I did the 4 day-3 night Tremisana Safari with Viva and I am so glad I did! The staff from Viva took great care of me from the transfer drivers, safari guides and drivers, and all of the Tremisana team.
My main goal was to see lots of animals, and that was more than I imagined! I saw 4 of the Big 5 (just missed the illusive rhino, though we did spot one at the gas stop on the way from Joberg). I loved the structure of the 4 days and would recommend this for most people. Any less and you will miss out on sightings, but it was enough to leave wanting more.
First night we had our evening drive and bush braii, we had a delicious dinner and spotted a female lion we were able to get pretty close to, plus an elephant. At dinner listening to the hyenas under the bright stars and then spotting one on our way back to the lodge was so cool.
The next morning was the bush walk, we spotted our first hippos and giraffe. We saw these animals again but it was totally different to try to catch up to the giraffe on foot- I was surprised by my own reaction when I gasped aloud, it just is so graceful.
In the afternoon we had a couple hours to relax by the pool, that was the only day when I had time for a dip and I loved watching the monkeys playing nearby. That night was our sundowner drive. Halfway through we returned to Tremisana and dropped off a couple who were transferring to Marc's, then went back out again. The evening drive allowed our incredible spotter/guide-in-training Rocky to show us cape buffalo and a leopard across the river! I don't know how he first spotted it, but I was so glad to have binoculars to get a better view!
Day 3 was the Kruger day and it was also incredible! From Tremisana you drive in the open-air vehicle over an hour to Orpen Gate, so make sure you have sunglasses and a long-sleeve layer, and bring over-ear headphones if you have them. We saw plenty of elephants, impala, zebras, giraffe, wildebeest, kudu in the morning. Patrick was pretty down until after lunch when we spotted a male lion, a cheetah, an ostrich, and warthogs. He kept at it right until the park closed.
After all of that, I had no expectations for the early morning Day 4 drive, but we spotted Ezulwini the elephant early on. Towards the end, our guides got the call and drove as fast as possible to a pack of wild dogs! I hoped to see the dogs but they are very rare so I was ecstatic to see them.
Our return finished with a quick stop at the beautiful 3 rondavels in Blyde River Canyon which was a great way to end.
Before booking, I was concerned about what it would be like as a solo female, but I had a great experience, felt totally safe at all times, and befriended several people. The size is small enough that you see people again and again, but large enough that you can still meet some new people each day.
My room at Tremisana had air conditioning, which was very nice in the heat of March. It does cool down at night enough that the treehouse would probably be fine to sleep in, but I appreciated the a/c. Tremisana rooms all have their own toilet and shower as well so for me that was more comfortable, but the people I spoke to who stayed at Marc's liked hearing the animals there at night so that's something to consider.
I would definitely recommend Viva and in general I am so glad I opted for a guided safari rather than doing a self-drive. The guides shared so much knowledge and spotted so many animals I would not have seen in the tall March grasses.
If you're going: bring the spray-on kind of bug repellent! You get dirty in the vehicles and trying to use the lotion at the end of the day in the vehicle made it hard to get it all over, and if you are prone to mosquitos like me, they will find you. Of course sunscreen, cash for tips/drinks (you will need to buy water plus any alcohol you want), binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens if you have it.
Special props to Rocky and King George (Shinagaroumafata?) for making everything so fun and for their great teamwork.
We had such an amazing time with Viva Safari. This was our first safari ever and it really raised the bar quite high. Viva Safari's staff were incredible, kind, entertaining, and so wise about the animals and the environment. Not only did we see the big 5 (Rhino, Leopard, Lion, Buffalo, Elephant) but we learned so much about each of them and all the other animals we saw (hyena, impala, bush buck, hippo, bush chicken, wildebeest, Tawny eagle, vulture, lilac breasted roller...). The accommodations were decent, the food was delicious, and there was ample water and refreshments throughout our stay. We had so much fun and learned so much from our guides Victor and Smiley. We opted for the 4 day safari. Some people did 3, others did 6+. There are many options, which makes Viva even more appealing. They picked us up and returned us to our hotel in Johannesburg at the beginning and end of our safari as well. These rides as well were wonderful and included a great lunch stop in Dullstroom at a restaurant called Mayfly.