In the remote northern reaches of the Kruger National Park, The Outpost offers something beyond the conventional Big 5 safari. Here, in a private concession lying between the Luvuvhu and Limpopo Rivers, we invite you to go beyond what you see and discover the Sound Safari – an opportunity to experience the wilderness as never before.
This distinctive corner of the world, where biodiversity flourishes in remarkable abundance, becomes your gateway to the often-hidden conversations of the wild. It’s a place where flora and fauna thrive and guests are invited to tune in, slow down and let nature speak for itself. With the help of specialised sound equipment, the Sound Safari reveals the intricate communication networks that connect every living thing around you.
From the deep, low-frequency rumbles shared between elephants to the rhythmic percussion of beetles in the undergrowth and the dawn chorus that greets each new day, the bush is alive with sound. And every noise carries meaning; every call conveys a message of connection, territory, courtship or warning.
So that’s Sound Safari in theory but how does it look in practice? Each guest (maximum of 6 per drive) is supplied with a pair of headphones, which are connected to a long-range microphone mounted to the front of the vehicle. At strategic points along the game drive, your guide will stop, turn off the Land Cruiser and encourage you to tune in to the sounds around you – from the softest rustle to the loudest trumpet, some of which can be up to 5km away or usually inaudible to the human ear.
This is safari reimagined – an auditory layer woven into your game drive experience that reveals the nuanced ways animals and birds interact with each other and their environment. Warning calls, mating rituals, territorial disputes, even the chorus of frogs after rain: every sound tells a story.
For guests with visual impairments, the Sound Safari adds an entirely new dimension to their experience of the wild. Yet even the most seasoned safari-goer will find themselves transported by this innovative approach to engaging with the wildlife and the landscapes they roam.
True to The Outpost’s spirit of slow safari, these drives unfold at an unhurried pace. Sound Safari invites you to be still, to close your eyes and to let the wilderness wash over you. And when it’s over, time stretches generously – mornings devoted to thoughtful exploration are followed by afternoons that flow into peaceful spa treatments or dips in the pool, and evenings crowned by star-filled skies best appreciated from the comfort of your bed.
Here in this soul-stirring wilderness, your safari becomes about far more than what you see; it’s about the surprising ways nature can move you long after you’re back home.