Weekend Escape: Tala Private Game Reserve, Pietermaritzburg

18 January 2017 - 11:28 By Shelley Said
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This intimate reserve brings the animals closer, writes Shelley Said

Big is not necessarily better, I decided during my first game drive through one of the smaller reserves in KwaZulu-Natal.

At only 3,000ha Tala, a wildlife conservancy 45 minutes from Durban, may be a modest, predator-free patch, but the area with its mix of acacia thornveld, open grassland and wetland has an impressive 380 bird species, as well as a decent cross-section of game.

It also offers intimate engagements with the animals. In fact, Tala feels like a great big zoo where you can get up close - so close in fact, that you can almost count the ticks on Billy the blesbok's ears.

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Intimacy means that lots of Tala's animals have names. Billy, a ram, spends most of his time standing on a ridge overlooking the house of general manager Mike Nunam. Same place each day, apparently doing nothing but staring into the middle distance.

Tyson is a bull rhino, the only bull in a herd of five, all dehorned.

Since the poacher killing of two of the reserve's rhinos in 2014, a 24-hour armed escort has been instituted.

Tyson and his harem of females are now utterly unfazed when a vehicle stops directly alongside them during their midday mudbath.

Driving away from the hippo hide, where the hippos had chosen not to play ball, we were approached by an ostrich. We never discovered his name and we had no idea what he wanted - a bit of company maybe - but he dawdled along in front of the car for what felt like hours, occasionally stopping to check out the view, refusing to shift out the way and allow us to pass.

Possibly he was keeping an eye open for Stewart, the tallest giraffe on the reserve.

Stewart kept himself to himself that afternoon but we spotted him the next morning on our open vehicle game drive with Tala guide Lonely Masiane.

Masiane also introduced us to a particularly rare phenomenon, a female impala with horns who had never reproduced; a hermaphrodite, completely accepted by the herd, he said smugly, offering a local lesson in diversity and tolerance to a group of stunned UK tourists.

At less than an hour from Durban Tala is perfect for day-trippers. It offers a lovely picnic spot, complete with braai facilities and a rock pool.

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STAY

There's a wide choice of accommodation at either end of the scale, from a couple of hidden, luxurious, honeymoon-suite style cottages to the more rustic self-catering options.

I was there for an overnighter, staying in Paperbark Lodge, one of the many self-contained sites. This site has 12 rooms built around a peaceful garden area, a communal lounge and a very chilled breakfast/bar venue.

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EAT

There is a restaurant just off the reception area that offers rather formal dinners and a Sunday buffet.

Worth mentioning is the excellent homemade Tala berry jam - they'll sell you a bottle if you ask nicely.

COST

Room rates start at R1,295.

Gate entry fees for day visitors are R80 per car plus R70 per person. Children 3-12 are R50 and under three are free.

CONTACT

For more information call 031-781-8000 or go to Tala.co.za

• This article was originally published in The Times.

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