Safari Hour
Behind every extraordinary journey is an ‘ordinary’ moment that sets the tone for everything that follows. These are the stories of the people who transform arrivals into homecomings.
WORDS Christine McCabe
It’s Jumanji,” a small boy cries as a pair of two-tonne southern white rhinos gambol towards our vehicle, swerving at speed in pursuit of a fast-moving ostrich. They need to hurry. Plumage bouncing like a giant feather duster, the enormous bird has plenty of pace. Dusk at South Australia’s Monarto is proving lively and on this early evening, charged with the possibility of rain as dark clouds congregate in a Turneresque sky, a low sun breaks through to sheath the tall African wheatgrass in gold.
We’re aboard a comfy camouflage painted truck for a sunset safari at the new Monarto Safari Resort, and from the get-go, our adventure has a cinematic quality. From the broad grassy plains that might be in Africa to the Jurassic Park-style electric fences and double gate systems that allow us to move from habitat to habitat across the 560-hectare Wild Africa precinct, it’s both awe-inspiring and a touch surreal. Higher up a hill, near a crown of tangled mallee scrub, a herd of barbary sheep are enjoying a dust bath, plunging their enormous horns into the red earth.
On cue, several giraffes saunter across the horizon while a large herd of female blackbucks, a dainty antelope from India, gather to graze, little caramel-coloured lozenges on a billiard-green baize. Endangered scimitar-horned oryx, shy nyala antelope and plump zebras move stealthily through the long grass. We pause to drink it all in. Much of any safari is about watching and waiting and remaining quiet, and our little group, which includes three small children, slips easily into this mode. There’s a palpable energy in the grasslands, for although these herbivores are safe from predators, they can smell the residents of the nearby cheetah paddock and, after dark, hear the rumble of lions from the adjoining safari park.
At this late hour, our senses are heightened, and a surge of adrenaline ripples through the truck, especially when we enter the cheetah habitat. Three of these beautiful big cats (the most at peril in Africa) are on the prowl; dinner is not far away. They pad silently around our vehicle, providing a wonderfully up-close and personal encounter. As we drive, we learn many new words from our young and enthusiastic guide, Brooke. Pronking is my favourite, a term applied to a fourlegged, curved-back jump. The park’s eland, the largest of antelopes, can pronk incredibly high from a standstill. They do not pronk for us today, however. Instead, they wander idly by, barely giving us a second glance.
“At this late hour, our senses are heightened, and a surge of adrenaline ripples through the truck, especially when we enter the cheetah habitat. Three of these beautiful big cats are on the prowl; dinner is not far away.”
Just as we master our collective nouns – dazzles of zebras, crashes of rhinos, journeys of giraffes – we arrive at Wild Africa’s fenced boma (a traditional enclosed space where communities can gather). A deep chill has settled on the plains; I remember the same moment in Africa, as the sun slides from the sky and the temperature plummets. But here the gas fires are lit, the bar is open, and the charcuterie and cheese boards are out.
I wander down to the fence, conveniently equipped with little platforms on which to rest a glass of wine. Light is all but gone from the brooding sky, and the silence is deep. A herd of oryx move like shadows through the long grass, making curious bleating sounds. Zebras creep by, striped pelts melting into the dusk. (Brooke assures us every pelt is different, and newborn foals memorise the pattern of their mother’s rear end so as not to lose her in the striped crowd – a detail the children among us find hilarious.)
Then the boom-boom of a male ostrich (its mating call) reverberates across the savannah. I say ‘savannah’ because I would be convinced we were in Africa if not for a pair of kangaroos popping their heads above the grass and an emu approaching, regarding me, and my wine, with intense curiosity.
It’s almost completely dark as we head back to the resort, and one last treat awaits. Earlier, we had passed by the hippo dam (it’s a bloat of hippos by the way), but the mother and daughter duo were fast asleep and almost fully submerged. Now they are up and about, a rare treat and a wonderful end to a safari jam-packed with Jumanji magic. And all just 60 minutes from downtown Adelaide (Tarntanya).
THE DETAILS
Step into the wild with exclusive access to Monarto Safari Park’s 560-hectare Wild Africa precinct – available only to guests of Monarto Safari Resort. From golden-hour game drives to intimate wildlife encounters, the Dawn Wildlife and Sunset Wildlife Safari experiences offer an immersive connection to some of the world’s most endangered animals. Safari experiences start from $135 per adult and $90 per child. Stays at the resort start from $330 per night.