South African Safari Guide

Hakuna Matata

This was my first trip to South Africa, but surely not my last. It's been a few weeks now since we've been back, but I am still feeling as if waking up to hot coffee and game drives every morning could suit me just fine.

Let me start by saying, this trip was an adventure of a lifetime, but not for the faint of heart. After flying, for over 24-hours, into Durban (the largest airport in the region) we then had a 3-hour drive to our game lodge, in the center of the KwaZulu-Natal. We arrived on the night of the largest lunar eclipse in history, and the skies did not disappoint. Arriving to only to the sound of the wilderness around us and to be greeted into the lodge with traditional tribal dancing and chanting. 

The days would start early, before dawn, with coffee and biscuits before heading our on the first game drive of the day. This really is the best time of the day to see the animals, even in the winter, the afternoons get too hot and they all take siestas. There is something magical about being up at that time of day though, in the middle of nowhere, with the only things out and about are what you are searching to find. The thrill of the hunt (so to speak). 

Having arrived in the pitch black of the night, first light in the bush and observing all of your surroundings and trying to orient yourself, was quite the eye opening experience. That first morning, one of the first things we saw, were a pair of black rhinos, and within just 5-feet of the Land Cruiser. At first, I was in shock. There is something about seeing your first, of the Big Five for the first time (or anytime for that matter) and right up close and personal. It's a crazy high of life feeling that I hadn't anticipated at all. 

We continued that morning to see an entire, large herd of giraffes. Males to babies and everything in between. Maybe because I am tall, but i've always found giraffes to be such beautiful mytical creatures. Seeing them up close like that, was really like, life in HD. The colors and patterns, and they're typically hilarious facial expressions, it was fantastic. 

In between drives while the animals are having siestats, you do the same. Relaxing by the pool and settling into camp was only too easy for us. Something I started doing a few years when I travel, is to bring a book along. You never know when you're going to be waiting around, and don't always have technology with you. But I like to bring not just any book, but I like to find books to read that take place or involve the place of where I am traveling. I have found that it enhances your journey with the simplicity of doing nothing differently. This trip I chose to read Death in the Tall Grass. Although we weren't on a hunting safari, it sure set the tone of location and experience. 

The highlight of the day was hard to decide between the rhinos, giraffes or our afternoon drive, where the Spirit of Africa really started to assimilate for us. We brought some wines with us on the journey to share (as we most normally do) because what better way to experience the bush, with a smooth glass of Napa Valley Cabernet in your hand. 

We found a herd of elephants and zebras co-habitating together, and I was surprised to see how intreagued they were with us. The Ellies, as our ranger called them, are very curious animals, but not to underestimate them, as they have no problem moving head first into the jeep and flipping it over with little ease. But what beautiful giants they are. The entirety of the trip I never tired of spotting a huge floppy ear through the trees. 

As the sunset lengthened, the bush started to come to life, with baboons chattering and the hyenas howling as we wound around many turns to make it to our sundowner spot for the evening. We drove to the top of the highest peak around, with 360 degree views as far as the eye could see. This was the spot of all look-out-spots. 

It was there that we had a cheers and reminisced over our past few days in the bush with our new found life-long friends.

Until next time..