After a quick 1 hour flight from Johannesburg, we arrived in Hoedspruit, a very tiny airport. We were greeted and escorted to Kruger National Park to our lodge/tent, Tanda Tula (translates to Quiet Love). The lodge and tent is beautiful and the food is incredible. The food is all curated by a chef, and the staff here is amazing. The staff alternates living on site and living in their local villages every few weeks. Since they have lived locally their whole lives their perspectives really enriches the experience.

The lodge is open and surrounded by animals; giraffes, impalas (like a deer), monkeys to name a few! They all roam freely around the property. We were told that the night before our arrival an impala ran into the lodge pavilion and was chased/killed by a hyena.

We zip our tents and lock them with a clip so that monkeys can’t open them and so that other animals can’t get in. We were given a walkie-talkie incase an animal like a monkey somehow gets in, and an air horn incase of a lion in our tent.

Our shower is connected to our tent, but is outside. Sometimes monkeys perch themselves on the roof of the tent while you’re in the shower. Needless to say, mom is freaked out by the shower.