Big love for the big five

You cannot not do a safari while in Africa. And i was lucky enough to get to go on one. Most Indians start and stop at Kruger National Park. It is after all one of the largest game reserves in Africa. But I went to a small private game reserve about 3.5 hours drive from Durban called Phinda Game Reserve. 

There is a lot of discussion going on about whether national parks are better or private game reserve. Frankly, I am no expert on it so I won't comment. But what i would say is that there is a lot of good going on for both sides.

View from Phinda Mountain Lodge

Anyway, Phinda Private Game Reserve is co-owned by &Beyond group of hotels and has multiple investors including the American Getty family. You have the option to stay at any of their three lodges which have a distinctive charm. I stayed at the &Beyond Phinda Mountain Lodge which is great with very friendly and helpful staff. But i liked their Phinda Rock Lodge more - and for good reasons!

One is that they don't allow children! So they have very limited rooms given out only to couples. Secondly, it has an amazing view from reception area. And lastly, the last room is famous for receiving unexpected guests at odd hours. It's overflowing mini pool at the edge of the lodge attracts herds of elephants who come to satisfy their thirst but also to get some downtime. And yes! We got lucky and i have photographic evidence to show for it. The guest occupying that room was kind enough (in his ecstatic state) to let us in and share a beautiful moment with the elephants! 

Elephants enjoying a drink at Phinda Rock Lodge

Coming to the main talking point though - yes we did see a lot of animals, including a few of the Big Five. Visitors are accompanied by a ranger and a tracker on every game drive. We had Divan and Mlusi with us who were very good at what they do. With their help, we were able to spot three young male lions along with their mother as well as two young cheetahs at very close range! 

One my personal 'wow' moments was seeing the giraffes and the elephants. They are huuuge and majestic and when you see them, the only thing that you can think of is that you want them to be around forever. Of course, the concern is for all the Big Five animals, specially the black and white rhinos who are close to extinction.

Mlusi sits on his special chair while Divan drives his jeep

A lot of reserves in Africa, including Phinda, are working together and individually to protect these animals. Water scarcity is one of the concerns but poaching is a big worry. We did spot a lot of rhinos but they are very shy and so we saw them only from afar - through the binocs.    

Nyalas abound though and you can see them everywhere - even in your lodges - grazing and simply looking like they're at home. 

If this piques your interest but are unable to travel to Africa, there's something exciting you can do closer home. Taj Safaris, along with &Beyond, has a similar set up in India. Since our country does not allow private parks, these Taj Safaris properties are located inside or close to national parks.
 

Divan having some of Mlusi's magical concoction of coffee, hot chocolate and Amarula

If you want to inquire about any of the andBeyond properties in Africa, you can contact their central reservations office for all its lodges on safaris@andBeyond.com or call on +27 11 809 4441 (South Africa number).

Rack rate (per person per night sharing in ZAR)
Phinda Mountain Lodge has separate rates for mid-season and high-season. 
Suites - High Season (Jan 1 - April 30; Aug 1 - Dec 31): 6,000 rands
Suites - Mid-Season (May 1 - July 31): 5,500 rands
Family suites - High Season: 42,000 rands
Family suites - Mid-Season: 38,500 rands

If you are traveling to South Africa and need a local contact, you can talk to Wendy Schulz at wendymschulz@gmail.com. She works for a local travel agency authorised by South African Tourism and she is a sweetheart! 

At home in the Zulu kingdom of South Africa

When I landed at the King Shaka International Airport in Durban after travelling for more than 18 hours from Mumbai, I could only think of a shower and a clean bed. And anyway, it is your regular, functional, not-too-blingy airport that doesn't stir too much excitement. 

So i was quite happy to find something totally unexpected there.

While walking towards the exit, I encountered a small group of young, black men a-cappella-ing a song near the domestic arrival gate. It was tender and beautiful and i felt a warm sensation in the general area of my sternum.

There are many reasons why Indians will feel at home in South Africa. Firstly, it has a HUGE population of people of Indian origins. Durban-ites claim it is the biggest outside of India! And that's not the only thing. South Africans love their Indians - probably more than Indians love Indians! 

You can see Indian influences everywhere - in their food, in their conversations, in their markets, even in their stand-up shows! What i absolutely loved about the South Africans was their sing-song twang. Every 'yes' was 'yeeeaaaassss' and every 'no' was 'naooooooo'. Adorable! 

But i digress.

South Africa is beautiful and far, very far away from any dangers of ebola. Yes, the xenophobic attacks were unfortunate and the Home Affairs is dealing with the problem. But every country has its share. God knows, India has a few of her own, including xenophobia itself! That should not be a reason for tourists to not visit it.

I visited only Durban so I can personally vouch for its beauty and safety; the Zulus are known to be very friendly and laid-back. The air is clean, the sea is the colour it should be (not grey!), the roads are smooth and as a rule the footpaths are trash-free. All in all, the people look like they are well looked after by their government. Which is more than i can say about Mumbai.
 

The Indian market - also called Victoria Street market - is a must-visit. You will find everything there. But you need to be careful with your purse while walking around. Cabs are available easily and you might have to negotiate the fare as most refuse to go by the metre. So its a good idea to get an estimate for your fare.

Victoria Street Market

Another must-do is taking a walk by the long beach, better still, hiring a segway or a cycle and taking a ride by the shore on the promenade, which was done up just before the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Its a perfect day starter/ender!

Bay of Plenty indeed!

The exchange rate doesn't pinch the pocket too much either. The only problem is the air connectivity. South African Airways recently pulled out a direct Mumbai-Jo'berg flight. Which means that you have to take a via Abu Dhabi or Dubai flights on SAA or Emirates. 

Another downside is that South Africa has just tightened its visa regulations specially for families. But hopefully it is temporary and we may soon see visa-on-arrivals for Indians!

Coming up is a post on my first experience at a game reserve not too far from Durban called Phinda Game Reserve. 

Good to know
* One rand is roughly Rs 5.5
* South Africa is 3.5 hours behind India
* Its a good idea to buy a local sim (Vodacom) from the airport
* If you need to exchange USD into Rands, do it any of the malls or banks for a much better rate than the airport 
* Must-buys from South Africa: a bottle of Amarula and bead jewellery