Malaria-Free Safaris in South Africa’s Eastern Cape
by
Amy Reiley
I don’t
know many people who haven’t, at one time or another, dreamed of going on an
African safari. Let’s face it, for any American, it is a once-in-a-lifetime
experience. So when you find yourself with the opportunity to go, you want
to make sure you do it right!
When I
got my chance, I planned my trip to South Africa’s Eastern Cape. The reasons
for choosing South Africa to make the destination of the ultimate adventure
are many: English is one of the country’s 11 (yes, 11) national languages,
(which means you can read the road signs). There is a guaranteed sense of
security with South Africa--the hospitals are excellent and these days, the
government is reasonably stable. Most major airlines fly to Africa’s
southernmost nation on a daily basis so access from New York or Europe is,
although a long journey, a simple one. Most importantly, South Africa is
brimming over with incredible resorts awaiting overseas guests looking for
an adventure in luxury.
I chose
the Eastern Cape because I used my work in the wine industry as an excuse to
get to the big game nation. The plan was to first visit South Africa’s
famous Winelands outside of Cape Town before indulging in four days of game
drives.
Although
the region best known for safari trips is South Africa’s northeast, around
Kruger park, the Eastern Cape, (about 6 hours from Cape Town by car or a 1.5
hour flight), is brimming over with opportunities to see Africa’s famous
wildlife. Initially, I chose
the area because the travel time from Cape Town to Kruger eats up an almost
12-hour day. But after I learned more about the Eastern Cape, I realized
that it is an excellent, in some ways possibly superior destination to the
better-known resorts and safari camps.
Because
the region is lesser known on an international scale, there are less crowds,
less tourists fighting for that perfect shot of the rhino delicately sipping
from the watering hole. In addition, the Eastern Cape is a malaria-free
region, no expensive medications or risk of the illness.
 Addo for elephants: If you
like elephants—my favorite animal—then Addo, the Eastern Cape’s national
elephant park is a must, even if you also feel the need to head to Kruger.
As my Addo guide, (who previously worked in Kruger), explained it, “You
haven’t experienced elephants until you’ve experienced Addo.”
There
are many options for accommodation in Addo at every price level. I selected
a charming inn called Riverbend in a private section of the park. With about
a dozen guest rooms, Riverbend offers intimacy in a casual, almost Provencal
atmosphere. I visited in the off season during the mid-week to discover that
my mother, who was traveling with me, and I were the only guests!
(Should
you have the flexibility to plan your trip at any time of year, mid-April
through mid-May is an excellent time. Considered the off-season, the prices
are at their lowest and many of the resorts—even the highest-luxury
properties, offer special deals.)
Because
we were Riverbend’s sole guests, we were treated to a private game drive.
(Typically, the safari camps and resorts offer a sunrise and a late
afternoon game drive, giving guests a chance to rest during the heat of the
day.) Our guide, Chris, clearly had my number because the first thing he
said was, “Would you like to go straight away to see elephants?”
Off we
went in our open vehicle, crashing through the bush like Indiana Jones and
his alluring sidekicks, (this is my fantasy, after all!). And elephants we
did see! Chris stopped the car in the middle of a dirt track and turned to
us and smiled, “They’re coming.”
We heard
some soft crackling in the underbrush and then... the elephants. First two,
then four, an elephant parade appeared before our eyes, strolling beside us,
parting to pass around the vehicle. They were so close that if they flapped
their ears, it would have brushed our shoulders. There were full-grown
elephants with long, ivory tusks, one giant, bad-tempered bull and dozens of
babies—one so young his little feet were still pink!
Chris
explained to us that during his ranger training for Addo, it terrified him
to pull up the car to a herd of elephants like this. In Kruger—and most
everywhere in Africa, conventional wisdom says to give elephants their
space. But because Addo has been a national park for more than fifty
decades, generations of elephants have been raised among gazing tourists,
growing to know humans as just some of the funny animals that inhabit the
bush.
After
the elephant parade passed us by, Chris drove us to a ridge overlooking the
herd where he popped the cork on a bottle of South African bubbly and we
sipped pink Champagne while we watched the sun set over what I’d come to
think of as “our” elephants. It is customary on game drives to serve guests
sundowners but the advantage of a luxury safari like ours is that the guide
packs a drink appropriate for the guests. For us, nothing but bubbly would
do!
The
private game reserve experience: In addition to Riverbend, we visited
Kwandwe a Relais & Chateau property slightly further east of Addo. Kwandwe
is a “Big 5” private game reserve with two different lodges catering to
different guest tastes as well as two private villas for rent to large
groups or celebrities on the lamb from everyone but the lions. We stayed at
Great Fish River Lodge, nestled on a cliff high above the river. Rather than
tents, guests have cottages with patios looking out into the wilderness and
private plunge pools.
 Kwandwe is a part of the &
Beyond game lodge group and as such they have a stringent training program
that all of their guides must complete. As a result, their rangers not only
to be well versed in attentiveness to guest needs but they are extremely
enthusiastic hosts. Our guide, Jonty, had this wonderful ability to
experience the game drive with us, as though he was also seeing the animals
for the very first time.
And a
game drive at Kwandwe is filled with as many rare and wonderous kritters as
the drives at some of the more famous safari destinations. On our first
morning drive alone, we spotted both white and black rhino, buffalo, a
noshing giraffe, a handsome lion, a stunning chetah mother and cub,
countless warthogs, a family of kudu and—a true highlight of the trip—two
lioness and two four-month-old cubs devouring a freshly killed warthog. All
that was missing was a Richard Attenborough voiceover! (But our tracker, a
local gentleman who’d seen it all a hundred times before, was happy to
whisper a play-by-play.) During our two night stay at Kwandwe, we also had
the opportunity to observe elephants, four young, male lions, hartebeest,
wildebeest, springbok, zebra, baboons, jackal and a (rare) ardwolf.
Know
before you go: If you’re ready to pack your bags for the Eastern Cape, the
closest international airport is Cape Town. You can drive from there, or
take the quick flight to Port Elizabeth, which is about an hour from Addo
and two from Kwandwe. Be sure to pack a jacket for evenings as well as
neutral-colored clothing for the game drives. I also recommend a pair of
wrap-around sun glasses to both help with animal spotting in the bright sun
and to keep the dust out of the eyes while riding in the open vehicle.
Binoculars are a must although you need not feel that you have to invest in
an expensive camera. I shot my photos on your average digital point and
shoot and when I downloaded the results, I felt like a National Geographic
pro!
Riverbend Lodge
http://www.riverbendlodge.co.za/
& Beyond
http://www.andbeyond.com/
Kwandwe
http://www.kwandwereserve.com/
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