Baboons swing under the carriages of a train on a bridge. A hippo wades in the river below. A lone leopard prowls, sniffing for an antelope to make its dinner.
In the middle of the Kruger National Park, South Africa's most famous wildlife reserve, this train has passengers – but it never moves!
The train has been turned into a hotel. It is a lookout from which guests can gaze over the animal kingdom from sunrise until nighttime.
A platform added to the bridge holds a small round pool, where people gather at 4pm for tea, with a pleasant summer breeze.
A loud grunt silences the chirping of birds. "It's a hippo," a waiter says. Guests lean over the railing, hoping to see it in the muddy river below. Two round ears stick out from the water.
"How adorable," says tourist Karen Lane.
"It's such an experience," says her friend Chichi Mudau. "This place is like a dream come true. I love everything about it."
Moments later, the group will leave in open safari trucks to drive up close to giraffes, elephants and zebras in their natural habitat.
The bridge over this dreamy landscape was abandoned for decades. Six years ago, it was transformed into a posh hotel, with a train that never moves but always has bird's-eye views.
Each carriage has one room, with a massive bed. Sunlight spills through windows above the sink, so you can gaze over the river while you brush your teeth.
There is a small balcony, but don't forget to close the door. Monkeys can come swooping in!
The little grey monkeys climb onto the bridge and peer through the windows, looking curiously at guests lying in bed.
When night falls, the train gently sways with its guests inside. It's a natural movement. The heat of the day makes the metal bridge expand, while the cool nights make it shrink. And it makes the guests feel like they are on a moving train.
Five things to know about
1. South Africa is a country found at the very southern tip of Africa. It is the richest country on that continent.
2. The population of South Africa is around 52 million people. South Africa is unusual because it has three capital cities: Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Pretoria. But the largest city is Johannesburg.
3. South Africa has 11 official languages, including Zulu, Afrikaans, Xhosa and English. Vehicles drive on the left, like in Hong Kong.
4. South Africa is famous for its great variety of wild animals, including giraffes, elephants, antelopes, hippos, hyenas, leopards and lions.
5. Tourists visit South Africa to go on safari holidays in the country's large wildlife reserves.
