Sun Destinations

Cue day 2. This morning was another glorious early morning wake-up call. I say glorious with a hint of sarcasm and air of trepidation. Why? Well, my wake-up call was at 5:00. The agenda for the day – traverse the endless plains of the remote Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) in the hopes of finding cheetah, Black-maned lions and a plethora of other wildlife. With vigour, energy and excitement we traversed the Kalahari! My guide told me it would be a long day. He was right – the day was long but enthralling.  We spent the entire day in the park with the knowledgeable guide, Isaah from Haina Kalahari Lodge.

Nothing could prepare me for the immensity of the harsh and unruly Kalahari landscape. The arid landscape against the neverending turquoise sky creates an endless beauty and installs an overwhelming sense of awe. Punctuated by Umbrella trees, willowing grasses and dwarf shrubs; the Kalahari Reserve is one most barren regions in Africa.

Our 4 x 4 twisted and turned on the grey sandy roads bashing past Acacia Thorn Trees until we hit an endless open plain – The Deception Valley. A vast expanse of bushveld outlined by clusters of misplaced Umbrella trees and a landscape that looks like a hazy mirage, this is the Deception Valley; the original home of the Bushmen. The Deception Valley is so named because the Voortrekkers mistook the valley for a large oasis of water, when it was nothing more than a mirage.  So flat, still and reflective.

You can see for miles across the plains, even the meek tortoise cannot hide itself. During high season, this is one of the best places in Africa to view predators. Silhouettes of predators with their sleek bodies dotted against the horizon make for award-winning photographs. While we we were soaking up the spiritual experience, the Ground squirrels, Oryx and other buck species glanced our way and then continued their foraging.

Our first sighting was of a community of adorable ground squirrels who, by the way, possess a somewhat nervous energy.  Despite the obvious breathtaking beauty and sightings of small mammals, my main goal was to spot the Dune Kings  – the rogue Black-maned lions of the Kalahari.  Finally, after bashing past thorn bushes, we spotted the kings. I literally jumped – out of fright and excitement. There the boys were, relaxing quietly under a tree. They seemed agitated and a bit skittish. Two sub-adult males began to swoosh their tails against the tree and after seeing their pupils dilate, we became cautious. However, we remained undeterred and continued to observe the kings.

The black tips of the tanned colour manes look soft and inviting. I wanted to run my hands through their hair and comb their locks, but the notion was ridiculous. And of course, I’m joking. Shortly after our encounter with the sub-adults we stumbled across two females relaxing under the shrubbery on the side of the road. The welcome we received was not warm. One of the females locked eyes with me and seemed ready to pounce. The other female kept a close watch, observing the two-legged creatures with interest. We left, unharmed, but unnerved by the experience.

Kalahari lions are tough, powerful and fierce. There’s something a bit more forboding about them compared to the lions of the Kruger Park . Many of these lions are not used to vehicles – the CKGR is the second largest game reserve in the world (the largest is Selous in Tanzania) and some parts are so remote that vehicles do not travel there. The lions that migrate from the more remote areas are more skittish with humans because of their lack of interaction.

Overall, the landscape and scenery in the CKGR is incredible and the park is well-worth a visit. However, because the area is so vast, predator sightings are not guaranteed. The tour to the reserve is conducted by Isaah from Haina Kalahari Lodge and you’ll need to let them know beforehand if you’re interested in visiting the CKGR.

Anyway, it’s time for a sundowner. Chat tomorrow, when I’ll tell you about my Quad biking and Bushmen experience.