I spent a week on safari in South Africa. The bathroom situation wasn't that bad, and we got wildly close to animals.

I knew I'd be near animals during the safari, but I was not mentally prepared for how close they would come to our vehicles.

During our first morning drive, we were surrounded by a herd of elephants that walked around our open-air vehicle — some passed by just inches from my face.

On another day, we rolled alongside a pride of lions as they stalked their prey through the bush. That night, we found the same pride feasting on prey and stopped close enough to hear the sound of bones crunching between the lions' teeth.

Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined I'd be so close to the action.

Going out for game drives is a thrilling experience, but after several days, I was feeling antsy for more physical activity.

These drives involve multiple hours of sitting, and many resorts offer two per day. I could've opted for a guided bush walk with a lodge or a park ranger, but these usually take place at the same time as the game drives (and cost extra).

Unfortunately, nearby hiking opportunities were limited — in part because it isn't safe to wander alone among the wildlife.

I found the best way to get some midday cardio was swimming in the lodge's pool or running laps around our rest camps — but it was hard to fit these activities into the demanding safari schedules.

Our morning drives started just before sunrise at an eye-watering hour. However, they certainly woke me up.

The game drives felt like a real-life theme park ride with the chance to spot live animals around every turn. The seats were out in the open, and the roads got quite bumpy.

With all this in mind, I was floored to see other guests sleeping on some of these trips while the wind whipped our faces. They missed out on interesting information and animal sightings.

I figured that if I was in the bush, I would have to hide behind a bush to use the bathroom.

Fortunately, both Pilanesberg National Park and Kruger National Park had decent public toilet facilities, even in areas quite far from the visitor centers and rest camps.

It was a relief to be able to use an actual toilet inside a building throughout the trip.

Tourists are a captive audience for dining, and the prices of concessions at zoos and theme parks in the United States are often inflated.

Much to my surprise, though, I found the restaurant options inside places like Kruger National Park were affordable.

A sit-down dinner for two people ranged from $30 to $45, including wine, which wasn't much higher than the prices of meals offered just outside the park.

One of my favorite lunches was at Tshokwane Trading Post in Kruger. My husband and I got a kudu sausage, a mutton-mince pie, a chicken jaffle (type of sandwich), and two coffees for only $9.

I was shocked to see the variety of game on the dinner menus throughout our trip — and pleasantly surprised by how delicious they were.

I tried meats I'd never been offered before, like ostrich, warthog, springbok, and wildebeest. Still, I felt a little sheepish about eating some of the same animals that I'd been observing in the wild.

Taking our own car around Kruger National Park was just as spectacular as going on the guided game drives.

I worried my husband and I would be squinting out of our windows, struggling to find animals in the wilderness, but it was surprisingly easy to drive ourselves around while still spotting creatures.

As we steered along the paved and dirt roads, we encountered elephants, wildebeest, hyenas, zebras, giraffes, and lions.

I'm glad we participated in guided tours before driving ourselves, though. They provided us with valuable information on animal behavior that helped us with safety and sightings.