Imagine being so close to a wild elephant that you could touch it. Imagine seeing individual water droplets on a lion’s muzzle as she lifts her head from drinking. Imagine witnessing a soft-padded leopard as she secretly slinks to the water’s edge, or the chattering flurry of guinea fowl as they take their morning drink. This is the magic of a hide. Concealed and safe, you sit amongst the wildlife, and are afforded a front row glimpse into their world. 

While there is great excitement with the game drive experience (and one we highly recommend), being able to enjoy a game viewing hide is something entirely different. On a game drive, you are actively seeking out animals - tracking, engaging and following. At a hide, however, you are passively watching a story unfold, which gives you the chance to slow down and ground into the landscape around you. The experience is profound and incredibly rewarding as one feels the privilege of wild animals being drawn to you.

Waterholes are hives of activity and having a hide strategically located at a water source allows for exceptional game viewing. This is particularly true in the drier seasons, as animals congregate at the life-giving source.

‍“We spent 3,5 hours in this hide watching elephants in their droves. One group would leave and another would arrive. There was a continuous flow of elephants coming right up to the hide, feet in the water, baby elephants swinging their little trunks - one got wild and spewed water all over us! It was such an incredible experience to be in such close quarters to these elephant, so close you could almost touch them but not feeling vulnerable because you were in the hide” - Cecily Campbell, Wild Again guest at Tshewe Camp.

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Without the sound of the game viewing vehicle, you are able to tune into the audible landscape in a far deeper way. Hearing distant calls getting louder and louder until movement reveals a hyena coming to drink, or hearing the low rumble of elephants as they communicate with the rest of the herd. A break from ‘human’ sound and language is incredibly refreshing, and wakes up your senses.

‍“On our last morning, an injured lioness came to the water hole whilst we were in the hide. She had survived for over a year with a hole in her oesophagus, which we believe she sustained from the horn of one of her prey. As she drank, the water squirted out the hole in her neck. She drank for a long time, lying down so that she could best swallow. She was in remarkably good condition despite her injury. We were so close to this beautiful creature and her gaze seemed to penetrate right through us. She epitomised strength, endurance and the sheer will to survive.” - Julia Phillips, Wild Again guest, Tshewe Camp

Sitting quietly at eye level with the ground is an exceptional way to witness some of the smaller creatures, who are often missed on a game drive. Mongooses, small antelope, leguaans, lizards, baboons and a mind-blowing variety of birdlife make themselves known. You become acquainted with the regulars of the area and have the time and space to start differentiating between the more difficult to identify bird species such as larks, pipits and cisticolas. What is also incredible is the detail one starts to see on the smaller creatures and the realisation of just how beautiful bird colourations can be.

For photographers, hides provide incredible opportunities to capture pin-sharp, close images. With your camera set up on a beanbag or tripod, you are poised and ready to photograph animals and interactions at their level. The low angle makes for astounding imagery and many hides are geared especially for photographers. Adding a lodge with a hide to your itinerary really is a must for photographers. 

From a safe and secretive spot, you witness the wilderness story of the day. You become familiar with the routines of the residents and how they interact. You see how elephants jostle and poke each other with tusks to get to the best spot and which herd is the most dominant in the area. You begin to decipher the shout of a grumpy elephant calf versus a female being harassed by a big bull. You are welcomed to witness who wanders down to drink each day, who rubs themselves on a nearby tree stump and who grazes at the fresh growth near the water’s edge. This familiarity is a privilege, and gives you a deeper understanding of life.

We have put together a Look Book of our favourite hides, which you can explore HERE. Reach out to us if you would like to explore a safari with us that includes an epic hide experience and we'll find just the right one for you. Contact info@wildagain.africa or fill out a contact form on the website and we'll get right back to you.