Some of the most valuable safari insights come from time spent in the field. This section brings together real sightings, guide experiences, and guest stories that reflect what a safari is actually like day to day.
From unexpected wildlife encounters to memorable moments on safari, these stories provide context, realism, and a better sense of what you can expect beyond the brochure.
Adele and John Owen from Wales are about to return to the Kruger National Park for their 14th safari. We sat down with them to find out what keeps drawing them back, what they've learned over the years, and what they wish every first-time safari-goer knew before arriving.
Thinking of trading snow for sundowners this Christmas? Kruger National Park in December is a vibrant, sun-kissed wonderland, lush green, alive with newborn wildlife, festive bird song, and safari magic. Here's why a Christmas safari with Wild Wings could be the most unforgettable holiday you've ever imagined.
What started as an anniversary celebration quickly turned into one of those rare trips that stays with you — not just for the moments we planned, but for the ones that caught us by surprise. Victoria Falls and Hwange made the perfect pair: iconic sights, unforgettable wildlife encounters, and just enough adventure to feel like we'd stepped off the beaten track.
What started as a small, heartfelt dream has become two decades of life-changing travel, expert-guided safaris, and enduring friendships — with our guests and with each other. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary with a team trip to Victoria Falls and Hwange, we reflect on the wild ride — the triumphs, the challenges, and the thousands of safari memories we've helped create. Join us as we look back on our journey of deep passion, unwavering purpose, and a love for Africa's wildest places, and raise a toast to the adventures still to come.
Wild Wings Safaris guide Simon Vegter travelled to Laikipia Wilderness Camp in May 2023, seeking the legendary black leopard, Giza Mrembo—Swahili for "the beautiful darkness." This rare melanistic leopard, moving like a shadow through Kenya's acacia-dotted landscape, has captivated wildlife enthusiasts worldwide.
With their stunning rosette-patterned coats, leopards are among the most captivating predators in the wild and spotting one of these elusive felines with her cub in the vast expanse of South Africa's Kruger National Park is a rare and exhilarating experience.
Spending time in the bush, watching animals in the wild and engaging with our guests are what make safaris memorable. But sometimes, it takes a hilarious question from a guest to make a safari truly unforgettable. Following on our "20 Funniest Guest Questions on Safari" blog post, here are some more hilarious safari guest questions.
Wildlife highlights from our Kruger safaris in August 2022 included a female cheetah with a missing tail, a honey badger and Casper, the famous White Lion of Kruger. We spent time at a dam watching elephants play in the water and came across another cheetah stuck in a tree. We saw African wild dog pups explore their surroundings after leaving their den for the first time and a whole lot more...
July 2022 brought us some incredible predator sightings. We saw African wild dogs take down an impala only to have a clan of hyenas move in and steal the kill. We encountered a lioness "sharing" a kill with hyenas and a jackal until a male lion arrived and claimed the kill for himself. Other wildlife highlights from our Kruger safaris in July include rhinos, leopards, painted wolf pups, buffalos and a hilarious encounter with elephants who decided to give us a mud bath.
Warm and sunny days, cloudless skies, fantastic sunsets, beautiful sunrises and incredible wildlife sightings made easier by thinning foliage are just some of the reasons why safari enthusiasts flock to Kruger in winter. Highlights from our June 2022 Kruger safaris include skittish leopards, playful hippos, young giraffe bulls fighting, elephant calves nursing, a pair of African Fish-eagles and more.
The month of May ushers in the turning point in Kruger as the climate starts to transition into winter. The impending dry season brought pleasant daytime temperatures, chilly early mornings and outstanding wildlife sightings. Our May 2022 Kruger safaris wildlife highlights included playful elephant calves, lazy lions, the elusive African wild cat, the shy civet and a number of raptors like the African Fish-eagle, the African Harrier-hawk and the Martial Eagle.
April brings autumn to Kruger which means the vegetation in the park gradually begins to dry out and colours fade from green to shades of brown and yellow. With foliage thinning out, it became easier to spot game on our game drives. Elephants, rhinos, zebras, hyenas, leopards and lion cubs galore feature amongst our top April 2022 Kruger wildlife highlights. We also had the good fortune to spot a pair of hippos mating.
March marks the last of the summer months in Kruger and, while daytime temperatures dropped slightly, our guests were treated to fairly hot days, pleasant evenings and wildlife sightings second to none. The Big Five —lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant— made an appearance but it was the cheetah cub, African wild dog, bushbaby and bird sightings that took our game drives to the next level.
Our Kruger safaris in February 2022 brought us some incredible leopard sightings that will be difficult to top. We also encountered lion cubs, elephant calves, zebra foals, rhinos, buffalo and vervet monkeys. February is a great time to go on safari in Kruger because there aren't many tourists around and that means we get to have some wildlife sightings all to ourselves.
With its rich cultural heritage, dramatic landscapes, beautiful beaches and spectacular wildlife, Africa is the perfect honeymoon destination. With each country offering something unique, how do you choose which one to visit? For their honeymoon, Billy and Jenny Peat chose to combine the best Africa has to offer — South Africa, Kenya and Zanzibar — on an epic 35-day romantic getaway. We caught up with them after their return to the UK.
What an incredible start to the New Year! January 2022 pulled out all the stops for us, and guests on our Kruger Park safaris were treated to some wonderful wildlife sightings. Leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs, lion cubs, African wild cats and one of the best sightings we've ever had of Casper, the wild white lion of Kruger.
December is the height of summer in Kruger with daytime temperatures soaring to well over 30° C (up to 90° F). A lot of the wildlife we spotted on our game drives seemed unperturbed by the hot weather, though. Zebra stallions put on quite a display play fighting and we also spotted boisterous elephant bulls engaged in a wrestling match. December also sees the return of migrant birds to Kruger.
Before we say goodbye to 2021, we'd like to take the opportunity to look back at some of the incredible wildlife sightings we were privileged to share with our safari guests on our game drives and reflect on their experience of what it was like to escape lockdown and go on safari. And those who watched from the sidelines, unable to travel but following us on social media for their daily update from the African bush? We're also looking at what your favourite 2021 posts were.
The cat's out of the bag! November really could be the best time of year to go on safari in Kruger. We've always loved how the bush comes alive after the first rains in November. Flowers bloom, leaves turn green and baby animals abound. Everything smells fresh and new and there's a feeling of anticipation in the air.
If you were one of the lucky ones who managed to escape the onset of autumn in the northern hemisphere for an October safari in South Africa's Kruger National Park this year, you would have enjoyed a daily average of 8.8 hours of sunshine, temperatures well over 30°C and cheetah cubs, baby warthogs, rhino and elephant calves and leopard cubs sightings.
September is a fantastic time to go on a Kruger safari. It's the end of the dry season and just before the rainy season. The days are beautifully sunny and warm with temperatures ranging between 22°C and 30°C and there are wonderful wildlife sightings to be had. This year, we found a hyena den we returned to time and again, spotted a honey badger, witnessed a leopard making a kill and saw lions mating.
August is the month African wild dog pups make their first appearance after the winter denning season, but the chances of spotting pups are slim. This year, we discovered a den site and were able to spend a great deal of time watching the wild dog pups explore their surroundings. And August had even more surprises for us in store ...
A first-time Kruger safari overturned everything I thought I knew about wildlife, time, and people. From early morning stillness to unexpected human moments, this personal account explores how a guided safari reshaped my expectations. And what it taught me about travel, patience, and presence.
What does the South African version of a winter wonderland look like? For us, it's Kruger National Park in July. As the winter season wears on, more and more animals gather at rivers and waterholes to drink. Lion and hyena cubs, hippo, elephant, buffalo and rhino calves and a honey badger on a night raid count amongst our favourite sightings from our July 2021 Kruger safaris.
Why not chat to one of our safari experts who can answer all your questions and help you design your dream trip to Africa.
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