Summertide Diary: Exploring iSimangaliso (final instalment)

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22 January 2021

It’s our last full day in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and it’s one of those beautiful mornings that you can only experience out in wild Africa. Clear skies, golden light, inspiring scenery and beautiful creatures along the Grassland Loop all conspired to make us want the moment to last forever.

Mfabeni landscape
Yellow-throated Longclaws
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Red-breasted Swallow
Rufous-winged Cisticola
Heavily pregnant Plains Zebra mare
Black-belliedBustard
European Honey Buzzard
Warthog
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Herd of buffalo on the Mfabeni swamp
Red Duiker

Heading back to camp after our breakfast at the lookout point near Mission Rocks, from where we could see both the Indian Ocean to the east and Lake St. Lucia to the west while drinking our morning coffee, we couldn’t help but reflect on why this is one of our favourite corners of South Africa.

Kudu hiding in the shade of a small Wild Date Palm
Black Monkey Orange fruit
Natal Iron Plum fruit
Looking up into the branches of a Flat-crown tree
Lake Bhangazi
Bushbuck
Yellow-bellied Greenbul

Seeing as it may be some time before we see the sea again we opted to spend our final afternoon in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on the beach at Cape Vidal.

Cape Vidal beach at low tide

23 January 2021

Sadly our time at Cape Vidal in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, and with it our Summertide Ramble through the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal, has come to an end. The 30km to the Bhangazi Gate goes by far too quickly for our liking, despite some good sightings along the way, and with heavy hearts we tackle the road back to Pretoria…

A huge thanks to each and every one of you that joined us for our daily recollections of this most memorable trip!

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)
Spotted Hyena
Spotted Hyena
Crowned Hornbill
Amazibu Pan

Map of the eastern shores section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (from https://isimangaliso.com/)

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21 thoughts on “Summertide Diary: Exploring iSimangaliso (final instalment)”

    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Our trips though the Western and Eastern Cape, and then Kwazulu-Natal, really was the best possible way to end a chaotic 2020 and get a boost of positivity for whatever 2021 may throw our way.

      Liked by 1 person

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  4. Tranature - quiet moments in nature

    Thank you so much for taking us along on this beautiful tour Dries! I’ve really enjoyed the beautiful scenery and wildlife and can only imagine what a treat it must be to experience this wonderful place for real 💚🐒

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      That’s very true, Jane. Preparing each day’s post was a lovely way to reminisce about this recent trip and forget the world’s ills for a while, and I am sure when I come back to read through these again at some point in future I’m going to have a smile on my face pretty quickly after starting (apart from noticing all my spelling and grammatical errors).

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  7. sustainabilitea

    What a wonderful and memorable trip this has been, Dries. I’ve enjoyed it immensely and the glimpses of the beach. I especially enjoyed the pregnant zebra right in the middle of the road. And why not? It’s her home. 🙂 What’s next?

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      It was wonderful to have you along, Janet! Thanks for all the kind contributions on our daily posts.
      Next we have a quick weekend visit to Golden Gate Highlands National Park to look forward to in the near future, God willing.

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  8. Anne

    It has been great fun to have a share in your experiences – there is so much to see in this country! I can strongly empathise with how quickly you felt the trip to the gate was, as well as leaving with a heavy heart.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      You are so right about South Africa’s wealth of wild and beautiful places, Anne. We certainly haven’t explored even a quarter of it yet, but we’ll keep trying!

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