Unrivalled opportunity to explore &BEYOND’s Phinda Private Game Reserve and Ngala Private Game Reserve as well as the world-renowned Sabi Sand Nature Reserve in the company of a National Geographic photographer.
A Big Cat Photographic Safari with Steve Winter
Phinda Private Game Reserve, Ngala Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve
JOIN A GROUP OF 4 - 6 GUESTS ON THIS LIMITED EDITION SET-DEPARTURE JOURNEY
PRIVATELY HOSTED BY SKILLED GUIDES AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHER
IDEAL FOR WILDLIFE AND LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHIC ENTHUSIASTS
CURATED FOR WILDLIFE LOVERS, ADVENTURE SEEKERS AND NATURALISTS
Steve Winter
National Geographic Explorer and Photographer
Steve Winter, renowned National Geographic explorer and photographer for over two decades, is celebrated for his expertise in capturing the majesty of big cats. A recipient of prestigious awards including the BBC Wildlife Photographer & Photojournalist of the Year and the Picture of the Year International’s Global Vision Award (twice), Steve’s work has also garnered top honors at the World Press Photo competition.
Featured on major news outlets such as 60 Minutes, CBS, NPR, BBC, CNN, and National Geographic, Steve is a sought-after speaker on big cat conservation and cultural preservation. His book, “Tigers Forever: Saving the World’s Most Endangered Cat” (co-authored with Sharon Guynup in 2013), underscores his commitment to not only showcasing wildlife but also the people and cultures intertwined with their habitats. By engaging readers in conservation efforts, Steve aims to provide the National Geographic audience with immersive experiences that inspire action.
Your journey at a glance
Experience the magic of South Africa's wild cats up close on a 10-day journey with renowned National Geographic photographer, Steve Winter. Witness the grace, power, and beauty of lion, leopard, and cheetah in their natural habitats.
Begin your adventure at &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve, renowned for its close-up encounters with elusive cheetah. Under the watchful eye of your expert host, National Geographic explorer and photographer Steve Winter, learn the art of wildlife photography as you explore Phinda’s diverse landscapes on twice-daily game drives and search for its iconic big cats.
Next, journey to &BEYOND Ngala Private Game Reserve, a vast wilderness teeming with elephant, leopard, hyena, giraffe, buffalo, and white rhino. As its Shangaan name suggests (“lion”), Ngala is home to several powerful prides of these majestic cats. Twice-daily game drives offer ample opportunities to capture these incredible creatures in their natural habitat, including the elusive white lion.
Conclude your adventure at &BEYOND Tengile River Lodge in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, renowned for its incredible leopard sightings. Twice-daily game drives offer the chance to track the Big Five in this world-class reserve. With multiple leopards often spotted during game drives, be sure to have your camera ready to capture these elusive and majestic creatures.
This extraordinary 10-day photographic odyssey is designed for photography enthusiasts of all levels, offering unparalleled opportunities to capture the beauty and diversity of Africa’s most iconic big cats in the wild.
3 nights &BEYOND Phinda Zuka Lodge | 3 nights &BEYOND Ngala Tented Camp | 3 nights &BEYOND Tengile River Lodge
TAILORMAKE YOUR STAY
Talk to one of our travel specialists to tailormake your stay to any of our destinations
A taste of what to expect…
Day 1
Arrival | &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve
&BEYOND Phinda Zuka Lodge
- Upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport, you’ll be met by an &Beyond representative who will assist you onto your flight to &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve. Your specialist guide will meet you at the airstrip and transfer you to &BEYOND Phinda Zuka lodge.
- You’ll have the opportunity to settle in, before meeting your journey host, Steve Winter.
- Just four individual thatched Zululand bush suites, make up this intimate lodge. Phinda Zuka’s overall ambiance is that of cool, coastal bush-style, embodying the sophistication of simplicity. The charming suites cluster around a pan which turns into a popular waterhole during the rainy season, and a diversity of wildlife is regularly seen and birdlife flourishes.
- Led by you expert guide and tracker team, along with your host at the helm, enjoy your first game drive on &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve. While the reserve’s big cats are most definitely top of mind, your first game drive is the perfect opportunity to orientate yourself, learning more about the reserve.
- Back at the lodge, unwind with pre-dinner drinks. A short orientation and pre-dinner presentation hosted by Steve will set the scene for the adventure that awaits.
Day 2 and 3
&BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve
&BEYOND Phinda Zuka Lodge
- Your day begins with a crisp early-morning wake-up call. Suit up for thrilling safari adventures over the next couple days in search of the reserve’s iconic wildlife. This 73,800-acre reserve, renowned for its exceptional Big Five game viewing, offers a unique tapestry of seven distinct landscapes.
- Over the next two days, your focus is on the elusive and magnificent cheetah. Accompanied by your expert guide and tracker team, plus host, embark on unforgettable open-vehicle safaris. Experience the thrill of encountering and capturing these incredible big cats up close, thanks to the limited vehicle numbers and responsible off-roading practices observed at the reserve.
- Beyond the game viewing, immerse yourself in the reserve’s conservation efforts. Learn about the challenges and threats facing cheetah populations and gain insights into the vital work being done at Phinda. With a cheetah population considered the most significant on fenced reserves in Southern Africa (excluding Kruger National Park), this reserve offers a truly unparalleled opportunity to witness and support cheetah conservation.
Day 4
&BEYOND Ngala Private Game Reserve
&BEYOND Ngala Tented Camp
- After your last mouth-watering breakfast at &BEYOND Phinda Zuka Lodge, you’ll be driven with your host to &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve’s airstrip where you will board a scheduled charter flight to &BEYOND Ngala Private Game Reserve airstrip via Nelspruit.
- Upon arrival at the airstrip, you’ll be met by a member from the &BEYOND team who will drive you to &BEYOND Ngala Tented Camp.
- Upon arrival at the camp, you’ll have the opportunity to settle in before setting out for your first game drive on the reserve. Meaning “lion” in the local language, Ngala lives up to its name, supporting several prides of these powerful cats. This will be your focus of your camera for the next couple days.
Day 5 and 6
&BEYOND Ngala Private Game Reserve
&BEYOND Ngala Tented Camp
- Over the next two days enjoy twice-daily game drives in search of the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) as well as an array of other fascinating creatures such as African wild dog, hippo, cheetah and a plethora of bird species that call &BEYOND Ngala Private Game Reserve their home.
- Ngala has exclusive traversing rights on 14 700 hectares (36 000 acres) of wilderness land, which means you’re able to explore the reserve on foot, on a night drive, or sensitively go off-road, enabling unforgettable up-close wildlife encounters. A specialist guided Big Game Viewing Walk further offers the chance to track and view certain Big Five animals on foot.
- Led by your expertly trained &BEYOND ranger and tracker team, together with your host, and armed with your camera, experience the thrill of viewing animals up-close including the reserve’s magnificent Birmingham Pride of lion. This impressive pride, approximately 14 strong, currently roams the Ngala and Timbavati regions and includes four of the five only wild white lion in the world. Witnessing this majestic pride while out on a game drive never ceases to amaze.
- Back at the lodge, enjoy fire-side chats, hosted by our Ecological Monitor and learn more about the rare white lion of Ngala.
Day 7
Sabi Sand Nature Reserve
&BEYOND Tengile River Lodge
- After your last breakfast at &BEYOND Ngala Tented Camp, you’ll be collected by a member from the &BEYOND team who will drive you to Ngala Private Game Reserve airstrip, where you’ll board a scheduled charter flight to Skukuza Airport.
- Upon arrival at Skukuza Airport, you’ll be met by a member of the &BEYOND team and transferred to &BEYOND Tengile River Lodge located in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve.
- With no boundary fences between it and the Kruger Park, the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve benefits from the great diversity of animals found in one of the richest wildlife areas on the African continent and is particularly well known for leopard sightings. Normally notoriously elusive, the Sabi Sand leopards have grown accustomed to safari vehicles, thereby permitting close-up sightings and extraordinary photographic opportunities.
- Upon arrival at the lodge, you’ll have the opportunity to settle in before setting out for your first game drive on the reserve.
Day 8 and 9
Sabi Sand Nature Reserve
&BEYOND Tengile River Lodge
- For the next two days, set out in an open 4×4 safari vehicle in the company of your expert &BEYOND guide and tracker team, along with your host, in search of the reserve’s mighty leopards.
- The Sabi Sand Nature Reserve is well known for its leopard sightings, and you may well spot one of these elusive cats resting after a successful night hunt. These usually shy and elusive cats have become accustomed to vehicles in the Sabi Sand and, unlike many other areas, where leopards are rarely glimpsed in daylight hours, sightings of these magnificent animals are not uncommon on day drives. Spoilt for choice, you don’t get better than this when it comes to photographing these majestic creatures in the wild.
- Back at the lodge, around the evening campfire, enjoy fire-side chats with your host, Executive Director of Conservation Science at Panthera, Guy Balme and &BEYOND Conservation Manager, Dale Wepener learning all about the work Tengile does with Panthera in leopard conservation within the region.
- Dale and a representative from Wild Impact (formerly Africa Foundation), &BEYOND’s long-standing conservation and community partner, will also be able to speak more about the incredible work being done at &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve (where you have just come from) diving deeper into the topic of human-wildlife conflict and the importance of this in leopard conservation. This is a wonderful way to understand the significant big cat conservation taking place across the three reserves and how they influence and benefit one another.
Day 10
Departure | Sabi Sand Nature Reserve
&BEYOND Tengile River Lodge
- After one last breakfast in the bush, it’s time to bid South Africa a fond farewell.
- A member from the &BEYOND team will drive you to Skukuza Airport, in time for your onward arrangements.
Rates
Per person sharing for 10 days
What's included
- Welcome and assistance service at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg
- All scheduled flights:
- OR Tambo International Airport to &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve via Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
- &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
- Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport to &BEYOND Ngala Airstrip
- &BEYOND Ngala airstrip to Skukuza Airport
- Sukuza Airport to OR Tambo International Airport
- All road transfers:
- &BEYOND Phinda airstrip to lodge
- Lodge to &BEYOND Phinda airstrip
- &BEYOND Ngala airstrip to lodge
- Lodge to &BEYOND Ngala airstrip
- Skukuza Airport to lodge
- Lodge to Skukuza Airport
- Twin / Single accommodation
- Meals as specified above
- Soft drinks, house wine, local brand spirits, local beer, and teas and coffees - premium brands on own account
- Laundry
- Game viewing activities as offered by the lodges / camps
- Conservations fees:
- Munyawana Conservation fee
- Ngala Conservation fee
- Sabi Sand Conservation fee
- Sabi Sand Conservation Contribution fee
- SANParks Levy
- Airport taxes and fuel surcharge
- Emergency medical evacuation insurance
- Administration fee
What's not included
- Telephone calls
- &BEYOND Safari Shop purchases
- Gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
- Champagne, cognac, fine wines, premium brand spirits and cigars
- Travel Insurance - should you be interested we can introduce you to our recommended partners
Conditions
- Rates are quoted on a per person sharing basis
- A single supplement will be charged when an adult is sharing with an infant under six years
- Only valid for full-paying adult guests and may not be combined with other offers. However, additional nights may be added by using our applicable long-stay rates
- The operator may reroute the itinerary or accommodate in similar lodges in case of non-availability
- Single traveller supplement and child rates will be quoted on request
- Flight rates are subject to change
- Minimum of two guests
- Validity periods are as specified above; should a booking fall over two rate periods the rate will change and we reserve the right to re-quote
- The rates quoted are subject to change without warning if there are any increases in bed levies, park fees, fuel, sales tax or VAT, third-party services, the rand / dollar exchange rate or any other circumstances beyond our control in South Africa or Mozambique
- &BEYOND trading terms apply
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