Mbizi Game Lodge and Spa

There’s some top game viewing to be had around the lodge, but as wild creatures can’t be summoned at will, sightings can never be guaranteed. If you're impatient or unlucky, all is not lost – you can still see toothy residents at Thaba Kwena crocodile farm (half an hour’s drive) and meet monkeys and big cats at Mystic Monkeys and Feathers Wildlife Park, an hour away. To get even closer to big beasts, aim for Adventures with Elephants (25 minutes away), an ethical elephant park where you can meet, feed and ride the gentle giants, and watch the mayhem that often ensues as they take their daily bath. Leaving the animals to it for a while, there’s plenty of other activities nearby to fill your days with. Golfers may like to wield a club on the world-class course at Koro Creek Bushveld Golf Estate (40 minutes' drive), and there's a whole heap of family-friendly frolics to be had at Warmbaths resort (15 minutes), including a waterpark, archery, cable waterskiing and quad biking.