For the past two nights I’ve been staying at Nitani Lodge in the Tuli private game reserve. Strictly 5 star. Game drives each morning and evening and while you’re out the chalet’s are made up, beds are turned down, heaters turned on etc etc. All too posh for me but I guess I’ll get used to it.

The drive here was and adventure in itself. Head north along the A1 then turn onto the B152 20kms north of Palapye. Follow the B152 to Bobonong and onto Semolale. Find the Kgotla in Semolale and take the best looking dirt road 25kms out of town. Easy ...NOT.

Getting to Semolale was easy enough, just following good quality bitumen roads. Once in Semolale there are no street signs, so no indication of where the Kgotla is actually located. I spent 15mins driving around I just happened across it. Heading of down the best looking dirt road in the Yaris, it quickly deteriorated into a two wheel track. The road was graded and getting ready for road base. It takes me about 50 mins to travel 25kms and I get to a Nitani sign. I must almost be there. I was told the safari truck would be on the side of the road to meet me, and as I didn’t see a safari truck I headed down the two wheel track indicated by the sign.
I knew it wasn’t the right road when almost immediately the belly of the Yaris is scraping along the centre of the track. However, I persist for another 4kms, crossing rocky creek beds, dodging acacia thorns and generally 4 wheel driving in a YARIS!

I eventually get to a river (not running) but decide that the Yaris was going to get hung up if I tried the decent to the rocky river bed, plus I wouldn’t be able to get back out even if I made it down. I turn around and head back to the main track, mindful that if I destroy the car on a rock (many of them) it’s a long walk back to anywhere.

Uneventfully I reach the main dirt road again and continue down it hoping to find the safari truck. Less than 2kms down the road, there it is proud as punch just where it should have been all along. I’m not believed when I tell them just how far I managed to get down the Nitani road, heads move between me and the Yaris as if to say “yeah right, in that thing?”.

With the Yaris safely left in the hands of the local cattle post, Callie and Lovemore transfer me via safari truck (ex-military Land Rover Defender) to the Nitani River lodge.

I’m the only one here. There are only 5 chalets with a maximum of 10 guests. My chalet is the “Leopard” and is a long walk on the board walk to the lapa, along a raised boardwalk.
Game has deserted me but have seen lots of impala and giraffe.

I’m typing this up as I sit by my own private pool - too cold for swimming. The elephants like the chlorinated water... perhaps because it tastes salty.
The guides are excellent (Callie and Lovemore) as is the chef (Wayne, a Brit), whom I have all to myself. It’s a bit daunting being the only one eating and 3 people hovering around at your immediate beck and call. All very lovely people, chatty and easy to get along with. Thanks to Wayne, I’ve sampled Springbok, Ostrich, Crocodile and some excellent Botswana steak. The Amurula creme caramel is brilliant, I could eat a gallon of that stuff. Honestly though, there was far too much food and I had to ask for a 2 course instead of the usual 3 course meals.

Currently there are warthogs browsing around the camp and the day before I arrived there were 30 elephants walking through and around also - the resulting damage to the trees is very evident. I’ve heard the ele’s but yet to see them here. Also Lion, leopard and cheetah but also yet to see them.

No fences at the lodge and small gates are put up every night to stop the hiena getting onto the walkways.. not a lot you can do about the cats, they get up if they want to. Driving around this reserve is wonderful, even if the game have moved to other parts of the place. About 70,000 hectares in all.

One day left here before driving back to Gabs.

Tags: travel