South Africa | 27 September – 6 October 2027
Connecting with Wild Ones with Nicole Birkholzer
Spend ten days settling into the rhythm of the African bush, where mornings begin before sunrise and curiosity becomes your guide.
This is a journey through three very different corners of Limpopo’s Greater Kruger region -walking safaris in the heart of true wilderness, a comfortable town retreat around Hoedspruit town, and an exclusive-use tented camp in the famous Timbavati game reserve.
Leave the familiar behind for a little while and settle into the rhythm of another world.
Spend enough time in a world that exists beautifully without human interference… and something unexpected starts to happen. You begin to participate in that space, and along the way, it quietly reshapes the way you experience yourself.
A message from Nicole:
“We’ll spend our days quietly sharing time and space with wild animals in their everyday lives. Together, we’ll settle in, attune to the rhythm of their world, and discover what unfolds.
Then, between our time in the bush, we’ll gather around the moments that stayed with us. We’ll compare what each of us noticed and watch how the picture becomes richer as our observations come together”.
Each of us notices something different. That’s the beauty of exploring together.
This is not a checklist safari. It is an invitation to sit in quiet presence alongside giraffes, lions, rhinos, elephants, and countless other wild animals, exactly as they are.
27 September – 6 October 2027
10 days / 9 nights
For nearly 30 years, Nicole has helped people connect and communicate with the animals in their lives – work rooted in deep listening, presence, and trust. Then Africa happened.
Watching wild animals in their natural habitat changed the way she observes – and deepened her understanding of the domestic animals she has worked with for decades.
Throughout the journey, Nicole holds a warm, grounded space for the group, weaving moments of reflection and connection into the safari days without ever pulling focus from the wild itself. She is excited to share South Africa, and the Wild Ones who call it home, with you.
Nicole created Open & Curious to share that shift with others: ten days of settling into the rhythm of the bush, where the goal isn’t to see more animals, but to be more present with the ones you encounter.
The journey moves through the Balule and Timbavati game reserves, part of the vast, unfenced Greater Kruger ecosystem where wildlife moves freely between private reserves and the Kruger National Park itself.
This is Big Five country – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo share the landscape with giraffes, hyenas, and an extraordinary diversity of birdlife.
Walking safaris offer a different way of encountering this world: reading fresh tracks, listening for alarm calls, noticing the small signs of life that a vehicle moves past too quickly to catch. Game drives carry you further into the reserve in search of the region’s iconic wildlife, at sunrise and again at sunset.
A morning visit to Kapama game reserve for an elephant interaction with the HERD project will be an opportunity to meet elephants living under long-term, dedicated care, and to learn their stories from the people who know them best. An experience of a lifetime awaits…
You will have the chance to spend a full day volunteering at Daktari, a wildlife orphanage and rehabilitation project near Hoedspruit dedicated to rescued and injured animals, alongside educational work with local children. The orphanage is not open to public and it is a privilege to be able to visit them.
Your journey begins with three nights at Africa on Foot, booked in full exclusivity for the group, in the Big Five* area of the Balule Nature Reserve (*Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino).
Days are shaped by traditional walking safaris with your guides and trackers, alongside afternoon and sunset game drives. Evenings are spent around the fire, with dinner under the stars and a famous sundowner in the bush.
Accommodation is in comfortable canvas tents with outdoor showers beneath the stars and eco-friendly dry toilets – rustic, immersive, and very close to the wilderness !
Room configuration:
The journey continues with three nights at the Radisson Safari Hotel, just outside Hoedspruit town, offering mountain views and a more comfortable rhythm between bush activities.
This stretch of the retreat includes the HERD elephant interaction, a full day volunteering at Daktari Wildlife Orphanage, and time to explore and shop at the Kamogelo centre in Hoedspruit town.
Room configuration:
The final three nights are spent at Shindzela, an exclusive-use tented camp in the renowned Timbavati game reserve, perched among the wilderness with an open sense of wilderness.
Days return to the safari rhythm: early coffee, bush walk or game drive at first light, a slow midday rest, and an evening drive before dinner. It is a quiet close to the journey, with plenty of space for reflection.
Room configuration:
All bush walks are led by professional guides and trackers with extensive experience in wilderness areas. Guides are trained in first aid and wilderness safety, and their priority throughout is to ensure every participant feels supported and safe.
Walking safaris are conducted at a relaxed pace over generally accessible terrain, and stepping just beyond your comfort zone is a natural – and safe – part of the experience.
Rates are approximate, based on current exchange rates and subject to change without notice due to increases in third-party services, park entry fees, conservation levies, fuel costs, or currency fluctuations beyond our control.
A très bientot !
