Lion country, forested wetlands and azure island horizons.
Ultimate South Africa and Mozambique
Ngala Private Game Reserve, Phinda Private Game Reserve, Johannesburg, Benguerra Island
Featured in Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2025
Best Resorts in South Africa
Follow lion tracks through the riverine woodlands of Ngala
Look for cheetah and black rhino across Phinda’s seven habitats
Walk the bush with expert guides and trackers
Fly by helicopter over Benguerra’s dunes and turquoise shallows
Sail by dhow and picnic on a secluded island shore
Your journey at a glance
From tracks in the dust to dhow sails on the horizon.
Begin at &Beyond Ngala Tented Camp, where nine canvas Tented Suites disappear into the riverside trees above the seasonal Timbavati River. This is lion territory—an unfenced wilderness connected to the Kruger National Park, where morning game drives begin in cool first light and afternoon safaris continue beneath a darkening sky. Guided walks bring the smaller details into focus, while evenings settle around lantern-lit canvas and the sounds of the bush.
Fly onwards to &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, where seven distinct habitats create one of South Africa’s most varied safari landscapes. From the wetland setting of &Beyond Phinda Vlei Lodge, search for the Big Five, alongside cheetah and rare black rhino, or look beyond the game drive to river journeys, conservation experiences, Zulu cultural encounters and the wild beaches of Maputaland.
A night beside Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport provides a well-timed pause between safari and sea. The following morning, fly east to Mozambique and continue by helicopter across the Bazaruto Archipelago.
From above, Benguerra appears as a sweep of forest, sand dunes and clear Indian Ocean water. Settle into your Casinha at &Beyond Benguerra Island, then allow the island to set the pace. Snorkel above coral reefs, paddle across the bay, explore on horseback, sail aboard a traditional dhow or disappear among the dunes for a castaway picnic with little but sea and sky in sight.
3 nights &Beyond Ngala Private Game Reserve | 3 nights &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve | 1 night Johannesburg | 3 nights &Beyond Benguerra Island
Days 1 to 4
Stay: &Beyond Ngala Tented Camp
Highlights: Big Five, twice-daily game drives, walking safaris, Timbavati riverbed
Receive a warm welcome at O.R. Tambo International Airport and assistance with your onward scheduled flight to Ngala Airstrip. Over the next few days, set out on morning and late afternoon game drives with an expert &Beyond guide and Shangaan tracker.
Ngala is home to the Big Five and particularly well known for its prides of lion, along with elephant, buffalo, leopard and occasional sightings of African wild dog. Guided nature walks offer a closer reading of the bush, subject to availability. Between adventures, linger beside the rim-flow swimming pool, choose a wellness treatment or spend an optional night beneath the stars at the secluded Ngala Treehouse.
Days 4 to 7
Stay: &Beyond Phinda Vlei Lodge
Highlights: Seven distinct habitats, cheetah, black rhino, conservation adventures
Fly from Ngala to &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve via Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. Explore with a professionally trained &Beyond guide and Zulu tracker, seeking out the Big Five as well as the African wild dog.
For a different perspective, glide along the reed-lined Mzinene River, cycle through endangered sand forest or venture east to the beaches and coral reefs of Maputaland. Optional conservation adventures offer the rare chance to spend time alongside specialist research teams, while a Zulu village visit introduces the traditions, beliefs and daily life of a neighbouring community. Seasonal turtle-nesting adventures may also be possible during your stay. Additional experiences are subject to availability and cost.
Day 7
Stay: InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport
Highlights: Flights to Johannesburg, airport hotel, time to recharge
After breakfast, fly from Phinda Airfield to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport and connect with your flight to Johannesburg. On arrival, you will be assisted to the InterContinental Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport, conveniently located a short walk from the arrivals hall.
This night is less a city stay than a carefully placed breath between two worlds. Settle in, enjoy an unhurried evening and rest before trading bushveld horizons for the Indian Ocean the following morning.
Days 8 to 10
Stay: &Beyond Benguerra Island
Highlights: Helicopter arrival, coral reefs, dhow sailing, castaway picnic
Fly from Johannesburg to Vilanculos International Airport, where an &Beyond representative will assist you onto the approximately 10-minute helicopter flight to Benguerra Island. Spend the next few days following the tide.
Head out on a scheduled snorkelling adventure, indulge in a castaway picnic, or explore the island’s forest, lakes and communities. Horseback rides reveal Benguerra from another angle, while a traditional dhow cruise catches the island in the changing late-afternoon light.
Day 11 | Departure
Stay: &Beyond Benguerra Island
Highlights: Helicopter flight to Vilanculos, onward flight to Johannesburg
After breakfast, lift off from Benguerra Island for the helicopter flight back to Vilanculos International Airport.
Connect with your scheduled flight to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, bringing your journey from lion country to the Indian Ocean to a close.
Rates & Travel Dates
2026 | From USD 15,130 per person sharing
This journey offers some flexibility to align with preferred travel dates and interests. Initial rates are based on valid travel dates as detailed in the digital itinerary, which includes the full day-to-day experience and all inclusions.
What makes this journey unforgettable
Two countries, three wild landscapes and an entirely different horizon at every turn.
Two reserves, two ways of seeing
Ngala and Phinda may both offer exceptional Big Five safaris, but the resemblance ends there. Ngala draws you into riverine woodland, dry riverbeds and classic lowveld bush, while Phinda covers seven distinct habitats, from open grassland to wetland and rare sand forest. Together, they reveal just how varied, and unforgettable, a South African safari can be.
The wild made legible
Extraordinary wildlife sightings matter, but so does understanding what led to them. At Ngala and Phinda, expert &Beyond guide-and-tracker teams interpret the landscape as it unfolds: tracks in the dust, the direction of an alarm call or the history of an individual animal. Their knowledge turns observation into connection, and each drive into a story that belongs to the moment.
A final chapter bathed in blue
The shift from safari to island is not simply a change of scenery; it changes the rhythm of the entire journey. Binoculars make way for snorkels, game-drive tracks for bare footprints and evening drives for dhow sails catching the last light. Arriving by helicopter makes the transition even more vivid, revealing Benguerra’s forest, dunes and coral-fringed waters all at once.
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