My love affair with the African continent – and especially with South Africa – started more than seven years ago, though I’m now convinced that the connection runs much deeper than that. When I first moved here for work, I had no idea that this place would slowly stitch itself into the fabric of who I am. But it did. And after going through one of the more challenging years in my professional career recently, it was living out in the bush that helped me to reconnect with the core of my being.

Living out here has been nothing short of amazing. There is something otherworldly about waking up to lions vocalizing in the distance and falling asleep to hyena whooping, seeing white rhino so often that they start to feel like neighbors, or pausing mid-sentence because an African Hoopoe has caught your eye. And then there are those impossibly rare moments that will stay etched in your heart forever. Like that afternoon when a leopard with piercing green eyes silently crossed my back patio while I sat curled up on the couch with a book.

Safari time

Since I have been living on the continent, I have been blessed to go on hundreds of safaris across the Kruger, the Serengeti, the Maasai Mara and Etosha. Each one left a mark and through these years I have been slowly learning more about wildlife, but living immersed in the bush awakened a hunger and desire for deeper understanding. That’s why I joined the Nzumba trip with Ryan – not for sightings or ticking off bucket lists, but for knowledge, grounding and connection. And even though I arrived without expectations, if I had carried any, they would have been shattered in the best way possible by Ryan, Thomas and all of the incredible people at Nzumba Lodge.

In some of the literature and content from Nzumba, I had seen the phrase, “Arrive as guests and leave as friends.” I have never experienced a place that has so honestly and whole-heartedly understooditself so accurately. From the moment I arrived, our hosts, Matt and Meg, wrapped us in warmth and friendliness that felt genuine, human and unforced. Evenings around the boma or at the bar felt like conversations with old friends. The lodge itself was intimate and serene, with spaces that made you feel both held and free. There was a good balance of space for relaxation and privacy when needed, and communal areas such as the pool looking out on the bush, the convivial bar, restaurant and lounges where you could interact with other guests and staff. The icing on the cake – sometimes quite literally more than figuratively – was the creativity and quality of the food curated by Chef David and the rest of the staff. There were special culinary surprises to enjoy at every breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner, which made each meal feel like its own little celebration.

Game Drives

My early experiences in the Kruger taught me about the profound role that the Shangaan people have played in shaping modern day tracking, guiding and conservation. Their relationship with the land and nature is deep and reverent, and I couldn’t wait to learn more from Ryan and our tracker, Thomas. Their knowledge – shared with both patience and joy – opened up a new layer of the bush for me. I learned a number of Shangaan words for different animals, trees and general terms used in the world of guiding here.

There is a Shangaan saying that translates roughly to, “A leopard chooses to reveal itself to us; we do not choose to see a leopard.” And that is precisely how we met Sashwa.

We weren’t necessarily looking for a leopard that afternoon. Ryan and Thomas were tracking the footprints of a lioness, carefully following subtle signs of her presence written across the earth. Then, as we turned a corner leading into a clearing, there he was – a magnificent male leopard, as if he had been waiting for us. Matt later helped us to identify him as Sashwa, based on the pattern andmarkings on his face. Over the next days, we would have several intimate encounters with him, including sitting beneath the tree where he fed on his impala kill under a blanket of stars. On a different morning, we returned to find a young hyena patiently waiting below the branches, hoping for scraps and bones to fall from the tree as Sashwa finished off the impala and meticulously groomed himself. Moments like these felt like gifts – unpredictable, humbling and deeply moving.

Then there were the hyenas, which I believe to be one of the most misunderstood and underestimated animals in the bush. One evening, Ryan and Thomas brought us to a misi khaya (Shangaan for hyena home – or better known as a hyena den) just before sunset. The den was buzzing with life, with hyena cubs of different age ranges hanging around outside; older cubs were lounging around while the younger ones tumbled around with each other, nibbling on each other’s ears and gnawing on bones and sticks, full of mischief and curiosity. On another night, when termites erupted from the ground, Thomas shone his spotlight onto the ground, drawing the insects into the beam. The hyena cubs darted in and out of the light catching the termites, delighted by this unexpected feast. Watching them, full of personality, cleverness and playfulness, felt like being let in on a secret that few people take the time to understand.

Every game drive was its own adventure. A male lion vocalizing into the sunset, his voice vibrating through the vehicle. A pack of twelve wild dogs, elusive and electric, found more than once thanks to the combined mastery of Ryan and Thomas. Dozens of birds – each with its own story, its own song – pointed out and named by Ryan with enthusiasm. And of course, especially during this season, our sightings would not have been complete without coming across several baby impalas, including one that was still wet from being born and nursing from its mother…a reminder of how tender and miraculous life is.

The Team

I would be remiss not to mention one of the more memorable dining moments made possible by the Nzumba team. It happened after a morning filled with extraordinary sightings and we were still high on the adrenaline of watching four hungry lionesses on the hunt for a giraffe. Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any better, we rounded a bend and came across a majestic nyala tree. Beneath it waited Meg and Matt, smiling, after having prepared a bush breakfast that looked like something out of a dream. As we settled in, Thomas climbed the tree and discovered a curious little genet peering down at us, its wide eyes taking in the strange breakfast party beneath its branch. It felt like the bush itself had joined our breakfast table.

What struck me the most throughout the week – beyond the animals, beyond the landscapes – was the reverence the guides and trackers have for one another and for the bush. It is a relationship built on respect, intuition, trust and passion. To witness it is to be reminded of what it means to live in partnership with nature rather than apart from it.

This trip was more than a safari for me. It was an awakening, a reconnection with nature and a reminder of why I fell in love with this continent many years ago. The knowledge I gained was invaluable and the memories – too many to count – are permanently etched into my being.

I know I will be back. In fact, I have already started planning future adventures with the Wandering Thru team. And I cannot wait for the Gorilla & Chimpanzee Trekking trip at the end of May next year.

Africa still has so much to teach me… and I’m ready for every lesson.

 Photo credit : Maya Rae