Shifting Seasons to Spring: a Time of Anticipation
Shifting Seasons to Spring: a Time of Anticipation
It happens first with the air. It picks up momentum and strong southerly winds start to bring a warmth and anticipation to the Lowveld. In Shangaan, August is known as Mhawuri which means ‘strong winds’, we call it “Augusty” for a laugh. It is a time when the wind shakes the last leaves and seeds off the trees, preparing for the first rains and making space for new buds and sprouting seeds to burst through at the first sign of moisture. As August shifts into September and a gentle warmth sets in, the days start to lengthen and the Knobthorns and Weeping Boer-Bean trees erupt in soft yellow and deep reds sprays. Their flowers like a showy display of love to the dry and dusty end of bushveld winter.
Something is happening in the shifting of seasons that is bigger than us, but also of us. Familiar. Inevitable. Several bird species begin to display and squirrels earnestly begin their nesting ambitions (much to my current dismay - pulling in an extraordinary amount of dry leaf material into our roof and showering our lounge with thatch and tiny squirrel poop-pellets).
It is a compelling time, and has always been a favourite for me. The days are warm but the mornings are crisp. The pallet of the landscape welcomes flowering trees and the odd splash of green, yet the vegetation is still sparse enough for good visibility and great sightings. Animals still concentrate near reliable water sources, yet there is a buzz of energy as migrant birds start to return and frogs begin their nightly chorus. A flurry of movement and activity ensues as insects start to emerge and bush walks reveal snake tracks indicating the end of their aestivation.
While it is a wonderful time to visit the bush, it is also, in our opinion, an ideal time to plan and book a safari. A time to get inspired by the shifting season and lean into the excitement of bushveld activity. A time to look ahead to next year (and beyond) and plan when you can connect your feet to African soil. Realistically though, to ensure booking your dream destinations and preferred dates, we recommend a lead time of at least a year so now really is the time to reach out if you dream of traveling in 2026/7 - we cannot wait to welcome you!
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Founder, Private Guide and Safari Planner
Being born the daughter of David Attenborough (it’s true but he’s probably not the one you’re thinking of) I don’t believe I ever really had much choice about what direction my life would take. I grew up in the city of Durban, South Africa but for as long as I can remember nature has called to me. Whenever I could I would escape to the forests around my home barefoot and in search of chameleons and red duiker to befriend.
And so in 2010, after completing my Journalism and Media Studies degree, I followed that calling to the wilds of Southern Africa to become a game ranger. I planned to stay for a year but it turned into ten. During that time, I worked at Phinda Private Game Reserve, Ngala Private Game Reserve and Londolozi Game Reserve, some of South Africa’s most prestigious lodges and immersed myself in the natural world. I learnt to track animals with Zulu and Shangaan trackers and spent as much time as I could on foot approaching animals with my guests. I also put my photojournalism degree to use by becoming a specialist photographic guide. I travelled to Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, India and throughout South America in search of wildlife. My greatest adventure was living in Gabon training local guides for the WWF and Smithsonian Institute, where we spent weeks at a time living like early nomads in the dense and remote coastal forests, fulfilling a life-long dream of tracking and habituating wild gorillas. Seeing how embodied and present animals are inspired me to begin practicing yoga. I am a qualified vinyasa and yin teacher and spent six months training under a Hatha master in Boulder, Colorado. I am also a certified Martha Beck life coach. With this mixture of knowledge, interests and skills, I started Wild Again to help others really experience the wild places I know and love so much. Through my specialised Wellness Safaris that incorporate yoga, meditation, mindfulness and personalised life coaching I continue to grow more conscious safaris that return people to nature and to themselves. As we re-wild ourselves we hear the earth, our common mother, again. It is only then that we can co-create with her healing.
Tell us if you’re keen to plan a safari or join a retreat. We’re ready to create your dream experience.
