South Africa - Land Rovers and Lodges
Author: Polly Sadler, Conservation Enthusiast
Read time: 3 minutes
Flooglebinder are travel experts and a certified B Corporation with tour experience in over 75 countries. We curate sustainable bespoke adventures that incorporate sustainability, conservation and wellness. As a BCorp organisation we use business as a force for good, meet the highest standards of verified performance, accountability and transparency, whilst tracking and monitoring our social and environmental impact.
The first half of our South African adventure saw us at a privately owned lodge, designed for travellers like us to immerse ourselves in the surrounding nature.
“No flora or fauna was left unidentified, and no question unanswered”
The accommodation was basic with all the essentials – beds, bathroom, decidedly temperamental electricity – but who needs more when you’re living within the awe-inspiring landscapes of the bushveld? We had a kitchen and a semi-outdoor dining area where we spent our free time, and of course, the all-important campfire and braai area, in which many evenings were spent with a cold beer and a sing-along.
Each day started at 5 am, in time to watch the slow sunrise, coffee in hand (name a better morning!). Days would often continue with an immersive, early morning game drive around the surrounding veld, stopping for whatever nature decided to provide us with. There was a communal feeling of boundless possibility where anything could happen – you never know what you might come across. We observed male lions play fighting, families of warthogs casually going about their day, rhinos grazing with their offspring, and giraffes practising osteophagy. Our expert guides would often pull over to explain a phenomenon or a track or point out a species lurking in the distance that we could easily have missed altogether (we got much more observant by the end). The level of proficiency of the guides knew no bounds. No flora or fauna was left unidentified, and no question was unanswered. They are truly masters of their craft.
Every so often, we would hear the static of communication through the radios, a sure sign that someone elsewhere on the reserve had spotted something interesting enough to report. Without help from other guides on the other end of the radio, we would never have found the elephant herd. It is remarkable how such a large animal can be so elusive! There was a previous moment when I was sure I had heard an elephant in the distance, only to discover it was in fact the growl of a hungry stomach on the Land Rover. When we finally found them, it was 100% worth the wait. In the yellow thatching grass (Hyperthelia dissoluta), with the setting sun forming an indescribably picturesque backdrop, were a herd of 6 majestic individuals. Dust clouded the air with each slow step, the only sound coming from the snapping of twigs beneath their feet. We sat in silence and simply took it all in. Truly an experience like no other.
“There was a communal feeling of boundless possibility where anything could happen”
As with anything, the excursions were not without drama or incident. On multiple occasions, our drives were debilitated by rain, and we were forced to hold a tarpaulin over our heads while swiftly returning to camp. At which point – obviously – the sun would smugly reappear as if to taunt us. These rainy days were filled with blankets, coffee and PowerPoint presentations by expert lecturers, who were on par with the field guides when it came to knowing what they were talking about.
“We sat in silence and simply took it all in. Truly an experience like no other. ”
One of my favourite features of the drives was the opportunity to sit on the tracker seat situated on the bonnet of the vehicles. It's an unimaginable feeling to drive toward the sunset, with nothing in front to obscure the view. A moment I would use to really appreciate where I was and take it all in. To stop and smell the roses (or the rhino dung). Of course, hanging off the front of a Land Rover in the middle of a reserve - home to some of the world's most dangerous animals - did yield moments of trepidation. Despite this, the expertise and assurance of the guides would always encourage a feeling of absolute safety.
“Rainy days were filled with blankets, coffee and PowerPoint presentations by expert lecturers”
The chance to drive the Land Rover was - for lack of a better phrase - very cool. It was something we never would have done on an everyday luxury safari. Everyone had a go, and without naming any names, some of us picked it up faster than others.
The best drives were those that concluded at a viewpoint overlooking the rolling grasslands of the bushveld, uninterrupted as far as the eye could see. The dusty reds, oranges and browns of the setting sun were unmistakably African and exceptionally magical. Once the sun was down, the stars came out in full force. There was no better way to end the day. These were moments of appreciation - moments to count our lucky stars (literally and figuratively). It was all impossible to take for granted.
