We invite you to come and embrace The Big Five (no, not that big five) – the big five senses –at our game lodge, nestled amongst the Common Hook-thorn trees of the Dinokeng Game Reserve. We experience the world around us through what we see, hear, smell, touch and taste and the African bush provides us with opportunities to become fully immersed and lost (don’t worry we have trackers) in these senses. Not sure how this would work? Keep reading.
Sight – There’s more to see than you’d imagined
Game viewing boasts the biggest appeal of any bush getaway, and with the Big Five on our doorstep, the sightings promise to be breath-taking. We know you want to witness the grandeur of a herd of elephants crossing a sun-glittered waterway or a leopard enjoying her dawn kill in the shadowy tree-tops. But – remember to look up and down, taking note of the tangerine stained clouds of early morning, and the woven webs strung up between golden strokes of grass weighted with dew. Appreciate the colours of the abundance of birds that break up the blue afternoon sky, and when night finally sets in, enjoy a drink or two outside, remembering to looking up at the canvas of stars between sips.
Sound – Hear with your heart
Sound can be an overpowering sense, so when you get a chance, close your eyes and prick up your ears! Nature’s sounds bring on the feeling of actually on a little escape. The bush may sound busy – with the stridulating of crickets, the continuous buzzing of bugs, and the forever rustling of animals feeding on grass and treetops. Even the crescendo of sounds at night has the disguise of silence and stillness, imprinting the love of the bush into our hearts. Don’t forget to listen out for the roar of a lion or the call of the martial eagle.
Smell – What’s cooking?
The bush is alive with wild aromas, some overpowering –others more subtle. The infusion of spices from the leaves of the Camphor bush and their sudden burst of wild aromas cracking of leaves under the game vehicle tyres are scented characteristics of a safari getaway. After a day in the sun, the sweetened burn of evening wood around your private boma, and dinner cooking on an open fire can be the perfect aromatic end to the day. Sometimes even the hint of a nearby kill is noticeable in the open air.
Touch – and take in!
Getting a true feel for the African bushveld should be very literal. Embrace every sensation the earth (and the lodge) has to offer. From the warmth of the African sun on your skin to the balmy breeze gently beating at your back; the tiny lap of relief of the cooling water of the pool, and the appreciation of the cool crispness of climbing between clean white linen after a day in the sun.
Taste…’s like home
Nothing complements the first sip of morning coffee more than being wrapped up in a blanket, enjoying the wild of the bushveld – except a sweetened splash of Amarula liqueur that brings the taste of Africa to your morning roast. The self-catering accommodation lets you bring the blissful familiarity of your kitchen to the bush.
In the evenings, enjoy a glass of cabernet sauvignon, allowing the tang of black cherry and smoky chocolate and fig infusion to be like a freshet over your taste buds –making the stars you’re sitting under shine a little brighter.
The senses alone can take you on an adventure and make you appreciate any experience with complete sincerity and commitment. When you’re done looking, close your eyes and take in each sensation independently. Open your eyes. Are you ready to immerse yourself in the wild of the African bush? Contact us for rates and bookings!
Let us know in the comments below how you achieve mindfulness when going on new adventures and experiences!