Walking Safari

South Africa has many attractions, but none can compete with the Wildlife and Game which can be found in many areas of the country. This weekend we tried a new adventure-The Walking Safari at a game preserve near Mountain High Hospital in Kwa Zulu Natal. Most game preserves require that the visitor stay in their car at all times. Viewing game from the car or open air jeep is fun but the bush calls for trekking to be done on foot. By staying in the car, one can get closer to the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and cape buffalo) and better photos but nothing can compare to tracking a rhinos feces or listening for the crack of timber as the elephant breaks apart trees for lunch.

The Bush Camp experience starts with meeting the ranger at the gate of the huge preserve and heading off to the camp deep in the sand forest. After a 25 minute drive in the open air jeep, the driver abruptly stops in the dirt road and announces that we have arrived. No trace of building or man’s intrusions into the bush is apparent until we walk a small path and arrive at the HQ tent for the camp. Couches and bookshelves line the tent and cold glasses of juice greet the visitor. The four tents accommodating 8 guests are located out in the bush with no views of any other tent, just the forest, scrub and bushes of this ecosystem.

Walking Safari Bush Camp day starts at 515am with hot water lugged to each tent and coffee awaiting. By 6am the eight of us (four couples, youngish and oldish) head out on the trail with our two armed guides. Cormorants, kingfishers, darters, and eagles are spotted on the trail. Shy nyala dart into the bush and we pass. Our guides show us how to read animal tracks- the sausage like hooded cobra sand formation, the long streams from the quills of the porcupine. The crack of timber and rustling of tall tree canopies indicates an elephant is feeding and we creep along, single file hoping to get a glimpse of the huge creature. The guide strategizes a plan so that we can surround the animal without getting too close and being detected. As soon as one is spotted by the elephants they will give a warning charge and stomp away. The guide slung his sock filled with ash from the morning campfire to determine the direction of the wind and proceeded up wind. He cautiously beckoned us to crouch and run two by two to track the elephant. At last we found a sheltered camouflaged hiding spot and watched the huge bull tramp through the forest to a small pan (watering hold) where he garously sucked the muddy water up into his trunk and joyously sprayed his warm body with the cool mud. He repeated his pleasurable bath several times and then marched off into the trees.

After one hikes for 4 hours viewing several different ecosystems, the group returns to camp for brunch and showers rigged up with hand filled fabric tanks of waters in the great outdoors. Afternoon is spent resting in the comfortable king size beds with high tea at 330pm. The late afternoon starts off with a game drive and short hike. As the jeep journeyed off the dirt road into the grassland, a mother cheetah was spotted with four cubs (one orphan included) sleeping beneath and acacia tree. The mother was not disturbed as we took pictures and marveled at the amazing sight. Cheetahs have been reintroduced into the preserve and are doing well. They look similar to Leopards but have solid spots, rather than the rosettes of leopards. They are built for speed.

The night is pitch black as we return to camp for dinner. The guides point out the blazing stars in the Southern Constellation: Orion, the Southern Cross, the Dog and the gorgeous Milky Way. We wind through the dark night and spot three honey badgers waddling down the road. The most dramatic moment of this night of drama was coming upon the hundreds of torches and the fire that light up the camp at night. Dinner of salmon and ostrich cooked on the open fire awaited 8 hungry hikers. Tall tales of our bravery defying Mother Nature were the entertainment by the fire as we enjoyed a most thrilling and exciting weekend.