It’s an overcast night and the mopane veld is hushed. The campfire chat slows down as the coals begin to flutter. Just as we prepare to crawl into our tents, someone whispers: “I think I can hear an elephant…”
Our tour leader, Janco Scott, pans a spotlight towards the largely dry riverbed about 30m from where we’re sitting. Sure enough, it illuminates an elephant. Janco clicks off the light and we listen as the elephant sniffs the air, flaps its ears and, after drinking from a small pool, crunches away over the sand.
Does this sound like your type of bush holiday? It feels like we should be somewhere in Botswana, but we’re in a little-known provincial park called Letaba Ranch just north of Phalaborwa. Over the next four days we’ll explore the back roads of this park and Makuya Nature Reserve further north – both reserves have open borders with the Kruger to the east.
Chris Venter and Janco Scott Kleinmond and Hoedspruit
Chris: I quite liked that we didn’t see a lot of game – and what we did see ran off quickly. It’s not like in the Kruger where the animals are used to cars. It means that you appreciate your sightings more.
Janco: This is a great trip because, as a South African, you get something of a Botswana experience, but without having to drive as far, and without having to
