Safaris and starlit showers

We arrived at Umlani Bush Camp, tucked away in the heart of the Timbavati private game reserve in South Africa, after an adventurous drive along winding dirt tracks. Along the way we even stopped for a real-life zebra crossing. Yes, a herd of zebras casually crossing the road. The car was covered in dust 500 meters into the drive and after a mere few miles we felt lucky not to get stuck halfway through a riverbed. Steep slopes on both sides and lots of trees and bushes for unfriendly wildlife to lurk in. Not the kind of place where you’d want to get out of the car and push.

The minute we got out of the car at Umlani, the warm and welcoming staff were waiting for us, all smiles and eager to help. They handled the paperwork quickly and efficiently before showing us to our huts. The huts were stunning: traditional rondavel-style structures that looked authentic but still offered all the creature comforts you could possibly need. Well, except wi-fi or electricity, but I’ll get to that. The huts had a cosy bed with mosquito nets, a tiny but well-equipped bathroom and, much to my delight, an outdoor shower.

Walking around Umlani Bushcamp during the day: this is what it looks like.

Comfortable bed in our hut in Umlani Bush Camp, South Africa

Getting familiar with the camp

After only five minutes to admire our temporary home, we were summoned to lunch; not by phone, but by someone banging distant drums. We made our way to the observation deck and restaurant overlooking the waterhole. There were no animals at that time of day, but it was quiet, peaceful and beautiful. A perfect backdrop to our “light” lunch.

After lunch, it was time for the lodge’s manager Micaela to brief us on life at Umlani. She promised us great meals, free drinks, guided game drives, sundowners and a dazzling night sky. Most of all, she promised a great time, as long as we kept a few things in mind.
The basic rule: no walking around unaccompanied after sunset. Animals would roam the camp freely, and you wouldn’t want to meet a hyena on your way from the boma to the bathroom. A boma, by the way, is a traditional enclosed outdoor area for campfires, dining and gathering in safari camps. Every hut had a radio to call for assistance in case of an emergency. My daughter and I both wondered if a huge spider would count as an emergency and were promptly reassured. There was a small solar panel, just enough to power a nightlight and two phones. Exactly one place in the camp had a wi-fi signal: just follow the teenagers. There was a small swimming pool, but we shouldn’t freak out if a few elephants showed up for a drink. In camp, we had to listen to the staff. On game drives, we had to listen to the trackers and rangers. Lastly: no food in the huts if you didn’t want the monkeys to steal it. After we promised to be good, it was time for our first game drive.

First game drive and dinner

Excited, we were quick to climb into the safari truck. Our ranger and tracker joined us and off we went, into the bush. Umlani’s rangers were constantly in contact with rangers from other bush camps. This enabled them to find the wildlife and bring us close to it. And I mean really close. Best not to think about it too much. We saw a massive herd of buffalo ploughing through a waterhole, we saw our first rhinos and of course we saw elephants, because there are lots of them and they’re rather hard to miss. At sunset we stopped for drinks and snacks: the famous sundowners. Standing there, watching the sun go down and hearing the bush come to life around us was truly one of the best experiences of my life. When it was fully dark we drove back to the camp. All the animals were in hiding but we were too busy staring up at the milky way to care.

Back at camp, a set table was waiting for us. All the guests ate at the same table. This gave us ample opportunity to meet new people and swap stories of sightings, while enjoying great food. After dinner we assembled in the boma, around the fire. While we were having coffee and toasting marshmallows, a curious hyena peeked around the corner of the boma to see what the noise was all about. This proved Micaela’s earlier point. Before it was even ten o’clock we were escorted to our huts. Time for a shower under the stars and a good night’s sleep.