After a refreshing night’s sleep we are woken up early by the alarm clock. Even though it is still pitch dark and the cold morning air surrounds us, we enthusiastically prepare ourselves for the morning safari. For me this is always one of the highlights of the day during such a trip. There’s nothing like waking up in the middle of nature during a peaceful morning ride in the open air. Thanks to preparing our bag the night before, we can leave quickly and sleep a little longer. We save showering for after our ultimate honeymoon safari adventures.
You wouldn’t expect it amid the nighttime silence in nature, but the lobby is already lively with guests drinking coffee. Everyone is buzzing with excitement for the upcoming ride. What are we going to see today? While we enjoy our coffee, we meet our guide. She shares her working method with us, explains the rules and informs us that our adventurous tour will last approximately three hours, depending on what we encounter along the way.
On safari at dawn
Together with three other travellers we climbed aboard the jeep and set off on an adventure. Everyone has their own comfortable seat. The wide availability of vehicles at The Outpost Lodge allows them to optimally spread out guests, providing a much more enjoyable experience. We slowly cut through the darkness, because it is still dark when we leave. Every now and then we catch a glimpse of glowing eyes in the glow of the headlights – a pair of curious antelopes. As the morning progresses, we feel the cold of the early hours brushing past us. Luckily we have blankets within reach to keep us warm. We relax and let ourselves be carried away through the landscape, while unnoticed the first rays of sunshine fill the sky with the most beautiful colors.
Bush coffee and a home-made rusk
Although we enjoy driving through the park, the animals are not yet very active. It seems that they too are cold in the early morning. Fortunately, this quickly changes once the sun fully rises and it soon starts to get pleasantly warm. After a while it’s time for a well-deserved coffee break. There is nothing more wonderful than starting the day this way. We dip our homemade rusk into our bush coffee and enjoy the spectacle of a family of hippos taking a bath.
Rusk: Many South African households have a tin full of delicious boerebesk roe. These traditional treats are made with flour, sugar and flour and can be enjoyed as a snack at any time of the day. But the highlight is dipping them in your coffee for a tasty experience.
Family elephant
When we resume our tour, we quickly realize that the rest of the world is waking up too. We are greeted by an impressive encounter with a large herd of elephants. They quietly cross the road behind our car, and it seems as if the procession is endless. We take some time to stop, look, take photos and listen to the fascinating information about elephants that our guide shares with us.
Of course we see many other animals, especially many beautiful birds, before we imagine our way back to The Outpost Lodge where a delicious breakfast awaits us.
Massage, swimming and enjoyment
After a fun morning of wild animal encounters, we return to The Outpost Lodge for a delicious breakfast. But the adventures are not over yet. We have booked a wonderful massage, where we will be pampered for an hour while listening to the serene sounds of the wilderness. Our bed is beautifully decorated, a loving gesture from the staff in honor of our honeymoon.
The rest of the day we relax, leaf through a good book, take a refreshing dip in the pool and get ready for the next adventure. The safari jeep is ready to take us on a new exciting adventure at the end of the day.
Toasting at the top of the mountain
Today we explore a new route, through a vast landscape with low vegetation and bumpy roads. It is a steep climb to the top, but the changing light of the sunset makes every meter worth it. As we are led to the viewpoint by our guide, we discover a fresh leopard paw print, adding to the excitement and adventure of the trek. After the area has been declared safe, we enjoy beautiful views of the river while sharing homemade snacks and refreshing drinks. The highlight of the experience? A mischievous elephant mouse who enjoys our snacks.
Back on the way to the lodge, we are treated to an impressive sight: the majestic silhouettes of the large baobab trees silhouetted against the colourful evening sky.
Upon return, we are welcomed again with a delicious dinner, after which we go to bed early in anticipation of a new day full of adventure during our honeymoon in South Africa.
Read more about our honeymoon safari adventures at The Outpost Lodge.
