The pre-dawn darkness is still heavy as the porter knocks on my door. Sliding open a butler’s hatch, he deposits a tray with aromatic coffee and homemade biscuits, calling out gently to make sure I’m awake.

It’s just after 5am at the Ngala Tented Camp, on the edge of the Kruger National Park, South Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary. Only occasional bird calls and a gentle breeze break the silence. From the understated luxury of one of the camp’s nine tented suites, I emerge into the cool morning air to hop into a waiting four-wheel drive.