Have you ever rented a very small Japanese car and come literally face to face with a 6 ton elephant? So close that you were not sure if you should reach out and touch it or slam your foot on the accelerator?
In our previous safaris in Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda, we traveled in sturdy 4-wheel drive vehicles with experienced drivers and guides. We were never on our own to navigate or to manage the road system, and always had someone to determine how to best handle our way around an animal encounter. Not so in South Africa. Self drive safaris - good idea or disaster in the making?
South Africa has a large system of National and private game parks that are setup to preserve the various indigenous animals and to insure the safety of the local people. Electrified fences and tall natural barriers are maintained so that human and beast do not pose a threat to each other. In other words, South Africa has vast cageless zoo’s covering immense amounts of unspoiled natural areas or recovered farmland. The animals have to fend for themselves and as far as we know there is very little human intervention aside from the tourists and their vehicles.
In one particular life or death situation, Amy was behind the wheel with Steve navigating from the backseat. We had been in the car for some time, and “the coffee kicked in”. Of course we were about as far away from the rest area as one could be, and the urge became overwhelming. Our bodies were in the midst of adjusting to the new food and water. You get the idea. We had to go now or it was going to get disgusting. Our strategy was to drive to a place that looked safe and private. We were on a road that looked liked only a few tourists dare to go. It was VERY narrow and overgrown and things were looking too dangerous to get out of the car. It was thick jungle and anything could be lurking. But it was now or never. We were seconds away from chancing it…..……when…….directly in front us was…………..a heard of elephants!
They weren’t expecting a car and within a split second of seeing us the big protective momma with a small baby by her side flared her ears and without hesitation…..she charged us.
All of a sudden it became real obvious how much of a tin can car we were in. Amy had no time to think and shifted into reverse and floored it……backwards. The path was too narrow to turn around in and momma was making up ground fast as she headed directly towards us. For what seemed like an eternity, we gunned it backwards…..and yes, one of us still had to urgently go #2! Finally after at least a 1 mile later, we broke the park rules and got out of the car to take car of some business. Aaahh! Gross mess averted. And Whew! Elephant close encounter behind us.
This was one of several very close encounters we had while in Hluhluwe - Imfolozi, Mkuze, Addo, and iSimangaliso National Parks in South Africa. We loved being our own guides! 
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Wow...amazing animal photos!
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