Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/873989
mammal, its fixation on eating equals mine on getting another photograph, but I stop and just gaze at him, wishing the elephant could tell us its story. As our day continues we see more vari- eties of gazelles and birds as well as monkeys, zebras, warthogs, jackals, wilde- beest, Cape giraffes, ostriches and, as we are about to leave the park at dusk, a herd of Cape buffalo. The immense beasts seem so gentle as they slowly walk the dry brush in search of their dinner. One day has blessed us with an abundance of African wildlife and two of the big five. KARONGWE PRIVATE GAME RESERVE The next day we head to Karongwe Private Game Reserve, a privately owned park about a 45-minute drive from Kruger National Park. Our base is the idyllic Chisomo Safari Camp. The main building is a rough-hewn open-air wood lodge, with lamps made from bold African textiles swaying in the gentle breeze, and a circular bar dividing the dining room from the lodge's sitting area where oversized leather club chairs and couches create the perfect atmosphere to enjoy a sundowner. Warthogs wander camp lawns, and we have the possibility of seeing hip- popotamuses and crocodiles in the nearby Makhutsi River from the front porches of our elevated canvas-walled rooms furnished with inviting king-size beds swathed in white linens and mosquito nets. Our routine is set for the next days: a morning excursion in the reserve starts before sunrise, followed by a relaxing after- noon discussing what we have seen, and a late-day drive before dinner. Our game drives are with Karongwe guide/trackers Solomon and Thomas as well as our G CEO Johan informing us about animal daily habits and sharing stories of personal encounters. Graceful Cape giraffes become a regular part of our mornings. Spotting a distinctive grey silhouette in the distance, we're offered the first sight of a rhinoceros. Getting closer, it's a mother and child. The young rhino is curious about us, but is cautioned by its mother. The quick movements of the baby rhino's chunky legs are comical, and we have a moment of sadness as Solomon explains the poachers' relentless efforts to acquire rhino horns. As we check another big five sighting off our list, our next drive will lead us to the king of the jungle. Although their exchange is in their tribal language, the excited tones of Solomon and Thomas reveal an impending animal expe- rience. As we approach a clearing, Solomon DREAMSCAPES FALL 2017 52