Having made us a quick cuppa in our safari tent, I load the now fully charged battery into my camera and grab an extra layer of warm clothing in preparation for our morning game drive. It’s been cold; a definite winter spell so we have decided not to head out on an early, pre-dawn safari, but rather to enjoy a full breakfast first, and then leave the camp when the sun is up.

About half an hour later we are ready to go and, sliding down the zipper of the tent canvas, we step out onto the deck and into the sparkling fresh morning.

The deep, olive green vehicle is already parked in front of the entrance and Taylor welcomes us, clad, himself, in a thick bush jacket. He and Tannah are the only staff members who are actually staying in their own little place close to the camp, so he has already been up and down to Mabula Game Lodge to fetch the staff members for the early morning shift.

Chef Johannes is back on duty and has waved his culinary magic wand once more. Our breakfast, consisting of fruits, granola and yoghurt plus delicious cold delis, along with our choice of eggs, has been magnificently well-prepared and presented; definitely on par with a five-star hotel in any major metropolis. We are quite curious about him and have a chat inside the restaurant. His eyes light up when we compliment him on his cooking skills and prompt him to share some of his experiences about being a chef in the bush. He seems almost a little baffled when I ask him about it, and simply says, “I am only happy when I am in the kitchen!”

We eventually head out onto the open plains at around 9:30 am and, after a relatively quiet drive, stop a few meters away from two wildebeest who are affectionately nuzzling one another repeatedly.

By lunchtime, it has become pleasantly warm. We relax by the pool on the loungers bedecked with rolled-up blue and white towels and enjoy a cool drink from the bar before settling down for yet another fabulous meal. Chef Kevin, whom we met on our arrival yesterday, is now back at the helm. His spinach and feta Kʼicheʼ, S-shaped home-baked soft bread roll and salad strung together by a slice of cucumber look so good I have to take a picture of it.

A couple of hours later and we are back out in the bush. Cruising along in the game drive vehicle, Taylor rounds a bend in the road to encounter a rhino and her calf, dead smack in the middle of it. The scene is one of peaceful slumber; an afternoon nap in the still warm sunshine. Mum is facing the other way, while her cute, but burly baby, is facing us, trying to get comfortable. As we watch them, a rasping, trumpet-like noise emanates from rhino mum and we suppress our giggles as the scent wafts on the wind towards us.

This has got to be a first. I can now speak from experience: these magnificent animals produce magnificent body odours!

Another unusual sighting is when we stop for sundowners at one of the Mabula Game Reserve dams. Just as Taylor sets up the wooden fold-out picnic table with drinks, a hippo surfaces in the middle of the dam and appears to be making his way towards us. Standing by the water’s edge, Anne and I can see that he is clearly watching us. Surrounded by sparkling ripples cast by the setting afternoon light, the hippo stops and stays quite still for a very short while before raising his head and propelling his heavy upper torso from the water. We are quite baffled, including Taylor.

Photographically speaking, I miss the moment, but I do manage to snap a few pics when he opens his mouth open to display an impressive set of teeth.

It is so nice, we muse, when we have once again returned to camp and are sitting by the fire, to see so many unusual aspects of interesting animal behaviour. As darkness descends over Kwafubesi Tented Safari Camp, and we are back inside the comforts of our tent for the night, I cannot help feeling that I have pretty much fallen in love with this rustic little camp that offers so much intimacy and charm.

Originally published on https://kwafubesi.com/kwafubesi-tented-camp-fransje-van-riel-4/

It’s actually really rather nice not to rush. By 7 am we have finished packing and, with the sun up and rising, we take a seat at one of the tables outside on the terrace. The breakfast buffet at Mabula is a feast and, selecting an assortment of fruit, cheese and pastries, we tuck in before our waiter arrives with a hot plate of eggs, mushrooms and grilled tomato.

The highlight of our last morning drive with Emile is an encounter with one of Africa’s Big Five’s most beleaguered animals: a white rhino mum with her large calf. Emile points out the mother’s horn, which is long but split at the very top end. “Trhinoceros”, Anne remarks rather wittily. “Indeed”, Emile agrees. “And from experience, I know that this one unpredictable lady”. He grins. “She is known to just turn and charge. For no apparent reason”.

Her calf, the size of a small car, is fidgeting beside his grazing mother in a bid to get underneath her massive body to suckle. As he does, there is an uttering of the sweetest high pitched sounds which I never would have imagined such a large baby animal could possibly make.

We leave the rhinos in the tall thatch grass to return to the lodge where, at 11.30, our new guide, Taylor Hunt, appears in the foyer to collect us and take us through to Kwafubesi Tented Safari Camp.

Camouflaged by a stand of trees, the camp meets, and surpasses, our expectations completely. Yes, it is small and more rustic than Mabula Game Lodge, but the communal area is like the proverbial oasis.

There is a welcome drink and a moist towel at the entrance, provided by staff member Jerry Parrafin, while inside we are met by the camp manager, Tannah-Jade Pretorius; Taylor’s partner. The couple have only taken over management of the five-tented camp a month earlier, but they are so at ease that to us it seems like they have been here forever.

The view over the surrounding bush and plains is simply lovely. There is a delightful little swimming pool with deck chairs covered by blue and white striped towels, conveniently situated close to the bar, which stocks an impressive wine selection.

Our tent, the closest one the main area, has a wooden sign beside it saying “Leopard”. Anne pulls a face of mock sarcasm, as this is the one animal she has never before seen on safari and most eager to see.

Unfortunately, after a delicious lunch of stir-fry and strawberry ice cream prepared by chef Kevin Karanja, the afternoon safari doesn’t yield one either, although the very fleeting glimpse of an aardwolf dashing across the sandy road on our way back to camp very almost made up for it.

Mpho Moloisane, one of the camp’s waiters, greets us back at the camp with a small glass of sherry, which we think is a lovely touch, and when he notices us shivering slightly, Taylor advises us to make use of the electric blankets that span our beds inside the tent.

He escorts us and shows us how to switch them on, leaving us to get changed and charge our cameras. The mosquito netting has been taken down, adding to the charm of the Out of Africa resonant décor; a bath and hand towel have cleverly, and creatively, been folded into the shape of an elephant. There is also a small table in the corner with an ice bucket containing two bottles of water, glasses, a kettle, tea and coffee making facilities and cups. The en-suite bathroom allows us to refresh quickly before making our way back to the camp for dinner.

A crackling fire is ablaze and, warming up beside it holding a glass of white Sauvignon Blanc, we contently bathe in the fast darkening African night. Our table for two is ready and we are in for a surprise. The evening chef is Johannes Kganyago and we are simply blown away by the presentation, taste and creativity of our vegetarian food. The fried camembert starter, covered by a scattering of walnuts, is top notch. Our main consists of an aubergine steak, dressed in barbecue sauce and complimented by perfectly cooked broccoli and cauliflower florets with a baked potato side. And then there is dessert. The plated poached pear with macaroons looks too beautiful to think about impaling with a fork, but we do, somewhat reluctantly.

There is a full moon that night and our tent is shrouded in the loveliest of light. As we snuggle down beneath the comforts of the warm blankets, I am excited about waking up in this lovely little gem of a camp and the unravelling of the following day.

And with that, I drift off to sleep.

Originally published on https://kwafubesi.com/kwafubesi-tented-camp-fransje-van-riel/