Call of the wild

The bush is in our blood. Nothing beats waking up before dawn in the middle of nowhere and listening to nature all around you while watching the sun rise across the plain.

There are over 20 National Parks and hundreds of private game reserves throughout South Africa. A trip to anywhere in Africa has to include a trip to the bush and most definitely, try and stay in the bush a night or two.

The animals tend to be more active early morning and evening - the cooler parts of the day - so they are generally the best times to go game-viewing. Many park will allow you to drive yourselves round. Much as you would be unlikely to jump into the water next to a great white shark, please remember to NOT get out of your car in a game park or reserve. Wild animals have this uncanny ability to pounce on loose people.

Bush camps and lodges vary from the tented to the luxury. Have a look around the SA National Parks website for further information.

Nice for day visits:

• Table Mountain National Park. From Table Mountain itself to Cape Point - hikes, great photo ops and stunning scenery. Dassies, birds and fynbos (Cape flora)


• West Coast National Park. About 1 hour drive up the West Coast from Cape Town near Langebaan and its lagoon. Famous for Eve's footprint. Ostriches, tortoises, fynbos, birds and different species of buck.


• Pilanesberg National Park. Close to Sun City and a two hour drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria. Features the big 5 and a casino nearby. What other park can boast that?

If venturing to Zambia, lodges in the North and South Luangwa valley are a must. They tend to be a bit pricey (all costs in US Dollars for tourists) but they are worth it. A safari in Zambia is unscripted and wild. Animals tend not to pose by the track as they do in East Africa. If you can find a lodge that offers a walking safari, try it. Walking is the most informative way to explore the bush and see wildlife. Kafue National Park is in the middle of the country and a bit more off the beaten track. More acccessible is the park at Livingstone - and most visitors to Zambia head for the Victoria Falls.

Botswana is famous for it's Okavango Delta and being a second home to many South Africans. Aside from the allegedly great working conditions and it's swamp and wildlife, most people from Botswana seem to spend all their free time in Gauteng (being the nearest centre with shops).

Namibia. One of Germany's ex outposts, the place is a desert experience. Big on diamonds, wildlife and desert (the Namib), Namibia is rarely big on the travel itinerary unless you're in the know. Etosha National Park is the best known of the many parks. The one downside is that Namibia's political system is more akin to the old style African dictator and accompanying old fashioned ideaologies. The regime is definately not friendly to gay people and as a result, if you're politically inclined to support more democratic and welcoming countries, Namibia wouldn't be your first port of call.