Here at SafariKZN we are passionate about travel and love a safari. KwaZulu Natal is famous for its ‘B’s’ and a safari should take place in the African ‘bush’. How about a budget bush break, throwing in a couple of additional ‘B’s’?
We know South Africa and we know the province of KwaZulu Natal. We know where to safari. We have stayed in many places to suit many budgets. We want to encourage you to follow in our footsteps, get the most from your adventure, and make it as achievable, accessible and as affordable as possible. Yes, there are luxury lodges and we have stayed in them. But there are also more budget friendly accommodation options available. I have sat on the balcony of a luxury suit looking down onto the riverbank below. I have also slept on that same riverbank, a few miles upstream, but literally on the bank on a sleeping mat, inside a sleeping bag, with the night sky above me. Just to say, that whatever your budget, on a clear night, you will still look up into the spectacular Milky Way.
Because we have first-hand knowledge to share with you from our travels including accommodation, routes, places to stay, etc, planning with us takes none of the fun out of planning. And planning is a big part of any adventure. The booking process like the planning is very personal and comes with all the assurances that you would expect from an ATOL protected travel agent. Everything in the planning and booking process is done with you.
For your budget safari there are options to talk about. The all-inclusive option, where on arrival at your lodge you leave your car in the car park, and from there everything is done for you. Lodges will include all meals and some snacks, covering breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper. There is also generally two, three-to-four-hour, game drives per day. The first normally coincides with sunrise and the second in late afternoon. Other options could include specialist interests, such as bird watching, walks and fishing. Down time and relaxing can be spent around a pool or relaxing on a deck. You will be well looked after and we will always give you details, in the planning & booking, of exactly what you will be getting.
The second option is to do more yourself, but there are always options here to talk about. There are game reserves and parks where you can self-drive and self-cater. This is not always for a first-time visitor, but it can be part of your safari experience. We can recommend places, plan them in and book them with you, to stay where you can enter in your own (hire) vehicle. When there you can then book game drives with reception that work in the same way to private lodges, but you pay as you go. These drives will generally leave at different times to suit different needs and interests. If you are first time visitor after a few organised drives, you may feel confident to self-drive? As mentioned, you can self-cater. All rooms have kitchens and outdoor barbecues, known in South Africa as a braai, plus pots, pans and utensils. You will need all food, drinks and charcoal for the braai. But there will be a restaurant on site that serves all meals from breakfast to evening dinner. There are also shops on site but occasionally they may not have in stock what you need. In the planning we will tell you the best places to shop on route to the reserve. Again, we will share our first-hand knowledge with you to help you get the most from your safari adventure.
There are many B’s to talk about and that are associated with KwaZulu natal. Why not get in touch and let’s chat about budget bush breaks in the bush. I will also be able to give you more suggestions and ideas for B’s to mix in. From beaches to the berg, boats to borewors, battlefields to birding, bucket lists, bush pigs, backpackers, bunnychow and biltong. It’s all about being there…
By the way I Booked my Bush, Berg & Beach Break this week with emma.clegg@travelcounsellors.com
