Hoping to
adjust to time
zone changes,
we included
a three-day
pre-excursion stay
in Cape Town, a
Black rhino at Thornybush
coastal city regarded
as the Mother City of South Africa. It’s considered
one of the world’s most beautiful cities and rightly
so. Our luxury hotel was within walking distance of
many fashionable restaurants, boutiques, gardens,
cathedrals, and cultural attractions. The Iziko Slave
Lodge Museum provided a fascinating glimpse into
Game drives are no place
for sleepyheads.
the long history of slave trade. Excursions included
tours to vineyards featuring remarkably fine wines,
local eclectic eateries, a ferry trip to Robben Island
where Nelson Mandela and other political dissidents
were imprisoned, a sightseeing tour along the Cape
Peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope during which
we took a funicular at Cape Point to admire stunning
coastal views, an exciting cable car ride to the top of
Table Mountain, and a trip to a penguin colony. The
main adventure was yet to begin!
Departing from Cape Town, we flew to Hoedspruit
before taking a shuttle to the Thornybush Game
(Nature) Preserve adjacent to Kruger National Park.
Accommodation was three nights in a romantic,
thatched, air-conditioned cottage, where “treated
royally” would be an understatement. Without a
fence between the park and preserve, animals roam
freely. At Thornybush, safari vehicles can travel
off-road within reasonable restrictions, making
for better viewing opportunities during game drives
than in national parks where vehicles must stay
on roads.
Game drives are no place for sleepyheads.
Wake-up was at 5:00 a.m. with departure at
5:30 a.m. after coffee, tea, and snacks. Around
10:00 a.m., guests stop for coffee and snacks
invariably featuring spicy “biltong,” a signature
South African dried meat. Then we went back to
the lodge for a full breakfast, cleanup, late lunch,
and some relaxation before the evening game drive.
Our safari vehicle, with arena-like seating, was
ideal for game viewing. Our inscrutable indigenous
tracker, Frank, sat up front on a pedestal while our
experienced ranger, Simon, a British ex-pat, drove.
Whenever Frank saw spoor on the trails, he’d use
hand signals. Simon would follow his directions
until we found our quarry. Frank had incredible
tracking skills and could even tell the difference
between black and white rhinoceros tracks. My most
memorable moment occurred when a mother black
rhino approached the vehicle to have a look at the
tourists, with me being the closest. Simon’s words of
caution were “Don’t move or talk; no photos,” until
she ambled off.
Duane Radford, author’s husband (R)
enjoying a sundowner at Thornybush.
news&views AUTUMN 2019 | 15