Anyone who knows me will know I am not a tent kind of girl so Mabula private game reserve, located 2 ½ hours from Johannesburg in the malaria free, incredibly beautiful Waterberg region of Limpopo Province fits the bill perfectly. The safari chalets, with a contemporary African decor of natural bold colours complimented by crisp white linen duvets is just that little bit of luxury one needs.

We quickly got into a pattern for our stay. Each day is bookended by "game drives" at dawn and dusk, when the animals tend to be most active, with plenty of time in between for meals, resting, relaxing by the pool and other activities back at the lodge. Meals were included and trust me we never went hungry. Each meal was an unbelievable feast with something to suit everyone. Dinners were a treat at the end of the day from a traditional boma to dinner under the fig tree accompanied by the rhythmic beat of African dancers.

When it came to the safaris, never knowing what we might see, it was a new adventure every time we went out.

The Waterberg ('Water Mountain') is a unique wilderness area of South Africa and the actual reserve is about 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) in area. This spectacular location with lush vegetation is home to an abundance of wildlife including the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and buffalo) and many mammals that I had either never seen or heard of - think oryx, impala, blesbok, klipspringer, red hartebeest, eland, wildebeest, rock hyrax to name a few - and over 300 bird species. Watching the antics of the giraffe and zebras, the hippo peeping out of the water, trying to find the elusive leopard (no, we did not find him) and seeing the determination of the cheetah all made for an unforgettable experience.

Even within the lodge enclosure we could observe the warthogs digging with their snouts, the nyalas grazing in the gardens and the rock hyrax climbing outside my chalet.

So what fun facts did I learn?

Hippo's cannot swim!

Hippos have killed more people than any other animal

White rhinos aren't white, but slate gray

Rhinos have poor vision and will sometimes attack trees and rocks by mistake

A lion's roar can be heard up to 8 kms away

Lions sleep for about 20 hours per day

Elephants can get sunburnt

Zebras stripes are unique like fingerprints in humans!

Giraffes have blue tongues

Giraffes only sleep for about 30 minutes a night and sleep standing up!

The Cheetah can hit an unbelievable 110 kph for short burst.

Southern Yellow-Billed Hornbills have been given the nickname 'the flying banana'.

I am sure I was told more than I will ever remember about the animals birds and plants. Stunning landscapes and sunsets, seeing the animals in their natural habitat will be lasting memories for me......