One stop during my trip to South Africa was the Phinda Private Game Reserve, in the KwaZulu-Natal area.  The reserve had four options for accommodations, and we chose the Vlei Lodge.  The Vlei Lodge was in fact a camp set up, not a large lodge.  The thatch roofed chalets were separated from each other by bushes and trees, which created a nice sense of privacy.  The rooms and the large bathrooms were beautiful.  The main building was at the center of the camp, just a two minute walk down a path.  The main building had a nice sitting area and shady deck looking out over the vlei (grassy area) in addition to dining tables.  Lunch and breakfast were served outside on the deck, which was lovely and warm mid-day.  

To me, the highlight of the game viewing at Phinda was the number of rhino sightings. Rhinos are hunted illegally for their horns throughout Africa, and the poachers are hard to stop in some areas.  Phinda has done an amazing job keeping the poachers at bay, largely due to their good relationship with the local community.  The reserve's land is actually leased from the local community and they have a mutually beneficial financial partnership.  People in the community alert their friends on the anti-poaching force if they see someone new or suspicious in the area. We saw rhino each day we went on game drives, and were lucky enough to spot this baby rhino at the water hole with his mother. 

Other sightings included elephants, giraffe, buffalo, hippos, a group of three cheetah brothers, and two prides of lions.  As you can see above, the one pride had several young lions that were a riot to watch.  At times, you had to drive a bit between good sightings, but overall there was a good variety of game in the reserve and the trackers did an excellent job of finding the animals.  We had at most six people per open topped vehicle, so nobody sat in the dreaded middle seat where the view is not good.  

Another note about Phinda Vlei Lodge-the food was out of this world.  A woman named Happiness was the chef, and she was an incredible cook.  Homemade bread and desserts, imaginative and varied menus, and lots of fresh fruit and produce from the area all made for memorable meals.  She was sure to make a vegetarian option for me at each meal, and they were all exceptional.

Do you want to go to Africa but don't know where to start?  It is definitely a trip that needs to be planned far in advance.  The first time, I thought it was going to be a once in a lifetime experience.  How wrong I was!  I was lucky enough to return three more times, and am excited to be planning a trip for next summer.  The animals are always the focus for me, but that does not mean there aren't other amazing experiences and activities. Culture, art, spas, and history can be a part of your trip along with the wildlife.

Accommodation
There are three main types of accommodations in the safari areas-lodges, tented camps, and mobile tented camping.  Lodges are generally larger, with the rooms in one building or a few smaller buildings.  Tented camps are permanent tents, with real floors and full ensuite bathrooms.  Sometimes, the camps have a small chalet rather than a canvas tent, but they are stand alone rather than grouped in a building.  Mobile tented camping is just how it sounds-the safari operator may set up the camp for a whole season, but it is not a permanent camp.  Each type of lodging has its advantages, and I have liked doing a mix of camps and lodges.  While some are quite luxurious and I know there are amazing experiences to be had at the mobile tented camps, that style is just not for me!

Some will be found in or adjoining national parks, some will be in private reserves.  Trip Advisor reviews and each place's website will help you determine this.  Something else to find out is what type of vehicle is used, and how many people per vehicle.  

I will highlight some of my favorite camps and lodges in upcoming posts.