ZULULAND IS THE KING OF THE JUNGLE

South African tourists are easily intimidated by luxury lodge prices, and yet we yearn to be a part of the Big 5 exclusive gang. I have stayed in some of the more up market lodges that ask in the region of R18,000 per person per night. I don’t deny that this is a real treat and beyond anything we can ever dream of affording. There is no denying that this is luxury at its ultimate best.

Rhino Sands in the Manyoni Private Game Reserve, between Hluhluwe and Mkuze in KwaZulu-Natal offers luxury equal to those upmarket lodges found in the Kruger National Park area. The Big 5 experience can easily be matched and it is more affordable for the local tourist. Admittedly we have to dig deep to tick the box to have an exclusive game experience, where you are treated like the King of the Jungle, to feel special and support those who are striving to keep our wildlife alive. It is a once in a life-time experience and well worth saving your pennies to do.

Rhino Sands caters for only 8 guests in 4 luxury tents. The décor is magnificent, and the lodge is totally eco-friendly. This ticks a huge box for me. The lodge goes out of its way to make sure that attention to detail is done to the extreme, without being superficial. It is down to earth and loyal to the conservation effort the reserve strives to preserve.

At a third of the price of some of the lodges that appeal to international tourists, Rhino Sands has to be on your bucket list.

In 2004, 17 private properties in the northern Zululand area dropped their fences forming the Manyoni Private Game Reserve (formerly Zululand Rhino Reserve). The vision behind the reserve was to provide a home to a population of black rhinos as part of the WWF Black Rhino Range Expansion Project. The joining of the properties created a 23,000-hectare private game reserve in the heart of Zululand, in one of the most animal-rich and species-diverse areas of South Africa.

In addition to the black rhinos, the reserve is now home to the big five (rhino, elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion) and has seen the re-introduction of two endangered carnivore species, cheetahs and African wild dogs. It is one of the premier wildlife-viewing destinations in Kwa-Zulu Natal and one of the most beautiful reserves in the area with varied landscapes from acacia thornveld to open savannah to riverine forest. Game drives on the reserve are regulated and coordinated by the ecotourism businesses to minimize the impact on the environment and the stress on the animals providing guests with a better and more intimate game viewing experience.

Find out more: https://rhinosands.com

CELEBRATING THE LITTLE 5 AT PAKAMISA

Chamu, the charming game ranger at Pakamisa took us on a journey to explore the Little 5. We always chase after the Big 5 – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo – and rarely take any notice of the Little 5 – antlion, leopard tortoise, rhino beetle, elephant shrew and buffalo weaver.

On our evening bush walk we stumbled over lots of ant lion tracks. These squiggly drawings in the sand lead to a conical well, and inside is the tiny, yet ferocious, ant lion. Don’t be confused as the antlion is neither an ant or a lion.

We teased him out of his hiding place – so shaped to trap ants and other delicious dinner morsels. He was not happy ….. have a look at this little video of him having stern words with us…..

Once we had coaxed this little fellow out of his hiding place, he promptly tried to burrow back not realising he was in the hand of a human! He was released back into his den, to prepare for his next meal.

Antlion are the larval form of any of the 2,000 species of the family Myrmeleontidae, and feed mainly on ants.

A fully developed larva is about 1.5 cm long, with a life cycle similar to that of a caterpillar. It spins a cocoon and emerges resembling a dragonfly.

Antlion traps are set in dry areas where the soil is loose and small. Once they have dug their circular, funnel shaped pit they hide in the bottom of it waiting for their prey. The antlion grabs his dinner with his jaws and promptly sucks out its body fluid and disposes of the carcass.

For more information about Pakamisa Private Game Reserve: www.pakamisa.co.za