On safari with the Race Across the World's Stephen and Viv Redding

Nothing can prepare you for how mesmerising it is to see safari animals up close. On our two-week South African Safari Adventure with Saga, we saw a pride of lions feasting on a kill, cheetahs spraying their scent, and so much more – from fighting giraffes and thieving monkeys to an inquisitive baby elephant.

Our group of 11 travelled to four different animal reserves, staying in lodges for three nights at a time. At our first stop in the Waterberg region, in the northeast, our lodge was a tent. 

It wasn’t camping as you know it. This had a front porch, a four-poster bed and a decanter of sherry.

There were animals roaming around freely: you could be in the bath and a giraffe would stroll past the mesh window. There were lions on a neighbouring compound and we could hear them at night, roaring and panting. In the evening, we were escorted back to our tent, in case of close encounters.

Wherever we stayed we were surrounded by animals. Our favourite was our thatched hut with a beamed ceiling at Makalali Game Reserve in Limpopo province. Every night, we were left a bookmark with a short bedtime story. These were allegories, such as How the Leopard got his Spots or Why the Cheetah Cheats so Much. We’d read them, giggle, then fall fast asleep, ready for an early start.

A typical day began at 4.30am, with coffee and a rusk biscuit. At 5.30am, we’d head out for three hours in the jeep, as animals are most active around sunrise and sunset.

We’d be back in time for breakfast at 9am, spending the day relaxing by the pool before returning to the bush from 4.30pm until 7pm. The jeep would stop so we could watch the sun set, drinking Amarula – a creamy, fruity South African liqueur.

The game drives were the best part, of course. At the first reserve, we were cruising along when we heard cracking and snapping – the sound of elephants coming our way, flattening trees in their wake. They were even more enormous than we expected: you think a nine-seater jeep’s robust, but an elephant could toss it like a matchstick. The herd appeared and a couple of zebras started bothering them. In response, all six elephants formed a line and the leader trumpeted.

Our guide told us that was a rare sight. We were amazed at his knowledge: you could ask him anything, about a flower or a beetle, the termite’s lifecycle or the gestation period of a tortoise, and he would know it.

We had many more unforgettable animal encounters. When a crocodile emerged from the water it was remarkable to watch three birds stick out their wings to shield their eggs.

We even witnessed a pair of giraffes duelling, swinging their necks at each other. A fight can last for hours, so we left them to it.

Another time, our jeep was parked on the road and a lion flumped in front of us, while his brother settled down behind. We were in a lion sandwich. They were so close we could have stroked them – we didn’t, obviously, as we were scared stiff.

The driver carefully manoeuvred the jeep off-road so we could move on without disturbing them. The drivers were incredibly skilled; they knew how close we could get to each animal safely.

For instance, black rhino are prone to charging, so we could only see these bad-tempered vegetarians from a distance. 

Our own diet became varied. We ate things we never thought we’d try: ostrich, kudu, impala casserole. But there were also more familiar products, such as HP Sauce. At two of the reserves, monkeys would nick food from the lunch buffet.

Once, we got up to leave the table and a monkey with her tiny baby – who had a head the size of a ping-pong ball – took the chance to pounce on the fruit bowl. One reserve had a staff member waiting on standby to keep them at bay.

We saw more of South Africa on the coach journeys between reserves: avocado and mango farms, orchards, and coal and diamond mines. Near the end, we travelled along the lush green Panorama Route, pausing at beauty spots such as God’s Window, a breathtaking lookout point.

Our final stop was Kruger National Park. There are leopards there, but we didn’t manage to see them; this was the only animal from the Big Five that we missed (we ticked off the lion, rhinoceros, elephant and African buffalo). With 19,485 sq km to scour, it’s like looking for eight leopards in the whole of Wales. But we saw hyena and tons of elephants.

In Kruger, elephants aren’t put on contraceptives like they are on other reserves (to preserve the landscape so every tree isn’t squashed).

In a magical moment, we came across a day-old baby with a stumpy trunk, who bounded over to the jeep.

Then, on our way to the airport – just when we thought the safari was over – we stopped at a motorway service station to find a herd of rhino grazing at the back. It was the trip of a lifetime, and we have hundreds of amazing photos to relive it all.