Sun Destinations

From dawn until dusk, every moment of the day on a safari feels like a sacred ritual that pulls us into the present moment.

Waking up to a gentle tap at the door, before even the dawn chorus of birdsong has begun, wrapping up in layers for a crisp dawn game drive with a quick cup of coffee from either the station in your room or fresh coffee at the meeting area. Heading out with anticipation to see what adventures will unfold and what special encounters the day will hold. A liminal moment when you move from sleep into the raw wilderness surrounding you.

In the winter months, the air has a bite to it so gloves and beanies are recommended. All of our lodges have blankets to wrap around your legs that come in handy as soon as the vehicle begins moving and the air feels icy.

Morning rituals

Mornings are a special time on safari. Thermoses packed and binoculars ready, everyone quietly climbs into the open vehicles. There’s a softness, a sleepy excitement that accompanies morning drives. With visible yet baited breaths, game vehicles head out to explore and uncover what the animals got up to during the night. Who made it through another wild night and who did not. Many predators such as leopards, hyena and lions are nocturnal and hunt during the nighttime. You maybe heard the coughs, whooping calls or deep throated grumblings echoing around you while sitting beside the campfire.

Reading the ‘The Daily Mail’ aka the tracks written in the sand, guides will lead you on a journey of discovery. Fresh dew upon the grass means the cats are likely to walking on the road or a path. Eyes peeled and ears open for any alarm cries or calls from the wild. With each sunrise comes a spectacular painting splashed across the sky, the morning palette of candy floss colours that welcome in the new day.

Each day is unique in that, there is no way of knowing what will happen or what you will encounter. The ritual lies in awakening to that simple and beautiful truth. Opening and engaging your senses to take in whatever unfolds before you. Stilling your mind so that you can tune into the wilderness around you.

As the sun begins to heat up the bush around and you slowly begin to lose a layer or two, guides will find the perfect place in the wild for you to have a stop, a stretch and a delicious cup of (Amarula-laced?) coffee or tea and something delicious to nibble on. Lips begin to loosen as you recall the incredible sightings or special moments that have been shared. Before heading back to camp for a hearty breakfast before another quintessential safari ritual – a midday siesta.

Sleep. Safari. Eat. Repeat

Literally and simply, your schedule on safari, with perhaps a some more snacking in between.

Midday siesta or afternoon snoozes are deeply rooted in the daily rhythm on safari. Exceptionally early wake up calls are felt in the body after a few consecutive days so it’s essential to make the most of these hours. Retreat to a shady spot by the pool or take a rest in your beautiful room. Relaxation spaces are spread throughout the camps. Whether it’s finding a quiet spot on the deck overlooking the wilderness to read and doze to lounging on a sofa or sunbed. The heat of the day (even in winter) means everyone including the animals are taking a time out. Aligning ourselves and tuning our rhythms to that of the wild.

The heat of the day signals a pause. A moment to exhale and find stillness and relaxation in the wilderness. Enjoy the comfort of camp while unwinding and appreciating the nature that surrounds you. This is really where you get to sense into the vacation or holiday element of your safari. Time to read, journal, swim, decompress, simply be.

Sundowners on safari

After a slow afternoon, before the light begins to shift, the energy picks up as temperatures slowly begin to cool.

Afternoon game drives usually head off around 3-4pm. Jackets and warm things may not be required just yet but as soon as the sun begins to dip they’ll become necessary.

Guides tune into the wilderness to follow the sounds, smells and signs that lead to animals and encounters. Maybe to a water source in the drier winter months or a place  with elevation or shaded spots.

Sundowners are quintessential on safari. Finding the spot where the light hits just right. Guides are often on the lookout for that special place. Overlooking a plain or space where you can fully appreciate the wild nature all around. More than a drink, a sundowner is a toast to the day, to adventure, and to being alive.

Think G&T’s, wines, beers and biltong with francolin’s calling in the distance or plains game grazing with ever-watchful eyes and twitching ears. Soaking up the magic of golden hour, when the light is at its most beautiful.

Heading off into the night with a spotlight for eyes. The bush truly awakens at night. Sounds and calls and movements begin to stir as the sun dips.

Fireside rituals and storytelling

Time bends on safari, where the day is measure in moments not minutes.
Time takes on a different quality. No longer are we confined to time by appointments and duties but rather sinking into natural rhythms. Following an ancient way of being. Morning rising, Midday pausing, Evening adventuring and Fireside endings. There is something incredibly nourishing about ending a day beside a fire.
Campfires are called Bush TV for a reason, they are mesmerising.

An ancient ritual that connects us to the elements as well as others. Stepping away from phones and screens and enjoy the thick Milky Way above you on clear winters nights.

These rituals tether us to something wilder, slower and more real.

How can you bring the essence of the safari way of life into your every day? Finding stillness, appreciating nature, tuning into natural rhythms. Perhaps, it’s the clinking of enamel mugs, the smell of wild sage, or crackling outdoor fires that transport you back to the bush. They remind us that the essence is something you carry home with you.

To book your next escape into the wild. Contact our reservations team here.