A Few Photos from Another Trip To Phinda

A Few Photos from Another Trip To Phinda

I have written about Phinda Private Game Reserve extensively on my blog because it is one of my go to destinations in South Africa. The game viewing is excellent, the guiding is superb, and being an & Beyond property, the service is warm and friendly. Plus, the Fly me to Phinda Safari offer is one of the best deals and value for money – three nights at Mountain or Forest Lodges with airfare included. And if that is not enough, this is one of the best places in South Africa to view cheetah.

A highlight of our three days in the bush was waking up well before sunrise to make our way to the the top of the Lebombo Mountains. Unfortunately, only a few small rays of sun peaked through the cloud cover, but with a cup of coffee in hand and my parents by my side, it was one of my favorite moments. After we headed out for the remainder of our drive, we came across giraffe. One of the things I love about safari is seeing something I have not seen before and seeing two giraffe laying down was a first. Watching the giraffe awkwardly rock themselves to their feet was nothing short of amazing.

While we didn’t see every cheetah at Phinda, we did manage to see twelve different cheetahs over three days including a number of females with their young. The coalition of three males that I have seen on nearly every visit from subadults to newly found independence have been moved off of the reserve and it is a pity that I won’t see them again. Perhaps one of the things that I enjoy the most is coming back over time and seeing the cheetahs grow from small cubs and if they are lucky to full fledged adults.

One of my favorite parts about going on safari in early summer, is seeing all of the young animals sticking close to mum.

While its easy to spend all of your time searching for the big five, often the little overlooked things are the most interesting. Stop for the birds, insects, lizards, and trees.

Overall, it was a lovely three days in the bush.