It's hard to imagine making a trip to Africa without partaking in some sort of safari. Ever since hearing my Grama's amazing stories of all the wildlife she saw both in South Africa and Zimbabwe, I knew that I couldn't miss out, and started doing my homework. I had heard amazing things about Kruger Park, and upon finding a five-day budget camping safari, I decided to sign up right away. Yes, it was a little on the expensive side, but keep in mind, that includes meals, transportation, tented accommodation, and of course, the experience of a lifetime. Giving myself the chance to spend almost a week in the Kruger, searching out the Big Five seemed like money well spent.
I booked my safari through a company called African Budget Safaris, who referred me to Livingstone Trails, which was the company who would actually take me to the Kruger.
I had read mixed reviews on Livingstone Trails before starting my safari, but it sounded like the majority of people who had negative experiences had been expecting a champagne sort of safari. Since I would be content as long as I saw some animals and was kept relatively safe, I kept my expectations high. To say that they did not disappoint would be a massive understatement. From the moment I was picked up to the moment I was dropped off, I felt like I was well taken care of, well fed, and definitely saw an amazing amount of wildlife. Our guide Deon was a fantastic spotter, and had an incredible knowledge of the wildlife in the park. I definitely felt that I got my money's worth and more!
The safari began at 5:00am. I was picked up at my hostel, and from there, we spent a few hours driving all over Johannesburg, picking up the six other people in the group. Since Jo'burg is quite a widespread city, and the traffic is heinous, this took quite a while. However, this was the only part of the entire experience that wasn't awesome, and it was really beyond anyone's control, so there you go.
I was glad to see that my safari group consisted of people around my own age, none of which were wearing khaki safari suits. I was worried that I would be out of place, what with my being under fifty-five, and lack of khaki.
After everyone had been picked up, we headed to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre. Although the main specialty here are cheetahs, there are also lions, wild dogs and various birds being bred here. At the beginning of the tour, we were shown a short DVD, which explained how the Centre came to be, and all of the work they had done to breed certain endangered species, some of which had been returned to the wild. The Centre had many success stories, and I was very impressed by how humane the operation was.
After watching the DVD, we were taken on a short drive through the Centre. All of the animals were kept in very large enclosures, which were designed to mimic the natural habitats of the animals. Although there were fences, it didn't feel like a zoo, which I appreciated. There was lots of room for the animals to hang out. There were tons of cheetahs lazing about in the shade, as well as two lions and a pack of wild dogs! Let me just say that cheetah cubs have to be the cutest things alive!
After the drive, we were able to look around the gift shop and cafe. All of the money from the souvenirs went towards maintaining the Centre. I bought myself a stuffed wild dog. It sort of reminded me of my own dog, and the money went to a good cause. Who could resist?
The next stop was the campsite. We slept in canvas tents, which are pretty much the same as standard nylon tents at home, except they're more effective at keeping malaria-carrying mosquitoes (although it's winter, so mosquitoes are not as abundant right now - nobody panic!) After that, we had an early supper (a delicious-looking braai for the carnivores, and some soy chicken for the solitary vegetarian. Not naming names) and then were driven fifteen minutes down the road for a two-hour night drive! I really had my heart set on seeing a leopard in a tree, although unfortunately, we didn't see too much...just a spotted genet (a small African cat), tons of bats and - crikey! - a gigantic crocodile! However, it was awesome just to be off-roading through the middle of Africa in search of nocturnal wildlife - freezing hands notwithstanding.
Fair warning: it gets COLD at night in winter!
The next day was another jackrabbit start: awake at 5:00am, and off to the park by 6:00 in search of the Big Five (for the record, the Big Five are lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo). The hour-long drive from the campsite to the park is horribly bumpy - especially if you happen to get stuck in the back of the 4x4 vehicle - but the end result is worth it. Also, apparently it's colder up front. I'll take bumps. It's still freezing in the morning, and I suggest bringing a sleeping bag.
One of the first things we saw upon entering the park was a small herd of buffalo! One down! After that, we saw hundreds of impalas, zebras and giraffes - which were exciting to spot every time. We also saw gnus (the wildebeests that killed Mufasa for all you movie aficionados) and warthogs, which are two of the Ugly Five (the other three being marabou storks, vultures and hyenas - I disagree with the last one!)
Just before stopping for breakfast, we saw our first herd of elephants! There were several mothers with babies, just hanging out, quite close to the road. Deon warned us not to stand up or make too much noise, as the elephants could potentially charge the vehicle. Needles to say, this would not be ideal. The African elephants are much bigger than the ones I saw in Asia!
After preparing a delicious breakfast in the bush, we were off again. Soon after, we saw a male rhino in the distance, taking a nap! Since I had never seen a rhino before, not even in a zoo, this was extremely exciting. Not long after, we stumbled upon three hippos hanging out in the water! Did you know that hippos kill more people per year than any of the other animals? They're vicious buggers when you provoke them! Deon told us some stories about tourists who think that getting out of their cars to pose by the hippos is a good idea. Idiots.
The next two days of the safari were the same schedule as the first. However, on day two, we started out by watching a lioness cross the road. It was way off in the distance, but still. A lion is a lion! During the course of the day we also saw a mother rhino with her baby, more elephants, giraffes and zebras, and three massive crocodiles!
On day three, we saw a whole pride of lions in the distance, chilling under some trees! We also saw an impala hanging in a tree - proof of a leopard nearby - a hippo sleeping under a tree, and ostriches running by the road. Birds are ubiquitous in the Kruger, and whether you're seeing vultures or lilac-breasted rollers, there's always one nearby.
You would think that I would get sick of driving around the park in search of animals, but I can honestly say that I didn't. There are definitely parts of the safari that involve driving for long periods of time without seeing anything - maybe an impala, kudu or waterbuck - but there's nothing wrong with looking out at the African savanna, mistaking rocks and bushes for lions or hyenas. I saw four out of the big five, and even four out of the ugly five!
On day five, we had to wake up an hour earlier! We wanted to drive by the Blyde River Canyon and the Three Rondavels, but since there had been strikes and reports of people throwing stones, we decided to head over early, and that way, if the area was closed, we could still make it back to Jo'burg in decent time.
We really lucked out. Since it was early morning, we were the only souls in the area, apart from some baboons, who thankfully kept their distance. The sight of the canyon - the third largest in the world - was stunning, with a cliff that dropped down to an amazing river, and layered sandstone formations, the likes of which I had only seen in pictures until now. The Three Rondavels are rock formations that resemble African rondavels (huts). The sun was rising right over them upon arrival, so I had to squint to see them. Unfortunately, I didn't get any great pictures because the lighting was wrong at that time of day. Still, I've seen them with my own, squinted eyes, and the pictures just make out the silhouettes. So I can almost prove I was there.
I'm definitely disappointed that I didn't see a leopard or a hyena, but I know that this is really out of anyone's control, seeing how leopards are apparently hard to spot (har har), and hyenas are mostly nocturnal. I'm very content with what I did see (it really was tons), very impressed by my guide's knowledge of animals, spotting abilities, and hilarious commentary, and very happy with my overall experience in the Kruger. I would absolutely recommend doing a budget safari with Livingstone Trails, as long as you don't mind sleeping in a tent, or washing your own dishes.
Tonight, believe it or not, I fly back to Calgary. Please excuse me as I go cry my eyes out. South Africa, I love you.
Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com
From the moment I was picked up to the moment I was dropped off, I felt like I was well taken care of, well fed, and definitely saw an amazing amount of wildlife. Our guide Deon was a fantastic spotter, http://safari-africa.co.uk
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