Africa

[Visited: July 2024]

When we take the turn to Siphofaneni, our excitement starts to build. We have an appointment at the entrance of Mkhaya reserve, but only a description of where we have to be. We eventually see a ranger, immediately know he is our guy, and he then introduces himself as Lucky. We take that as a good sign. We follow him on his motorbike over a dirt track and through a river, leave our car, and start our first game drive. Our guide points behind us, and in the distance, we see a black rhino. Our guide opens a gate, and before we know it, we see two white rhinos. One of them seems to have no fear, and comes very close to our safari jeep. It allows us a great close-up of its horns, eyes, and skin. What impressive animals! Our guide tells us about both endangered species, and refuses to say how many there are inside the park. Everything is done not to give poachers ideas. He tells us the differences between the two rhinos, and how black rhinos (smaller ones) are the most endangered. They are also nocturnal, so more difficult to spot during the day.
We now start cruising the dirt tracks and we feel that excitement that comes with any safari. You never know what to expect, where to see which animal, and any moment, anything can happen. Meanwhile, we keep our eyes open, look in all directions. Our guide turns out to be very good: he not only steers the car through potholes and over challenging stretches of dirt track, but also spots wildlife when we don't see it ourselves. We see plenty of antelopes: impala, nyala, bushbucks, and more. Then, he spots a few zebras from a distance. In a shallow pond, we spot a family of hippos, but they stay in the water and we only see their ears, eyes, and part of the head. The most dangerous animal of Africa. We continue driving, see more animals, and then the sky turns a deep orange and we see a spectacular sunset behind a dead tree. We watch the sun sink, and it doesn't take long before we are surrounded by darkness. We drive to our camp, and then find out we have to drive back to the parking to get our stuff. The advantage is that we see a small group of giraffes under the moonlight. Dinner is under a huge tree, and the ladies of camp then give us a sparkling performance of dancing. We inevitably join them in the end, before retiring to our hut. They are open, and we are happy to find a warm jug under the blankets. We fall asleep with lots of sounds of animals surrounding us.
Someone wakes us up when it is still dark, and before we know it, we are in the car again. This is a good time for safari, and we feel that excitement even more than the day before. Indeed, we see a lot of wildlife. One of the most beautiful sights: a giraffe with her baby which still has some fluffy hair. They seem scared, and the mother understandably protective of her young. We just stand still to admire the gracious sight. We see an abundance of impalas and nyalas again, warthogs, zebras, and a big lizard coming out of a pond where we also spot tortoises. We see more giraffes as well, and then it is time for breakfast. After a small break, we drive away from camp, get out of the car, and start a walking safari. Our guide enthusiastically explains about all the things we see, also traces and excrements on our way. We arrive at a pond where we see a family of hippos, out of the water this time. Impressive, to see them in their full glory. We get back to our car, and see a bigger herd of giraffes again, and just stay to observe them in silence. After lunch, we drive towards the exit, and see a few more white rhinos, and a black one. Again, we take our time to enjoy seeing them from pretty close. Mkhaya reserve might not have elephants or big predators, but when we leave the park we are very happy we visited. It is time to say goodbye to Lucky and wish him good luck.

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Mkhaya reserve (Eswatini)

Mkhaya reserve > Eswatini > Africa

[Visited: July 2024]

Around the World in 80 Clicks