TRAVEL Samara Karoo Reserve
It's late afternoon, and I've just arrived at Samara Karoo Reserve. We're in an open-top safari vehicle driving towards Plains Camp. The light has softened, and the koppies are shades of gold. Suddenly, the vehicle halts and my guide points to the left. I can make out three yellow dots among the Karoo bossies one hundred metres away.
‘Come, let's walk,’ he says.
We get out and approach on foot. Slowly, the dots take shape: cheetahs!
‘Two males and a female,’ says my guide. ‘They're helluva relaxed.’
We get within 20 metres, then stop to watch and photograph. I'm mesmerised by their playfulness and surprised by their lack of interest in us. A herd of springbok trots into