Jungle jungle baat chali hai pata chala hai. Well with the release of everyone’s favorite childhood movie the jungle book, this summer I decided to experience it in reality. So I packed my bags and booked a trip with my family to the world’s most famous jungles the savannas of Africa. My trip to South Africa was the best trip by far and the jungle safaris were out of this world.
SHIDULI RESIRTS, Karongwe reserve, Kruger national park, South Africa. Well that was my address for the couple of days I stayed there. Getting to SHIDULI was one heck of a task. i had to fly to Johannesburg, catch a shuttle bus or a self drive for 6 hours or could empty my pockets in a chartered private jet. Well I chose the prior obviously and the drive was worth it. One starts by passing the outskirts of Johannesburg takes the highway, has beautiful stops at places which have their own rhinos or ostriches and crosses the Drakensberg mountain range, speeds thru beautiful little English towns and the Oliphant’s river and reach the Karongwe gate.
There you see your ranger and tracker in the safari suit ready to pick you up. It was one heck of a welcome out there, when the owners of the lodge along with their team are waiting for you at the gate, they welcome you in traditional Africa style and serve you drinks. The warmth by VIV and GREGG and RESPECT our ranger was seen in every part of the day. After we checked in, we were given a brief orientation of the resort, shown are rooms and then asked to proceed for lunch. To our surprise, the chef had especially prepared vegetarian food for us. We were touched.
People always said game drives are the best. I was super excited for them but always thought people made a big deal out of it and oh brother! I was wrong. Nothing can beat an African game drive.
Once decked up in our safari attire, we went to the deck where we were served fresh lemon juice and rolls before we hopped on for our afternoon game drive. The open land rovers took our breath away.
Our drive started with our ranger RESPECT driving the vehicle and the tracker sitting in an oddly placed chair extruded outside the vehicle to spot the pug marks. Up down and we zoomed in. We were greeted by dozens of impala and inayala, we saw 4 lion cubs having their meal of the day i.e. baby giraffe! And that to not farther than your nearest door. With driving near a herd of zebras or African bull we or a resting cheetah, we saw 3 of the famous big 5 animals.
Suddenly we were stopped in the middle of nowhere, the breathtaking view was that of a setting sun with wild plantations around and a table was set up for us, bottles of wine were uncorked, beer cans opened and lemonades poured into beautiful silverware. With plates full of dried fruits and wafers, we were treated to a perfect sunset. The view was so beautiful that it seemed more like a story book photo. After that we were ready to being put night drive. With temperatures dropping down suddenly we were offered quilts in the land rover under the blanket of stars. Once we arrived back at the lodge, hot towels, merlot in shot glasses and hot chocolate was waiting for us. It was the perfect end. We retired after a blend of an Africa – Indian dinner ( Indian was especially done for us ) and a mouth watering apple strudel.
Well if you think that’s how the lodge calls it a night, one is highly mistaken. Your 4 poster canopy bed awaits you with the ,mosquito nets opened, small paper with a bar of chocolate is placed on the bed for each, the paper has local animal tales with a nice message to end the night.
Yes the evening safari was breathtaking, but the morning game drive was unimaginable.
Every morning our ranger woke us up, before the sun was up. Layered with sweaters in this winters chill, we started out morning drive with hot tea coffee and African cookies and rusks. After some fuel in our stomach, the engines roared and we drive into a herd of elephants looking for their breakfast, they giraffe and his wife made sure that they wish us morning and then we saw a cheetah feasting on impala.
If the sunset took your breath away, image stopping near a lake, which has crocs , you are on the upper bank, at a distance enough to run if the croc finds you yummy, the table is opened, hot coffee and tea is poured, a basket full of muffins is served and one enjoys this chilly winter morning with a steaming cup of tea/ coffee in their hand. Once in a while a bird comes around your, while driving back we spotted the king of the jungle basking in the glorious sun and they lazy hippo in his water pond. After the game drives and the hot towels upon are arrival, we feasted to a delicious breakfast and decided to explore the resort.
Monkeys were everywhere, be it when we were swimming or just chilling in the lounge or reading a book, you could see them from everywhere. After thee lunch we again went for our evening drive and you know how the cycle is, the best part was on our last night in SHIDULI impalas came in our resort to bid adieu to us.
Well if the was the resort, think about the hospitality, one can’t put words to the hospitality, the nature and the knowledge about the animals of the people in the resort, when everyone who walks by makes sure to asks how your day is going and catch up a small chat with you.
The animals, the view of Drankensburg, the blanket of stars, the wild beauty of the resort or the nature of the staff, I don’t know for what reason will I be going again, but I am sure to visit that place again, that place still remains in my bucket list even though I have visited it once.
