Night Game Drives South Africa
The truck hums, rattles and vibrates beneath you.There is a cool breeze gusting against your face and neck and upon it is the exotic perfume of flowers in bloom mingled with the ever so slightly musky scent from invisible animals in the nearby vicinity.
The bright yellow spotlight weaves slowly back and forth, back and forth across the veld searching for the creatures that call it home.
The eyes of a moth light up the veld as the light sweeps across them and the search continues. A herd of impala, startled, trot deeper into the cover of the bush, their eyes reflecting the light and creating a sea of diamonds bobbing and flowing through the inky blackness as they move off to safety.
At night the African bush is another world entirely, it comes alive after its hot lazy afternoons and the air tingles with anticipation and excitement.
Generally if asked to conjure up images of Africa, people describe the bush, the wonderful creatures that inhabit her shores and the glorious orange-red sunsets at dusk. So, a trip to the bush is almost compulsory if you touch down on South African soil!
Camps Bay is a wonderful base from which to explore the marvels the Cape has to offer the visitor. At Camps Bay there is the beauty of the white beaches stretching out to greet the sea and the Mother City of Cape Town a few kilometres away which has all manner of activities on offer, both energetic and leisurely.
Just an hour or two outside of Cape Town, the African Bush continues its circle of life. There are a number of game farms from which to choose, some boasting the Big Five: lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino, others offering a more intimate connection with the bush where there is smaller, less dangerous game allowing visitors to walk safely in the bush on their own.
Exploring the bush with a knowledgeable guide in an open-air vehicle is an exciting manner in which to venture out into the world dominated by the king of the veld. Day drives in the bush brings one into the realm of the diurnal creatures, those who feed and make their lives while the sun shines. Night game drives allow the visitor a peek into the goings-on of the creatures of the night, those elusive beasties that disappear during the day and only emerge under the cover of darkness when all are drugged with sleep.
Explore the magic and mysteries of the African bush, get to know her first-hand as she has many marvels to share with all who come to take part in her wealth.
Lekker Local Tips
* Game drives in open vehicles can be quite a chilly experience, even in the hot summer months. It is best to take a warm, wind-proof jacket with you in the evenings to keep warm. The majority of game farms provide blankets for their guests to use if they get cold, however a warm pair of trousers, a bulky jacket and a woollen cap will prevent the wind finding its way through the gaps.
- Rather that you are comfortably warm, so that you can enjoy the experience
- and take great photographic memories home with you.
* Take your binoculars with you on all game drives, even the evening drives. The spotlights on the night game drives provide more than enough light for you to make good use of the binoculars for an even closer view.
