If you’re just starting to plan your honeymoon, inspect out my very first honeymoon publish right here on exactly how to technique the process as well as select the ideal destination for you. If you’ve settled on a destination, inspect out my second honeymoon publish on exactly how to prepare for the trip as well as make sure the experience is incredible!
When planning our honeymoon, we wished to go somewhere that neither of us had been before, as well as we likewise wished to split our trip between beach relaxation as well as adventure. The very first part of our honeymoon was spent on the beach in the Seychelles (read all about it here) and after ten days of sun, sand as well as resting up after our whirlwind wedding, we headed to South Africa where we embarked on a six-day safari at the Chitwa Chitwa Lodge in the Sabi Sand personal game Reserve, adjacent to Kruger national Park. Whether you’re believing of a trip such as this for your honeymoon or just going for a special vacation, I can state that it was unquestionably the most extraordinary travel experience of my life to date. Today I’m going to cover my safari packing tips, my suggestions on what time of year to go, as well as lastly all of the details on our experience at the Chitwa Chitwa Lodge in Sabi Sands.
BACKPACK (SIMILAR HERE AND HERE) | SNEAKERS (ALSO LOVE THIS PAIR)
Safari packing Tips
We were there at the end of August/early September when the weather condition is extremely pleasant, however can be chilly, particularly in the early mornings as well as late afternoons. Plan on boots or tennis shoes, comfortable pants, as well as layers on top. On the most popular afternoon, I was still completely comfortable in jeans, boots as well as a light long sleeve chambray shirt. On the coldest morning, jeans, boots, a layered shirt-sweater-jacket combo as well as relaxing scarf was perfect. I suggest bringing a pair of gloves as well as a hat (we used baseball caps which were great), since your hands as well as head can absolutely get chilly in the mornings. No requirement to overdo it with cold-weather gear however, since the Land Rovers are stocked with warm blankets as well as warm packs for every person.
SIMILAR BOOTIES HERE, HERE AND HERE
According to our guides (and corroborated by additionally research), the requirement to wear earth tones as well as khaki-colored garments head-to-toe is a total myth. Of course, if you want to get your safari-chic on, have at it! However, our guides stated you can truly wear anything, in any type of color—it doesn’t make a difference. They only stated that you must maybe prevent bright white or bright yellow when going on bush walks, which we only did on one afternoon. I’ve checked out that black or extremely dark colors can draw in flies in some safari places (Zambia as well as other places) however rich and I frequently had dark denim or a black jacket on, and we can’t keep in mind seeing a fly once. Overall, you just want to bring clothes that are comfortable for climbing in as well as out of a Land Rover as well as can be layered quickly for the fluctuating temperature.
We brought this incredible Ona backpack that’s particularly created for photography equipment, as well as it completely housed our cameras, lenses, spare batteries in addition to additional layers, gloves, as well as binoculars. I’d absolutely suggest bringing a backpack of some kind to home similar necessities while out on game drives during the day.
SIMILAR SWEATER HERE AND HERE | SIMILAR JEANS HERE AND HERE | SIMILAR VEST | SIMILAR BOOTIES HERE, right here as well as HERE | SIMILAR EARRINGS | SUNGLASSES
At Chitwa Chitwa, there’s everyday laundry service included in your stay, so you can pack light! This was really rather necessary, since the extremely small plane we took to the Lodge only enabled for one little bag each, so attire were definitely repeated during our stay (poor rich was so distraught…)! Be sure to inspect on those bag limitations for any small planes you may be taking before you go!
SIMILAR SWEATER HERE AND HERE | SIMILAR PANTS | SIMILAR shoes | SIMILAR HAT | similar BOOTIES HERE, right here as well as right here | SUNGLASSES
When to Go
If you’re reading this from the united states or any type of other place in the northern hemisphere, keep in mind that South Africa’s place in the southern hemisphere indicates that its seasons are opposite ours. This worked in our favor, since going in August during their wintertime is the perfect time for seeing huge game as well as generally living out all of your Lion King fantasies. Because the terrain is dry as well as foliage dormant, the wild animals that inhabit the area are required to stay better to a lot more restricted water sources, making it much easier for our guides to understand where to find them. They’re likewise much much easier to track as well as area from a distance when you don’t have rich grasses as well as leafy trees in the way. Although we’ve never been during their summertime months, a number of of the other guests at the lodge that we befriended during our time there had been, as well as stated that this trip during the South African wintertime was by far superior. We saw all of the “big five” (lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, as well as rhinos) on our extremely very first morning! And, that’s not even mentioning the giraffes, zebras, baboons, hyenas, hippos, warthogs, impalas, kudus as well as many other animals we had the chance to see from the get-go as well.
SIMILAR jackets HERE, right here as well as right here | SIMILAR PANTS | SIMILAR EARRINGS
The Chitwa Chitwa Experience
If I might only travel to one location, as well as only stay at one place, for the rest of my life, it would be Chitwa Chitwa. I honestly feel homesick composing this publish as well as scrolling back with these photos, as well as we were only there for six days (I recognize exactly how absurd that sounds, however it’s true). It is impossible to overstate the absolutely wonderful experience we had—everything from the beautifully appointed villas (with stunning safari stylish decoration that belongs in Architectural Digest), mind-blowingly spectacular meals, amazingly terrific personnel as well as a place that is straight out of a movie. The lodge is located on a little lake with each of its villas nestled ideal on the edge of the water. Each rental property has a personal back patio and infinity pool where we would sit every afternoon, just lawns away (yet still totally safe!) from hippos, giraffes, zebras, elephants as well as many other animals who would come by to drink as well as bathe in the lake.
SIMILAR SWEATER HERE AND HERE | SIMILAR PANTS | SIMILAR shoes | SUNGLASSES
Honestly, I’ve never satisfied friendlier people constantly eager to assist as well as make sure that your every waking (and sleeping) moment is the very best it potentially can be. I can’t keep in mind the last time rich as well as I left a resort or hotel and truly felt like we were stating goodbye to good friends. Every last member of the personnel makes you feel not just like a valued guest, however like a treasured member of their family. It’s indescribable.
Each day begins with tea, coffee, scones as well as a panoply of other treats served on the deck of the primary lodge, before our tracker as well as guide would lead us on the very first early morning game drive. The game drives were the most thrilling experiences as well as our guide Rodney as well as tracker Ranson were astonishingly experienced about the area as well as animals—able to determine animals as well as habits by the faintest print in the sand. Guests are kept totally risk-free during the drive, as well as in every possible way, the trackers as well as guides exhibited a overall commitment to environmental conservation and the utmost respect for the wild animals as well as their natural habitat. It’s exceptionally inspiring as well as impossible to leave the experience without a newfound appreciation for mom nature. It’s the circle of life, ya’ll. Fo real.
SIMILAR SWEATER | ALMA MATER HAT (ALSO like THESE) | SUNGLASSES
SIMILAR pants | CHAMBRAY tee shirt | SIMILAR storage tank | SIMILAR HAT | SIMILAR earrings | SUNGLASSES
SIMILAR sweatshirt | SIMILAR denim | SIMILAR BOOTIES HERE, HERE and HERE | ALMA MATER HAT (ALSO like THESE) | SUNGLASSES
After the early morning game drive, which includes a break for tea as well as coffee out in the bush, we would return to the lodge to indulge in the most elaborate, tasty breakfasts we’ve ever experienced. Then, we would generally roll ourselves over to the lounge areas in the primary lodge, or back to our rental property to nap, checked out or take a dip in the pool, always keeping one eye on the lake as well as the incredible riches of wildlife that was regularly filtering through. We likewise might utilize the time to hit the Lodge’s fitness center or health club (though a lot more frequently selected to relax!). This midday period of free time continued into the afternoon, when lunch was served at 1pm as well as high tea served at 3:30. Following tea, it’s back on the Land Rover for the evening game drive, which always included a stop halfway with for mixed drinks as well as sunset in the bush. We would then come back, have an hour or so to laundry up as well as regroup, before enjoying dinner as well as drinks at the lodge or (some nights) in special surprise set-ups out in the bush. I might compose a book just about exactly how insanely gorgeous as well as tasty every meal was. We’ve honestly never eaten so much or so well.
CHAMBRAY SHIRT | SIMILAR denim | SIMILAR BELT | NECKLACE | SUNGLASSES | SIMILAR EARRINGS
Speaking of books I might write, it is impossible to explain exactly how special each as well as every game drive was. We went into the experience having essentially no expectations, other than the general sense that we would ideally see some awesome animals. However, on our extremely very first game drive, we were absolutely dumbfounded when we drove out of the lodge driveway as well as in fast succession, came upon a herd of elephants, a herd of zebras, as well as a pride of five male lions—just a few short lawns away from our vehicle. Because there are such efforts to protect the natural habitat and respect the animals in Sabi Sand, the chances to see wildlife are unparalleled. From just a few lawns beyond our vehicle, we saw a male leopard on the prowl at night, a pair of giraffes having dinner at sunset, three lots female elephants bathing with an eight-week-old calf in a watering hole, a pride of lionesses napping in the sun, as well as many more. One of the most unforgettable moments was seeing a female leopard drag an antelope she had just killed up into a big tree where her nine-week-old infant was waiting on dinner. We parked under the tree as well as enjoyed the small leopard kitten tear away at the fresh antelope meat as his mom rested on a big branch nearby. Every moment was surreal, as well as every turn was a lot more interesting than the last.
Safaris always operate on a set schedule, because game drives have to begin as well as surface at set times in the early morning and late afternoon to make sure the very best possibility of seeing animals based upon their feeding times. The rest of the day is then structured around these drives, so absolutely be gotten ready for keeping a tight schedule throughout the safari experience. Not only is it completely worth it, however they make every moment of the experience so phenomenal, you’ll swiftly discover you’re ecstatic to show up in a timely manner so you don’t miss a thing! As the self-proclaimed worst morning person ever, I really discovered myself ecstatic to hop out of bed at 5:30, as well as liked sipping coffee in the crisp air, looking out over the lake as the hippos woke up as well as the landscape started to find to life before our very first game drive which generally left at 6. While the routine for meals as well as game drives is a bit a lot more rigid, the 4-5 hours in the middle of the day between the morning as well as evening game drives are yours to relax, nap, go on a guided bush walk, or go to the regional village.
SIMILAR wrap | SIMILAR SWEATER HERE AND HERE | OLIVE denim HERE | SIMILAR HAT | SUNGLASSES
As you can imagine, the entire safari was a photographer’s paradise, so rich as well as I were in heaven, capturing all of the animals we saw each day. We have actually countless pictures from the trip, so if you’d like a bit reprieve from your Wednesday morning grind, keep scrolling below!
If there’s anything I missed, any type of concerns you’d like responded to or ideas you’re looking for in anticipation of a similar trip, please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below!
© All pictures copyright 2015 Mary Orton