During 30 years we heard our parents talk about their experience at Mala Mala. And after visiting it for 4 days, we understood why! The best experience ever. Everything was taken care of, in a practical yet elegant way. We were picked up directly at the lobby of the Intercontintal hotel at OR Tambo Airport for our Federal Air 1-hour flight directly to Mala Mala airtrip (best way to get there). Upon arrival, we were greeted by Erin, our young and enthusiast ranger, who took care of us during our stay. The airstrip is a 5-min drive to the camp. We settled in in our extraordinary suite, which immediately felt "home-away-from-home". Exquisite decor, excellent bed, ample bathroom with shower and bathtub, all ammenities included, even a bar with coffee machine and beverages. The deck is amazing for game viewing, from impalas to nyalas and monkeys, among others. At 3:30 pm we joined our group (6 in total) at the main lodge deck overlooking the Sand river for a light lunch before departing for the afternoon safari drive, until about 6:30 pm. Then, drinks at the bar, dinner under the stars, and directly to bed, because the following day begins at 5:30 am for the morning drive til 9:30 am (full brunch waiting on arrival!). Even though it is quite an early start, it is absolutely worth while. There is a lovely pool and a gym riverside to entertain yourself during the "quiet" hours (10:30 am - 3:30 pm). On our first day we saw the famous Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo), plus many other wild animals and plants during our 4 marvelous days there - hyenas, wild dogs, zebras, jiraffes, crocodiles, baboons, all kinds of antilopes, birds, tortoises, etc, etc. It is hard to transmit the emotion you feel when realizing you are in the wild, sharing their natural environment with all these extraordinary creatures, just a few meters away from your Land Rover. No binoculars needed! It is authentic wildlife - humans do not feed or tend to the amimals in any way, what you see is real, no fences, no zoo-like feeling, just real animals in their real world, fighting for food, hunting, raising their babies, living free. Erin is a passionate, experienced and lively ranger, always eager to share with us her love for the bush. We learnt so much in an easy-going way. We never felt insecure or afraid of being so close to the animals. It is a real privilege to have them so near - we even heard the lion roar next to us, UNFORGETTABLE! The food is excellent, varied and elegantly served. Everyone at Mala Mala is a real asset - from Julia at reservations, to Sandra during meals, the guys at the bar and the escorts to our rooms at night (sorry, I'm awful with names but I remember them all!). I could spend days writing about Mala Mala, but it is something that you must experience yourself. Now, we'll be the ones talking about it for the next 30 years! I hope to return some day with my kids... Thank you, Mala Mala, I'll cherish our memories there forever!!…