Mahikeng - As the raindrops landed, the green leaves shook slightly, as if to welcome the late summer rain or dance to nature’s music.
The area around Madikwe, in North West, right on the border with Botswana, had not seen real rain since December. So the two-hour downpour was a welcome relief for animals and plants.
And humans as well.
As soon as the rain stopped, humans and animals came out to admire nature’s beauty. The soil was damp from the gazzillion kilolitres donated by Mother Nature. The plants seemed extraordinarily happy and different – better, all round. The birds sang, showing off their impressive colours. Even a trio of Corrie Bustards came out to party, striding magnificently while periodically picking up food from the ground. The animals had a blast and had the colours to show it.
The elephants and rhinos of Madikwe changed colour. They were red, evidence of the mud bath and dance they indulged in with the first real rains of this year. Yes, the red elephants and red rhinos of Madikwe!
And the red elephants were extremely calm. In an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life, we watched the magnificent African sun go down, exotic drinks in hand, settled a mere 100m from a family of ellies, with at least four babies among them. They did not mind us and went about their business. We went about ours.
Mutual respect!
No bush break is perfect without the care and hospitality provided by the host. Neal and his crew at Madikwe Hills know what five-star treatment entails. And the test of any hospitality is when guests present the hosts with unusual requests, a challenge or a test of service.
We did, wanting all meals in the lodge, and they were only happy to oblige. Our housekeeper, Catherine Seroke, was the embodiment of the spirit of Madikwe! She was friendly and super-efficient.
This is why Hans Perwins, a German who has made Cape Town his home, comes to Madikwe Hills every year for a break. The retired tax lawyer is on first-name terms with the Madikwe Hills staff. He considers them family. They, too, regard him as one of their own and provide him – and all the guests – with an experience they will not forget.
It is the little touches of excellence that make a major difference. When you check into Madikwe Hills, you are treated to the friendliest of all welcomes, and are assigned an experienced ranger to take care of you.
When you reach your chalet, you will find a personalised letter of welcome, outlining the programme for the stay. When you read the note and see all the trouble the staff have taken to make you feel at home, you are left with a good feeling. You are made to feel special, and people at Madikwe Hills treat you accordingly.
These are some of the ingredients that make Madikwe Hills such a compelling proposition. A place where you escape the hustle and bustle of urban life to reconnect with nature.
It is a place where you also reconnect with yourself and with loved ones. A place where you can afford to count the raindrops dancing on the leaves and executing works of art on the pools of water they have created.
Watching rain fall is a world apart from watching paint dry. It is hugely therapeutic. Time spent at the Madikwe Hills Lodge, nestling below the Magaliesberg, in the broader Pilanesberg Game Reserve, is what you need for a proper break or time to bond with family.
l Jovial Rantao was a guest of Madikwe Hills Game Lodge
If You Go...
THe Madikwe Hills Game Ldge in the Madikwe Game Reserve in North West is a 4½-hour drive from Joburg or Pretoria.
Accommodation is in 10 secluded, glass-fronted suites, each with a private deck and plunge pool, air conditioning, fireplaces, a fully stocked mini-bar, indoor and outdoor showers and a private lounge.
The Madikwe Game Reserve comprises 75 000 hectares of bushveld and grassland stretching to the Botswana border and is one of the largest and most popular game reserves in South Africa. Once farmland, the natural environment has been restored.
The reserve has 86 mammals, 420 bird species – 110 of them rare – and 104 tree species. The landscape, broken by rocky outcrops and lone hills, is home to cheetah, lion, leopard, hyena,wild dog, elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe and various antelope.
The activities on offer include two 3-hour game drives a day (morning and afternoon), archery and fishing.
Rack rates for the Madikwe Hills Main Camp begin from R5 650 a night for a person, sharing or single, depending on the time of year.
Info
l Phone: +27 (0) 11 781 5431
l E-mail: reservations@madikwehills.com
l Web address: www.madikwehills. com
Sunday Independent