if no less inspiring, private reserves. Includ-
ed among the latter is the Nambiti Private
Game Reserve, located on 22,000 acres of
African bush in western South Africa.
Nambiti has a fascinating history. Sever-
al Boer War and Zulu War battlefields can
be found either within the borders of the
reserve or close by, and dilapidated stone
homesteads and cattle kraals dot the land.
For much of the 20th century, the area was
used for cattle farming, but in 2000, a local
businessman and conservationist spear-
headed the purchase of the land and turned
it in to private reserve. Officially, it is a Big
Five reserveāa distinction that means the
property is home to the lion, elephant, buf-
falo, leopard, and rhinoceros. (The term
was coined by big-game hunters to account
for the five most difficult animals in Africa
to hunt on foot, but is used less injuriously
these days by safari operators.)
Earlier this year, Gold Circle, which owns
horse tracks and casinos in South Africa,
hosted a cadre of international journalists
for the G1 Durban July. Held each year on
the first Saturday of July, it's the country's
richest and most prestigious Group 1. After,
the "journos" were treated to three days
at the Nambiti, an easy 3 1/2-hour drive
northwest of Durban by coach. (It's about
4 1/2 hours from Johannesburg; access
from Cape Town, 895 miles away, requires a
flight.)
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