THE RAIN GOD OF KRUGER’S FAR NORTH

After rolling into Kruger through Phalaborwa Gate one sweltering February afternoon, we pulled off the road every now and then, turned off the engine of our Avis hire car, and tuned in to the wild sounds that tugged at our ancient DNA. My wife, Sarah, and I were here to enjoy the rainy season. People often say it’s best to see wildlife in the dry winter months, but we wanted to challenge that notion, for the rains would surely bring new life to this part of Kruger.

With a week to get to Pafuri, Kruger’s Garden of Eden 225 kilometres to the north, we were in no rush. The park’s camps are roughly 70 kilometres apart, and that can be a long journey filled with wonder and pathos. We crept into Letaba just before the gate closed. This lovely rest camp is renowned for its museum dedicated to Kruger’s legendary tuskers. We’d soon encounter one of the current generation, Botsotso (a Tsonga term meaning baggy pants), so named for the folds of skin around his bum.

Letaba is also known for