Very recently we went on a trip to the bush that I had wanted to do for a long time; a luxury safari combined with a more rustic walking safari. After receiving a cancellation for the Kruger Park Olifants Trail walking safari, I gathered a few family members and friends for a 6-day adventure.
The first two nights were spent at the ultra luxurious Singita Lebombo, one of the best private game lodges in Africa. My sons, Sam and Jacques and Lior, Jacques’ fiancée, and myself all climbed into a car Friday morning and began the scenic drive from Johannesburg to the Kruger Park. In all my years of visiting the bush, this was a first for me, and one that I would definitely do again. The drive was long (approximately 7.5 hours) but the scenery of the South African landscape was breathtaking with fantastic company. Our one and a half hour drive through Kruger Park allowed us to sight all the Big 5 except for lions, plus a host of other beautiful animals. When we finally arrived at Singita Lebombo, situated along the Park’s eastern border alongside Mozambique, we were greeted warmly by the staff and shown to our incredible suites to freshen up. Each suite is like a small apartment, 100m2 of exquisitely designed and furnished space overlooking the river and bush below. A symphony of glass, wood and stainless steel. These rooms are an experience within themselves with outdoor showers, generous verandas and every creature comfort one could desire, it was difficult to leave for the game drive. Later that evening, after sundowners and hors d’oeuvres in the main camp area, we were joined by four of my close friends who had flown from Cape Town to Nelspruit and then driven through Kruger to the lodge. An evening of delectable eats prepared by the incredible chef, paired with some of the finest South African wines on the recommendation of the lodge’s brilliant sommelier, Henrico, lots of laughs, a late dip in the lap pool and a peaceful night’s rest.
On our 6am game drive the next day, we completed our checklist of the Big 5 when we were fortunate enough to encounter a pride of 8 lions feasting on a fresh Waterbuck kill. We watched for 30 minutes whilst these majestic animals feasted until they could barely breathe. The birdlife was abundant and beautiful; Lilac-breasted Rollers, Yellow-billed Hornbills and dozens of other birds. That evening we were treated to a boma dinner feast, under the African skies where we were also entertained by the lodge staff with beautiful traditional song and dance. We retired that evening relaxed and happy. On our early morning game drive the next day we had a rare encounter with a breeding herd of elephant. We were lucky to sit amongst these gentle giants whilst they went about feeding off the surrounding trees. We even got to see a baby elephant that, according to our knowledgeable ranger, Sipho and his tracker, Given, was a mere two weeks old.What a wonderful way to end the first leg of our journey. After a sumptuous late breakfast, we were on our way to Olifants Trail, just two hours’ drive from Singita Lebombo.
This was to be the “down-to-earth”part of the safari, with approximately 30 kilometres of African bush to be covered on foot over two days. Our camp was humble and cosy, with a large entertainment and bonfire area for communal enjoyment. Our Kruger Park Rangers, Aron and Michael, quiet at first, warmed up to us almost immediately as they could sense our eagerness to spend our days in the bush and learn more about the animals and the region.
Olifants Trail is a mere 7 kilometres from Mozambique as the crow flies and like Singita, on the North Eastern border of the Kruger Park and Mozambique’s Transfrontier National Park. The fences were removed some time ago, giving the Kruger animals unique “traversing rights”. The camp was built in 1979 and is one of seven walking trail safaris available in the Kruger Park.
Due to the sweltering heat, our day’s walk started with a 5am wake up call, not uncommon by bush standards. We were driven to a drop off point where the bush walk began. After two hours, we would find a shady spot and enjoy a light “picnic” breakfast before continuing. The terrain varied from open plains to riverside beaches and rocky outcrops. We saw plains game such as impala, zebra and giraffe as well as little animals like the Hinged Bell Tortoise and dozens of bird species such as the African Kingfisher and Kori Bustard (the heaviest flying bird on Earth). One thing that became very apparent to us on this walk was the very real threat imposed on the rhino population by poachers.
Last year, over 250 rhinos were killed for their horns, which are exported illegally to the Far East. By June of this year, the number of poached rhino had already surpassed that of last year’s total. We were made aware of the distressing effect this has had on this region from a wildlife point of view. Whilst on foot, we bumped into anti-poaching teams from both the SANDF and Parks Board. We sadly came across a rhino that had been killed about a month before and surveyed the remains with great sadness and anger. Approximately 15 kilometres later, we reached our starting point and headed back to camp where Shadrack, our cook, beat his drum to signal that lunch was served. After an afternoon siesta at camp, we would head back to find a good spot for a shorter sunset walk and evening drinks. On these sundowner treks we were also entertained endlessly by the hippos in the river, groaning and grunting loudly as they fixed their gaze on us whilst baboons cried in the background and crocodiles slid lazily into the river from the banks across the river. Then it was back to camp again as the sun set for a hearty dinner and an evening of chatting and stories around the campfire.
The combination of a 6 star luxury safari at Singita and the basic Kruger Park walking trail, with our unbridled joy and amazing experiences at both, reminded me why I have such a passion for South Africa and the bush.