It was always my dream to go on great adventures in the uncharted jungles of Africa. I would just immerse myself dreaming of the wild natural greenery of the jungle. My days of fantasising about jungle wilderness would not have ended had my father not surprised me with an exclusive jungle safari trip around the Congo Basin. Oh man, I was pumped for it.

After a turbulent flight, five stops on an hours-long bus ride, I found myself at the gates of a safari guesthouse. Oh, and there the fun began. I got into a 4×4 Hummer, which is the best vehicle to cruise around muddy surfaces and rough terrains. Though the vehicle is loud, its ravaging look makes the experience even better.

The road was extremely treacherous, but through all the twists and turns, I witnessed the brilliant nature of African forests. There I saw trees as big as buildings and plants with lush green leaves.

Our tour guide had planned a lot of things for us and I was excited to partake in everything. After half an hour of muddy and rough roads, we reached the savannah region. Yellowish grass plains and acacia trees were everywhere. It was beautiful and if I were to look closely, maybe with some binoculars, I would be able to see the wild boars and cheetahs in the surrounding plains. It was truly a sight to behold and I couldn’t get enough of that view.

After an exhausting and bumpy ride all around the savannah, I was so hungry and impatient for a bite. Thankfully, my tour guide had it all sorted out for me and he took us to this resort with cool palm trees and small open bush huts. I ordered some peri peri chicken and jollof rice. This place had some great mouth-watering food.

With my tummy filled, I was ready to continue with the journey and excited to see what the jungle looked like at twilight. Finding myself surrounded by dusk, I would not only experience the shrouding silence but the glittery night sky above me. The view was jaw-dropping and to stare at such a magnificent view was a fantastic way to put a full stop to this amazing journey and now it was time to head back home.

Going back, I kept thinking about how glorious this journey was and what an experience of a lifetime. It made me appreciate nature a lot more and I would wish to go back again.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 12th, 2022