It’s Never Easy to Leave the Bush – Aussie Creator Falls Hard for South Africa

Photo Credit: Kat Clark

Saying goodbye to the bush is tough; Kat Clark’s Kruger Trip ended with new friends and a few happy tears.

Kruger National Park, South Africa (12 August 2025) – If you’ve ever left the bush with sand in your shoes and a lump in your throat, you’ll get this one.

Australian creator Kat Clark (7.7 million followers on TikTok) just wrapped her dream trip to South Africa, and, like so many visitors before her, she’s leaving with amazing memories and a new South African family she wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to.

Her trip brought her to Kruger National Park, where she settled into safari life with Royal Malawane and set out on a mission to tick off the Big Five over a week-long adventure.

Her rangers delivered wish-list sightings. Elephants, giraffes and warthogs. A leopard, lions, rhinos. Then, on the final day of her safari, the kind of sighting that doesn’t happen every day. A pride of lions stalking a massive herd of buffalo.

“I’m not going to lie, you do see some scary animals on your game drive, but you’re always with your ranger and they keep you safe,” Kat shared.

The gees was real from the jump. In one viral clip that racked up 1.5 million views and counting, Kat roped in her rangers to dance for TikTok, writing:

“When your rangers make sure you see the big 5 while in Africa”

@katclarkWhen your rangers make sure you see the big 5 while in Africa 🐆🦏🐃🐘🦁

♬ original sound – Ace♠️
Related Stories
Cape Town's Pink Lady Ranks in 50 Best Hotels for 2026!
Africa’s Golf Boom is Becoming a Tourism and Investment Play

After a proper break in the bush, she summed up the feeling that so many travellers have here. She had fallen head over heels.

“I’m in love with South Africa.”

Yes, the wildlife played a big role, but it was also about South African people.

It’s the reason we’re covering this story. We have a knack for making people fall in love. It’s why Cape Town was voted the world’s best city, and why we rack in so many return guests – many of whom are celebrities who have openly shared their love affair with SA.

If you’ve ever been on safari, you’ll know the rangers and trackers become your dawn chorus, your encyclopaedia, your storytellers and, often, your friends. Kat felt it too. So much that when it came time for goodbye, there were tears.

“We have spent so much time with these guides and when it came to say goodbye I did not expect it but we all burst into tears,” she said. “I can honestly say I’ve never cried over leaving a resort before.”

While we aren’t riding elephants to work (promise), we do share a backyard where nature is still very much alive. The very thing people travel across the world to experience. Isn’t that cool?

@katclark Flying to Johannesburg today ✈️ #vlog #southafrica ♬ original sound – Kat Clark

So yes, it’s never easy to leave the bush. But in South Africa, goodbyes often sound a lot like ‘see you soon.’ See you now now. Just now. Kat, thanks for the love. To the rangers, trackers and hospitality teams who keep the magic alive, you’re the reason visitors turn into lifelong family and return guests.