Quad biking adventure: A different way to view game

If you thought a quadbike was a mere piece of moving machinery, think again. Accompanied by my sons Ntsika, Mkhanysiseli and Kwanda for a fabulous weekend of fun at Sun City’s Soho Hotel – just before President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this month extended South Africa’s alert level 4 lockdown for another 14 days – we returned to the bustling Gauteng, counting ourselves lucky.

Riding a quadbike and being part of a convoy in the off-road bush terrain through the Letsatsing Game Park was an exciting experience I did not quite prepare for.

It was like being pulled out of my comfort zone – from driving the usual vehicle on a normal road to going off road in the countryside. I paid close attention to instructions given by guides Siphiwe Gaje and Rosie Masokwane before the journey, something which made my bush adventure much safer and enjoyable.

Explained Gaje: “For those coming here for the first time, I am going to teach you how to operate a quadbike. We are going to be driving through a private park, where we have animals. “Because of that, you are not going to be racing fast. “ Then she went into full-on instructor mode, telling us she would leave the bikes in auto, adding: “On this side is a gear lever and this side is a footbrake – things you don’t touch. Only concentrate on your steering wheel, brakes and the accelerator.”

For novices, the briefing was important: don’t press too hard on the accelerator because the quadbike might flip – just be gentle. To be in control without difficulty, sit in the middle and not at the back of the seat. Follow each other in a straight line – and no overtaking. And, for the cowboys, “There should be no drifting or sliding”. For a quadbike novice rider like myself – unlike some experienced and energetic youngsters at the far end of the convoy – I was all ears.

Being fourth from the front of the convoy and simply dressed in a T-shirt and jeans came in handy considering what lay ahead. Not aware of what to expect, a young couple in front of me put on their best casual wear – matching white, red and black tops.

After sanitising hands and donning disposable hair nets, helmets and safety goggles, we were taken on a short quadbike warm-up – riding around the block – before setting off into the Letsatsing Game Park.

ALSO READ: Dinokeng: The only Big Five game reserve in Gauteng

On our off-road track, we took breaks whenever there were sightings of wild animals – wildebeest, impala, sable antelope, nyala and many smaller species of wildlife – at the park covering 700 hectares. Our deep foray into the bush soon saw us being engulfed with so much dust that our faces resembled the bush – with only the eyes protected by the googles.

With the adrenalin pumping due to excitement, I could not afford to take my focus off the road or the rider in front of me, especially when going through an unusually rough terrain – sometimes uphill – with rocks and some dips. What I admire with quadbikes is that most have independent suspension for each wheel – essential when negotiating really rough terrain.

Mankwe Gametrackers – the largest outdoor adventure activity business in the North West, based at the iconic Sun City resort next to the Big Five Pilanesberg National Park – conducts game drives, bush walks and hot air balloon safaris, quad biking, archery, team building activities, family bush walks and boasts The Wallow – a catered venue inside Letsatsing.

Asked about their experience with our group, which numbered over 25 people, the only concern Gaje and Masokwane expressed was on being overtaken by some young people who were part of the convoy. Said Gaje: “Today we started nicely, but some young people started overtaking each other and were drifting, which is not allowed. For a while I had to stop everything and talk to them about the dangers of overtaking.

“When you get to rocks, the trick is to slow down and resume slowly forward. This is an off-road track. “Some people come here for a ride and others come to look for animals.” Said Masokwane: “It was a nice
experience, although some of the guys were a bit difficult.”

What we found as another huge attraction at Sun City were the Pilanesberg National Park game drives. Set in an extinct volcanic crater, with grasslands, wooded valleys and multihued rock formations, Pilanesberg offers wildlife which includes elephants, lions, leopards and rhinos, with animals drinking water at the Mankwe Dam – a man-made expanse of water.

Although our safari through the spectacular landscape of the Pilanesberg National Park, could not yield any sightings of the big cats, we were happy to have seen elephant, zebra and buffalo. Spending a family weekend at the Soho Hotel at Sun City – where there is a special security detail to guard the movement of unpredictable monkeys during breakfast, lunch and dinner – meant being closer to the wild.

With sumptuous dishes washed down with good drinks, the glamorous Soho – Sun City’s original hotel and centrepoint of the resort – is certainly the place to be. It is perfectly positioned for discerning guests wanting to soak up the sun around a glorious pool, pamper their senses in a spa or improve their handicap on a championship golf course. The hotel hosts a selection of top-notch restaurants, as well as
the finest casino salons.

Overlooking the legendary Gary Player Golf Course, which is home to the annual Nedbank Golf Challenge, the Soho Hotel is a stroll away from the popular Gary Player Country Club, with its gym, spa,
restaurant and pro shop. Soho Hotel is ideal for days of indulging your favourite pastimes and nights of wining, dining and thrills at the tables. Sun City also offers a selection of boutiques and shops to satisfy
any retail therapy cravings.

There are memento and gift shops at The Palace of the Lost City and Soho Hotel, including top jewellers for diamonds and gold. In the Entertainment Centre, you will find a fragrance shop, a pharmacy and a range of fashion boutiques, including for shoes and accessories.

To round off the retail offering, there are shops dedicated to beachwear and sporting goods at both the water parks. One of the internationally-acclaimed tourism venues in South Africa, Sun City, which had to close all its entertainment areas during the past few weeks, could be gearing up to welcome more guests in the run-up to the summer season. Famous for hosting sporting and musical events, it remains a centre of attraction locally and abroad.

– brians@citizen.co.za