Animal ATTRACTION

Safari virgin Leigh Credlin shares his epic South African adventure

- Leigh Credlin

For years, I’ve dreamt of going on safari: to be decked out in luxurious linen shirts, serving Meryl Streep in Out of Africa realness, while getting up close and personal with the beasts of the wild. Finally, I got to live out this fantasy at Madikwe Safari Lodge in South Africa…

INTO AFRICA

After a 60-minute flight from Johannesburg to Madikwe – in a tiny, 12-passenger plane, FYI! – we’re met by our guide and driven to Lelapa, one of three lodges situated on the 76,000ha Madikwe Game Reserve. I’m immediately swept up into the fantasy, with the wind whipping through my shirt and the warm South African sun beaming down as we zoom across the bush in our open-air jeep, scattering herds of rather startled impala.

We arrive at the lodge and are greeted by the staff, who hand out warm towels (my new favourite thing!) while extending a hearty, ‘Welcome home’. Sure enough, it soon becomes clear none of us wants to leave.