As South Africans are allowed to go on self-game drives during level 3 lockdown, travellers should still remain cautious as the worst of Covid-19 is not yet over. Here are some tips to follow when you embark on your self-game drive:
Sanitise, sanitise, sanitise
Driving in your own vehicle does not mean that you should skip on the sanitisation process. Ensure that you sanitise after every interaction, whether it’s paying the reserve for the game drive or when you obtain the map.
Mask on
As level 3 enters its second week, many people have forsaken their masks. While wearing masks may seem challenging, it is for your benefit. The wearing of masks is mandatory as per the South African government regulations. If you wish not to wear one, rather stay at home.
Know the route
It’s easy to get lost while on a self game drive. Your best option to ensure that you are on the right track is to obtain a map. Sometimes game reserves will sell them at an additional cost. Call ahead of time to find out if the game reserve has virtual maps that you can download ahead of time.
The maps give a clear indication of places within a park and have clear markings.
Adhere to the game park time
It may seem like a great idea to drive into the game reserve to explore more, but travellers should stick to the game park times. Try to leave at least 10 minutes before the closing time.
Drive cautiously
Whether you have a top-class SUV or driving in your nifty hatchback, always ensure you are heeding to the required speed limit. Sure, there won’t be cameras to capture whether you broke the law, but there are animals roaming about. To protect them, drive under 40k/h, so you have a safe distance from animals at all times.