Waking in the night to what sounded like many hooves passing, I imagined the nyala we had seen grazing around the grounds had decided to gather for an antelope indaba.
The drumming sound grew louder… it was the plop of rain on the thatched roof. Then came the thunder.
Would we have an adventure like my last visit to Bonamanzi? At that time, a game guard had woken us in our tree house at the first sign of light, telling us not to worry about packing our gear, but to proceed at once to a central point. The river was flooding, and we had to hurry to get out. The ranger, who was to lead the convoy of cars to safety, decided my Datsun GTX 1200 would be the most trustworthy to get through the rising waters, so he drove it, with five cars following – much to my relief, as the road could not be seen. It was just a sea of water. Two of the more upmarket cars failed the test, sputtering to a halt, but my little lady took it all in her stride.
I remember the date well – October 31, 1985, as the next day I started my job with the Sunday Tribune. A lot of water has passed under the bridge, but this time there was no flood.
Bonamanzi has changed radically since those days. The wonderful sand forest (1 200 hectares), with small game paths, is still the same, but the accommodation is much more posh.
The main camp, Lalapanzi, has comfortable cottages, with cool tiled floors and high-thatched roofs, known as the Lalapanzi Combos. Their verandas are perfect in any weather, as the thatch swoops low, protecting against the elements. They are a good place to sit and relax.
The large lounge comprised two separate structures and is also a pleasant spot to hang out. It overlooks a pan, where crocodile lay so still, they looked unreal… until, with a lazy flick of the tail, they dispersed that illusion. In a separate enclosure 14 crocodiles are fed every Saturday at 1pm.
Other options are Dinizulu private lodge, as well as camping.
Bonamanzi has 408 bird species on the property, 29 of which are on the Red Data list, and four of the Big Five (no lions). There is a healthy pool of 69 buffalo and we were told that between 2010 and 2012 many young had been born.
They offer horse safaris, guided walks, birding and boat cruises. Their Ndlovu centre (popular for weddings) is the biggest free-standing thatched building in southern Africa, while their health spa also overlooks a pan.
A group of American gymnasts were staying while we were there. They seemed to particularly enjoy the fire, which is stacked high in the shape of a tree stretching heavenward, until it collapses in the heat.
Bonamanzi attracts lots of South African visitors. Ten of the exclusive campsites have their own ablution facilities. Camping ranges between R120 per person sharing, while the exclusive ones and the Zulu village are R150pp.
At Lalapanzi, guests pay R895pp d/b/b. Anyone is welcome to eat at the restaurant, with day visitors also welcome.
* Call 035 562 0181 or e-mail: [email protected] or go to: www.bonamanzi.co.za