It takes a specialist to help you plan the perfect safari, and our Southern Africa and Namibia expert, Sara Van Coillie, is just such a person. This month, Sara visited a number of reserves and lodges across Limpopo and Mpumalanga to add to her already impressive knowledge of the area.
Our clients say it all:
‘Sara van Coillie was awesome. She is very knowledgeable and planned a fantastic itinerary for us.’ – Megan Whitmore, US
Living In The Bush
Sara is Belgian by birth, and in 2008 came to South Africa on a gap year to do a guiding course. The plan was to return to her home country after she had completed the course.
But things did not work out that way. Instead, she met the man who was to become her husband and has been in the country – and for many years – in the bush. Her husband was an expert safari guide for 16 years, and she worked back of house at various lodges.
‘I never guided, by the way. I moved straight into lodge life, into admin and back of house.’
She cut her teeth at Nambiti Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal before moving to Kruger National Park, where she remained for two and a half years. We have several splendid itineraries that include the country’s biggest game reserve.
Leopard sighting at MalaMala
From state-owned game reserve and into the private reserve space: Sara and her husband moved to MalaMala, where she was the lodge manager of Rattray’s Camp. If you’re after following in her footsteps, we have several carefully curated trips to MalaMala, many of them fly-ins.
New year, new beginnings and in 2013, Sara moved to Singita, where she stayed until 2019. In those six years, Sara worked in both of Singita’s Kruger lodges – Singita Lebombo and Singita Sweni. We have a few Singita Kruger packages. Sara also spent time at Singita Sabi Sands, and of course, we have itineraries for you here, too.
From Bush To City Lights
In 2019, the family moved to Paarl in the Western Cape for their child to start school, and where she has worked as a travel agent ever since. Sara brought her in-depth knowledge to Safari.com. And we are so glad to have her. As she says: ‘We’ve lived in the bush for a long time.’
Elephants at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge
Sara’s Impact: Real Stories from Satisfied Guests
‘Sara is the best! Believe me we had tons of questions about our upcoming safari and all were dealt with quickly and with detail and graciousness by Sara. Considering the seven-hour time difference, response time was as if she lived next door! Sara’s knowledge is also outstanding.’ – Frank Piraneo, US
She still gets out into the bush as often as she can.
This video, taken by Sara on her recent visit to Kapama, is just one example of the unforgettable wildlife encounters she ensures for her clients.
On Safari In Limpopo And Mpumalanga
About her most recent trip – earlier this month – Sara says the main reason was to visit lodges so she has first-hand knowledge to advise her clients. Having a young child along for the ride meant she saw so very family-friendly accommodations.
As Sara puts it:
‘For me, it’s really about putting the right people in the right lodge. I need to know my client and I need to know what they’re looking for, and based on that, because I’ve got quite a wide knowledge of what every lodge is like and what type of feel it gives, I know which lodge and who it fits best.’
Why Guests Love Working with Sara:
‘Booking our dream trip to Africa with Sara was the best thing that we could have done. Sara made the experience so enjoyable. She worked extremely hard at filling all of our requests and really tailored all of the experiences to our liking. The best stress-free investment we have made.’ – Brandi, US
This touching scene, captured by Sara at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge, showcases the intimate bond between a lion cub and its mother—a memory that makes every safari truly unforgettable.
Sara and her family flew from Cape Town to Nelspruit Airport in Mbombela. They rented a car and headed for Thornybush Game Reserve, where they stayed at Thornybush Game Lodge. Check out our Thornybush package.
And it’s very child-friendly: on arrival, Sara’s daughter got a full children’s package with a backpack. Sarah, the guide, is incredibly good children, explaining quite intricate stuff to a 10-year-old.
Kapama Southern Camp
‘Sara was extremely responsive and provided several choices which fit our timelines and budget. She was always available for discussions over WhatsApp whenever I had questions.’ – Antoni Kajetanowicz, Canada
From there, it was off to Kapama Game Reserve, where the family stayed at Kapama Southern Camp. The family suite was a favourite of her daughter, with its private plunge pool, two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Visit Thornybush And Kapama
‘We had amazing sightings, just like at Thornybush. We saw two leopards that had just made a kill, a mother rhino and her baby and a herd of about 100 buffalo, which was really, really cool.’ — Sara
It’s worth noting that Kapama’s rhinos still have horns. The majority of reserves are dehorning their rhino; in fact, every reserve that is connected to the Kruger is dehorning. Kapama is a closed reserve, which means the game is contained in the reserve.
Sara’s Expertise: Turning Endless Choices into Perfect Safaris
‘Sara really knows all the options and details for various safaris. I had a limited budget, but Sara found me creative solutions which allowed me to have a wonderful safari experience.’ – Linda, US
Sara and her family also stayed at Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge in the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve. The lodge is extremely child friendly, from the little tent and plushy animals in the room to the children’s backpack and the Elefun Centre. It’s got lots of arts and crafts, a playground with an obstacle course, and a zipline.
The lodge also caters for children, with buffet meals complete with children’s favourites, such as chicken strips and spaghetti.
Elephant spotting with Singita in Sabi Sands
Book Your Safari With Sara
The core value Sara brings to her work is understanding her client.
‘It’s so important that you find the right lodge, the right guide, the right game viewing or your clients are going to be disappointed.’
Her final word: ‘There is a lodge for everyone. Every lodge has got something special. It’s about finding the right lodge for the right person.’
Start Planning Your Dream Safari Today
Whether you’re looking to join one of our expertly curated safaris or prefer a bespoke journey, trust Safari.com to guide you through every step.
Our seasoned travel advisors can craft the safari of a lifetime tailored to your needs, budget, and travel goals.
Shann continues to be an incredibly valuable resource
Shann continues to be an incredibly valuable reource well after having paid the balance for our safari. We're seasoned travelers, but new to the South African safari experience. I am so very at ease, knowing there is someone who is so capable and willing to be there if we need!
Ray
,
US
Dec 23, 2024
Excellent service
Excellent experience to work with Safari.com. It’s my third time booking with them, but especially Sara did a great job in giving me different options, all well selected and customized to my needs. Very knowledgeable about the destinations, always super responsive, friendly and helpful! Great job!
Sabrina Roth
,
DE
Dec 23, 2024
Kruger Safari
Finding a Safari can be a daunting experience. So many options and such a long way from home. Shann Shaw at Safari.com was super helpful. We went through several options and itiniaries before landing on one. And it was unforgettable. Thank you.
Matt
,
FI
Dec 21, 2024
Leigh-Ann provided me a flight from DTW…
Leigh-Ann provided me a flight from DTW to HDS for a flight duration of 21 hours. The best I could do was 34 hours. Just made payment today 12/21/2024.
I would say you are lucky to have such a proficient young lady on your staff.
James Wade
James Wade
,
US
Dec 20, 2024
Keith did a great job of quickly…
Keith did a great job of quickly responding to our request for a quote and responded quickly with any questions we had and booked our journey very quickly and professionally. I cannot wait for our excursion
John Malkin
,
PT
Dec 20, 2024
Extremely prompt and professional…
Extremely prompt and professional service.
customer
,
UK
Dec 19, 2024
Fantantastic experience planning safari with Safari.com
Safari.com has done an amazing job organizing our second family visit to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve. The staff are professional, responsive and gracious. The process was seamless and beyond our expectations. Shann, Nikita and Caileen were lovely to work with.
Sally
,
US
Dec 18, 2024
First class assistance and extensive knowledge
First class assistance and advice for booking my dream safari. Dolan was very knowledgeable and extremely attentive, going above and beyond to provide quotes, guidance and advice and all on a public holiday. Would highly recommend.
