Text and photos by Mary L. Peachin
May, 2013, Vol. 17, No. 9
The Sabi Sand’s lion pride is a large one. When they are hungry, a small impala won’t feed the fifteen adults and five cubs. Fortunately, we discover them feasting on a recently killed Cape buffalo. Perhaps it was one of a pair we had seen the previous night. Roaring, the lions tore at the buffalo’s tough hide, while a young cub found a softer spot to chew under an empty eye socket. Young adult males fought over choice bits. It was an unbelievable scene that we shared with other land rovers. But, the scene was like a grand finale, every day for three days, we had experienced unbelievable sightings.
Guide Andrew Viljoen got out of the land rover and loaded his 458 bolt action rifle. My heart skipped a beat. Four of us were going to follow him on a hike through the Sabi Sands bush.
Located in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, the area is home to the “Big Five”, the leopard, elephant, rhino, Cape buffalo, and lion. As Head guide of Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge, Andrew didn’t mince words with us. “I’ve spent hundreds of hours in the bush and have only been charged a few times.” Please, walk single file, be quiet, listen to my commands, and, whatever you do, don’t run!” Bushwalking in the southern veld doesn’t provide the same sense of security as riding in the land rover. By walking, we could see things we would not see from the vehicle. And, yes, our adrenaline was flowing.
Aerial roots of the leopard orchid hung between branches of an acacia tree. A poisonous apple’s red bud was in bloom. While turning over rocks to look for scorpions, we found millipedes and a lone frog. Euphorbia, considered a designer cactus in the American southwest, like much bush growth, has a poisonous milky substance. Locals use it as an ingredient to kill fish and other animals. African wattle’s softness, makes it a handy plant, in an emergency, that can be used for toilet paper.
Signs of game were everywhere. Our eyes focused on our surroundings, scanned the horizon. We learned about animal behavior: hippos scatter their excrement, elephants dig for roots, and rhinos mark their territory with urine scent.
But, let’s start at the beginning of our exciting safari. As we exited Nelspruit’s thatched roof airport, the gateway to Kruger National Park, to drive several hours to Sabi Sabi’s Earth Lodge, as if to whet our appetite, a herd of impala pranced across the road. The road to the National Park, designated in the 1890s, is lined by eucalyptus trees, fields of macadamia nuts, avocado, lycee, and citrus groves. Single lifetime bearing adult bananas have young trees sprouting in their shadows. Majestic jacaranda tree purple flowers stood tall next to brilliant fuchsia blooms of massive bougainvillea trees.
“Minjani” or welcome to Sabi Earth Lodge chimed Andrew, Drinie, Taryn, and Michel as they greeted us. We had entered Kruger at Sabi Sands River Shaw gate. Since the lodge is not protected by electric fencing, we were advised to call for an escort for our dinner walk between our room and the main lodge.
The next morning before sunrise we were off on safari. Departing at 5:30a, a time when the animals are most active, we spent three hours with head guide Andrew Viljoen. We traveled in triple layer, six passenger land rovers as we went four wheeling through the bush. Louie Mkansi, known as one of the best trackers in the Park, sat on a seat adjacent to the hood. As he carefully listened while looking at animal tracks along the road, he used a stick to steer guide Andrew in different directions.
In the first few hours, we saw a black belly bustard, kudu, impala, weaver nests hanging in acacia trees, and a common curly horned duiker. Stopping near an aramurela tree, which is used to make alcohol, Andrew held his 458 bolt action rifle as we sipped tea and ate biscuits. A lone lioness lay in the bush with three cubs, we passed a white rhino, and saw the seldom observed in the open, a giant plated lizard sunning on a rock.
When we weren’t on safari, we were eating delicious food or resting at the luxurious twelve cottage lodge. That afternoon we saw two more white rhino, a herd of impala, a wart hog, dark brown Walberg eagle in nest with its mate flying above, and white faced whistling ducks.
Sabi Sands’ 20,000 acres was originally part of the Park’s western edge privately owned farms in the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld. Currently called Mpumalanga, in 1884, South Africa President Kruger dedicated it as a wildlife sanctuary. Hilton and Jacqui Loon owned the lower altitude veld land for 32 years. They built three lodges Selati, Bush, and Earth, and recently added Little Bush Camp. On a return trip from visiting these lodges, we saw the rare nyala antelope and many baboons surrounding the water hole near the Earth Lodge.
During our second day safari, Louie tracked an approximately twelve year old leopard walking down the road spraying bushes as he moved. We traded views with other land rovers. A herd of impala hissed as young bucks stood alerted, a skittish wildebeest kept careful watch. Along the track, a hyena trotted toward the leopard in hopes of scavenging part of a kill.
Continuing on, we observed a bachelor herd of half a dozen Cape buffalo, one with a bloody tail. He must have escaped a kill last night. A small steenbok drank from a lodge pond, a water monitor lizard sunned, while a Nile crocodile appeared camouflage on the muddy back.
It was the first time that Andrew observed two hippos in a river pool. As two buffalo darted into the bush, we hiked toward the pool to get a better glimpse of the hippos. Hippos yawn to let you know that they are alerted by your presence. It’s time to give them more distance.
Not unlike walking in the bush, driving at nightfall, it a bit more hairy. As we watched a nocturnal white tail mongoose, scorpion in the road, and a night jar, a young elephant crossed our path. Around the next corner was the bull elephant. That flow of adrenaline must have been calmed by the Amarula “sundowner” or drink that we had enjoyed at sunset.
Few visitors to Africa miss the opportunity to go on a safari. Our adventure did not disappoint. We not only saw those Big Five, but we did so with Sabi Sabi’s experts from their fabulous Earth Lodge, recently designated at the top South Africa safari destination.
Part III of a Series
If you go:
South African Airways, www.saa.com , South African Vacations, www.flysaavacations.com, Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge, www.sabisabi.com,