You’ll fly overnight to Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city.

 

Upon arrival, you’ll meet your guide at the airport and be transferred to Mabula Game Lodge – your blissful home in the bush for the next week. You can take some time to relax and get settled in, perhaps checking out the wellness and spa facilities.

As the sun sets, your first dinner will be served at the lodge, under a star-speckled sky, while you look forward to a festive break and ringing in the new year.

An early rise will be followed by a cup of tea or coffee, and some rusks before you journey into the game reserve for one of many safaris. All safari drives are in open-air 4x4 vehicles to ensure maximum visibility.

Make sure to keep an eye out for the fabled ‘Big Five’, hyena, jackal, antelope, the elusive cheetah, and honey badger. A well-earned, leisurely breakfast can be enjoyed after you’ve returned to the lodge.

In the afternoon, a resident ecologist and reserve manager will host a fascinating wildlife talk. During this he’ll introduce you to some of the 60 mammals and the 300-plus species of birds and reptiles that inhabit the reserve, arming you with some interesting knowledge for the week.

This evening, after your first full day, you can sit down for a dinner at the lodge.

In the morning, you’ll visit the Hornbill Project, located within the boundaries of the reserve. Founded in 1999, the award-winning Hornbill Project aims to change the fortunes of this iconic, endangered species through several different evidence-based conservation techniques. The southern ground hornbill is a focal point in South African culture, and you’ll learn all about them.

An afternoon game drive is up next, and you’ll head out into the reserve on a safari, equipped with the knowledge from your visit earlier. Tonight, an alfresco dining experience will be a delightful treat.

 

Rise and shine this morning as you head out into the reserve on safari, hopefully spotting something new to tick off your list. Savour a leisurely breakfast at the lodge when you’ve returned.

You’ll have the opportunity to spend a part of the evening stargazing alongside your guide. As the sun goes down, thousands of twinkling stars, including the Milky Way, reveal themselves to you, completely free of any light pollution. Your guide will point out the different constellations before you go on to have dinner at the lodge.

It’s the last day of the year, and you’ll really make the most of it by getting up early for an included morning safari, giving you the chance to spot herds of antelopes, zebras, and giraffes.

You’ll then return to the lodge and have the afternoon at your leisure, possibly lounging by the pool, or playing a game of tennis. Dinner will be served at the lodge, and you can ring in the new year with some drinks under a starry South African night sky.

Following on from breakfast, your guide will lead you on a gentle bushwalk into the reserve on New Year’s Day. Stretch your legs as you soak up the surroundings and see the reserve from a more intimate perspective. Being closer to the ground also allows you to track the paths of animals, like kudu and maybe even lions that have followed the same path just a few hours before you.

This afternoon, embark on another open-air safari into the reserve, keeping a lookout for the ‘Big Five’. Post-safari, you’ll stop at a picturesque spot to sip on a sundowner and tuck into some snacks as the sun dips beyond the horizon, turning the sky into a patchwork of pleasing shades.

On your final full day, you’ll experience one last safari within the reserve. You’ll then return to the lodge for a relaxed breakfast and a morning at leisure.

In the afternoon, you’ll go back into the reserve, travelling to a scenic spot in the bush and feasting on a traditional lunch.

After breakfast, it’s time to say your goodbyes to the lodge and its staff. You’ll be transferred to Johannesburg airport for your overnight return flight, bringing your celebratory week on safari to an end.

 

Arrive back in the UK and start the new year with amazing stories from South Africa