‘Sounds of silence’: an hour from Joburg lies a reserve teeming with wildlife

Even with the wind gusting, you can hear the silence in Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve. About an hour’s drive from Joburg, the 2 000ha of wilderness is a soul-soother after the hurly-burly of city life.

Teeming with wildlife, the park offers self-drive and guided tours. Once past the restaurants and BMX tracks, it’s dirt roads all the way. Most vehicles will make it although there are a few tracks marked 4×4 only.

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Given the dusty conditions after a long dry spell, and the pending rainy season if El Nino doesn’t kick in, it is probably best to avoid the unbeaten track in a family sedan. For the rest of the park though, the drive is idyllic and there are plenty of places to park next to watering holes and watch zebra, gemsbok and black wildebeest – the smaller, cockier version of the blue wildebeest – and many more.

Our guide for the day, Shandor Larenty, says the park contains about 600 head of game, which wander freely. Take note though, says Larenty, that the animals are still wild and need to be treated with the utmost respect.

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Cape buffaloes and hippopotamuses, while seemingly docile at first glance, are two of Africa’s biggest killers. There are also cheetahs and lions, who managed to hide away from us, and wild dogs. All the predators are kept in their own encampment, the six lions having 150 hectares of grassland and hills to successfully hide away from nosy tourists if the notion takes them.

Larenty says the big cats – which are rescue lions and cannot be released back into the wild – are given contraceptives to inhibit breeding and keep as much space open for them as possible. Again, the ruleapplies – these are wild animals and are not cuddly.

There are also white rhinos, white lions, crocodiles and leopards to be sighted. The rhinos can often be found next to the road and it is advisable to park a reasonable distance away from them to allow yourself a little getaway space.

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Zebras – with their distinctive colouring – the graceful and powerful sable and Hartmann zebra are all spread around the park and can be found in abundance.For twitchers, birdlife is returning as spring approaches, with swallows making an early return to the skies above the park.

There is a vulture restaurant which, on certain days, promises to be an experience all on its own as the safely housed birds feed in front of visitors. Once you’ve spent the day driving through hill and dale, there are restaurants available to fill empty tummies and a BMX track for the children to burn off some energy.

Bicycles can be hired to fit a wide range of ages, or you can bring your own. For those looking for a quieter experience, you can always sit in the Okavango Restaurant overlooking a waterhole watching ostrich males getting frisky with hens while a rhino bull ambles up to a cow with its calf before flopping down in a cloud of dust.

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If that’s about as much excitement as you can handle, the Unesco-graded Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve in Kromdraai, Krugersdorp, is the place to be, especially during the week. Various overnight options are available.

Being situated in the Cradle of Humankind also offers visitors much to explore. Like many in the tourism business, Covid and lockdowns have been punishing. And while budgets may be tight in today’s tough economic times, smaller destinations like Bothongo offer a welcome break, even if it is only for a day.

– amandaw@citizen.co.za