I had a one-week vacation between my field and trail guide training, and I decided to explore South Africa with two other students, all of us eager to see more wildlife and vegetation. We organized our own self-guided trip to two national parks, Pilanesberg and Kruger, rented a car, and stayed outside the parks in guest houses and eco-villages.

I was excited to explore the parks independently, away from mass tourism activities. We were lucky with the season—there weren’t many cars. The roads were a mix of tarmac and gravel. If I were to do it again, I would probably choose to stay overnight in the parks, especially Kruger, since it’s so vast. We had to cover many kilometers to find wildlife, and we had to be back at the gate by 6 p.m. to avoid fines. We tried to be there at opening time and left as late as possible, which meant a lot of driving in really high temperatures and, at times, navigating tricky roads. It was exhausting.

One of our goals was to see a leopard, and we were lucky to spot one in Kruger. It lasted only 30 seconds; the bush seemed to come alive, with alarm calls echoing all around, and then the leopard disappeared. We also saw an impala carcass in a tree, a clear sign of leopard activity.

Here are some highlights of the week:

• A secretary bird

• The immense, stunning landscapes and how giraffes fit so gracefully into them

• Elephant herds on top of hills

• Zebras and a little foal discovering life

• Being in a hide with an elephant bull right beneath us

• The amazing birdlife, including raptors

• Sable antelopes

Here are some additional photos.

Pilanesberg

Kruger (area near Orpen Gate)