Family South Africa Wildlife Adventure
Wild Hearted Adventures
Join Anna and embark on a South African Wildlife Adventure of a lifetime with your family. We will spend our first day making our way toward Kruger National Park enjoying a welcome dinner together, before embarking on two magical nights camping in the famous Kruger National Park and five nights participating on a mini ‘Family Safari Ranger’ adventure.
Meet your host Anna, Wild Hearted Adventures
Travelling with my children has quite literally stopped me in my tracks. It has given us shared moments of awe and wonder, taken us off the treadmill and given us the gifts of connection, adventure and freedom.
That’s what I want to give to other families through Wild Hearted Adventures. I want to make dreams come true, inspire families to do things they never thought possible and to empower the next generation to protect our natural world.
All you have to do is wake up each morning and follow safari vehicles, where we will get up close & personal with wildlife.
Style: Adventure
A rustic, wild experience for the nature-loving families. Don’t always expect luxury: life on a raw trip is basic but beautiful, living simply but experiencing deeply & authentically.
Theme: Conservation
This trip focuses on wildlife conservation – and is the perfect blend of learning, exploration and wildlife experiences.
Who: Nature Lovers
We welcome all families and adventurers age 4 years and above on this South African trip. If you and your family have just a little piece of wild in you, are curious, love the outdoors and are ready to immerse yourselves in the African wilderness, then take that leap!
Highlights
- Spend 9 days with the Wild Hearted Team, in the African Wilderness
- Spend 2 nights in the famous Kruger National Park
- Track Wild Dogs with Africa’s top dog expert and researcher at the Endangered Wildlife Trust.
- Spend 6 days working exclusively with some of the best field guides learning how to be mini rangers, identifying animal footprints and poo!
- Track wild African animals through the bush on foot and in safari vehicles in search of the ‘Big 5’
- Sleep under the African night sky and fall asleep under the stars to the sounds of roaring lions, snorting hippos and the soft croaking of frogs in the river
- Elephant conservation experience with the HERD Charity Trust
- Boat cruise on the Blyde Canyon – The largest Green Canyon in the world
Trip details
Dates
26th July – 3rd August 2025
Trip Type
Family Adventure, Safari, Educational, Charity
Places available
21
Price
Adult £3495. Child £2995.
Deposit of £500pp, followed by monthly instalments.
What’s Included
- Airport pick up from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) no later than 2pm
- 8 nights accommodation
- All meals as per itinerary
- Entrance and conservation fees to the reserves
- Transfers throughout the tour
- 5 days Ranger Training
- Endangered Wildlife Trust Wild Dog Tracking Experience
- Elephant conservation experience with the HERD Charity Trust
- Boat cruise on the Blyde Canyon
- Pre-Departure Support
- 24hr On-Site Support
- Airport Drop Off at Hoedspruit Airport
Itinerary
Day 1: Komati River Chalets
Pick up from Nelspruit Airport (Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP)) and meet up with the Wild Hearted Adventures team.
Board our vans and drive to Komati River Chalets.
In the evening we will meet for a welcome dinner and briefing.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Kruger National Park
Breakfast at Komati River Chalets.
After breakfast, meet our safari guides in open safari vehicles before heading to Crocodile Bridge Gate at Kruger National Park. Kruger is considered the best place in Africa to spot the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) but there is also so much more to see in this reserve which has the greatest diversity of wildlife compared with any other African National Park.
Enjoy a morning game drive through the south eastern plains towards Lower Sabie, the camp for the full duration of the tour. Lower Sabie is voted best rest camp in the Kruger National Park.
Arrive at camp where tents will be allocated and there will be time to relax and settle in, and explore the camp. Guests are accommodated in comfortable dome, canvas safari tents which take 2-3 people each. For larger families, you will be in tents less than 1m apart – it’s an amazing experience. Everything needed will be provided. Clean flush toilets and hot showers are a short walk away. The camp is fully fenced and it is safe to walk around and explore the different viewpoints and attractions.
Lunch served at camp before enjoying an afternoon game drive.
Tonight we will get to fall asleep under the stars to the sounds of roaring lions, snorting hippos and the soft croaking of frogs in the river.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3: Kruger National Park
Early morning wake up and departure for morning game drive. Today we will meet up with team up with the Endangered Wildlife Trust and their Wild Dog expert Grant Beverly and look for Wild Dogs.
The Endangered Wildlife Trusts purpose is to boldly prevent carnivore extinction in southern Africa. Carnivores are one of the most charismatic yet threatened orders and require innovative strategies to ensure their survival. They boldly implement large-scale, collaborative, field-based projects to increase the range, numbers and status of Africa’s threatened carnivores. They achieve this by re-establishing, maintaining and expanding safe space for carnivores, actively reducing threats to carnivore survival and persistence, ensuring positive changes in human-based values to carnivores, and supporting legislation to protect carnivores.
Return to camp late afternoon and if it warm enough, go for a swim in the sparkling camp pool or take a walk through the camp and explore the river frontage.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Leopards Lair
After breakfast we will travel for 4 hours to Hoedspruit to the beautiful Leopards Lair which will be our home for the next 6 days. This Wildlife Estate is conserved part of the Lowveld bushveld which we will share with the gentler side ofAfrican fauna, impalas, giraffe, kudu and warthogs.
On arrival we will be given a briefing, an orientation of the lodge and an introduction to the staff.
In the afternoon we will be collected by our ranger who will escort us to the Pridelands conservancy in an Open Safari Vehicle for a game drive. Late afternoon we will end the day off with a sundowner under the African Night Sky.
Return to Leopards Lair lodge for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Walking Safari and The Big 5!
A morning activity which will be in the form of a bush walk introducing general walking safety and to focus on the surrounding areas. A walk through the African bush will grant you the opportunity to discover every tiny detail, including plants, bird calls and insects, as well as travel though some spectacular landscapes. The bush walk offers an opportunity to connect with Africa. Embark on an adventure where your feet tread in the tracks of Africa’s wild inhabitants, your nostrils fill with the scent of crushed wild grasses as you push through the bush and all six senses reawaken as Africa touches you and you touch Africa.
After lunch we will head out on a game drive. We will set off in search of the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) as well as an array of other fascinating creatures such as wild dog, hippo, cheetah and a plethora of bird species. Every single excursion into the wilds holds the promise of a new and unique magical moment in Nature – you never know what is around the corner!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6: Wild Animal Tracking!
After breakfast we will head out on a trail and learn how to navigate and orientate yourself in the bush and make your way to your midday picnic spot. We will be taught how to track and trail, as well as read “signs” in the bush. The children will love this activity as they will learn to identify poo!
This is an introduction to animal tracks and tracking. Family will be required to find their food that would have been pre-transported to a designated halfway stopover. Each group will have an experienced guide accompanying and assisting them during this activity.
After lunch we will head out on a game drive in search for the wildlife with emphasis on navigation and orientation using the skills learnt to track the wildlife – let’s see if you can remember who’s poo is who!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7: Stargazing and Bush Survival Skills
A morning activity which will either be in the form of game drive or bush walk. Activities on what you need and how you plan to survive in the bush – What can you use from your surroundings.
Over the lunch period we will have an interactive discussion by a ranger based on wildlife conservation. This will also include topics focused on the African Night Sky including Southern Cross, Milky Way, common constellations to prepare for a very exciting evening!
Our afternoon game drive/bush walk will incorporate bush survival skills of locating and sourcing water and preparing a fire!
Dinner in the Bushveld with storytelling and tonight will continue late into the evening to focus on the Night Sky including the Southern Cross, Milky Way and Common Constellations!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8: Elephants and river boat trip
Today is our final full day together and what a treat we have for you. We will be taking in two magical experiences – A visit to Blyde Canyon and the HERD Elephant Sanctuary.
Get ready to be inspired, enlightened, educated and enthused by this memorable opportunity to meet and learn more about the HERD orphanages herd of rescued elephants. We will learn about their behaviour, unique character traits, incredible stories and what it entails to take care of them. The experience takes place while the elephants are in their natural environment – it’s a very special experience the whole family will love.
The Blyde’s spectacular canyon, nearly 30 kilometres long, is one of South Africa’s scenic highlights. Along the way there are many various sights to see, including the Three Rondavels which are huge cylinders of rock with hut-like pointed ‘roofs’ rising out of the far wall of the canyon. You can enjoy a walk and the views at God’s Window, which has amazing lookouts over the valley below.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 9: Departure
Today we say goodbye to our new found friends and we head home, or onwards to your next destination. The trip will finish at Hoedspruit Airport where you can fly back to Johannesburg (flights not included) or if you prefer, we can organise a private minibus transfer for your family.
Meals: Breakfast & Packed Lunch
Book your place now
Main trip: Adult £3495. Child £2995. Deposit of £500pp, followed by monthly instalments.
