The end of September and the arrival of Spring has meant a new awakening for Mabula Game Lodge. With Level 1 as the new normal and with all the correct COVID-19 protocols in place, our lodge has started to see an increase in returning local visitors. It is as if our lodge has awoken from a long slumber and is ready to shed its lockdown lethargy and welcome visitors again.
With Spring, the rains will return and the property both at the lodge and in the reserve will quickly become verdant again.
It is not only the grasses out on the plains that are looking forward to welcoming the rains. In and around the lodge the trees are looking radiant in their Spring colours and the animals are returning, much to the joy of our visitors. While one of the resident Klipspringers enjoyed a meal, the young warthog was seemingly in a hurry to be somewhere else.
Something is soothing about the sound of cascading water soothes and calms those who are emerging from lockdown for the first time. The tranquility that the sound instills within those in earshot is well worth the social distancing and the wearing of masks in public spaces.
It is not always about what is at eye-level that catches our attention. Look up and you will notice the stunning cloud formations, lit in the dying light of a perfect day.
Or, the rainbow after a short, sharp shower. Is there a pot of gold at the base? Yes, there is…it can be found at Mabula Game Lodge, where the service and the attitude are golden.
The food service at Mabula has had to be modified to accommodate the relevant COVID-19 protocols. The iconic buffet is still on offer over the weekends but during the week, depending on guest numbers, diners are served a plated meal of their choice from the menu.
With returning guests comes the opportunity for the Chef and his staff to add to recreate old favourites as well as introduce new and exciting dishes.
Mabula has always prided itself on being child friendly and we have the crockery to make mealtimes fun for both the young and the young at heart.
The outside seating area is once again being utilized to serve light meals that guests can enjoy in the fresh outdoor air. The Boma is also being used regularly, which is a bonus for guests who are now able to enjoy a delicious meal under the starry African sky.
Aside from the food, accommodation, and relaxing around the pool at Mabula Game Lodge, a highlight is getting out amongst the wildlife via one of the various methods available to our guests. Game drives, horse-back safaris, quad bike experiences, or a leisurely bushwalk conducted by a qualified field guide are on offer. There is nothing like being out in nature and getting to see one of the Big 5, like a lion, walking out of the long grass, lit by the early morning light. Or one of the coalition of cheetah out hunting on the open plains. With the recent celebration of World Rhino Day, the population of White Rhino here at Mabula has been well looked after during all the lockdown levels and it is wonderful to witness mom and calf feeding quietly along the side of one of the roads.
An elephant slowly ambling down a dusty road can be compared with a traffic jam back in the urban jungle, except out here there is no hurry to overtake!
A game drive is not complete without a tot of Amarula…either in the morning coffee or on an afternoon drive as a sundowner.
Good night, sleep well, and thank you for visiting Mabula Game Lodge. We hope that you enjoyed your stay and that you will return to recharge mentally, physically, and spiritually in the future.
