Author: admin

For breakfast we were visited by a Grey Go Away Bird and a Red billed Hornbill. Then we spent about an hour at the lookout point at Mopani Rest Camp watching the many elephants bathing. They were swimming and playing in the water. Whole herds kept coming and going from the bush.

Afterwards we went to Olifants Rest Camp where we rented a bungalow. At 16:30 the evening safari Sunset Game Drive started. We didn’t quite like the guide as he started off a bit unfriendly and listless. It was a larger jeep/bus with an open top and 30 guests. We were able to admire the sunset at the Olifantsriver and we saw many animals on our drive into the night. Elephants, giraffes, zebra, hippo, civet, hyena, springhare, kudu and impala, …. . In the distance we saw a thunderstorm in the night sky. Our absolute highlight today , a leopard. He was completely relaxed on the side of the road, but then went into the bush, because the flashlights probably annoyed him.

Silke

All night a buffalo was grazing behind our cabin and making noise. Early in the morning we saw him. Also an elephant came by the waterhole for a short while!

After a breakfast (funny: a frog sat on the coffee can) we all signed the guestbook and then it was time to say goodbye to Nyalaland. Chritopher delivered us punctually at 9:00 o’clock in the Punda Maria Camp again. Afterwards we went again to Mopani Camp, where we had booked a night game drive. The ranger Cindy drove us (6 guests) from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm through the park and told us a lot about the nocturnal animals. To meet an elephant at night on the road is very exciting. Elephants only sleep about 2 out of 24 hours.

We also spotted a hippo in the bush. At night they come out of the water and eat grass. Especially the males cover long distances. They can reach a speed of 40 Km/h on their short little legs.

We still saw Chameleon, African Civet, Genet and hyenas. And many bats were fluttering around our van.

Silke

Today was similar to yesterday, except that we visited other parts of Nyalaland. The mud holes serve e.g. elephants, warthogs and rhinos for skin care and “sun protection”. A termite mound is ventilated and ventilated through holes like chimneys so that there is always the same temperature inside. The queen becomes over 10 years old and must produce daily approx. 20,000 eggs depending upon “need” more soldiers or builders. Such a hill becomes here already times some meters high and very old.

Animal carcasses, paw prints and the marking behavior of impalas during mating were also explained at length.

In the evening we had again a great sunset point and afterwards a delicious dinner.

Silke

The morning started before sunrise. We each got a wash bowl placed in front of the cabin and after a quick coffee we were off into the “Wilderness!”. By jeep into the bush and then on foot a few miles through the countryside. Fiona and Christopher always take a short storytelling break when interesting things appear along the way, such as elephant graveyards, tiger tortoise shells, dinosaur fossils, … turn up.

We learned a lot about nature and the people who used to live here. There are centuries old holes carved into the rocks for playing fields with stones! Lunch break was high up on a small mountain in the ruins of the “castle” of the former cruel, African king Makahani. The view was fantastic. A Black Eagle nest on the cliff side used to be used to punish disgraced men by lowering them down on a rope and only bringing them back up if the person could steal the eagles’ chicks from the nest. Otherwise, the rope was cut! We also learned a lot about the beautiful ancient Baoab trees. Among other things, containers are made from the bark, they serve as food for the animals and you can also make medicine with it. In our camp is a huge Baoabtree. After we were back in camp, there was lunch and then siesta. At 16:00 we left again, with the jeep and a short walk to a hill where we admired the sunset with a can of beer.

Afterwards Winston, the camp cook, spoiled us with a good dinner and we had a nice chat with the others. By the way, we also saw hippos, zebras, impalas, nyalas, buffalos and many birds and small animals.

Silke

On Easter Sunday we had breakfast at the Silonque Bush Estate in Phalaborwa and then drove north to the Punda Maria Rest Camp. The drive took a little longer, because on some roads a few holes ( pot holes) forced us to drive slowly. There are also cows and donkeys running along the road.

Un 12:30 we reached the gate and then leisurely drove to the camp. From the car we could again spot giraffes, zebras and impalas.

After a little wait, we met our guide Christopher and his assistant Fiona and our 4 fellow travelers at the camp. Two couples, Eric and Giesela from South Africa and Doro and Pablo from Basel are coming with us. Our cars stay in Punda Maria. We still had the opportunity to buy extra drinks like wine, coke or beer in the store. Then we have been driven with an open jeep to Camp Nyalaland to a Wilderness Trail, 4 days – 3 nights. .

The camp consists of four cabins, each with two single beds, a communal hut, a fire pit, a wash house, a kitchen, a supply store, a ranger’s hut and a fence, which, however, is more to keep the visitors in the camp than the animals out. A part of the fence is currently collapsed because an elephant wanted to look after the right. After the delicious warm dinner we sat together at the fire and got information about the schedule of the next days. Among other things: – If we see any eyes on the way to the outhouse, we are to turn back to the safe hut and call Christoffer for help. – During the “Walks” we must always walk united behind the two armed rangers and act on instructions in case of danger. – It is advisable to carry a flashlight in the dark and wear closed shoes to avoid accidentally stepping on snakes or scorpions. All precautions of course!!!

Silke

The day started with a short walk through the camp to the viewing area at the waterhole! We could observe many water birds, impalas and a crocodile. But our highlight was a herd of elephants stepping out of the bush to drink and several hippos swimming in the water, snorting.

We still had breakfast on our terrace and then started the “drive” via Letaba to Phalaborwa Gate. Several times we had to stop because of zebras, buffalos or elephants that wanted to cross the road. We also saw giraffes and hyenas.

A grazing water buffalo has a bird riding along on its back. In the park a maximum speed of 50 Km/h is valid and one can stop almost everywhere at the roadside and observe the nature spectacle from the car. Getting out of the car is not allowed or only at designated places and in the camps. We ate our sandwiches in the picnic area of the Letaba Camp and then drove again through the Gate Phalaborwa to the Silonque Bush Estate, where we sleep in a nice cottage. We added half board here and had a great delicious African buffet ( including polenta with spicy chakalaka and warm malva pudding with custard) on a site lit with torches, fire bowls and a full moon.

Silke

Today we had booked an overnight tour in the Kruger Park. We left at 10:00 and ended up seeing a giraffe, zebra and 2 bird ostrich on the property of Blyde River Wilderness Lodge.

Since the night was to be self-catering at a campsite, we bought more food and a tent and a new sleeping bag for me because the lining of the old one had disintegrated into nothing. When we reached the Phalaborwa gate punctually at 14:00 o’clock we were not allowed to start the tour, however, because our VW Tiguan SUV has unfortunately nevertheless no four-wheel drive. With such a “small car” it would be impossible to drive the route, unless you risk a total loss. What the ranger proved to us by photos he had taken of a dented jeep from the last tour. Since the internet description recommends a 4×4, but 2×4 are also explicitly allowed, the manager of the Kruger Park was called. Too bad, the tour would have been great for sure, because off the beaten track. But we got a good replacement offer and sleep instead today at Mopani Rest Camp in a nice cottage with 2 bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen. On the way here from the gate we encountered “Southern yellow billed Hornbill” (bird with thick beak), zebras and elephants that even crossed the road in front of us.

Our cottage is very nice, with outdoor kitchen and a large covered terrace, where we ate our dinner, salad with boiled eggs and buttered bread in the sunset.

Silke

A wonderful breakfast with homemade bread, homemade jam, etc. awaited us this morning. The view from the terrace of the Blyde River included many peacocks, impalas and monkeys.

After that we went to the “Panorama Route” , where we promptly got lost and had to drive properly test track offroad through the African bush (more than 40 km).

We didn’t encounter any other tourists on this section. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see all the waterfalls and wild animals either. A small monkey, many goats and cows and also the local residents looked at us in wonder. At some point we reached the paved road again and the Pinnacle Rock, a 30 m high quartzite rock column in a deep gorge. Back it went somewhat more pleasantly over alphaltierte roads however also again 2 h longer than from maps.me calculate. In the hotel we got a delicious candlelight dinner served in 4 courses. There was salad, potato soup with pumpkin bread, vegetable lasagna and brownie with caramel sauce.

Silke