Mar 23 Ballito Umhl

Love a safari
Luxurious rooms + impressive meals + a massive roar = a perfect bush experience
Room with a view.
The invigorating feeling of the unknown, not
knowing what’s around that very next bend,
what sounds and smells will trigger your
senses … this is what makes us fall in love with
the bushveld over and over again.
So, when we arrived at the newly opened
Letamo Lodge at Qwabi Private Game
Reserve in the Waterberg, Limpopo, we knew
we were going to be catching all the feels that
wildlife brings ... paired with an indulgent stay.
With 11 000-hectares of Big Five land to
explore, divided by wide open paths and
lush terrain, we were relieved to be with
fabulous guide Brendan - always cracking a
joke, an impressive knowledge of both rhino
and birdlife and he makes a decent cup of
Amarula coffee!
We’d hardly even set out on the first drive for
a minute when we had our very first sighting
… three hippos, the bull with his mouth wide
open showing off his dominance. And as
much as it was captivating to view from the
4x4 game vehicle, it’s a sight that can easily be
viewed from the lodge’s large rim-flow pool
which overlooks the river. And the sightings
on our drives just kept getting better and
better. Even the pouring rain didn’t keep
the animals away ... we spotted a cheetah
gracefully walking along, crossing our path
into the bush, a rather drenched wildebeest,
and a rare sighting of foam-nest tree frogs
going about their business. Highlight, if we
had to choose, was a close encounter with a
lion ... who gave a warning roar so fearful that
The African wild cat that let out a roar.
Compiled by: MEGAN BRETT
Qwabi’s 4X4 game vehicle.
Stripes among the wild daisies.
46 Get It • Ballito • Umdloti • Umhlanga March 2023