09 Apr 2014

From the time we left Tsabong I was assailed by spurts of excitement and captivated by the breath taking scenery.

We were travelling from Tsabong going south and the strikingly beautiful landscape suddenly changed from sudden flat plains north of the village to plateaus and sand river valleys as we transverse towards the southern tip of Botswana.

It was fascinating to watch the piercing bright sunlight as it highlighted the grass covered dunes, the dotted acacia trees and the desert blooms with shades of shimmering green grasses.

This glorious sight is owed to the recent rains. In fact, we are right in the middle of the wet season in the area, which runs from November to April, when the desert transforms from barrenness to life.

The sultry heat of the Kgalagadi takes its toll on us and I suddenly yearn for a cold shower and an icy drink under the shades back at the lodge. It takes forever for us to negotiate the gravel road from Struizendam to the main entrance gate into the Trans-Frontier Park.

Finally we are there, and take about an hour to register.

Finally we are done and head southwards through the Trans-frontier Park which is an amalgamation of three parks.

We drive to Ta Sebube lodge situated on Botswana’s Kalahari Gemsbok National Park.

As we trudge along my spirits are lifted by the red rolling sand dunes and arid fossil river environment with its open acacia savannahs and vegetated pans.

As we curve through the gravel road at a snail’s pace of about 50km/h, we suddenly spot herds of springbok around the dry river beds and predators lurking from afar.

We spot ostriches strutting along the dry water pans and gemsbok majestically poised like statues.

As we make the final turn to the right, the driver ahead of us suddenly brakes and switches off the engine.

Our vehicles trudge along silently and an almost tangible feeling of anticipation engulfs us as we all maintain an eerie silence.

The photographer riding on the car in front of us has his lens focused on a nearby tree to the left. I strain my eyes to try and see what has drawn his fancy but to no avail.

My eyes tear as I try to maintain focus, searching through the dark braches for any sign of life.

And suddenly everything becomes clear.

Right there, covered by swaying grass, the king of the jungle appears in all his majesty.

He seems to be sleeping, relaxed and camouflaged under the tawny coloured grass.

There is a collective gasp as the view becomes clearer.

Our van is repositioned to allow for a better view.

It was my first time to see a lion, and I felt goose bumps growing on my skin as frissons of excitement mixed with a tinge of fear and spurts of adrenalin combined to create mixed feelings of fear and excitement.

He seems to be unaware of our presence as he stretches lazily, ignores us and goes back to sleep. We drive along, disappointed at the lack of action.

“He must be full,” quips one of my colleagues.

And suddenly it dawns on me that the lodge’s chalets are built right in the middle of the bush, in the vicinity of the lions.

The lodge is perched along a vegetated red sand dune offering wide-ranging picturesque views of the surroundings.

There is a water hole within the lodging facilities, and we are told it is frequented by lions.

On hearing this, I get torn apart; on the one hand excited by prospects of coming face to face with the king of the jungle and on the other hand scared of being mauled to death by this vicious beast.

The accommodation facilities are top notch and the chalets are built as single units.

During dinner I find that almost everyone is scared of being attacked by the lions but at the same time yearning for a close encounter.

Fear mounts as the lodge manager tells us how his assistant chanced upon a pride of lions one day when she was knocking off.

No one was surprised when some of our team members asked to be accompanied to their rooms.

But I was the brave of the lot; I secretly relished prospects of coming face to face with a lion.

The next day we are off to nearby villages like Welkom, Struizendam, Bokspits and Falkon Hoek.

We return to the park at around 5pm only to be told that a lion killed an antelope a few kilometers away from the lodge.

Cameras ready, we immediately rush to the scene, heading north along the Nossob River.

At the scene we find vehicles lined up on two opposite drive ways. We whip out our cameras and click away as the lioness and her cubs gather pompously around their latest kill.

The carcass looks fresh and most of it has been tucked under a tree canopy for a late evening snack perhaps.

The scavengers; cape foxes and hyenas, are also present but they keep their distance as the lions maintain a close watch on them.

The water wells have become feeding ground for the lions as that is where they lie in wait for their prey.

The next day we embark on yet another game drive, this time in search of cheetahs and other wild animals.

Our guide, Martin, is quite a gifted fellow and he shows us springboks, gemsboks, blue wildbeest and some elands.

On our way back we chance upon a black maned lion poised regally beside a water well. Dusk falls upon us, and we are captivated by the view of the sun melting away deep in the horizon.

It is a fitting wrap up to our magical tour and our encounters with the lions are definitely a story worth cherishing.

 will definitely come back to Ta Sehube lodge, just for another chance encounter with the king of the jungle. ENDS