If you’re looking for a Big 5 luxury safari experience in South Africa but only have three days on your itinerary to ‘see it all’ you might want to consider a private safari experience just one hour’s drive from Johannesburg, in the Dinokeng region, instead of the usual group charter flight or 5-hour drive to the Kruger National Park.

Hosting private groups of between 40 and 200 guests, Hayward’s Grand Safari Company provides access to big game wilderness areas in 5-star luxury in the culturally rich, Big 5 region in Dinokeng. While on safari, guests are hosted in a bespoke, tented African safari environment, ensuring total group exclusivity, with all the luxury of a 5-star lodge while still being in close proximity to Oliver Tambo Airport and the Johannesburg CBD.

Safari game viewing to see the Big 5 and the Little 5 and over 350 species of birds is on offer daily together with photographic safaris, walking or horseback safari’s, hot air ballooning, clay pigeon shooting, artist’s mornings. cultural interactions and themed trading camps where evenings are spent studying the night sky with professional astrologers and storytellers.

Africa’s only 5-star Safari

With a 20-year history of taking VIP groups into Big 5 territory across the African continent, Hayward’s Safari headquarters in Gauteng offers visitors to Johannesburg a 5-Star graded, full-service mobile tented camp facility which is uniquely, the only one in Africa.

Together with his Production Director Celia du Preez and their adept team of safari outfitters, Peter is renowned for his passion and professionalism that is verified by their ‘wall of fame’ award recognition from international bodies such as the World Travel Awards, The Safari Awards and European Incentive and Business Travel and Meetings (EIBTM).

Such longevity and success is rare and perhaps pertains to the fact that each and every private safari camp is personally overseen by Peter and his executive management team.

“I have never missed a camp in twenty years,” says Peter, who has traversed East, West and central Africa in his wide and varied safari journeys for blue chip and celebrity clients looking for exclusivity and privacy.

“Its in my blood. Most people say I am the only one crazy enough to do this but in reality I am driven by excellence. I get my shot of adrenalin when I see our guest feedback; we haven’t dropped below a 9.8 rating over 20 service points since those first, early days way back when. That kind of guest excitement and appreciation for experiencing an authentic safari and helping them to create lifelong memories is totally addictive.”

Private Safari Experiences

Every private safari camp at Hayward’s headquarters is struck according to specific and detailed preferences of each group, offering full lodge functionality, complete with kitchens, cloakrooms and pre-dinner sundown areas, spa, lounge and conference tents. Fully equipped, all-weather Presidential and Hemingway-styled accommodation, dining tents and comfort areas, means each group is assured of total exclusivity whether celebrating a family reunion, a corporate think tank or when travelling as part of a special interest group.

20-course Taste Sensations

Themed dining is provided by an internationally acclaimed chef and his team catering to Halaal, Kosher, Vegetarian and Vegan guests and supported by silver service trained waiters, guides and hostesses to ensure service levels are beyond exemplary.

With a personal butler in attendance to serve morning coffee as the new dawn rises, you are escorted to breakfast by the lake, or to enjoy picnic lunches or sundowners by the reserve water hole.

Fine dining in the evening is accompanied by full entertainment facilities and an adjacent Safari Club Tent complete with a cigar lounge, library and cocktail bar decorated with Persian carpets, low slung copper tables, East African day beds, exploration maps and the option of a grand piano, dance floor or cards and roulette tables while enjoying fine whiskeys, cognacs, brandies, ports and sherries and a cigar humidor offering Cuban, Dutch, Honduran and Dominican origin cigars.

Voted World’s Best

Local and international groups on a Grand Safari journey are assured of the very best of South African hospitality verified by Hayward’s many distinguished recognitions and commendations that can be viewed on their website and the title as the only GRAND mobile tented camp safari operator that gives you complete 5-Star location flexibility.

A three-day Gentlemen’s Safari is the perfect breakaway for international business and leisure guests to enjoy African wildlife in close proximity to the bustling CBD of Sandton and Johannesburg or as a wedding venue, corporate breakaway or family luxury bush escape.