Dagga Boys field notes

Straight answers for planning well.

Mike Lawrie and Michel Girardin answer the questions that sit between interest and a confident private-safari decision: money, trust, safety, health, wildlife, pace and group fit.

Large elephant bull moving through Greater Kruger bushveld 01

What a private safari really costs

The six-paying-guest basis, full-camp calculation and items that can move the final quote.

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Leopard partly concealed in thick green bush 02

How to book a safari without risking your money

What to verify in the quote, invoice, bank details, contract, cancellation schedule and insurance.

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White rhino standing in green bushveld 03

Is a Greater Kruger safari safe?

A calm look at wildlife, camp, road, crime and medical risk, with current US and UK travel advice.

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Hippos in a river beneath a gold safari sunset 04

Malaria and safari health in Greater Kruger

What to discuss with a clinician, how bite prevention fits and which practical details the camp must know.

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Male lion watching from tall grass 05

Will we see the Big Five?

No false promises: what guides can control, what wild animals decide and how time changes the search.

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Cheetahs gathered on an open plain 06

Private safari or shared lodge safari?

When control over vehicle, camp, pace and people earns its price—and when shared travel may be enough.

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Close view of a cheetah yawning 07

Five nights or seven nights in Greater Kruger?

Choose the stay length from travel rhythm, wildlife priorities and the role of the safari in the wider trip.

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Spotted hyenas resting together 08

Which Greater Kruger reserve fits your group?

A practical comparison of Sabi Sands, Timbavati, Klaserie, Manyeleti, Kruger and Olifants.

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Young elephants walking together 09

Can older or less-mobile travellers enjoy a safari?

The vehicle, room, bathroom, distance, drive-length and medical checks that create a truthful answer.

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Two lion cubs sitting in warm morning light 10

Is a private safari right for children?

Age rules, vehicle, rooms, food, sleep, pool safety and the needs of a mixed-age family.

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Pool deck and bush outlook at Tumbeta House 11

Tumbeta House at Djuma

A private three-bedroom safari home for six, with an underground wildlife hide and room to shape the stay around one small group.

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Pool deck at Walkers River Camp 12

Walkers River Camp

Rustic private-camp character for eight on the Klaserie River in the Timbavati.

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Light-filled guest room at Chimani Bush Camp 13

Chimani Bush Camp

Four rooms, strong shared spaces and a raised woodland outlook toward the Drakensberg.

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Nyala Camp beneath mature riverine trees 14

Nyala Camp Timbavati

A classic private safari camp for eight under large trees beside the seasonal Monwana River.

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