The best family trip we have ever taken ...

We had a wonderful time in SA. I think it may have been the best family trip we have ever taken! We found nThambo and Arathusa to be very different properties and we loved both of them for different reasons.

nThambo is quite rustic and has a colonial-in-the-bush feel about it. All your meals are taken together around one table and you get to know the others quite well. It feels like one big family, a very intimate experience. Very "authentic" and not resort-y if that makes sense.

The jeep used for the drives is very raked so each row sees quite clearly above the next. Our guide was quietly-spoken Luan, who our son renamed "Google Bush", a fountain of information who could answer any and all questions in great detail. Our tracker Issack was brilliant! We were fortunate to see a great variety of game, including lions who were hunting (not just sleeping!) and two viewings of wild dogs. We saw four of the "big 5" at nThambo and were very satisfied with our game drives. The day before we arrived, they had seen a white lion and also lions mating. Overall, we really enjoyed the "in the bush", intimate feeling of nThambo.

The map for Arathusa is excellent although the distances are off a bit. The road from Acornhoek into Arathusa is also dirt and was very rough, so again a higher clearance vehicle would be best. We had a Mercedes sedan and really felt that an SUV would have been better for the drive.

Our rooms at Arathusa were the Wildbock and the Hippo. Apparently they are the newest luxury rooms and there were spectacular! The front of the room was a wall of floor to ceiling windows directly facing the water hole. Being right on the waterhole was amazing as there was a constant stream of animals. We had kudu and impalas right in front of our doors. At one point, there was a herd of 31 elephants at the hole. There are always hippos around as well.

The meals are served communally outdoors underneath a shelter but separate dining can be arranged.

Sean and Rifos were our ranger and tracker. Sean is outgoing and his enthusiasm is infectious! He has a particular interest in birds and made a point of finding out what we had viewed previously and combined that with the "wishlist" of others in the jeep to determine what to look for. A keen photographer, Sean always made sure that he positioned the jeep in the best possible way which was greatly appreciated! We saw the big 5 at Arathusa and had three leopard viewings, including mating. We also were lucky to have a good viewing of a cheetah.

Arathusa is definitely more luxurious in surroundings, with a lovely infinity pool and lots of common areas to sit and relax in. It feels much more like a "resort" than nThambo.

We loved our time at both places and are glad that we went to each of them. Of the two, I think Arathusa would appeal to most people and nThambo for the more adventurous and "flexible".

Madi, thanks so much for all your help, advice and patience in planning our trip.