Things to do in South Africa

Spend a night under the stars on Garonga’s sleep out deck

The deck overlooks a busy waterhole so there is often plenty of animal activity throughout the night…

By Josia Sibuyi

Guide Garonga Safari Lodge

A popular activity for our guests is to sleep out under the stars. Perfect for romantics, our lantern-lit sleep out deck is located a 20-minute drive from the camp.

Behind the scenes, it takes about two hours to set up everything for our guests, preparing the table for their evening meal and getting the four-poster bed ready. The guest’s room at the camp is kept for them in case the weather should change. We drive the guests to the sleep out area before sun set for an orientation of their night’s setting. Sometimes they may be a little bit apprehensive about being so close to wildlife on their own. We give them a safety briefing and once they know how to contact us, the magical atmosphere starts to take over.

As the sun starts to set, they can enjoy the sumptuous three-course meal we have prepared for them. A few glasses of their favourite tipple will calm any nerves. From its elevated position, the deck overlooks a busy waterhole so there is often plenty of animal activity throughout the night, such as elephants making a splash or a leopard coming in for a drink. As you sink into the comfort of your bed, the atmosphere can be quite magical listening to the sounds of nature as you fall asleep under a glittery African night sky. Safari dreaming at its best.

Awaken the next morning to the sounds of the dawn chorus and watch as the sun rises. The start of a new day on safari begins.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Cape Town, Safari and Mozambique Beach
by Adele Jones

Length14 Days

Price range£5,095 - £5,375pp

Alfred & Josia Sibuyi

Originating from Mpumalanga, Josia has been guiding at Garonga for over 11 years. He is qualified as a full trails lead guide and is currently studying for his Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2. He loves meeting guests from all over the world. In his spare time, Josia enjoys viewing wildlife documentaries, playing and watching soccer.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.

Laura Preston

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Having travelled extensively through Africa, Laura has a wealth of experience. She is passionate about Tanzania’s diversity from the quiet wilds of Ruaha that feel completely private to the silvery sands of Zanzibar and Stone Town’s spice-laced streets. In South Africa, she sought out the best views over Table Mountain, cocktail in hand, as well as the lesser-visited Kruger conservancies for more exclusive safaris. But her favourite place in the world has to be the Serengeti for its wide-open plains and incredible game that epitomise that feeling of Africa.
Wayne Howarth

Head Safari Guide at Kariega Game Reserve

Wayne loves being outdoors and has spent most of his life between the family farm and working on Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape. He has been guiding at Kariega for 12 years. His qualifications include Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2, Advance Rifle Handling, Skippers Licence Category R and first aid. One of his career highlights was becoming a finalist in the 2021 Safari Guide of the Year competition.
Rupesh Kassen

Founder and guide of Eat Like A Local

Rupesh Kassen abandoned his decade-long career in banking to move to East Africa, where he trained and worked as a chef. He later became immersed in South Africa’s food scene and worked as a food critic before setting up Eat Like A Local in Cape Town. Rupesh now offers guided food tours to showcase the city and its diverse culture and history through food.
Fundi Ziqubu

Sommelier

Fundi was born in Durban and fell in love with wine when it was introduced to her by a few Capetonian friends. On discovering her passion she got the chance to study wine with the department of tourism in collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy. Being appointed sommelier at Lanzerac was a career highlight and in 2019 Fundi was named most up-and-coming wine steward by the Distell Inter-Hotel challenge.
Ntobeko Ntshingila

Duty Manager at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Ntobeko has been part of the Three Trees family for 13 years and describes it as a lovely journey with lots of room for growth and experience. She has her own family, including a daughter of 18, and a son, aged three. She lives in a nearby village with her parents, four siblings and three nephews. When not spending time with her family she manages her broiler chicken business, which brings her extra income.
Cheryl Blackburn

Owner and guide, Three Tree Hill Lodge

Being born in the Kruger National Park instilled in Cheryl a love of nature and wildlife. Having lived and worked as a guide in the Kruger reserve, and also in Botswana, she eventually got the opportunity to run her own lodge, with her growing family, in the lush KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg region. She still finds time to guide guests on foot, tracking white rhino in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Reserve.