The Hidden World of Sound – Sound Safaris at Sashwa

This month in Reflections from the River, Joosje Heringa shares her first impressions of one of the more unique offerings at Sashwa – a sound safari.

The sound safari has been something I’ve been looking forward to for a while. Just thinking about the experience already gave me goosebumps: an amplifier placed on the front of the car, while we listen through headsets. Experiencing it now makes it even more surreal.

We park the car close to a waterhole, and I close my eyes, entering a different world. First, an unseen fly passes the microphone—it feels as if it is flying straight into my right ear, brushing past my neck, and into my left ear.

At this moment, it’s around 5 PM, and as it cools down, bird communication picks up. “Flap flap”, a bird flies by. You can feel the determination in the movement of its wings.

You notice how everyone tries to sit as quietly as possible, because every small sound, shifting position, opening a water bottle, letting out a sigh, is present.

At first, birds and insects are the loudest. I didn’t know insects made sounds, but hearing these tiny layers of noise reveals the enormous amount of insect life around us. If you didn’t come for birding, you would have an appreciation by now. The countless ways in which they communicate: alarming, locating, singing.

Just then, as the final layer of an orchestra, the crickets join. The speed and loudness of chirps are influenced by temperature, something known as Dolbear’s Law. Today was a hot day…

For me, it’s just as enjoyable to have my eyes open as to have them closed. With my eyes closed, my body immediately enters a state of calm and relaxation—similar to the sound bath experiences offered in the city. Opening my eyes, the experience sparks curiosity and awareness. What can I see that I would otherwise miss?

Flocks of birds pass by, insects rustle, and frogs reveal their location. I can almost see the wind as it moves through, carrying and shaping new sounds in turn.

I can only think: imagine moving through life with the ability to hear at this level.