Footsteps In The Wild: Seeing With All The Senses

Not all safaris are about chasing the Big Five. For many nature lovers, it’s about being completely immersed in the wilderness. A chance to slow down and soak in your surroundings – from the flutter of a bird dancing in a nearby bush to the earthy scent of wild sage in the breeze. At Sashwa, our daily wilderness walks offer a quieter, more intimate way of experiencing the bush – allowing you to tune-in to the fascinating subtitles of nature.

Guided by our experienced naturalists, these walks begin with a shift in pace. Stepping away from the vehicle, we start to notice what is often missed: the charging line of Matabele ants on a raiding mission, the rustle of branches betraying feeding elephants nearby, the stories written into the ground by tracks and trails. With each step, the noise of the outside world softens, and our senses begin to open.

On foot, the wilderness reveals its intricacies. A termite mound, often overlooked from a vehicle, becomes a marvel of natural engineering – a self-regulating, subterranean city that recycles nutrients and breathes through hidden vents. A path of delicate spoor across the sand tells the recent journey of a porcupine or a hyena, inviting us to read the land like a storybook. A pile of oddly arranged stones, upon further exploration, reveals itself as an ancient smelting oven where bygone cultures forged primitive iron tools.

Your guide might pause to crush a leaf between their fingers, releasing the sharp, clean scent of wild basil or show you the bitter bark of a tree used in traditional plant medicine – remedies passed down through generations, hidden in plain sight. These small, sacred encounters reveal not only the intelligence of nature but the wisdom we inherit by paying attention.

There is something ancient and grounding about walking through these wild spaces, as if our bodies instinctively remember this rhythm. With each step, the experience becomes a kind of meditation: a practice in presence, humility, and connection. We stop being observers of nature and become part of it.

For many of our guests, a wilderness walk becomes one of the most meaningful parts of their stay. Not because of dramatic sightings, but because of how it makes them feel – still, alert, connected, and changed. There’s a quiet kind of awe that lingers after such a walk. The feeling that something important has shifted, even if you can’t quite name it.

We invite you to join us – to step off the beaten track, awaken your senses, and walk with wonder. Because out here, in the wild, you may just discover something extraordinary – not only in nature, but within yourself.