Ranger Francois ‘Faf’ Pienaar pauses mid-bite at dinner and stares off into the distance. The small group of guests looks worried – the lack of fences around the Africa On Foot camp means that all manner of four-legged guests can and do stroll right by the chalets with ease. “Lion!” says Faf with a grin, before leaping to his feet. “Who wants to go find him?” The sumptuous dinner is forgotten as the party scrambles to pull on jackets and races to the game viewing vehicle for a second evening drive.

Faf listens again before starting up and heading off. 400m down the path, in the pitch darkness, he silences the engine again to listen for the distant rumble he heard earlier – a rumble the guests still haven’t been able to pick up themselves. He traverses the paths he knows so well and after a short drive, a sharp right bathes a majestic male lion in the glow of the headlights. Stifling a whoop, Faf stills the engine and quietly calls in the sighting to sister camp nThambo. Ranger Chad will arrive within 5 minutes with two guests of his own – but until then, the small Africa On Foot contingent is left alone in the solitude of the bush to admire the beautiful big cat. Twenty minutes go by before the Ross Pride member decides he’s lounged long enough and heads into the bush. The vehicles follow at a respectful distance before the male bids us farewell with an astonishing roar and melts into the thick brush.

The sighting sums up the Africa On Foot and nThambo Tree Camp experience perfectly – flexibility and passion combine to give guests a wildlife experience they’re unlikely to get anywhere else with the regimented 5am/4pm game drive schedule of other lodges. Based in the 70 000 hectare Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in the Greater Kruger, the teams at both camps – whether in the kitchen, at the table or in khaki – have an infectious enthusiasm for wildlife that delivers unique, memorable experiences for visitors. Whether traversing the reserve by game vehicle or on foot, the knowledgeable rangers seem to summon up Big 5 sightings at will. With only 4 small commercial lodges in the Klaserie, you’re spared queues of game vehicles and hordes of chattering tourists at every sighting, offering a feeling of intimacy missing in many of the big reserves.

Owners Courteney and Cecelia Blunden started Africa On Foot 7 years ago, and nThambo, 3, on what was once Cecilia’s grandparents’ farm. Courteney, named after wildlife hunter turned conservationist Courteney Selous, has been a game ranger for over a decade and boasts some of the industry’s highest qualifications, including a Level 3 SKSDG. He jumped at the chance to develop the family farm into a lodge to welcome visitors, with his philosophy to bring guests as close to nature as possible, at the fore. “There are more than enough 7-star lodge experiences out there,” he says. “What the industry really needed to do was bring the most important aspect of the bush back – the chance to see and be among Africa’s animals”.

The Blundens’ approach means that walking safaris are a special treat. Viewing game on foot is so much more rewarding than tracking them by diesel vehicle, with the rangers’ passion for the bush illustrated as each turn reveals new plants, birds and beasts – with in-depth explanations and quirky stories related, for all. Walking safaris are subject to prevailing conditions, with the rangers erring on the side of caution if the wind or recent animal behaviour hasn’t been favourable. They carry rifles to protect guests in case of emergency, but have no interest in having to discharge them unless the circumstances truly demand it. These are conservationists – not tour guides.

nThambo Tree Camp is marketed as the more upmarket of the two Sun Destinations camps, with five eco-friendly, solar-powered ‘treehouses’ accommodating a maximum of ten guests in all. The chalets are raised on wooden stilts and the walls, made from canvas, leave guests open enough to the elements to hear hyaena barking at the nearby water hole each night, and buck snuffling below the raised decking. Sheltered verandahs overlook the plains in front of the camp, with views all the way to the distant Drakensberg. Customisable as double or twin, the chalets feature basic comforts including en-suite shower and toilet with solar panels providing just enough power for bedside lamps and a plug point for camera battery charging.

Camp Managers Kelly and Chad tailor programs for guests – whether you’re looking to while away your time at the pool with a G&T or spend your day tracking game on foot or in the vehicle, the team remains unobtrusive until called upon and deliver fantastic surprises like fire-lit bush dinners beside the camp’s watering hole. The central boma and dining area is powered throughout the day, with free Wi-Fi to help you upload images of your Big 5 sightings to spread jealousy amongst friends and family.

Just a 10-minute drive away, the Africa on Foot camp features 5 brick chalets and a tree house, where adventurous guests can spend their evenings on a basic, but sheltered deck for a more authentic experience. Two of the chalets cater for families with double and twin beds, while the other three accommodate 2x guests with en-suite bathrooms and in some, outside showers. The main lounge area is ideal for relaxing with a book from the adjacent library and the main dining area brings all the guests and rangers together at a long table in true safari tradition, to discuss the day’s exciting sightings. Should the long Kruger evenings get too warm, there’s a small splash pool nearby. In the interests of preserving peace & quiet and the environmentally-friendly nature of the camps, generators are switched off from mid-morning to dinner time, and only plug points in the main area provide power for battery charging or Wi-Fi browsing.

The Klaserie is teeming with animals and two Leopard sightings – one with a kill – in a short stay, cemented the reserve’s place in our party’s hearts. If you’re more interested in experiencing and understanding, rather than just seeing the reserve’s animals, Africa On Foot and nThambo offer pristine opportunities with enough luxury to help you relax in style.

For more information, visit www.africaonfoot.com or www.nthambo.com.

*A version of this article appeared in The Intrepid Explorer’s Autumn 2014 edition.