Cape Town - “Don’t worry about the hippo,” says Jean, our hostess, as we arrive at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve’s Tilney Manor.
Her eyes glance over to a nearby swamp – a stone’s throw from the doorway – where a young bull hippo has recently made his home. Banished from his herd, he seems to have found acceptance among his new human neighbours. His human neighbours, however, are not impressed.
“He’s been happy there for about two weeks and doesn’t want to go back,” says Jean. “We’ve tried but they can be very fast and dangerous.”
It’s not the ideal introduction to your first bushveld safari.
The road through the reserve is little more than dirt, dust and gravel. The 20-minute drive to the Welcome Lodge would strike fear into any heart – let alone three city dwellers whose lungs effortlessly sift urban exhaust fumes. Here, the emptiness and solitude are soothing in their welcome.
Sanbona, which covers 54 000ha of pristine landscape, is wilderness at its best.
Moments later – after being bundled into the back of a game-viewing vehicle – we’re on the hunt for nature’s fiercest.
After days of torrential rain, the cappuccino-coloured rivers now foam at the mouth.
For a landscape described by the Khoi people as “the hard, dry place”, today the Karoo is anything but.
Pelting rain licks at our cheeks and the wind takes bites out of our skin.
Chris, our game ranger, resembles a young Father Christmas in a khaki poncho.
The animals are scarce. But it’s not your average day and not your average safari.
In this fickle landscape – half desert and half a lush shrubbery of lemon and lime coloured bushveld – there is no average.
The reserve is situated at the foot of the Warmwaterberg Mountains and is about a four-hour drive from Cape Town.
Here, sweet thorn trees furnish the wide, open spaces and tracking the footprints of animals is an everyday pastime.
“Shhh,” says Chris. “You have to keep your voice down. Their ears are very sensitive.”
A bull giraffe eyes us with minimal curiosity a little more than a metre away. He munches idly on green leaves, his long tongue grabbing at twigs. Further along the pathway, a herd of eland watch us as we stealthily grab binoculars.
“They’re bigger than they look,” says Chris. “Much bigger. And just listen to the sound of their leg bones clicking when they walk. Legend has it that this is how the Khoi developed the click sounds in the way they speak.”
Three hours later, having passed a troop of baboons with babies clutching on to their mothers, Chris pulls up to Tilney, where the wet army-green of the vehicle expels us into the blazing warmth of a room reminiscent of days gone by.
The manor is ideal for couples or a small group of friends but the reserve comprises several lodges that also cater to children and offer kindergarten facilities. Built in a lavish bush mansion, the rooms are wide and spacious, with large glass windows that look out over a landscape which, by morning, is littered with signs of nocturnal life that unravels in the same way buds blossom when no one’s watching.
A secluded outdoor shower is located through sliding doors, where nature meets au naturel.
In the morning, there is loud excitement in the communal area.
Chris beams as we arrive.
“We got him,” he says. “The hippo.”
The swamp is placid.
“It’s probably a good time to tell you,” he smiles. “The only animal humans can outrun is the tortoise.”
l Kassiem is news editor at the Cape Times. She stayed at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve on a complimentary booking.
Pros
l Up-close-and personal with wildlife
l Excellent service, where game rangers are knowledgeable and provide interesting insight
l Cost includes all game drives (two per day)
Cons
l Zero cellphone reception
l Expensive (but worth it)
l The nearest town is 50km away
l Signage is poor and it’s easy to miss the turn-off
Things to know
l Don’t travel in a light motor vehicle: the terrain is rough, although you can leave your car at the entrance and be driven to the Welcome Lodge in a resort 4x4
l Invest in a good pair of binoculars. You can also hire them from the resort, but these are in demand
l Be sure to pack an assortment of clothes. nights are cold and days can be even colder
l Bring an extra dose of patience as animals are shy and a three-hour game drive can sometimes be fruitless
l Curb your enthusiasm. Should you spot wildlife, hushed tones are required
http://www.sanbona.com/ - Saturday Star