Ngala Tented Camp

Why not head out into the bush with an armed guide? As well as enjoying animal tracking and the area’s phenomenal birdlife, you’ll be able to take a closer look at the reserve’s insects and plant life. Different levels and distances are available, depending on the ages of your group. Please note, nature walks have a minimum age requirement of 12 years, whereas for tracking of big game it’s 16 years.

You can also head out at night, when all the big predators come alive. It’s always an unforgettable experience, watching what goes on in the dark of the night! You might see porcupines, genets, civets, bush-babies, and occasionally a larger predator with its prey. here tend to be an add-on post sundowners, rather than a middle-of-the-night excursion.

You can visit a Shangaan community and interact with the people of Mpumalanga. A local guide will escort you through the village and share the secrets of their customs, beliefs, and way of life. It’s such a rewarding thing, to meet the people who call this region their home! But since the community is quite far from the safari areas, it’s best to add this activity onto the end of your stay, if you’d like to do this. Please note, there’s an extra cost, and pre-booking is required.

Sleep out beneath the stars! This is a memorable experience indeed, and &Beyond staff don’t mess around in terms of comfort. It usually works that your afternoon game drive ends with sundowners near the Treehouse, and after that you’ll enjoy a star-lit, romantic, rooftop picnic. You are safely high up in the canopy, and all guests have a radio in case of emergencies. Wake up to a delightful bush breakfast, before being driven back to the lodge. This too comes at extra cost and needs pre-booking.

Join rangers on their tours, and you’ll be a part of the program in which they do a huge amount to protect the wildlife in the area. What you actually get up to depends on the day and cannot be pre-planned, which all adds to the excitement. Rhinos are the main attraction here, and the rangers operate a darting and microchipping program. Also at extra cost, and the proceeds go directly to the rhino project (this needs pre-booking as well, although it cannot be guaranteed, being subject to the availability of the wildlife veterinarian).

This is another spectacular way of observing the breadth of the greater Kruger from the sky! You can certainly cover more terrain, stopping off at spectacular places for picnics. The Mpumalanga Drakensberg Mountains provide amazing viewing, including the famous God’s Window and the Three Rondavels. It’s a 1-hour road transfer to Hazyview, where the flight takes off. You can do this at the end of your stay and overnight in Hazyview so you don’t cut into your safari time, but please chat to your consultant about how best to incorporate this into your trip! (Flights come at extra cost and need to be pre-booked.)