Umlani Bushcamp aka Two of the Best Days of My Life

9 - 10 March 2013

Baby zebra we encounter at Umlani. All photos in this post courtesy of Michael Rezin. Check out his facebook for many more high quality photos of Umlani and our time in South Africa: https://www.facebook.com/michael.rezin.7

We board two vans for a six hour car ride (featuring some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, from rolling hills to glorious mountains to treeless flatland) which is all that stands between us and a two day stay in the bush with South African wildlife. Pilanesburg - that was nothing, said so many South Africans after we told them of our safaris there. Kruger, now that is a safari. We arrive at Umlani Bushcamp and find no fences or gates to bar us from the animals of Timbavati Game Reserve in the Kruger Park area. To heighten the nature experience, we don't have access to electricity or internet. Oh, and our showers have no roof but the clouds and stars. For these two days, the outside world doesn't exist.

Young male lion at Umlani

After lunch, unpacking, and a meeting with the Provost of Fordham University, Dr. Freedman, we ready for our first game drive. The vehicles are more open than our past experience - no sides and no roof. They are special, and our ticket into the thick of the bush. With amazing shocks, our guides often take them off road to bring us close to the animals. Whenever the guides are aware of one of the big South African five being nearby, they take us straight to them. So one of the first animals we see is a young male lion lying in the grass. The vehicles come incredibly close, but he pays us little mind. He turns his head into the wind, enjoying the breeze and sniffing for impala that could be his next meal. Around his neck you can see where his mane is starting to grow.

Sundowners with Dr. Freedman

 For our first of four drives, we also see a tortoise (that our guide turns right side up), impala, white rhinos, and a family of elephants. Near the end of our drive the sun is descending and we stop at a watering hole for sundowners. While we enjoy drinks and snacks, and conversation with Dr. Freedman and Ellen Fahey-Smith (Chief of Staff for Fordham), two hippos wallow in the water, occasionally coming up to breathe and silently stare at us.

One of the hippos who looked on as we enjoyed the sunset over the watering hole.

The next morning we wake at 5AM and head back out into the bush. First thing we see three female lionesses on one of the few paved roads. They walk right by the vehicles, their muscle moving under their sleek, magnificent golden coats. They are so close we could reach out and pet them - if we have a death wish, that is.

Close proximity with lionesses.

Wild dogs, endangered animals, have been near the camp for a while, and next we drive off to find them. Off road, we encounter a majority of the pack numbering over 20. Their coats patchy, they are the calicos of canines. At one point, an impala appears and leaps behind our path. Wild dogs follow closely in pursuit, but the bush is too thick for us to follow and find out the endgame of the hunt.

One of the pack.

During the rest of our drives we encounter giraffes, warthogs, impala, other wallowing hippos, two huge trees teeming with countless baboons, a jackal, huge spiders, two adult male lions with full manes, and my favourite moment: a cheetah. We find her under a tree with her recent kill, an impala. Cheetahs are on the bottom of the totem pole for predators, and she must keep a constant watch for lions, leopards, wild dogs, and even jackals that could overpower her and claim her kill.

All good things come to an end. Leaving is painful. But we'll also remember these two days filled with some of the most beautiful beings that inhabit our planet. And the long ride back is far from dull. The beautiful landscapes are there again, and this time we stop to see a couple sights, namely Blyde River Canyon and God's Window.

Blyde River Canyon

God's Window

Definitely a view fit for a god or goddess~

~The Cloud Catcher

"Past those gates is Jurassic Park"

Inside Pilanesburg Game Reserve, early morning.

So said Francois, head of transportation for our study abroad group, as he drove us near the entrance to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. But we didn't go past those gates, where lions and leopards lurk, just yet. First we checked into Manyane Resort, our accommodations for the next two days.  A sounder of warthogs grazed on the front lawn, the first of many animals we would see over the next 48 hours. That was over a week ago, the 7th of February. And due to a spell of procrastination with this blog, I first must rewind to two days before, the 5th (11 days ago, oops).

That Tuesday we went to a performance of Umoja: The Spirit of Togetherness. Insanely talented dancers, percussionists, and singers told the history of South African music and dance. It was a crash history course at its most entertaining.

The following morning we made our first visit to our main service/volunteer sites: a village, and an after school drop-off center for children. The village, Erasmus, is the main opportunity with multiple placements including agriculture, recycling, and helping out with the children. At another village close by, some students will be volunteering in home based cared for the elderly and sick. Then some students will help at the drop-off center, aiding children in their homework who don't have a well-structured home environment. Everyone was nice and welcoming, and I can't wait to actually start volunteering - hopefully with the agriculture and the children. In a couple weeks we'll also have the opportunity to do service at orphanages. We ended the day with Themli boot camp and a game of soccer, a challenge for those less in shape, but entirely worth it.

That brings us back to the two days at the game reserve. Since the program is run by a Jesuit institution, we are starting and ending our five months with a opening and ending retreat. We spent the day in reflection, did fun group exercises, and spent some quiet time out in the sun. Finally the moment we were all waiting for came: our first safari. It was time to go past those gates in an open game drive vehicle. Within the first five minutes our guide/driver pointed out an elephant. Then we saw something I hadn't expected  - a dung beetle rolling dung across the rode. Our guide was incredibly experienced and cautious, noting when even smal creatures were crossing the road. Soon we saw countless wildebeests and zebras, a few kudus, and two ostriches. Then our guide got a call from another guide who had found a leopard - a rare sight. Stealthy and elusive as leopards are, people are lucky if they see one over the course of multiple safaris. We saw one less than an hour into our first game drive. At first we could only see the back of her head, but eventually she walked through to an opening which our guide knew how to find. Then we got to see her close up. She walked back and forth before eventually lying down. I was too in awe to manage any pictures, but I'll never forget finally seeing such a magnificent creature in the wild. We stayed for a while, but eventually we had to move on and let other groups get a look - plus we had other animals to find. And find them we did, including Egyptian geese, antelope, and more zebras and wildebeests. Adding to the beauty of the land was the sun setting and casting spectacular colours over the main watering hole. Near the end of our drive was the favourite find of many - two white rhinos. They were grazing and at one point started coming right towards our vehicle, not turning away until we had a good, long look. Considering their endangered status, it was an extra special experience. Even though we left the reserve, the animal spotting wasn't over for the night quite yet. Where the warthogs had been earlier in the morning, there were now several impala. And just outside the bungalow I was staying in with two others from our group, there was a zebra. Falling asleep, all I could think about was how there was a zebra mere metres away, and I couldn't be happier in that moment.

A zebra grazing with wildebeests.

We woke up bright and early the next morning for our second game drive. There was light in the sky, but the sun wasn't up. Many animals, however, were up, and the first two we saw were kudu females. Sitting near the front, I was able to witness a black-backed jackal crossing the road in front of us. When we drove past where it had crossed, the jackal had disappeared into the bush. Our guide then got a call about lions. We saw a few lionesses, but unfortunately they never came close to the road. They were still glorious to see, sauntering through the tall grass. Throughout the rest of the drive we saw animals both new to us and others we had seen the night before. Springbok, impalas, zebras, and wildebeests were numerous. Right next to the road we encountered giraffes, once which looked directly at us, almost as if posing for our cameras. Then we saw more elephants, and from a distance we saw hippos resting in water. Near the end we saw a young giraffe, and then on the other side of the gate breakfast was being served. We engaged in more reflection for the morning, had a delicious lunch, then made to pack up and leave. Monkeys hanging around the resort were there to send us on our way, an unexpected last animal sighting.

The giraffe that posed for us.

The safari, the leopard sighting in particular, was a dream come true. The retreat was a peaceful way to settle into South Africa. And the past weekend was only beginning. But more on that, and the rest of the week up until the present will be covered in my next blog entry which I will publish tomorrow.

Happy Weekend, wherever you are,

~ The Cloud Catcher

A zebra and her baby. All photos in this post are mine.