Slow bush, big encounters

Game spotting was a little slow at first, the bush still thick and water widespread, but then came an elephant breeding herd, calm and unhurried, our guide reading every shift in the group, so the encounter unfolded without a moment of tension. A bull elephant on his own was a different story altogether, considerably less accommodating, and a reminder of how differently a lone bull and a breeding herd can behave.

We found two male lions on a giraffe kill and returned to them several times over the following days. No other predators came near, perhaps the lions alone were intimidation enough. Beyond the predators there was plenty else: hyena, giraffe, waterbuck, impala, zebra, wildebeest, mongoose, and rhino, with a quiet visitor in our unit too, a harmless Karoo sand snake that needed no introduction.

The birdlife kept pace with everything else, our tally climbing into the mid-sixties by the end of the stay, from a little bee-eater to a white-browed sparrow weaver and a pale chanting goshawk overhead.

The days went quickly. Game drives stretched into long sunsets and sundowners at the waterhole, the kind of evenings that make you properly aware of how fortunate you are to be there. It was a trip we would recommend without hesitation.

Want to be a part of Limpopo-Lipadi’s adventures? For discreet information on share sales, contact invest@limpopo-lipadi.org. To book a safari, request our rates via reservations@limpopo-lipadi.org or via WhatsApp: (+267) 76770191.