Enjoy beautiful sights during a virtual safari

Don’t tell anyone but I spent the past long weekend (as opposed to the long lockdown weekend) at two exclusive reserves bordering the Kruger. Two game drives a day, fully catered, really comfortable and a real treat.

The game drives were – and still are – from 6am to 9am every morning and from 3.30pm to 6.30pm (changing soon to 3pm to 6pm) every afternoon. The guides James Hendry, Trishala Naidu and Lauren Arthur from Djuma and Nikki Muller, Roan du Plessis and Shaun Marshall from andBeyond Ngala are superbly knowledgeable and made the drives so entertaining and the camera work by Owen, Dawie and Marcel is superb.

Okay, okay. Confession time. I was at home in lockdown and nowhere on a game drive in real life . . . well, sort of. You see, some time ago I discovered Wild Earth’s Safari Live and I’ve been watching full, completely live, interactive game drives since then. I’ve seen baby leopards and watched them grow up, I’ve seen tiny elephant calves make wobble charges, I’ve seen baby hyaenas at their den, I’ve seen wild dogs and lion kills and even been to the Mara to watch a migration and wonderful wildlife there.

And now, during lockdown, I’ve been introduced to white lions and other game at andBeyond Ngala reserve. It’s been an absolute treat to wake in the morning, grab a cup of coffee and a rusk (fully catered, I tell you) and sit propped up in bed (sheer comfort) to go game driving right at home. I’m one of thousands of people all over the world on this safari and every other one.

Every day is a completely unscripted experience. That means that some days you will see a glut of wildlife while other days it’s as if the game is in hiding and you rely on the little things.

There’s even a slot at the start of the afternoon drives for children to interact and ask their questions which are answered right there and then. And then, after a bit – and on the whole morning drive – the adults can ask, comment and join in.

I’ve been involved in wildlife rehabilitation for years and have also been to the bush numerous times but I have learnt so much on these drives. Did you know that the hooded vulture lives off lion scat? Neither did I.

If you have some data to spare or unlimited Wi-Fi, it is so worth finding wild earth/ safari live on YouTube or join their Facebook page and get a reminder of the next game drive as it starts.

It’s therapeutic and addictive – in a good way! See you on the next drive – just go to:

https://wildearth.tv/safarilive/ or

https://www.andbeyond.com/bringing-africa-home/wildwatch-live/