Find peace in the bush, where the big 5 take a backseat to tranquil beauty

Thousands flock to the coast yearly to get away and fill their tanks for the coming months. Others prefer the mountains or maybe a river or dam where they can go fishing and escape the stress of daily life in South Africa.

But for people who prefer the bush and nature, the peace lies elsewhere. In the northern part of the country, they prefer the Kruger National Park or one of the many private wildlife reserves. 

They are also the ones who are not in the race to tick off the Big Five on their first day in the park. Just being there, the silence, impala grazing beside the road, and the blue and pink hues of the lilac-breasted roller… that is where they find peace.

Until there is a pride of lions basking in the sun next to the road, or they see how a leopard has hoisted its prey high in a tree. Then, the vehicles gather in a traffic jam that rivals the best of the city. The long lenses come out for that special photo taken between dozens of 4X4s. While some don’t see a thing, others ask the person in the vehicle next to them where to look for what they need to see. 

Experience the bush: A walking safari like no other

Few things surpass that typical ideal sighting in the park… except experiencing it on foot in the bush. Far from the thousands of other tourists. Just you, a few others, and two armed guides to lead you safely through the bush and who will warn you long in advance about what to expect and may point out a dung beetle’s ball and explain how it may later serve as food for a honey badger. Or how long ago did a large male lion walk here and in which direction… or encounter a lion on the trail.

That is when you truly experience the excitement of the bush in a world where the focus is not only on the big but also on the smaller ones, things you would never see while driving around.

The idea of hiking in the bush – especially around Kruger National Park – has gained popularity in recent years, leading to various hiking trails in and around the park. Nowadays, one can even hike from the park’s northernmost point to the south with everything one needs in a backpack. Or you can choose shorter routes, with everything you need for four to five days on your back. 

But if you pay a little more, you can experience the luxury of hiking in the bush without carrying everything you need. Slackpacking has made this possible. 

Slackpacking brings the bush to all

Andrew Booth of Wildside Trails, who offers hiking trips in the northern areas of the park and organises them around groups with specific preferences, says the slackpacking idea has opened up the wilderness to more than just adventurers. Families with children, older people, and those seeking a more relaxed experience can now be part of the bush. 

“You determine what effort you want to exert and how comfortable you want to be in nature. It remains important to know that the experience is always better if you are fit enough to hike the distances comfortably,” says Booth. 

On a slackpack trail, you only carry a daypack containing your water, snacks, a camera, and perhaps binoculars while your tent, bed, chair, food, and other luggage are transported to your overnight spot. Depending on how deep your pockets are and what level of luxury you prefer, you could sleep in a tent in a bush camp or a fancy lodge. 

There are rarely more than eight people in a group with two guides. The hikers are nature lovers who enjoy the bush and can be quiet. It’s not necessarily about how many animals they see but what the bush (and your guides) can teach them. 

Booth sums it up by saying it is his job as a guide to assist every person in his group and create the right space for them to allow nature to do what needs to be done and heal what needs to be healed.

“That makes my job and spending days with people in the wilderness worthwhile. Knowing they are challenged, but that it is ultimately also so easy to be part of nature.” 

Hiking with friends and family: Nature’s power to heal and unite

Booth particularly enjoys it when families or small groups of friends go hiking together. “Incredible things happen. Problems get resolved, people understand each other better, and they usually leave with a deeper understanding of their group dynamics. And this all happens naturally without them trying to change things. That is the power of nature and why I chose this life!” 

One of the first things people want to know before joining a longer hike like the Pafuri Traverse, for instance, is usually about the so-called dangerous animals and their chances of encountering lions.

Anything is possible in the wild. You never know what lies ahead, which is part of the excitement.

However, seasoned hikers will tell you that they often see elephants, buffalo, leopards, rhinos, and wild dogs, but lions are not so common.

Guides stay cautious around ‘dangerous’ wildlife

The guides know the animals and their behaviour and are trained to cope with any situation. However, if you ask them, most guides would tell you they are cautious around the so-called dangerous animals. 

On a hiking trip near the Olifants camp in the north of the park, a guide once joked that he always hopes not to come too close to them on a hike.

“I can anticipate the reaction of a lion or elephant but never that of the people in the group. You can repeatedly explain and repeat the rules of the bush and tell what should happen, but the human in you takes over in such situations …” 

Yet, in his long career as a guide in the Kruger Park, firing a shot on one of the hiking trips has never been necessary. People do not threaten animals in the bush; if people behave correctly, they will not be a threat to the animals. 

Booth agrees and adds that he has only had to fire a warning shot once when an elephant charged at his group.

Watch: Elephant charges guides on foot

“However, that is exceptional. As a guide, I know the animals and their behaviour. I will thus be able to distinguish between a playful charge and one that is genuinely dangerous. And usually, you can fend off the greatest danger by making yourself big and creating more noise.” 

The guides not only know the bush and animals but have also learned to assess people and try to understand what to expect from each one and the team as a unit. That is a given, but Booth is most concerned about each person’s fitness level when taking a group on a longer hiking trip, with or without a backpack.

“That is the one thing you should not lie about. It determines the distances and terrain you will hike and the enjoyment you will derive from it. It’s hell to trek long distances if you are unfit. And even if you are not super fit, we can work around the terrain and distances to suit your fitness level.

“Furthermore, you always hope your guests genuinely want to be in nature. They must accept that I am the boss there and the bush, and I make the rules.”

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