Something flickered in the corner of my eye. Just a shadow in the scrub, barely visible in the dappled morning light. “Stop. Back up. Slowly.”

There she was: a cheetah mother with her cubs, camouflaged so perfectly we’d almost driven right past. Ten minutes watching her, heart pounding, hands shaking on the camera. That’s the moment that made a day-long self-drive safari through Dinokeng Game Reserve, just 40 minutes from Pretoria. Completely unforgettable.

We’d left Cape Town and flown to Pretoria to visit my brother and his family, trading ocean views for something completely different: a proper African safari in Gauteng’s only Big 5 reserve. The alarm went off at 5am, and we spent twelve hours driving ourselves through 140 kilometers of wild bushveld.

Worth it? Absolutely.

6am: When the Bush Wakes Up

Sunrise in the African bush hits different. We arrived at the gate just as the sky started shifting from deep purple to soft pink, the air still cool enough to need a jacket. We split into two cars—boys in one, girls in the other. My sister-in-law drove while I rode shotgun with my camera ready, and the guys followed behind.

We’d packed padkos [ˈpatkɔs]—the South African tradition of “road food” for long journeys.

padkos — food taken to eat on a journey.

Ours was simple and perfect: bacon and egg sandwiches wrapped in foil, still warm, eaten as we rolled through the gates into the wild.

The moment we passed through that gate, everything slowed down. No traffic. No phone signal. Just dirt tracks winding through acacia trees and the kind of silence that makes you realize how loud normal life is.

Then the sun crested the horizon, flooding the plains with golden light, and I got goosebumps. Actual, physical goosebumps. There’s something about that first light touching wild Africa that reaches right into your chest and reminds you how small and lucky you are.

The Self-Drive: Freedom on Dirt Roads

Over 140 kilometers of tracks snake through Dinokeng. We took two vehicles; an SUV and a small hatchback. The SUV handled everything fine, but the hatchback struggled on some of the rougher sections. While it’s technically possible to do in a sedan, I’d recommend an SUV or higher-clearance vehicle if you can. It makes the experience much more comfortable and you won’t have to skip certain routes. You buy your self-drive permit online beforehand or at any gate (book here: https://dinokeng.plnktn.io/event/61d1653b-a385-4898-8586-10df9d69869d ), and then you’re free to explore at your own pace.

This is the magic of self-drive safaris: no schedule, no rushing, no guide telling you it’s time to move on. If you want to sit and watch zebras for twenty minutes, you sit and watch zebras for twenty minutes.

And we did. A whole herd grazing in the morning light, their stripes almost glowing. Springbok leaping across the road like they were showing off. Warthogs trotting past with their tails straight up like little antennas. A massive wildebeest standing in the middle of the track, completely unbothered by our car, making us wait until he decided to move.

Then we rounded a bend and there they were: giraffes. I knew they were tall. I’d seen them in zoos. But nothing prepares you for the reality of a giraffe in the wild. They’re impossibly, almost comically huge, elegant and awkward at the same time, moving in slow motion through the acacia trees like they’re browsing a very tall supermarket.

The Moment I’ll Never Forget

We’d been driving for a few hours, the sun climbing higher, when something caught the corner of my eye. Just a flicker of movement in the shade.

“Stop. Back up. Slowly.”

My sister-in-law reversed carefully while I leaned forward, squinting into the scrub. At the same moment, my husband in the car ahead spotted it too, both vehicles coming to a silent halt.

There she was: a cheetah mother, tucked into the scrub. Hiding from the heat, camouflaged so perfectly we’d almost driven right past. She watched us with those distinctive black tear-marks framing amber eyes, calm but alert. Her cubs had hidden away deeper in the shadows, watching from their safe spot while she stood guard.

We sat there for ten minutes, maybe more, engines off, barely breathing. Both cars completely still, all of us in awe. The exhilaration was physical, heart pounding, hands shaking slightly on the camera. This wasn’t a zoo. There was no glass between us. Just a wild predator doing what wild predators do, and us lucky enough to witness it.

That image is burned into my memory: her spotted coat, the way she kept one eye on us and one on her cubs hidden in the brush, the absolute stillness before she finally stood and led them deeper into the bush.

Buffalo and Rhino: The Unexpected Sightings

We weren’t even sure we’d see buffalo. Hours had passed with no sign of them, and we’d almost given up hope. Then, heading toward the picnic spot, we spotted movement through the bushes, a whole herd of them, massive and muddy, grazing peacefully.

We crept closer in the cars, slow and respectful. Close enough to see the mud caked on their massive horns, the way their ears flicked at flies, the solid weight of them. Buffalo are part of the Big 5 for a reason; they’re unpredictable and genuinely dangerous. But watching them move through the bush, powerful and unbothered, was mesmerising.

Later, someone in the boys’ car spotted what looked like a big rock in the distance. Except rocks don’t have horns. Two rhinos, actually, resting in the shade, so still and grey they’d blended perfectly into the landscape. We almost missed them entirely. Even with binoculars, it took a moment for our eyes to make sense of what we were seeing; those prehistoric shapes, ancient and endangered, just existing in the heat of the day.

It’s humbling, being in the presence of animals that big, that wild, that indifferent to your existence.

Veldjierondom: The Perfect Braai Stop

By midday, we were ready for a break. Veldjierondom Picnic Site in the south-east of the reserve became our lunch headquarters. A rustic spot with braai facilities, clean toilets, a small shop and café, and sheltered tables where you can actually relax.

The boys took charge of the fire while the kids ran around collecting dry sticks and twigs, their mission to find the perfect kindling. There’s something timeless about that scene; children gathering wood, men tending flames, the smoke starting to curl upward into the blue African sky.

We unpacked our cooler: boerewors, bacon steak, hashbrowns, eggs. The smell of meat grilling in the bush is its own kind of perfection.

What we didn’t expect were the views. From our picnic spot, the landscape opened up into a vast plain that seemed to stretch forever. And there, grazing in the distance: giraffes and ostriches, moving slowly across the golden grassland like we were watching a nature documentary, except it was real and happening right in front of us while we ate lunch.

The kids eventually abandoned their stick-collecting mission for the play area, burning off energy while the adults sat back with cold drinks and just… breathed. This is what safari days should include: not just driving and spotting, but sitting and being present in the middle of it all.

Arlington Craft Brewery: Beer in the Bushveld

Before heading out, we made one last stop: Arlington Craft Brewery, right inside the reserve. Yes, you can drink craft beer in the middle of a Big 5 game reserve. South Africa is wonderful.

We ordered IPAs—crisp, hoppy, ice-cold—and sat outside as the afternoon heat started to soften. It’s the kind of place where safari meets civilisation, where you can relive the day’s sightings over a proper pint and good food.

Arlington Craft Brewery Details:

• Location: Dinokeng Game Reserve, N1 North Hammanskraal, 0400
• Email: info@arlingtonbeer.co.za
• Phone: +27 63 830 5300 / +27 76 956 4266

The Animals We Didn’t See

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little sad we didn’t spot elephants or lions. Dinokeng has them (it’s officially Big 5) but the reserve is huge, and wildlife doesn’t perform on demand. That’s part of the deal with self-drive safaris: you see what you see, and what you don’t see becomes the reason to come back.

But honestly? The cheetah moment alone made the entire day worth it. Plus zebras, giraffes, buffalo, wildebeest, warthogs, springbok, hornbills, and that ridiculous sunrise. We left just before sunset around 4pm, dusty and exhausted and completely content.

Practical Tips for Your Visit

Booking & Permits:

• Buy your self-drive permit online or at the gate: https://dinokeng.plnktn.io/event/61d1653b-a385-4898-8586-10df9d69869d
• Gates open at sunrise—get there early for the best wildlife viewing

What to Bring:

• Sunscreen (the African sun is relentless, even through car windows)
• Plenty of water—there are long stretches between facilities
• Snacks or a full cooler if you’re planning to braai
• Binoculars and a good camera
• Patience and a sense of adventure

Route Planning:

• The Blue route is the longest—factor in timing if you have limited hours
• Most tracks are suitable for sedans, but expect dust
• Drive slowly and scan the bush constantly—animals blend in

Safety:

• Stay in your vehicle at all times (except at designated picnic sites)
• Keep a safe distance from all animals
• Buffalo, rhino, and even giraffe can be dangerous—respect their space
• Never feed wildlife

Why Dinokeng Matters

Dinokeng may be just 40 minutes from Pretoria, but once you pass through those gates, the city disappears. Time moves differently here, measured in animal sightings and kilometers of dirt road, in sunrises that give you goosebumps and the weight of a buffalo’s stare.

It’s a reminder that South Africa’s wild heart is still beating, still accessible, still capable of taking your breath away when a cheetah mother looks you in the eye from ten meters away.

We spent twelve hours in that reserve, from sunrise to near-sunset, and it still wasn’t enough. That’s how you know it was good.

Watch Our Adventure:

Experience the sunrise, the wildlife encounters, and that perfect bushveld braai, captured on film.