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Going on safari has certainly been one of those amazing life experiences that we will remember for a long time. Observing the animals in a natural setting is extraordinary, but seeing them in their environment adds that extra dimension. Once outside the confines of the lodge or off the vehicles, our lives were at risk from any number of species - lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, mambas, puff adders, cobras and scorpions to name a few. Without the professional guidance of our rangers, even the vehicles would not protect us from many of them if tell-tale warning signs were ignored or misunderstood. It is sobering and somewhat awe-inspiring to suddenly become one of the "lesser" species in a raw Darwinian environment.

In a similar vein to our Alaska trip last year, once inside the reserve there was little to link you to the modern world. There were no televisions, no radios and no cellphones - only the noises of the bush, the brilliant starry skies and a very thin wire surrounding the lodge separating us from "the wild". There is a solitude and tranquility that develops almost immediately....so much so that after five days away we were a bit overwhelmed when we returned to the regular hustle and bustle of our hotel in Johannesburg.

Madikwe is a 75,000 hectare game reserve in the north-west of South Africa bordering Botswana. This park is particularly noteworthy in that it was designed specifically to provide opportunities in an underdeveloped area of the country while promoting animal conservation. It is a joint venture between the government, private industry and most importantl ...