And rugged it is. Damaraland, and the Grootberg area in particular, is one bumpy ride. Part of the pleasures of this landscape’s surreal rock formations go hand in hand with incredibly rocky terrain. It’s an adventure, and we take every hiccup and to-and- fro sway as such!

Venturing deeper and deeper into the valley landscape with its undulating hills and rivers, we first disembark at a spring. The tracking has begun long since, as the rhino trackers in our midst peer out of the game viewer, zoning in on every detail that the ground might reveal. This spring shows a few tracks of a rhino mother and calf. Our guides indicate that they might be from more than a day ago and not fresh enough to continue the expedition on foot, just yet.

Over another hill and around another bend, through the boulders and large mopane trees, we arrive at another spring. This time, the tracks are fresh. There should be at least three rhinos in the vicinity, and now the adrenaline kicks in. A large mammal with an incredible sense of smell and hearing, but poor eyesight, stands in this unfenced wilderness and we are in its domain, at its mercy. Onwards, the cruiser pulls up out of the valley. From this vantage point, within seconds of us stopping there, the trackers identify a large male rhino, snug in the mopane bushveld, on top of the next hill.

Our guide grabs a fistful of soil and opens his hand. The dust drops at an angle, indicating the wind direction. We are upwind from the rhino. One whiff of our human scent will send him scurrying into the bush, ending the sighting. With the trackers continuing on foot in search of the mother and calf who left their tracks at the first spring, the rest of our group quickly gets onto the vehicles, hoping the male had not yet noticed our presence.

A fast manoeuvre brings us to the next hill. Engines are instantly switched off. The guides speak in a whisper and, instinctively, so do we, disembarking and following in single file. Dry grass and soil soften every step, nothing else besides the breeze makes the slightest sound.

Our group takes position at the edge of this high ground, binoculars in hand and with hearts racing, while merely 40 metres away and safely upwind, the silent giant stands sentinel. There is much to be said for witnessing wildlife in their natural habitat. It is every bit as frightening as it is awe- inspiring, a moment to reflect on the plight of these intensely poached animals, and how they thrive in a forlorn landscape such as Damaraland, and the men patrolling this environment on foot, bent on protecting them. Without a fence or man-made waterhole in sight the reward feels greater, considering the lengthy time it took to track this rhino. The sighting was never guaranteed, as nature has a way of humbling us. We spend a good 20 minutes, reminded of where we are by the deafening silence, the burnt apricot-coloured landscape that increases in colour saturation with every passing minute, as the sun rises into the sky.

A successful rhino-tracking expedition is marked by a handful of variables. The very first order is whether or not the animal knows of your presence. Staying silent, approaching from downwind and maintaining a safe distance are the hallmarks of this. If a calf is present at the sighting, your guide will be extra alert, reading the demeanour of its mother. Should she grow weary and show signs of discomfort like looking around consistently, and guarding her calf with bombastic moves, the sighting should be ended. Some guides might want to get their guests as close as possible to the rhino. But however great the photos might be, risking your life and subsequently that of the animal, is certainly not worth it. Keeping in mind that we intrude into a domain where these beacons of conservation roam freely, a safe distance is always better. By no means are the goals of rhino tracking, anywhere in the world, to replicate a zoo setting. Being here, on foot in the rugged Damaraland landscape, in close proximity to a fiercely wild animal is worth far more than taking any risks might be.

Taking in the final moments with this magnificent black rhino bull, a heartfelt gratitude sinks in. It is a sobering thought that these mammals, so deeply misunderstood and endangered, can live freely, guarded by the Save the Rhino Trust trackers and conservancy rangers. This is where they truly belong, and so we tread softly back to the game viewers, feeling deeply responsible for their continued conservation and protection. TN