The very next day, with the same honoured elderly guests, we bumped into a female leopard and two eleven-month old cubs on a midday hunt. Once again it was time to test the battery powered prototype Land Rover as we followed the mother leopard on her expert hunt.
The result was fantastic. As the beautiful female silently moved and changed her position, so too could I silently reposition the vehicle, keeping my guests in the optimum position without disturbing the hunt. The monkeys were onto her and their chatter set off the impala alarm call so the tension built. We were able to experience all of this uninhibited by engine noise, allowing my guests to enjoy the full spectrum of the subtleties of a great hunter at work.
The cubs showed themselves, compromising the entire hunt, which in turn brought on a heightened crescendo of alarm calls, squirrel chatter and anxious Francolin cries. We could appreciate all of this from our silent vantage point.
Verdict: The Battery powered, silent, prototype Land Rover brings many positive new dimensions to the game drive experience, particularly from an exciting audio perspective.
Dave Varty
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on The First Zero Emissions Safari Vehicle – Part 2