Courtney B
To start off, booking the trip was done with ease and even offering help with recommendations of places in Johannesburg to stay and attractions.
We were collected and dropped off by George who was extremely friendly. The drive is quite long but is made easier with a few stop offs and a lunch break. On the way home you stop at Blyde river canyon which the view is breathtaking!
When we arrived at Tremisana we were greeted by Ed who showed us to our rooms and provided our itinerary for the rest of the day.
Shortly after arrival we got straight into the action with a game drive along with a bush bbq in the middle which was great (even a hyena joined us!). Highly recommend doing the bush walk as it’s very exhilarating seeing animals up close on foot! We enjoyed many other game drives in Balule game reserve to which we saw many animals up close, especially with the elephants!
We enjoyed two full days in Kruger which also provided so many great viewings with loads of animals. My favourite were seeing the wild dogs, two lions with two cubs and a huge herd of elephants cross the road right in front and behind our vehicle. I recommend binoculars as some animals can be further from the roads whereas others just walk across/ along the roads. The lunch stop is great at Kruger allowing time for some good food, drinks and shopping.
We also enjoyed the visiting the rehabilitation centre which was great to see some animals close up and very informative with the problems they face on a daily bases.
The lodges are basic but clean and comfortable which is all you need as after all you are in the bush! I enjoyed spending any spare time in the lapa area as just sitting there animals such as hyena, elephants and warthogs wondered past. My dad also thoroughly enjoyed a close encounter with the troublesome elephant that broke into the garden to enjoy the tree! The food choice is slightly limited but very tasty as it’s all fresh and home cooked.
The staff at Tremisana really go above and beyond to make your trip amazing and feel very welcome. The staff were always friendly and happy to help if you needed anything. The communication is exceptional by the staff providing your itinerary for that day or the next and is very well organised.
The guides are what make your holiday! All the guides we had were truly wonderful. They really try their hardest to give you amazing sightings as you cannot guarantee anything. All the guides were really passionate about the wildlife and you could see the enjoyment they experienced when they found animals for their guests to see. Each guide we had made our trip amazing and each of them have such great personalities which really make the drives so fun. Big thanks to them all Ray, Nadine, Victor, Luke, Lucky, KG and Andries.
We didn’t want to leave as this trip has given us many magical moments so much so, that we are already talking about how soon we can come back!
Thank you Viva Safaris!
