Wild South Africa by Private Jet
Take the ultimate "private travel bubble" journey where you'll participate in once-in-a-lifetime conservation experiences and unforgettable wildlife viewing. Enjoy stunning accommodations.
SPECIAL OFFER
9.0*
ECO SCORE
20
PASSENGERS
12
DAYS
3/5
ACTIVITY LEVEL
South Africa: Drink It In
Welcome Aboard the
Experience an unforgettable exclusive adventure, and travel with like-minded safari enthusiasts to discover the iconic wildlife and cultural wonders of South Africa. Soar over the Atlantic in a lavishly outfitted Crystal Skye aircraft which has been completely transformed to the highest standards of aviation design, featuring a team of Butlers and an Executive Chef preparing exceptional Michelin star-inspired cuisine. Exclusively yours, this extraordinary 8-night safari experience allows you to explore big-game wilderness areas and live out your iconic African experience at not one but two luxurious properties. Throughout your journey you will be guided by skilled, highly trained safari guides, wildlife photography experts, and food and wine aficionados who will ensure your every moment is a signature experience, each one further heightening your stay and enhancing your authentic safari adventure.
- • Travel with a fellow COVID-19 negative guests in complete privacy, with minimal interaction with staff and other travelers.
• Experience the romance and magic of Africa in the luxurious Ngala Treehouse, a remote overnight retreat that allows you to sleep on an elevated and safe platform, under a blanket of stars.
• This operator runs both Ngala and Phinda Private Reserves, and they're passionate about both conservation and high luxury. You'll feel their excitement!
Travel Curator’s Insights:
SPECIAL OFFER:
Rates:
Rate Provided Upon Request
This trip operates as a private, Covid-19-free travel bubble. Policies and protocols provided before you book.
Custom dates offered on request
Ask us for your preferred dates
Custom dates offered on request.
Ask us for your preferred dates
Departures:
Trip Sustainability Awards
Conservation
Has won multiple awards for conservation efforts, and partners with 7+ organizations globally.
Waste
740,000 plastic water bottles saved from use per year.
Community
Partnership with the Africa Foundation to facilitate positive empowerment and development of local inhabitants.
Itinerary
Days 1-3: Pre-departure
Each guest that intends to board the private jet will need a compulsory COVID-19 test to be taken while staying in a 2-day quarantine at a predetermined hotel with the rest of the group. After your results are received, board the private jet to Africa, and head straight for Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA), a smaller, and far less crowded International airport, where all your VIP needs will be taken care of.
Accommodation: TBD based on customization
Day 4: Africa Welcomes You
Upon arrival in South Africa, groups will be divided. The first group will board a charter flight to Ngala Private Game Reserve, while the other heads for Phinda Private Game Reserve. Depart from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) and head straight to the Phinda Airstrip. (The Ngala group will do this itinerary in reverse.) Upon arrival you will be welcomed by your guide and driven to Phinda Mountain Lodge. You will be welcomed with traditional Zulu dancing and singing plus refreshing signature cocktails.
After settling in, hop in an open safari vehicle for your afternoon game drive, in the company of your expert safari guide and local tracker who will do their best to ensure that all your safari wishes are met. In addition to the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo), is also home to an iconic set of wildlife and some of KwaZulu-Natal’s endemic species, which you won’t encounter anywhere else in South Africa.
Accommodation: Phinda Private Game Reserve
Phinda Private Game Reserve: Showcasing one of the continent’s finest game viewing experiences, Phinda is home to Africa’s Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), as well as 436 bird species. The reserve is particularly well known for close-up sightings of the elegant yet elusive cheetah, as well as the rare black rhino. With its seven distinct habitats, Phinda is often described as ‘Seven Worlds of Wonder’, a magnificent tapestry of woodland, grassland, wetland and forest, interspersed with mountain ranges, rivers, marshes and pans. Home to 1 000 hectares (2471 acres) of Africa’s remaining rare dry sand forest, the reserve is situated in close proximity to the unspoiled beaches and spectacular coral reefs of the Indian Ocean, offering an unmatched combination of bush and beach adventures.
Guests at Phinda experience interpretive game drives, in open 4×4 safari vehicles, led by professionally trained rangers and Zulu trackers, as well as a wide range of optional adventures in the bush and on the beach. Phinda is home to six magnificent lodges, each with its own individual charm and character: Mountain Lodge, Rock Lodge, Forest Lodge, Vlei Lodge, Zuka Lodge and Phinda Homestead.
Day 5: All Things Wild
Enjoy your morning game drive. You will also be spoilt for choice at the range of awe-inspiring landscapes. Venture through the seven distinct ecosystems of Phinda Private Game Reserve, often referred to as Seven Worlds of Wonder. This fascinating variety of landscape and vegetation shelters an abundance of wildlife, including rarer and less easily spotted species such as the elusive cheetah or the scarce black rhino. After your safari, chat to your guide about taking a nature walk. This afternoon you will be given an informative session on the numerous research programs at Phinda that record valuable data concerning animal species.
Accommodation: Phinda Private Game Reserve
Day 6: Rare Wildlife Experiences
Today, you will embark on one of two once-in-a-lifetime conservation experiences. Beginning with our ground-breaking conservation achievements during the original restocking of Phinda Private Game Reserve, we have continued to take part in a number of conservation successes. To fund many of the projects that help us to continue our conservation of Phinda’s endangered species, guests are invited to join us in the routine monitoring or research projects that are essential to the survival of the reserves’ species’. Get up close and personal on a rhino notching or de-horning experience or partake in a pangolin conservation activity with our specialist conservation teams as they locate the pangolin and set about the replacement of expired tag(s).
Accommodation: Phinda Private Game Reserve
Day 7: Under the African Sky
Enjoy another fine day traversing Phinda Private Game Reserve‘s seven distinct habitats for exclusive game viewing. Try and spot the elusive leopard or suni antelope while exploring the rare sand forest. If you enjoy birding, set out in search of the nearly-440 bird species that inhabit Phinda’s diverse habitats. After a hearty breakfast, why not take a dip in your private plunge pool, spoil yourself with a massage, or unwind in the gym. This evening, enjoy a dazzling evening under the stars with a delicious dinner out in the bush, accompanied by a 5-piece Marimba Band.
Accommodation: Phinda Private Game Reserve
Days 8-9: Arrive in the Kruger National Park
After breakfast, your guide will drive you to the airstrip and wave you off on your charter flight to Ngala Private Game Reserve. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by your guide and driven to the magnificent Ngala Safari Lodge for check-in. Spend the next few days exploring the wilderness with a skilled guide, tracking wildlife on unforgettable game drives and night safaris while seeking out nocturnal creatures. Ngala shares an unfenced boundary with the Kruger National Park, South Africa’s largest and most iconic wildlife sanctuary, so a spectacular diversity of wildlife moves through this immense wilderness, including breeding herds of elephant, leopard, spotted hyena, giraffe, large buffalo herds and white rhino.
Accommodation: Ngala Private Game Reserve
Ngala Private Game Reserve: A spectacular diversity of wildlife moves through this immense wilderness, including breeding herds of elephant, leopard, spotted hyena, giraffe, large buffalo herds and white rhino. With its name meaning lion in the local language Shangaan, Ngala lives up to its promise, supporting several large prides of these powerful cats. African wild dog can also be spotted moving through the reserve.
Ngala was the first private game reserve to be incorporated into the Kruger National Park and has exclusive traversing rights over 14 700 hectares (36324 acres) of game-rich wilderness. The reserve offers an intimate African wildlife experience, with game drives led by expert ranger and tracker teams. Sensitive off-roading practices allow close-up game sightings while walking safaris and bush walks are also offered. In one of Africa’s most innovative conservation partnership agreements, the annual lease, traversing fees and a percentage of Ngala’s profits are paid to the National Parks Trust to further conservation projects throughout South Africa.
Ngala is home to two beautiful lodges, the intimate 9 roomed Ngala Tented Camp, and the larger classic themed Ngala Safari Lodge, ideal for families.
Days 10-11: A Chorus in the Wild
Enjoy a delicious bush breakfast in the heart of the wild and set off on a Kruger game drive in search of the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) as well as an array of other fascinating creatures such as wild dog, hippo, cheetah and a plethora of bird species. With its name meaning ‘lion’ in the local Shangaan language, Ngala lives up to its promise, supporting several large prides of these powerful cats, including some of the world’s last remaining rare white lions. African wild dog can also be spotted moving through the reserve. Whilst sipping a cocktail watching the sun go down, learn more about the incredible projects that the Africa Foundation is facilitating in the communities surrounding Ngala Private Game Reserve. During dinner, be spoilt with a vibrant African farewell by an African Choir, in the hopes that one day you will return to beautiful Africa.
Accommodation: Ngala Private Game Reserve
Day 12: Bid a Fond Farewell
Your journey with us comes to an end. You will be driven by your guide from Ngala Safari Lodge, along with other guests to Ngala Airstrip, where you will wave fond farewells to all you leave behind and head off on your charter flight back to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, where you will board your private jet straight back home.
Private Jet: Boeing 777-200LR*
Take flight on a luxurious Boeing 777-200LR and explore the world from above whilst being wined and dined. Travel to South Africa and back again on the world’s newest, largest and most spacious luxury jet and enjoy exclusive access to bucket list destinations and safari havens.
• Highest standards of aviation design
• Handcrafted, fully reclining flatbed seats
• Unmatched space with widest in-cabin configuration
• Dedicated stand-up bar and social lounge
• Butlers and an Executive Chef
• State-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system
• Maximum 66 guests (all COVID-19 tested)
Children: As of November 2019 children travelling on passports of visa-exempt countries will only require a valid passport to enter/exit South African ports of entry (birth certificates will no longer be a requirement for them), as long as they are accompanied by an adult.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Life On Board
Deck Plan
Click to enlarge
Questions?
Rates
Questions?
Whether you're looking for Covid-19 peace of mind or a fantastic 5-star safari with conservation at its heart, this extraordinary program will outshine most others in safety and quality.
Joy Martinello, Founder
Questions?
What’s Included & Cancellation Policy:
WHAT'S INCLUDED
All nights of accommodation mentioned in the program; Transportation in the best available vehicles; Tours as mentioned in the program; with English speaking local guides; Meals as indicated in the program; Taxes included, where applicable. Air as determined during customization.
NOT INCLUDED
Items of personal nature like laundry, phone calls, etc.; Any video/still camera fee during the trip; Gratuities; Drinks; Excess baggage; Travel Insurance (recommended); Visa or reciprocity fee expenses.
