Into the Wild
SAFARIS ARE HIGH UP ON EVERY TRAVELLER’S BUCKET LIST, AND THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE FOR FIRST-TIMERS THAN SOUTH AFRICA’S SABI SAND GAME RESERVE
Wild animals roaming free, without the confines of cages, fences and leashes, is a hard-to-grasp concept for novice safari-goers – let alone city dwellers like us. And as we set out into the darkness, on the back of an open-top jeep for our first game drive, we’re not sure what to expect. Bundled up in f leece blankets and with hot water bottles bouncing in our laps, we stare in amazement at the herds of kudus, impalas and waterbucks that cross our path. We forget about the cold as soon as we come across our first major spotting: a magnificent leopard sleeping under a tree, resting after a night on the prowl. Its gleaming, spotted coat ref lects the first rays of sunlight at daybreak, which also casts a spotlight on the cat’s blood-soaked face. Its kill, an impala – or rather, what remains of the animal’s carcass – hangs from a branch above the sleeping predator. “It’s to keep his food safe from scavengers,” explains our guide Neil. He’s clearly seen it all before on his twice daily drives accompanied
We’ve seen a whole menagerie of animals, including nearly all of The Big Five
by a tracker – whose job is to peer out into the bush and spot animals in the distance. They work closely together, and are constantly on the radio with other guides and trackers in the area to monitor the animals’ movements. By the time we break for a morning snack, we’ve seen a whole menagerie of animals, including nearly all of The Big Five – except the elusive water buffalo. The highlight of the morning, however, was observing a pack of endangered wild dogs feasting on a freshly killed impala. Over warm cups of coffee with a splash of Amarula (a sweet, creamy liqueur made using the nut it’s named after), served alongside tiffins packed with rusk biscuits, dried fruits and muffins, we soak in the beautiful scenery and snap photos of the grassy plains and bare-branched trees that dot the horizon. Situated south-west of Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve is 65,000 hectares of privately owned, unfenced bushland. Many of Sabi Sand’s five-star lodges are regarded as the crème-de-la-crème, making choosing where to stay a difficult task. With the help of luxury tour operator, Aardvark Safaris, we
stay at the family-run Chitwa Chitwa private game lodge. The lodge is a bastion of chic, designer furnishings set amidst industrial interiors in concrete, raw wood and stone. It’s hard to believe that we’re in the middle of remote wilderness. Each of Chitwa Chitwa’s suites are different in look and feel, but are equally luxurious and tastefully decorated, with modern design features and art by lodge owner and artist Maria Brink. While many of the artworks are rendered in broad, abstract brushstrokes, the painting in the reception area depicts a portrait of
It’s hard to believe that we’re in the middle of remote wilderness
a rhinoceros, which represents the lodge’s stance against rhino poaching. The main building houses a glammedup bar serving evening cocktails, a wine cellar in the basement stocked with grands crus and an opulent dining room in rich red and gold tones that leads out to the pool deck. Hearty breakfasts and lunches are served in the alfresco restaurant set along the edge of an expansive watering hole teeming with hippos, zebras and giraffes. Out here, even the simplest task, such as sitting down for a meal, unfolds like a National Geographic documentary. From peering out at the mist rising above the watering hole at dawn to looking up at a blanket of stars on our evening drives, being on safari is truly an unforgettable experience that can open up even the most hardened of hearts to the beauty of nature.