On Safari in South Africa – Babanango Reserve & Zululand – Premier

Your safari adventure starts with an overnight flight to Durban, a coastal city in eastern South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province.

Landing this morning, you’ll be greeted at the airport by your Premier Collection guide ahead of a scenic drive further inland to the acclaimed Babanango Game Reserve. Spanning more than 20,000 hectares across KwaZulu-Natal, the park is operated in partnership with nearby communities to support the development of the surrounding townships. It’s also the site of some of the most successful rewilding initiatives in South Africa and is now home to countless unique endemic species.  

Later this afternoon, you’ll arrive at Babanango’s Valley Lodge, your four-star base for the week, and you can enjoy welcome drinks with a late lunch (depending on your arrival time). Settle into your new surroundings, and if you’re feeling up to it, head out on a first game drive in the reserve, an ideal introduction to the local wildlife.  

This evening, join the rest of the group for dinner under the African skies at the lodge.

It’s your first full day in KwaZulu-Natal, and you’ll waste no time in making the most of Babanango’s sprawling landscapes with an early morning game drive. In the softer morning light, see the bushveld at its most dynamic with herds of antelope and wildebeest grazing the savannah hills and the region’s predators prowling through the thicket mid-hunt.  

Return to the lodge afterwards and enjoy a well-earned rest and a late breakfast. You’ll have some free time in between excursions to make use of the first-class amenities, whether that’s cooling off in the infinity pool or perhaps taking in the birdlife from the terrace area.  

This afternoon, join the reserve’s resident ecologist for an introductory wildlife talk. Babanango Game Reserve, one of Africa’s most sustainable wild spaces and nearly 74% of its land is leased by a collective of Zulu communities. Such is the success of the reserve’s rewilding initiative that some of Africa’s most famous species, including lions, elephants and black rhinos, were reintroduced after a 150-year absence. Now equipped with expert knowledge on the animals you’ll encounter and their typical behaviours, head back out by Jeep for an afternoon game drive.  

This evening, return to the lodge for dinner and the rest of the night at leisure. 

Rise early for another open-air safari and head further into the Babanango Game Reserve, perhaps following the 20-kilometre-long White Umfolozi River for the chance to spot the reserve’s resident hippos. The magnificent creatures, which now boast a vast thriving population, are a key part of the local ecosystems.  

There’ll be more free time and another late breakfast on your return to the lodge, and if you haven’t already, it’s a great opportunity to take advantage of the lodge’s amenities. Soak up the sun, cocktail in hand, by the poolside or relax with a treatment at the lodge’s spa area. There’s also a private boules court and you can take part in a game or two of boules with your fellow guests. There’s also the opportunity to join a yoga session, and those who wish to enhance their safari experience can enjoy several optional excursions, including private bush brunches, animal monitoring sessions, and bush walks.  

This afternoon, you’ll set off on another Babanango game drive, which will offer even more chances to spot the region’s fascinating wildlife. It’s not just the ‘Big Five’ species that’ll impress, either, with the rare oribi antelope and sprightly cheetah both found amongst the reserve’s savannah landscapes. Keep an eye on the wide acacia trees as you drive and you might catch a glimpse of tree-climbing leopards resting in the branches too.  

Returning to the lodge later in the evening, forge a deeper connection to the region’s rich cultural heritage with an immersive evening in the company of a local community. Try traditional Zulu foods, listen to the songs of KwaZulu-Natal, and watch their history unfold through classical local dances.  

Today’s excursion will take you out of Babanango and around the poignant historical sites that dot KwaZulu-Natal’s rural stretches. Once home to more than 300,000 Zulu people, united under the legendary Shaka Zulu, this vast South African region became the setting for one of the British Empire’s most brutal colonial campaigns.  

Joined by an experienced local guide, your first stop today will be the battlefield of Isandlwana, which saw a 22,000-strong Zulu force overwhelm a better-equipped British outpost in the early days of the Anglo-Zulu War. Learn about innovative tactics of the Zulu impi warriors as you explore the battlefields that saw some of the fiercest fighting throughout the seven-month war.  

Stop at midday for a picnic lunch against the backdrop of the Zululand countryside, before visiting the dramatic battlefield at Rorke’s Drift. It was here that 150 British soldiers held off a 3,000-strong Zulu army, and the battle was immortalised in the 1964 film, Zulu. See the original mission station the British defended and perhaps pay your respects to the memorial cairns that still mark the gravesites of the fallen soldiers to this day.  

Finish the day with a stop at Nqutu Ridge for panoramic views over the area and head back to the lodge for dinner and some time to unwind. 

It’s another full day on safari, today, and you’ll be driven out at sunrise for more opportunities to spot the reserve’s ‘Big Five’ species. As you glide through the bushveld, your experienced driver will also introduce you to the natural wonders that have shaped the region over the centuries. Beyond the wildlife, Babanango is also a world-class geological site, with rock features dating back three billion years, and you’ll see and perhaps even touch thousands of years of the region’s history displayed in the stone.  

This afternoon, you can participate in a guided bush walk for a closer look at the reserve’s diverse ecosystems. Joined by an experienced naturalist, you’ll see the colourful floral species, rugged shrubs, and finer details of KwaZulu-Natal’s animal kingdom. As you follow the savannah trails, keep an eye out for animal tracks, burrows and perhaps even one of the ‘Small Five’ species – elephant shrews, rhino beetles, antlions, buffalo weavers and leopard tortoises. Making less noise on foot than you would by Jeep, you’ll also have a better chance of watching the local wildlife up close in their natural habitat.  

Later on, you’ll head back out on another sunset game drive for even more memorable animal encounters in the heart of the bush. 

Another day of thrilling animal encounters awaits today, and you’ll head out at sunrise for the best chance to see the local wildlife in the early-morning light. There’s plenty of colourful birdlife to see here, including one of South Africa’s most recognisable birds, the flightless southern ground hornbill. Other must-see birds include the African fish eagle, the elusive secretary bird and the country’s national bird, the blue crane.  

After this morning’s game drive, continue your birdwatching from the comfort of the lodge’s sundeck or on an optional wildlife-monitoring excursion (bookable locally). If you’d prefer, you’ll also be free to unwind at leisure at the lodge.  

This afternoon, finish the day at the lodge with another open-air excursion into the bushveld, and perhaps stop for a traditional South African sundowner against Babanango’s striking natural vistas.  

Make the most of a few final safari game drives in Babanango today with another early excursion into the savannah. If you haven’t managed to spot any of the ‘Big Five’ species yet, this’ll be your best chance to tick the biggest sights of your travel wish-list. Also of interest today will be the unique geology of this remarkable, protected reserve, and your guide will introduce you to the textured terrain and varied landscapes that many species call home.  

After your game drive this morning, return to the lodge for a mid-morning breakfast, some time at leisure and lunch ahead of your final animal-spotting excursion later this afternoon. Taking in the area’s most popular watering holes as the sun sets over the South African bush, make a few more lifelong memories as you track the antelopes, big cats and birdlife that call Babanango home.  

This evening, gather around the fire at the lodge’s traditional boma as your hosts put on a lavish feast. This’ll be the perfect opportunity to reflect on a memorable week on safari with your newfound friends and enjoy one more South African experience.

It’s your last day in South Africa, and rising early this morning, you can enjoy a final breakfast at the lodge before travelling back to Durban.  

Later this evening, board your overnight return flight to the UK. 

Arrive back home at the end of a memorable safari escape.