What happened in between? A dream, a lot of courage—and a lot of improvisation. A life path that took us to the heart of South Africa, where wildlife is literally on your doorstep and every day is an adventure.

From hospital bed to bushveld

“Your body has taken the right turn,” said the ICU doctor. In the hospital where I worked for years as a consultant, I was now a patient myself. A pulmonary hemorrhage due to a stupid fall from a scooter. The diagnosis was clear: rest and a new perspective. But resting isn’t in my nature. Within a few months, I wanted to be back on my feet. In retrospect, that period turned out to be the impetus for one of the biggest changes of my life.

Work had to be scaled back, staff transferred, and together with Kirsten, I asked ourselves: what do we really want? The answer lay not behind a desk, but outside, in nature. An active life, enjoying wildlife, and building something that others could experience too.

The dream: a luxury lodge among the wild animals

After a reconnaissance trip through South Africa, during which we visited countless lodges, everything fell into place in Hoedspruit. South Africa’s safari capital has it all: an airport, a medical center, good restaurants, and above all: bushland, tranquility, and safety.

We settled on the Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate, directly adjacent to a Big 5 reserve that connects to Kruger National Park. Wildlife roams freely here – giraffes by the pool, kudus in the lodge, which opens onto the greenbelt, the bushveld where animals live as they have for centuries.

And with that dream came the desire not only to live among the wildlife but also to actively experience it and share it with our guests. This desire became a reality with the arrival of our own open safari vehicle: a robust LandCruiser, specially equipped for game drives. No more rented vehicles, but completely in our style – comfortable, safe, and adventurous. We now regularly venture out with our guests, along sandy paths and through the bush, searching for wildlife or simply enjoying a sunset surrounded by nothing but the sounds of the bush. A safari in our own backyard – and a magical moment every time.

Face to face with the Big 5

Behind the pool is a waterhole. Thanks to a wildlife camera, we even see who comes by at night. When guests discovered paw prints of a big cat, they turned out to be leopard tracks. And yes – the footage proved its nocturnal visit.

Leopards avoid people, but we now know they’re there and visit weekly. Because of this, we decided to bring our dogs back to the Netherlands. They now live safely and peacefully with our son in the Netherlands.

We now recognize monkey sounds when predators are nearby, and we understand bird behavior when a snake approaches. Even the centipede climbing a tree which predicts rain.

Luxury among the animals

Guests experience the perfect balance between comfort and nature. Stylish suites, comfortable beds, air conditioning, hot water, and fast internet – but with views of zebras, impalas, and giraffes. No tents, but solid accommodations with insect-proof windows and mosquito screens. No unexpected animals in bed.

From dream to reality: building in the bush

The lodge already existed, but during the coronavirus pandemic, we expanded significantly: a swimming pool, restaurant, and new suites. We did a lot ourselves, from shopping in the village to furnishing the lodge. The lodge became our life’s work. And that first evening when our first guests arrived? Exciting and unforgettable.

A special detail: the film crew of “Ik Vertrek” (I’m Leaving) captured these moments. Watch the episode to truly experience our adventure.

Wildlife: raw and moving

Every day we live among wildlife. Giraffes, zebras, nyalas—but also snakes, monkeys, and predators. And yes, sometimes it’s exciting. Like the black mamba that suddenly slithered across the car windshield. Or the time bush babies screamed as if a child was in distress.

But there are also touching moments. The birth of a zebra. A baby elephant learning to use its trunk. Or that one time we saw a pangolin—one of the rare animals.

Life in the wild: from hectic to peaceful

Even though we work so hard and often, my life here in South Africa is completely different. Not having to work, but working with passion, gives me so much energy that it doesn’t even feel like work.

Here we don’t have a watch—we wake up with the sun or to animals wandering across the roof. Breakfast is a peaceful awakening, with good coffee at the waterhole, while we check out what wildlife has passed by that night. Before sunset, we often go out into the backyard to spot giraffes or simply enjoy a sundowner at the bird hide.

The people make the place

Without our team, there would be no lodge. Our staff have been with us since the beginning – they grew from gardening to hosting guests in a 4-star lodge. We laugh together, learn from each other, and build bridges between cultures.

Sometimes there are differences – like the fear of puddles due to cholera, or the concept of “now now,” which is frustratingly vague for me as a Dutch person. Or starting every phone call or meeting with “How are you?” But it’s precisely in those differences that the most beautiful conversations arise.

Guests that stay with you

Every guest experiences bush life differently. Some keep snapping photos, others enjoy the silence. Some couples come for their honeymoon, others for a family adventure.

The film crew for the movie Mission Impossible 8, who used our lodge as an editing room and uploaded the footage they’d kept secret from us to Warner Brothers, was a valuable learning experience. They were staying at our lodge for good reason, as they needed fast internet and reliable power.

And yes, sometimes there are also “difficult” guests. Like the influencer who mainly filmed her own behind by the pool – much to the annoyance of other guests.

But the best moments are when our children return. Or when their friends say goodbye after three weeks with tears in their eyes. Four of them even left with elephant tattoos.

Lessons from the wild

We live here with almost constant sunshine and warmth – wonderful for my back. But also drought, dust, and then suddenly the South African summer with storms, lightning, and torrential rain. In the Netherlands, it’s winter then, but sometimes we’re there for a short break from the heat.

Living in the wild teaches you to put things into perspective. Things don’t always work out; power goes out, the internet disappears. Then you have to improvise. We’ve become more self-sufficient now – with our own water storage, backup internet, and solar energy.

The contrast with the Netherlands

The hectic pace of life in the Netherlands is already evident on the road: enormous crowds, small cars pushing and honking if someone doesn’t immediately see the traffic light. Fines from automated cameras for driving out of an area where you were still allowed to drive that morning.

A lot of everything: lots of people on the streets, lots of stimuli, lots of choices in the supermarket, for example, the cheese section with dozens of varieties. Little choice also offers peace. Meats in dozens of varieties and wrapped in plastic, everything that even reminds us of the animal it once was, has been swept away.

People with earphones, engrossed in their phones on the train—when there’s no strike. The Netherlands is so far removed from nature. If you’re not careful, it’s always work, work, work… until you literally drop. A hectic existence from appointment to appointment, often confined to four walls. It often revolves around performance and working for wealth and a “happy lifestyle,” but there’s not even time to get to know your neighbors. A few weeks of vacation, luxurious or otherwise, certainly won’t relieve that stress.

Wealth redefined

We’ve chosen to stop living from holiday to holiday and instead focus on “the best way of living” as we envision it. Nothing can be taken with you at the end of your last trip, so we create memories. We focus more on our lodge guests: together outdoors in nature, enjoying a barbecue or pizza by the fire in the boma, sharing stories under a starry sky, with the calls of hyenas in the background.

For us, true wealth is the freedom to share beautiful things with others without expecting anything in return. A free game drive with our guests costs us money, but their laughter, wonder, and sharing our passion are priceless.

From consultant to bush dweller

My background is corporate, structured, and results-oriented. In that world, deadlines are sacred, and an agreement means exactly what it says. But here, in the South African bushveld, it’s all about being flexible, surviving, and adapting to circumstances. “An agreement is an agreement”? Not always here. Time is flexible—and it’s amazing how often things work out. Even when the power goes out, the refrigerator breaks, and the giraffes come tearing up the garden.

That transition didn’t just begin here. My journey from consultant to bush dweller became literally tangible when we drove our 4×4 LandCruiser from Hoedspruit, South Africa, to Bennekom—190 days, 36,000 km, and 30 countries full of adventures, encounters, and reflection. But it’s not over yet: in July, we returned to the Netherlands to get our heavy-duty driver’s license. Why? I’ll tell you in a future blog post. The adventure keeps moving.

Would you like to experience it yourself?

The past few years have been intense and unforgettable. We’re continuing to build The Baobab Bush Lodge, adding additional suites. Because this place is too beautiful not to share.

Would you also like to wake up with a view of giraffes?

Watch the video or send us a message. We’d love to welcome you to the heart of South Africa.