Celebrities love to escape to the bush once in a while. Here are five stars who rocked their safari trips:
SOMIZI MHLONGO AND MOHALE MOTAUNG-MHLONGO
Where: andBeyond Ngala Tented Camp, Ngala Private Game Reserve
Idols SA judge Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung and husband Mohale Motaung-Mhlongo enjoyed a bush adventure to andBeyond Ngala Tented Camp last year. Nestled between the dense riverine forest and the sandy bed of the Timbavati, in the unspoiled Ngala Private Game Reserve, the treehouse boasts four levels.
“We should have stayed here from the beginning, from the onset. Oh my gosh. This is amazing,” he said during a tour of the treehouse on Instagram in September last year.
MIHLALI NDAMASE
Where: Simbambili Game Lodge, Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Award-winning content creator Mihlali Ndamase enjoyed a bush break at Simbambili Game Lodge at the Sabi Sand Game Reserve last year. The spacious suites at the property face the riverbed and woodlands, each with its private plunge pool, sala bed on the deck and a free-standing bath. During her stay, the influencer enjoyed spa treatments and game drives where she saw elephants, rhinos and lions.
UNATHI NKAYI
Where: Umfolozi Big Five Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal
TV personality and singer Unathi Nkayi enjoyed a glamourous safari experience at Umfolozi Big Five Game Reserve in KwaZulu- Natal in May 2019.
The bubbly TV personality got to experience both Mthembu and Biyela lodges and managed to enjoy a massage in between all the game drives.
During the game drive, Nkayi got to see three of the Big 5: the white rhino, buffalo and elephant. The other two Big Cats were in hiding.
On her experience, she said: “Umfolozi Big Five Game Reserve is very different from many game reserves I visited before. Most of them feel like the animals have been placed on the property for human enjoyment. At Umfolozi, this is not the case. I truly felt immersed in Mother Nature. Being on the edge of the wilderness was breathtaking.
“From the sunset drives, drinks on the river embankment to watching a rare sunrise, the wilderness and its animals were a wonder to experience,” she said.
BONANG MATHEBA
Where: Lion Sands River Lodge, Kruger National Park
TV personality Bonang Matheba and cousin Tebogo “Pinky Girl” Mekgwe took a luxurious safari to Lion Sands River Lodge at Kruger National Park last year. The pair relished the game drive views, indulged in sundowners and even saw a pod of hippos lazing in the river.
HILARY DUFF
Where: Kruger National Park
Younger star Hilary Duff and her singer-songwriter husband Matthew Koma spent their honeymoon in South Africa and Mozambique in late December 2019 and early January 2020.
The pair shared a series of images and videos of their Kruger National Park safari on Instagram. The highlights of their bush escape included a view of 30 elephants from their villa, observing a leopard up close and encountering a hyena during a nighttime safari drive.
“Honeymooning with my honey. Already seen the big 5 and had so many naps. Doesn’t get better than this...(sic),” she said.
Read our March 2021 issue of IOL Travel digital magazine here.