ON SAFARI by Carol Randall - PN Magazine, June 2005 issue

The long flight from Colorado to South Africa was well worth it for the experience of a lifetime.

I couldn’t believe I was going on a safari - me, a power-wheelchair user who can't walk or even stand. My husband Bill and I were the last of our group to be picked up at our hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa, for the drive to Kruger National Park, where we would spend our first few days game-viewing and camping in the park. We had already spent a few days in Cape Town (see "Cape Town Up Close").

Our group also consisted of a couple from Cape Town and three women from England - a chair user, one who couldn't climb steps, and a friend. There was also a gal from Ireland who was a chair user and traveling alone. Last, but defi¬nitely not least, was Alfie Smith (he and his wife Sabine run Epic Adventures) and his helper, "JB,' who did a little of everything and was always there to lend a hand to anyone who might need it.

They pulled up to our hotel in what was a very large truck with a lift on the passenger side. But inside, the vehicle took on a whole different appearance. Along the rear was a full row of high-back cushioned seats, and near the front was a step-down and more seats, leaving most of the center area for wheelchairs. The sides were roll-up windows made of clear vinyl and canvas that zipped closed; they were rolled up for our game-viewing drives and sightseeing. This gave chair users the same opportunity to move around for the best viewing when game was spotted. I felt sorry for others who used smaller, traditional, game-viewing vehicles. Our height allowed us to better see into the bush.

It took about seven hours to get to our first campsite with time for a picnic on the way. It was a smaller campsite just inside the Crocodile Bridge entrance to Kruger National Park. Kruger's
23 campgrounds offer a variety of facilities from tent camping, high-wall safari tents, and small bungalows sleeping two or three with twin beds and a full bath to multi-bed-room guest houses. I was surprised to see how many visitors had RVs or pop-up campers. All the camps through the park have combination souvenir and grocery stores. These are good places to shop, as they are not as expensive as many other tourist areas.

In retrospect, all the camps and parking areas were clean, tidy, and quiet. At our first overnight stay, Bill and I had one of the bungalows. Some of our group slept in safari tents, which did have real twin beds, lights, and a fan. The main differences were we had our own bath with a roll-in shower and the bungalow was air-conditioned, a fact I didn't bring up at dinner. A separate public rest room for travelers with disabilities was complete with a roll-in shower. I was surprised to learn that many of Kruger's campgrounds have facilities for individuals with disabilities, and the maps of the park show which sites have them.

After getting settled in, it was time for our first game drive, and we weren't disappointed. We only went a few hundred feet from the camp¬ground and spotted giraffes, impalas, and a zebra grazing not far from the road.

Later we saw several hippos soaking in the river. I was surprised to learn that they soak almost from morning until night and only then come out to feed.
Things are done a little differently in the park. The animals roam free on all 4.8 million acres, and the people are fenced in at the camp¬grounds! You are told what time you have to be back to your "cage," and you had better not be late. No, they won't feed you to the animals, but you can get a hefty fine. All the campgrounds have electric fences to keep out night prowler's such as baboons, cats, and hyenas that are look¬ing for a free meal.

Back at camp, Alfie and JB fixed a chicken dinner, cooked on the grill and served under the stars. By dinner we felt more like a group of friends sitting around a campfire instead of the strangers that met just a few hours earlier.

By 5:30 a.m. we were up and on our way for our first morning game drive, after having coffee or tea and what Bill described as a tasty zwieback (biscuit) that dunking brought out the flavor and made more chewable. As for me, my stom¬ach doesn't want anything to eat that
early. After our morning game drive, we stopped at a picnic area to prepare breakfast. For safety reasons, you can leave your vehicle only at these desig¬nated areas and campgrounds.

We continued through Kruger to our next campground, where for the next several days we would stay in bungalows and use the facility as our base for game drives and exploring.

Here, Corine and Hans, who are from The Netherlands, met up with the safari. They work for an organization that designs tours for groups with disabilities. She is a trip planner, and he is an accountant. They had come to see if this was an appropriate outing for one of their clients, and it passed. They intend to bring a group in November.

Our last full day in Kruger was spent game-viewing and traveling to our next stopover, just out¬side one of the park entrances. It was a private campground that had a few safari tents; you could see game just over a nearby fence. Ramps made a couple of the tents accessible, and Alfie carried portable ramps lot a third. Each had two twin beds, lights, a fan, and a small refrigerator. Public rest rooms were nearby. A separate one for people with disabilities had a roll-in shower.

A few of us slept in and didn't go on the morning game drive. We had that option on most days. Since we all were having such a great time, none of us wanted to miss anything. However, it was time to give my body some extra rest.

After breakfast we headed out for the Tshukudu Game Reserve, where we spent the rest of our trip. On our way we stopped at the Hoedspruit Research and Breeding Center for Endangered Species. It was initially estab¬lished as a breeding program for the then-endangered cheetah, but following the enormous success of the cheetah-breeding pro¬gram, the center has evolved into a legitimate breeding program for other endangered African species. The center's ultimate objective is to return endangered African animals to the wild once their numbers have increased to such an extent that they can be released.

The facility's staff are now also working with the Cape hunting dog and studying vulture habits with a bone-yard called the "Vulture Cafeteria." After viewing a film about their work, we had a 90-minute tour of the project. Then it was time to make our way to the Tshukudu Game Reserve.

This facility, started some 20 years ago by Lolly Sussens, has mined into a regular family affair. The elder Ian, along with his wife Sylvia, runs an educational and environmental trail for school groups and also accommodates guests in the self-catering bush camp.

The younger son, Chris, is involved in run¬ning the lodge and is licensed as a professional hunter. His wife Sonja operates a curio shop and occasionally helps at the lodge.

The bush camp was our home base for the next several days. We had a stand-alone unit with two twin beds and bath with a shower stall. Thanks to Alfie, who bad a rolling shower chair, we made out fine. He carries all sorts of specialized equipment in case someone needs a ramp or shower seat. Hi also said the camp would be adding a roll-in shower to its facilities in the near
future. (I guess it's like anywhere; they don't build it so you will come - they see that you do exist and want to come, so maybe it's a good idea to build it.)

Our stay at Tshukudu was different and quite enjoyable. We did our game drives in traditional game-drive vehicles, but by using the lift on Alfie's truck the transfers were level and (with some assistance) went smoothly. He even had seat belts to ensure wheelers' safety. The way roads (I use the term loosely) are set up, we were able to view animals tip close and personal. This was an expe¬rience I won't soon forget. We saw giraffes so near we could count their spots, and we were within a few yards of two white rhinos.

The first evening, we had a treat - wilde-beest - for dinner. It was a lot like prime rib and really good. We ate in the camp's covered dining room. We could also have our meal under the stars in a traditional South African ‘boma’.

In the morning we didn't go on a game drive, but we all piled into the truck and went up into an area inside the preserve to drop off everyone (except those of us in chairs) for a stroll with the animals. It was best that we wheelchair users not go, because among the beasts was an adolescent lion that would bite at the tires of our chairs.

We went to the owner's house to spend the extra time with the two orphan cubs they were raising. They were 2 months old - one a lion cub and the other a small serval - and really cute. We each had a chance to hold them and watch them play. It was quite an experience!

After breakfast, it was time to see the area's sights. One thing that surprised me was that Africa has rough mountains, and that is where we went. Our first stop was an overlook of Blyde River Canyon. The mountains, at least in this part of Africa, are almost vertical and have spectacular views. We picnicked in the park near the three Roundavels, and we finished the day's sightseeing at God's Window, a beautiful mountain-top overlook that is often above the clouds. At each stop, open-air shops were set up and selling tra¬ditional handicrafts.
Following a full day of sightseeing, we went to the Nyani Tribal Village, which is part of the Shangaan cultural heritage. We learned a little about culture and history, ate traditional food for dinner, and enjoyed some of their thrilling danc¬ing, complete with native dress.

On our last day we stayed near the bush camp, at the game lodge. In the morning we got word that Savannah - a full-grown cheetah that roams free in the game park - would be where we could interact with her. She was raised by the owner when she was orphaned as a cub. Therefore, she is not afraid of people, so she will get close enough so you can stroke her back.

That evening we went on a game drive and also went through the enclosures of the lion-breeding project. I was a bit concerned when lan strapped on his sidearm, but there was no need to worry. However, these were wild lions, and caution was in order. Each enclosure is at least all acre in size and houses a male and several females. They just live there and let nature take its course.

Worth the trip:
The safari had come to an end, and it was time to head back to Johannesburg and that long flight home. I can't say I was looking forward to it, but I found the best way to deal with it was to not let myself think about it until that day. For the expe¬rience of a lifetime, a long flight was worth it.

I am convinced more than ever that you can go anywhere you would like, so don't make hav¬ing a disability the excuse for not going.

Carol Randal

Bill & Carol were on Epic Enabled’s 8-Day Kruger National Park safari in February 2005. If you would like to find out more from her please contact us on : info@epic-enabled.com