Pans of thunder

I say goodbye to the Nieboers and carry on. I want to explore the rest of the Mabuasehube area.

Mabua feels like an “easier” version of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Some of the stands have running water and the pans are closer together and more accessible. But there are also more tourists around, so it’s harder to get that feeling of being alone in the wilderness.

Stand 1 at Mabuasehube is the closest you’ll get to that feeling. It doesn’t have an A-frame awning like most of the other stands, just a concrete slab for you to braai on.

Mpayathutlwa is the opposite. The campsite takes its name from the biggest pan in Mabuasehube, and it’s very popular. Stand 1 has running water in the shower, a sink, some trees and a view of the pan. But it’s close to the road, so it lacks the privacy of a proper wilderness camp.

I return to Khiding Pan late in the afternoon. The cheetahs must be hungry by now. The Nieboers are already there. They tell me that the cats started tucking into the carcass after a nap and they’re