Things to do in South Africa

Intimate and private safaris at Little Garonga

Food is an integral part of our safari experience from hearty breakfasts, indulgent afternoon teas and evening dishes of traditional cuisine…

By Bernie Smith

Owner Garonga Safari Company

Ten years after opening Garonga Safari Camp, I built Little Garonga in 2007 to create an intimate safari lodge for families or friends travelling together.

Little Garonga has just three thatched air-conditioned suites all with Wi-Fi. The Hambleden Suite is the largest, with two bedrooms and a lounge area leading out onto the deck where there is a swimming pool. The bathtub is made of hand-beaten copper and is a central feature of the spacious bathroom. The Chiltern and Buckingham Suites each have one bedroom and all suites have both indoor and outdoor showers. The suites are positioned to maximise the views of the bush and I’ve kept the style to blend in with the natural landscape outside but retaining luxurious features inside including a mini bar and a cosy fireplace.

Food is an integral part of our safari experience from hearty breakfasts, indulgent afternoon teas and evening dishes of traditional and international cuisine created by our team of chefs led by Reineth and Venecia.

As well as our game drives we offer guided bush walks or guests may prefer to relax on their deck in the hammock looking out for wildlife that often comes through the camp.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Cape Town, Safari and Mozambique Beach
by Adele Jones

Length13 Days

Price range£5,095 - £5,375pp

Alfred & Bernie Smith

Bernie Smith developed his love for safari on a trip to East Africa with his parents in 1977. He decided to move from England to find a wildlife area that he could develop for eco-tourism. In 1997 he opened Garonga Safari Camp in the Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve and Little Garonga Safari Lodge followed in 2007. Bernie is the vision behind Garonga’s philosophy of ‘safari for the soul’.

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.

Laura Preston

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Having travelled extensively through Africa, Laura has a wealth of experience. She is passionate about Tanzania’s diversity from the quiet wilds of Ruaha that feel completely private to the silvery sands of Zanzibar and Stone Town’s spice-laced streets. In South Africa, she sought out the best views over Table Mountain, cocktail in hand, as well as the lesser-visited Kruger conservancies for more exclusive safaris. But her favourite place in the world has to be the Serengeti for its wide-open plains and incredible game that epitomise that feeling of Africa.
Wayne Howarth

Head Safari Guide at Kariega Game Reserve

Wayne loves being outdoors and has spent most of his life between the family farm and working on Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape. He has been guiding at Kariega for 12 years. His qualifications include Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2, Advance Rifle Handling, Skippers Licence Category R and first aid. One of his career highlights was becoming a finalist in the 2021 Safari Guide of the Year competition.
Rupesh Kassen

Founder and guide of Eat Like A Local

Rupesh Kassen abandoned his decade-long career in banking to move to East Africa, where he trained and worked as a chef. He later became immersed in South Africa’s food scene and worked as a food critic before setting up Eat Like A Local in Cape Town. Rupesh now offers guided food tours to showcase the city and its diverse culture and history through food.
Fundi Ziqubu

Sommelier

Fundi was born in Durban and fell in love with wine when it was introduced to her by a few Capetonian friends. On discovering her passion she got the chance to study wine with the department of tourism in collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy. Being appointed sommelier at Lanzerac was a career highlight and in 2019 Fundi was named most up-and-coming wine steward by the Distell Inter-Hotel challenge.
Ntobeko Ntshingila

Duty Manager at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Ntobeko has been part of the Three Trees family for 13 years and describes it as a lovely journey with lots of room for growth and experience. She has her own family, including a daughter of 18, and a son, aged three. She lives in a nearby village with her parents, four siblings and three nephews. When not spending time with her family she manages her broiler chicken business, which brings her extra income.
Cheryl Blackburn

Owner and guide, Three Tree Hill Lodge

Being born in the Kruger National Park instilled in Cheryl a love of nature and wildlife. Having lived and worked as a guide in the Kruger reserve, and also in Botswana, she eventually got the opportunity to run her own lodge, with her growing family, in the lush KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg region. She still finds time to guide guests on foot, tracking white rhino in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Reserve.