To get to Entabeni and the Waterburg Reserve, we drive an hour and half over dirt roads and arrive at the lodge where we meet, Tjaart, our guide. At last, we will be riding around in one of those iconic safari vehicles with the open sides and tiered seating. Tjaart (pronounced 'chart') asks us what we're especially interested in seeing and, as one voice, Tim and I say 'rhinos'! Tjaart says that shouldn't be a problem, as he had seen several on a drive that morning.
A quick overview of the Waterburg Reserve. It is on two escarpments and is a kind of mini Kruger NP. The northernmost border actually abuts Botswana, and the game protection in this part of SA mirrors that of Botswana. It is vigorous and passionate. We pass numerous 'inspection stations' where the sole mandate of the guards is to check for rhino horns. There are something like 20 rhinos in this reserve and only a few left in Botswana. In fact, Botswana is so rigid in their protection they have outlawed Chinese tourists in their country. Yes, outlawed! And if you're found in the bush in Botswana with a gun of any kind, you are assured of being shot, on sight, no questions asked, by a Botswana game warden.
Back to our game drive . . . we leave the lodge and head over the pass onto the escarpment in search of rhinos. It is a challenging drive over a partially-paved road . . . to this fabulous view.
On the way we meet another safari group that's stopped to admire something no South African would even pick up because they're 'bad juju' - a chameleon. This fellow is from Botswana and holds the chameleon up close for a photo - I didn't know that chameleons have eyes that allow them to see 360 degrees!
Down from the mountain, we head for the rhino hangout. And we're not disappointed! There they are - a momma and her youngster. These are white rhino, so named not for the color of their skin (which I mistakenly thought) but for that fact that they only have one big horn. The black rhino, far more elusive and endangered, have two horns, one of which will sell for $1million on the black market.
Momma up close . . .
Remarkably, they are not startled by the sound of our vehicle or one on an adjoining road.
From there, we head off to look for more game and are rewarded by a most remarkable sight - a recently born wildebeest calf. We look around and there are scores of them - we've been so fortunate to arrive at calving season!
And poppa wildebeest just hanging out and taking it easy . . .
A beautiful kudu right beside the game path:
We stop for the sundowner (sans booze) . . .
Tjaart points out the 'million dollar' golf shot, just above the canopy on our vehicle.
For a hefty fee, golfers can be helicoptered to the top of that high plateau where a tee is strategically placed. With a million dollars at stake, the golfer swings and tries to land a hole in one on the lower plateau where a flag indicates the elusive hole. To date, no one's made it.
Good bye Waterburg . . .
And good night South Africa!
But wait, that's only four of the big five! It's pitch dark by the time we make our way home and about 2km from Horizon, Tim shouts: I just saw a leopard! Our driver excitedly agrees and is amazed; even he's never seen one and this one sprinted across the road right in front of our van. So I don't have the photo proof but I believe and we're counting it!!
A quick overview of the Waterburg Reserve. It is on two escarpments and is a kind of mini Kruger NP. The northernmost border actually abuts Botswana, and the game protection in this part of SA mirrors that of Botswana. It is vigorous and passionate. We pass numerous 'inspection stations' where the sole mandate of the guards is to check for rhino horns. There are something like 20 rhinos in this reserve and only a few left in Botswana. In fact, Botswana is so rigid in their protection they have outlawed Chinese tourists in their country. Yes, outlawed! And if you're found in the bush in Botswana with a gun of any kind, you are assured of being shot, on sight, no questions asked, by a Botswana game warden.
Back to our game drive . . . we leave the lodge and head over the pass onto the escarpment in search of rhinos. It is a challenging drive over a partially-paved road . . . to this fabulous view.
On the way we meet another safari group that's stopped to admire something no South African would even pick up because they're 'bad juju' - a chameleon. This fellow is from Botswana and holds the chameleon up close for a photo - I didn't know that chameleons have eyes that allow them to see 360 degrees!
Down from the mountain, we head for the rhino hangout. And we're not disappointed! There they are - a momma and her youngster. These are white rhino, so named not for the color of their skin (which I mistakenly thought) but for that fact that they only have one big horn. The black rhino, far more elusive and endangered, have two horns, one of which will sell for $1million on the black market.
Remarkably, they are not startled by the sound of our vehicle or one on an adjoining road.
From there, we head off to look for more game and are rewarded by a most remarkable sight - a recently born wildebeest calf. We look around and there are scores of them - we've been so fortunate to arrive at calving season!
And poppa wildebeest just hanging out and taking it easy . . .
A beautiful kudu right beside the game path:
We stop for the sundowner (sans booze) . . .
Tjaart points out the 'million dollar' golf shot, just above the canopy on our vehicle.
For a hefty fee, golfers can be helicoptered to the top of that high plateau where a tee is strategically placed. With a million dollars at stake, the golfer swings and tries to land a hole in one on the lower plateau where a flag indicates the elusive hole. To date, no one's made it.
Good bye Waterburg . . .
And good night South Africa!
But wait, that's only four of the big five! It's pitch dark by the time we make our way home and about 2km from Horizon, Tim shouts: I just saw a leopard! Our driver excitedly agrees and is amazed; even he's never seen one and this one sprinted across the road right in front of our van. So I don't have the photo proof but I believe and we're counting it!!
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