Klaserie | RAW Photographic

KLASERIE PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE

GREATER KRUGER, SOUTH AFRICA

Seasonal Info

April - May: Autumn, beginning to cool down and the rains beginning to stop
June - August: Winter, dry and cold mornings and evenings but warm during day
September: Spring, beginning to warm up
October - March: Very hot and plenty of rain

Expect To See

Great diversity of wildlife from predators and antelopes to birds and insects
Big five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo) + much more including wild dog and possible cheetah
Off road capabilities for Big Five sightings
Raptors such as vultures and eagles
Clear night skies in winter is a great time to see the Milky Way

Area Highlights

Open to the iconic Kruger National Park
Private reserve meaning more animals but less people
Opportunities for Big Five + wild dog and cheetah
Off road capabilities for Big Five sightings
Fantastic bird life
Great all year round

About Klaserie

In 1969, 36 farm owners merged their land to unite and form the 60,000-hectare tract of wilderness now known as the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. With the conservation of the natural fauna and flora in mind, the move to join together was with the intention of preserving the integrity of this majestic portion of the South African Lowveld.

Now, over 50 years since that momentous year, the KPNR is an extension of the Kruger National Park and the transboundary Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area. It is part of a greater, free-flowing ecosystem that conserves biodiversity, protects endangered species, and supports the sustainable future of local communities. Staying at Klaserie, you’ll be treated to a real off-the-beaten-track safari. Far from the madding Kruger crowds, you’ll meet very few other vehicles when you set off through the bush in your open-topped jeep. This lends the game drives here a really epic, authentic feeling that no longer exists in many other reserves. The landscape of Klaserie is beautiful in its own right, with soft shades of bushwillow woodland rolling off into the horizon and the gentle gushing sound of the Klaserie River in the background. The wildlife viewing is second to none in Klaserie.

As well as the Big Five, the reserve is home to giraffe, zebra, warthog, spotted hyaena, baboon, hippo, impala, kudu, vervet monkey, waterbuck, wildebeest, bushbaby and mongoose! In addition, you may see wild dog, cheetah, bat-eared fox, honey badger, porcupine, aardvark, civet, caracal and serval. Up in the trees, all kinds of birds twitter into the twilight, making it a brilliant destination for birders.

Itinerary

DAY 1

The adventure starts at Eastgate airport in Hoedspruit, where you will be met at arrivals and by Sam and head straight for Klaserie. The drive is appproximately 1.5 hours, and the majority is spent inside the Greater Kruger region, meaning it’ll only be minutes before the potential for animal sightings. We aim to arrive at our lodge just after noon. Upon arrival you’ll be welcomed and have time to settle in before regrouping for our first afternoon safari. The game drive will see us exploring and being introduced to the reserve, and after a quick drink stop, will take us into the early evening where we’ll lookfor active predators and nocturnal wildlife. We’ll get back to camp around 19:30 to enjoy drinks before dinner shared with quality conversation.

DAY 2 - 6

Game drives start early in Africa. We’ll head out around sunrise to take advantage of first light and the ensuing morning golden hour. Our focus will be on finding the best photographic subjects and wildlife experiences we can get; from looking for the large herds of elephants, occasional birding and of course, keeping on the lookout for predators. Having a private vehicle means the world is our oyster and we’ll decide as a groupwhat’s the best focus for each game drive. We’ll get back to camp in the mid to late morning for a delicious breakfast and some time to relax. This is also the perfect time to work with Sam on your photography and editing skills. Alternatively this is also an ideal time to relax and recharge your own batteries and not just your camera.

Our second daily game drive will see us following up any sightings or information from previous drives - making sure that we stop at sunsets for the iconic sundowners experience. Dinner will follow as usual later in the evening upon return back to the lodge.

DAY 7

We’ll head out for our final game drive and exploration of Klaserie before returning back for breakfast. We aim to head out at about 10am so as to arrive back O.R. Tambo airport for mid afternoon, so it’s a good idea to pack the night before to save time and further enjoy your final hours at the lodge. After arriving back at the airport, we’ll say our goodbyes. * During the week, there will be the opportunity to take the scenic helicopter tour that’s specialised for aerial photography. This activity is weather dependant, so the exact time and day of this will be organised and confirmed nearer the time.