Naturally, on a safari the goal is seeing wildlife; as many as possible. I mentioned my worry that I would come on safari and not see any animals. I mean ANY animals. That wasn’t even including my desire to see a pangolin, which is rare! Within hours, I not only saw animals, my experience was more than I dared hope for. The first day alone was an incredible start to an amazing week.

An unbelievable start: the first day

We wasted no time heading out to view wildlife. After going through the waivers and paperwork, we set out in late afternoon to check on the wild dogs. Wild dog monitoring is an ongoing research project for Working with Wildlife. The focus is to gauge predator to prey balance and how much territory the dogs cover so habitat needs can be established. Since they stay in packs, one dog is collared to enable tracking.

Heading out

As we went to their last known location, it felt surreal. I was here. On safari in South Africa. Looking for African wild dogs. Just being here overwhelmed me. Just knowing of all the animals that live here, that are meant to be here. Seeing wildlife in their native home. A dream becoming real. It was indescribable. I not only felt transported, I was transported from all I had known before.

Seeing African wild dogs

It turns out euphoria is not capped. It can expand! I didn’t know that was possible. But as we pulled the vehicle over to settle in their midst, I could hardly breathe. I certainly couldn’t speak. My brain was exploding. They watched us curiously but were unfazed. I could not say the same.

Still not done seeing wildlife

When we got back to camp for dinner, my host Gary casually(!) mentioned we would be heading out at dusk to replace a battery on a pangolin collar. Wait. He said pangolin. I tried to stay calm and appear cool about it. None of this seemed possible. I was the luckiest person in the world. The collar needed a new battery and so we were to find the pangolin. What extraordinary fortune on the day of my arrival.

A pangolin encounter

We set out before dusk as we didn’t want the motor sound to keep her (we actually don’t know the gender, but called her that) from coming out of the burrow. There was always a chance that would happen. That’s the problem with wild animals, they don’t keep timetables. But sitting there, waiting, was part of the experience I will never forget. These elusive, shy creatures are notoriously hard to find.

When she came out, we followed her through the bush, tracking her signal. She froze and stayed still as Gary changed the battery and I held the flashlight. Her head was in a termite mound and she flinched often but would not move. That instinct is why they are in such danger from poaching. You can literally pick it up and carry it off.

An incredible coda

Nights were as magical as the days on safari. I was there in summer but Kalahari nights were cool comfort. My first night, I got a bit lost and as I wandered to my tent owls sprang to the sky, huge and beautiful. They were Western barn owls with a similar sound to our American ones, but a different vocal patten, like a dialect. But the day was not quite over.

I woke in the middle of the night to the sound of so many birds and I was siffused with gratitude and wonder that I am really here. That I made this dream happen.

Seeing wildlife throughout the week

An incredible start was not the end; the highlights continued. During my stay I saw elephants, white rhino, black rhino (from afar; he is a dangerous and ill-tempered soul), water buffalo, wildebeest, and more.

We followed the wild dogs on an evening excursion as they went hunting. We set a camera by a pangolin burrow in the hopes of seeing a pangopup. During the days, we checked trail cams and sat with a particular elephant as he enjoyed the watering hole. One day, we saw vulutures gathered and heard jackals call so we knew there was a fresh kill. These scavengers were waiting for the predators, probably lions, to finish so they could then feast. Try we did, but never found the scene.

Summer and high grass made seeing wildlife difficult

I went during the most difficult season to see animals. It was early summer in the Kalahari. The winter and spring rains brought high grasses easy for lions to hide in. There were flowers and butterflies and many birds. We saw baby zebra from the dining tent, and lion cub tracks in the road as the lioness walked the perimeter. The best wildlife viewing is a different time when water is more scarce and animals gather in those spots. But I felt the wildlife’s presence everywhere. I saw their signs and heard them call. My soul was full and rich with the earth and her other nations making their way through this world. I loved it so much I may even go back in the same season. It’s hard to decide!

Summary

Conservation safaris go beyond going out to find wildlife so I wasn’t sure if I would see as many animals. Since you are on a working reserve and staff at Working with Wildlife is small in the very large Khamab Kalari reserve, there are no guarantees. I was blown away by how many animals I saw and how much I learned about them. I had experiences, such as following the wild dogs on a hunt and sitting for extended periods with an elephant, that a tradiional safari cannot accommodate. When you have guaranteed sightings, you have to go where the animals are spotted (shared by another guide) to meet that.

The result is a more relaxing and natural experience of seeing wildlife as they are meant to be. If you’re worried that a conservation safari won’t fill the wildlife experience, don’t be. Find out the best time of year to go if that is your primary goal. The reserve has everything!