4-Wheel Eco-Adventure
The internal combustion engine is certainly not the first mode of propulsion that springs to mind when you think of an eco-friendly outing into the bush.
Quad bikes in specific are seen by many as a destroyer of the great outdoors rather than a sensitive means to experience the natural world.
Experts at Mabula Game Reserve think differently, and has initiated an eco-adventure trail where visitors get to explore Big 5 territory on quad bikes. They have five rugged four-wheelers available, allowing a small group of guests to join a guide on an excursion along a meandering trail within the immediate vicinity of the Main Lodge.
Closer to Nature
The quad bike trail is not a hardcore adrenalin experience, and the idea is to get close to nature rather than roar along the trail. Speed is therefore limited to a maximum of 20 km per hour, and helmets are supplied to all riders. The guide is fully FGASA qualified, and no previous quad biking experience is required.
The Mabula Eco Adventure Trail is limited to a rather short one hour loop, but it nonetheless makes for an interesting addition to the outdoor action experience. After a quick safety briefing, you get a few minutes to familiarise yourself with the four-wheelers. This hands-on instructional session makes sure anyone who has not been on a quad will know exactly how to operate it once you power up and set off into the bush.
It is an unbelievable sight to see these game up close, and they lope past without as much as a glance in our direction. The quads come fully into their element as you power through sandy stretches and over the occasional rocky hump. The idea is certainly not to rip up the trail, and rather to drive at a sedate pace as you scan the dense bush surroundings. You will likely spot ostrich, oryx and impala as you chug along the winding trail.
You can stop near various watering holes and hike down to the water’s edge to check out the bird life. Animals are bound to glance in your direction or pick up your scent, but enjoy the pristine surroundings and peaceful atmosphere. Your guide is likely to introduce you to the many natural wonders of the bushveld.
The seeds of the russet bushwillow tree, for example, are used by the Tsonga people to make bush coffee, while the knob-thorn may be rubbed on your gums as a mild anaesthetic when you have toothache.