To cap off our safari experience, we had a few encounters with those magnificent animals, the African Elephant.

We saw them roam the reserve, sometimes from afar.

And at other times, at rather close range.

It’s one thing to see them at a zoo, but another to see them freely roam. I felt very small indeed.

And as a grand finale, just before night-fall, we saw a whole herd on the move. My, weren’t they fast!

And that ends our South African journey. It’s been great to get a taster, but now it’s time to explore closer to home.

The rhinos in the last post was a bit of taster for our safari experience at Lalibela Game Reserve, about 90km to the east of Port Elizabeth. The reserve was located on 7500 hectares of Eastern Cape bushveld that was former farmland, and now stocked with African wildlife.

But first, we head to our lodge, Tree Tops.

Accommodation was in some great glamping tents – ensuite, reverse cycle air-con and electric blankets to keep out the early Spring chill.

The boardwalk ensures that erosion of the hillside was kept to a minimum.

There weren’t any fences so elephants have been known to walk through the camp. There weren’t any elephant neighbours during our stay, but we saw these lovely ladies as we walked down to lunch. They’re a type of local antelope called nyala.

Later, we saw a young buck, who was completely comfortable with our presence.