariega for 12 years. His qualifications include Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2, Advance Rifle Handling, Skippers Licence Category R and first aid. One of his career highlights was becoming a finalist in the 2021 Safari Guide of the Year competition.
Rupesh Kassen

Founder and guide of Eat Like A Local

Rupesh Kassen abandoned his decade-long career in banking to move to East Africa, where he trained and worked as a chef. He later became immersed in South Africa’s food scene and worked as a food critic before setting up Eat Like A Local in Cape Town. Rupesh now offers guided food tours to showcase the city and its diverse culture and history through food.
Fundi Ziqubu

Sommelier

Fundi was born in Durban and fell in love with wine when it was introduced to her by a few Capetonian friends. On discovering her passion she got the chance to study wine with the department of tourism in collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy. Being appointed sommelier at Lanzerac was a career highlight and in 2019 Fundi was named most up-and-coming wine steward by the Distell Inter-Hotel challenge.
Ntobeko Ntshingila

Duty Manager at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Ntobeko has been part of the Three Trees family for 13 years and describes it as a lovely journey with lots of room for growth and experience. She has her own family, including a daughter of 18, and a son, aged three. She lives in a nearby village with her parents, four siblings and three nephews. When not spending time with her family she manages her broiler chicken business, which brings her extra income.
Cheryl Blackburn

Owner and guide, Three Tree Hill Lodge

Being born in the Kruger National Park instilled in Cheryl a love of nature and wildlife. Having lived and worked as a guide in the Kruger reserve, and also in Botswana, she eventually got the opportunity to run her own lodge, with her growing family, in the lush KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg region. She still finds time to guide guests on foot, tracking white rhino in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Reserve.