BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

A road trip through the lesser-visited wildlife destinations of Greater Kruger and Waterberg reveals a portrait of South Africa's dynamic safari sector. Amid soaring massifs and rugged bushveld, safari camps and conservation projects across South Africa's northeast are bouncing back from the pandemic, offering travellers a rare front-row seat to the battle against extinction

- BEN LERWILL

Scotch Ndlovu has been working in the same open-plan office for 27 years. It has the sky for a roof and covers more than 210sq miles, but he knows its ways and moods.

He sees stories in its tawny, waist-high grass, hears tell-tale notes in its bird-chatter and insect-chirr. Right now, at 7am, the temperature is already pushing 30C and the scent of wild sage hangs on the land. Above our stationary Land Cruiser, a white-backed vulture perches on a dead acacia tree, its feathers lit by the rising sun. Scotch takes a long inhalation through his nose and tilts his head. “Elephants,” he smiles. “Just wait.”

Within half a minute, the animals materialise from the bush in ones and twos, ears flapping and tails swishing, a herd of 30 heading for the water hole in front of us. Near the shoreline, the excitement for some of the younger elephants gets too much and they jog ahead, sploshing into the lake. Soon the whole family is knee-deep, drinking great draughts of water and tossing trunkfuls over their mountainous backs. There’s the occasional trumpet blast, like a brass section tuning up in the South African dawn. Ours is the sole vehicle in sight; only zebras dot the horizon. “No rush,” says Scotch. “Let’s stay here awhile.”