| After picking up our rented car at the Johannesburg | | | | ready for our first hike. |
| International Airport, my friend Alex and I were on | | | | Once on the trail our guides were giving us in-depth |
| our way to one of South Africa's most sought after | | | | information on everything from local folklore to the |
| Kruger Park safaris. We were to spend our time | | | | bushveld culture. They taught us how to identify |
| there on a four night foot safari, but this was no | | | | animals, birds, trees, insects and plants. Some of the |
| backpacking safari, this was going to be a four star | | | | plants are known to have healing power and they |
| expedition! | | | | explained which to use for medicinal purposes. When |
| The Low and High of it | | | | I turned around to ask Alex something, he had just |
| Mpumalanga is a beautiful province and it's easy to | | | | picked a piece of grass and put the tip of it in his |
| see why thousands of tourists, both local and | | | | mouth. He looked so comical, like a real local farmer |
| international, flock each year to this province. As you | | | | with his leather hat on. |
| enter Mpumalanga you are welcomed by the | | | | What I liked most about a foot safari is that it's so |
| Mpumalanga Highlands followed by the Escarpment. I | | | | unpredictable. We didn't know what to expect, and |
| think that you need at least a week in this area | | | | truth be told, I was very scared when we were |
| alone, since you would have a lot to see and | | | | following the rhino trails and elephant paths, but that |
| experience. Alex and I decided to only venture to | | | | was the safaris biggest appeal. While we were |
| Pilgrim's Rest. This small town came into existence | | | | following the elephant path, we came across a herd |
| during the gold rush era and today offers a lot of | | | | of zebras and buffalos. It is a whole different |
| historical insight during this time period when people | | | | experience to see wildlife on foot instead of sitting in |
| over the world rushed to get their bit of the | | | | the comfort of a car. Only when on foot, can you |
| treasure. | | | | see just how little we are in comparison to these |
| After Pilgrim's Rest, we were heading towards the | | | | animals, especially so with the buffalos. They are |
| Lowveld, making our way into the Kruger National | | | | much bigger then I remembered and I was holding on |
| Park. The Plains Camp formed part of the private | | | | to Alex's arm a little tighter than usual, but the guides |
| concession of Rhino Walking Safaris. Alex got all our | | | | assured us that we had nothing to worry about, just |
| things ready in our tent while I was looking around | | | | as long as we stay quiet, because we weren't close |
| the campsite. This was going to be a high class safari | | | | enough to show any threat to them. |
| like no other. We were only eight guests | | | | We soon continued until we caught up with a herd of |
| accompanied by two trail guides and personal to | | | | elephants. Much bigger than buffalos, it felt strange |
| create this Eden in the middle of the Kruger National | | | | that I didn't feel as threatened. We stood there |
| Park. | | | | probably for half an hour, mesmerized by the beauty |
| The long walk to freedom | | | | of largest land animal on the planet today. They were |
| After getting settled, our armed guides gave us a | | | | very calm and slowly grazing their way to the |
| brief introduction about all the do's and don'ts for our | | | | nearest waterhole for their daily bath and to quench |
| foot safari. They also made an assessment of our | | | | their thirst. |
| fitness levels to work out a schedule accordingly. I | | | | Soon after that we were back at our camp, waiting |
| was very relieved to hear that it wasn't going to be | | | | for lunch to be served as we sat back looking at the |
| too strenuous since this was a holiday after all and I | | | | beauty of everything that surrounded us. This was |
| haven't been to the gym in over a month. Alex on | | | | our first hike out and already we were able to |
| the other hand was a little disappointed, but | | | | experience more than most do when going on a |
| considering that he is a triathlon athlete, I felt that if | | | | safari. Our Kruger Park safaris always seem to be |
| it the hikes were worked out according to his fitness | | | | filled with more experience than the one before and I |
| level, I might as well raced to the nearest hospital for | | | | couldn't wait to see what else awaited us in the next |
| pure exhaustion. But differences aside, we were | | | | three days! |