Africa, South Africa: A Father-Daughter Adventure

Last updated: October 30, 2023

Who would have ever believed I’d go to AFRICA? Not this small town girl! However, when my dad won a bid at an auction for an all expense paid African Safari for two (which I may or may have not been sitting right next to him promising to pay half), I had to tag along.

We found a direct flight from Atlanta, Georgia (ATL) to mega city Johannesburg, South Africa (JNB). The flight was a little over 15 hours. I got a full nights sleep, caught up on The Handmaidens Tale and took several online photography classes.

We arrived pretty late and our guide from Mafutas Safari met us and drove us to their property in Heidlelberg, where we stayed for the duration of our trip.

Mafuta’s (Heidlelberg, South Africa)

Mafata’s offered us a place to stay and meals each day. Our accommodations included huts of course! These huts became our homes for the next week and was more than I could have imagined a hut to be. My favorite feature was the outdoor shower and hearing the lions roar at night. Really! This was amazing experience that I’m so grateful to have had!

There was so many animals on the property, but this beauty was one of favorites standing just outside my hut one day.

My dads childhood friend and his granddaughter also joined us. Here we are on the first morning ready to safari our little hearts out!

We took three days to explore the property where we stayed using Safari trucks. What a treat to see packs of wild animals run next to the trucks. I love the warthogs running across the road with their tails straight up in the air with their babies following right behind. Seriously, so cute.

Now, my dad is a hunter. This will not change. He’s always wanted to go on a hunt in Africa and I knew going with him that the only thing I would be shooting was my camera. I went with him to the blinds for the first couple of days and was thrilled to be able to see and capture so many animals that I normally don’t have the opportunity to see.

The property had plenty of wildlife and I really enjoyed seeing these animals up close and personal.

Lion & Safari Park (Broederstroom)

After I got my fill of sitting in the blind each day watching animals, I branched out to some popular places including The Lion and Safari Park in Broederstroom which turned out to be by far my favorite thing I did while in Africa. I took a guided tour and was able to get up close and personal with giraffes and lions. This was pretty cool!

Elephant Sanctuary (Hazyview, South Africa)

Hazyview Elephant Sanctuary has African elephants and offers an interactive elephant experience. I enjoyed this so much as I have always been intrigued with these gentle giants and their human like behaviors with other elephants. They offer different programs and had I had an entire day, I would have certainly taken advantage of their full day interactions. This was a beautiful experience though and I would do it again.

There were several monkeys hanging around and living their best life, as monkeys tend to do. We can all probably learn a thing or two from these carefree and active little guys. Our guide had to sit in his car to eat lunch due to an overly curious little fellow.

Kruger National Park (Skukuza, South Africa)

Kruger National Park is a drive thru park (similar to Yellowstone) and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of almost FIVE MILLION (!) acres in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa’s first national park in 1926. There are nine main entrances to this massive park.

We entered through Kruger Gate and while we only had a few hours, that was all it took to have a front row seat to so many of Africa’s animals. I have never seen a zebra in person and was really impressed with how unique they are.

The Shoe

The Shoe is the official art gallery of artist, owner and builder of the shoe, Ron Van Zyl. The Shoe is where the story of the Old Lady comes to life. It contains the furniture of the ‘Old Lady’ which includes things like her bed, dressing table, kitchen with fire place and her baby cradles. All these furniture items were created and built Ron.

The Shoe also contains a small museum featuring the history of the Ohrigstad Valley. These museum pieces were dug out of a shallow cave on the property. Skeletons of animals, artifacts from the Iron period as well as a whole scull of a Bapedi boy is on display. You can read about the history of Malaria as well as the history of tobacco and more about the Ancient Bapedi Initiation process.

Ron carves indigenous hard woods and sell’s them here at The Shoe. For a small entrance fee, you can visit during normal business hours.

Croc and Lion Ranch (Metsimahalo, South Africa)

The Croc and Lion Ranch was a little run down, but interesting nonetheless. There were plenty of crocodiles and the lions seemed tame and relaxed.

Deneysville, South Africa

Deneysville, situated on the Free State side of the Vaal River, is the largest town on the Vaal Dam. Four yacht clubs hold regular sailing races on weekends. Two of the most known races are Keel Boat Week held at Deneysville Aquatic Club and Round The Island Yacht Race which is held at Lake Deneys Yacht Club.

The dam has its own island that measures about 3 miles long. The island was used as a secret meeting place by the apartheid government but now hosts the annual Round the Island Yacht race, a Guinness Book of World Records title of the largest inland yacht race.

In the early 1950a, a castle was built by an Englishman, Lord Sumner. He fell in love with the area, the vast body of water of the Vaal dam and the rich history of Deneysville. The owner of the castle passed away in October 2013 and the executors are in control of the property. Nobody knows what the future has in store for what is certainly a landmark in Deneysville.

Because of the strong flowing of the Vaal River and its once teeming wild life, what is now called Deneysville attracted a variety of indigenous and transient people over a wide time span. The ruins of the town were discovered and are now referred to as the Stone Age Ruins.

Heidelberg, South Africa

The town of Heidelberg had a beautiful church and an abandoned jail I thought was photo worthy.

Pilgrims Rest (Mpumalomga, South Africa)

Pilgrim’s Rest is a small museum town in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa which is protected as a provincial heritage site. In 1873, gold was discovered in the area which attracted a rush of folks who flooded the area hoping to get rich quick. In the 1970s the town, not greatly changed, became a tourist destination.

The African Sky

I want to call out the African sunsets and night sky was stop-you-in-your-tracks beautiful. I had our guide pull over on the side of the road so I could capture the sunset.

While I can still barely believe it, I can now say that I have officially been on a legit African Safari in the actual continent of Africa. I’m so blessed to have been able to take this incredible trip with my dad and have plans to go back to Africa one day to explore it in a different way. Of course, you know I’ll tell you all about it.

Have you been to Africa? I would love to know about your experience!