Bush Braai Fail – Africa on Foot & nThambo Tree Camp

Things don’t always go according to plan, and when we’re dealing with the summer weather in the Kruger Lowveld, we can almost rely on it! The warm evenings are alive with the sounds of cicadas and other insects and frogs that emerge during the wet season. The bush is green and succulent, making the scenery all the more beautiful, and giving us every reason to want to spend time in it. For this reason, the teams at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp go the extra mile to arrange a ‘bush braai’ for dinner under the stars; however, the other reality of summer in the Kruger, is the thunderstorm activity!

Recently, in our behind the scenes segment we intended to film the setup of a famous bush braai, and what we ended up getting was a Bush Braai Fail. All teams on board transported everything from crockery, cutlery, table settings, cooking equipment, and enough chair and table space for guests at both lodges. The bar table with an assorted variety of drinks was set up to welcome guests to dinner in the bush after their game drive. As the dinner site started taking shape, the dark and ominous cloud formations became more and more suggestive, and sure enough, lightning struck in the distance! The wind picked up, and the storm grew closer until finally a decision was made to pack everything up and reload the vehicles to take everything back to camp. The thunderstorm had beaten us to it!

Lightning strikes in the background just before this bush braai had to be packed up to avoid a storm!

Take a look at the video demonstrating the ups and downs of organising an al fresco dining affair in the wild and wonderful Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. This was not the planned outcome for our ‘behind the scenes’ bush braai episode, but it is what we got, so we had to share it with you. Well played, Jen and Nadia. Better luck next time!

Kevin filming Jen and Nadia as they set up the bush dinner

Nadia and Alex laying the tablecloth

A table set among the bush greenery

Seating around a lantern-lit table in the bush