Little 5 Camp

Sprawling Kruger National Park (45 minutes’ drive) is famed for its guided safaris with the possibility of seeing big cats, elephants and buffaloes, myriad birds and reptiles. Less well-known is Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (25 minutes), where you can learn about the rescue and subsequent release back into the wild of hundreds of animals including hyenas, antelopes, turtles and lizards as well as birds of prey. Book 24 hours in advance for a tour of Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (10 minutes) to encounter rare cheetahs, leopards and white rhinos (among other species) while hearing more about their conservation. Always wanted to get up close to elephants? Rise early (tours start at sunrise) to meet members of the Jabulani Herd at Elephant Moments (15 minutes) in Kapama Private Reserve. Explore further afield by driving the scenic Panorama Route to spectacular Blyde River Canyon (also known as Motlatse Canyon, 90 minutes), where you can spot natural formations such as The Pinnacles rock tower and Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the latter formed by several millennia of water erosion along the river bed.