Trekking through the bush on an African safari can make for a fair amount of physical rigor and a lot of excitement. You'll see plenty of wildlife -- mostly their tail ends, as they run away from you.

But for those who'd like to watch wildlife up close and at some leisure (but perhaps don't have the time or resources to move to the African bush), or for people whose daily lives give them enough physical challenge, or for those who need a vacation from their vacation, wildlife can be enjoyed from a more relaxing vantage point: the game-viewing hides built over pans or watering holes, rivers and lakes. The serene quiet of a hide gives first-row seats as a variety of wildlife come to drink, bathe and play.

As environmental awareness and ecotourism continue to grow, the number of private nature reserves in South Africa is increasing. Most of these feature hides in convenient places, near the overnight accommodations. Our first night at KwaMbili Lodge in Thornybush Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga state, a herd of elephants visited the watering hole located just a few hundred meters from the dining area. From the shadows of the hide we watched their shadows, a mass of outlines in every size, new babies, adolescents and adults, including a massive bull.