Southern Horse Magazine June / July 2016 | Page 16

IN THE LAND OF GIANTS ..... THE TULI SAFARI L I M P O P O H O R S E S A FA R I S As a rider, one wants a certain experience on a horse riding safari: good, faithful and honest horses combined with knowledgeable and experienced guides. As a photographer, one looks at places with critical eyes, be it scenery, wildlife, camps or even the night sky. I am fortunate enough to be both a rider and photographer of many years. So imagine my thrill, when my business partner, Laura said “T, you have to come to Botswana for two weeks to take some pics, I am afraid?”. Not only were we going to do a two week photoshoot shadowing the Tuli safari, but also we were there to help direct the new drone video! Botswana is one of my favourite countries, and the Mashatu Game Reserve in the Tuli Block, the setting for the Tuli Safari, certainly does not disappoint. Its [email protected] www.northernhorsemagazine.co.uk spectacular rock formations and iconic Mashatu trees staccatoed throughout the bush, cannot but impress. This terrain isn’t known as ‘The Land of the Giants’, for nothing, and it is literally teaming with herds of elephant. One afternoon, we were lucky enough to witness a 300 large herd crossing from Zimbabwe into the reserve. It was truly amazing to see how silent so many large animals can walk through the African bush. It was a huge comfort to see the professionalism of the Tswanan guides, West, David, Mpho and Mushi as they weaved through dense patches of bush with bull whip in their hands, ready to crack if an elephant was startled. When these huge majestic giants encounter the horses, they raise their trunks like snorkels to investigate. Once no threat is established, they carry on, mustering their young between their legs. Page Page 16 14