Biyamiti Bushveld Camp

Just before sunrise on the 17th of August – Joubert’s final day as an eleven-year old – we headed out of Skukuza towards Pretoriuskop, driving along the Napi Road and intent on visiting every one of the waterholes along the way.

Elephant conductor (photo by Joubert)

Black-backed Jackal

Coqui Francolin (male)

Immature African Hawk-Eagle

Just past Transport Dam we have the first big-ticket highlight of our morning: a cheetah on the hunt! Unfortunately the cheetah caught its steenbok prey at an awkward angle behind our vehicle and immediately carried it into the long grass away from the road, so these are basically the only photos we have of a most thrilling sighting!

Hunting Cheetah (photo by Joubert)

Hunting Cheetah

Just a few kilometers past the scene of the cheetah kill we encountered a pack of very excited spotted hyenas in and next to the road. It appeared that an interloper was coming a bit too close to their den, causing quite a stir among the resident cubs.

Young Spotted Hyena

Fluffy Spotted Hyena youngster (photo by Joubert)

Alert hyenas

At Shitlhave Dam this grey old Buffalo bull posed for some pictures.

Grey old Buffalo Bull (photo by Joubert)

Grey old Buffalo bull

While it was quiet along the Voortrekker Road towards Afsaal, with the day heating up nicely it was easy to decide where to head next: all along the Biyamiti River in the general direction of Crocodile Bridge and Lower Sabie. As expected, lots of animals and birds where congregating along the dwindling stream of water to quench their thirst.

Biyamiti River

White-crested Helmetshrikes

Brown Snake Eagle (photo by Joubert)

Nile Crocodile at Biyamiti Weir (photo by Joubert)

African Pied Wagtail

Bedrock exposed by the Biyamiti River

Adult Male Mozambique Tilapia in a pool at Biyamiti Weir (photo by Joubert)

Biyamiti Weir

Kurrichane Thrush

Giraffe checking on the condition of the road

Guinea-fowl Butterfly

Knobthorn flowers

Reed Cormorant

Waterbuck

Biyamiti River

Plains Zebra

Nearing Lower Sabie we felt compelled to cross the causeway over the Sabie River, and then back again (as most everyone visiting this part of the Park is wont to do) before heading into camp.

Buffaloes drinking from the Sabie while a crowd of terrapins watch

Enormous Nile Crocodile (photo by Joubert)

Pied Kingfisher on the move (photo by Joubert)

Sharptooth Catfish in the Sabie River (photo by Joubert)

African Jacana ( (photo by Joubert)

Cape Glossy Starling

House Sparrow in Lower Sabie

The last stretch of our route today again followed the course of the Sabie River back to Skukuza, through a part of the Kruger National Park famous for its teaming wildlife.

Giraffe close-up

Lion pride at Lubyelubye

Elephant stretching to reach ripe Sycomore figs (photo by Joubert)

Lazy Leopard

Lion roadblock

Lion roadblock (photo by Joubert)

Leaping Kudu

Beautiful Kudu bull

And so the sun set on another extremely rewarding day in the Kruger National Park. The next day would be Joubert’s twelve birthday – more on that in the next installment!

Sunset over the Sabie

Baboons settling in for the night

Our most treasured memory of Biyamiti takes us back many years while visiting with our good friends, the Ristows. A pride of lions caught some hapless prey animal just after sunset in the riverbed in front of camp. Soon after, a pack of hyenas starting mobbing the kings of the jungle and tried taking over the kill, only to have their hysterical, blood-curdling giggling silenced in a most impressive fashion by the booming, window-rattling roaring of the lions. It was a night-time African symphony that will remain fresh in our memories forever.

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Biyamiti Bushveld Camp is beautifully located on the bank of the seasonal river of the same name, in the far south of the Kruger National Park. This is one of Kruger’s most popular camps, and it is often a hard task to book accommodation there even a year in advance. It’s a small camp, with only fifteen 4- or 5-sleeper, self-catered accommodation units, most offering a view over the river bed in front of the camp and all very privately situated. Bushbuck make themselves at home on the jackalberry-shaded lawns, and a wide variety of birds provide the background music throughout the day and night. There’s no restaurant or shop in Biyamiti, adding to the peaceful atmosphere.

Herd of elephant in the Biyamiti River in front of the camp

Biyamiti cottage

This is one of the Kruger’s most prolific game-viewing areas, and as an added bonus the 22 kilometres of riverine road that leads to Biyamiti is only accessible to guests actually staying in the camp, ideal for those who don’t like sharing their big-five encounters with throngs of other tourists all jostling for the best view. Additionally, guided walks and drives are available and the night drives especially come highly recommended.

Spotted hyena

Baby elephant walk

Ground hornbill

Buffalo

a Scrub Hare in camp

White rhinoceros

Elephants frequent the Biyamiti rivercourse

Lion too abound around Biyamiti

Hyena on night drive

Waterbuck

Wild dog

Baboons enjoying the fruits of the sausage tree

Kudu

Biyamiti is a reliable place for leopard sightings

Plains zebra

The Biyamiti-area has two very scenic highlights to offer. The first is the causeway over the Biyamiti river, on the gravel S114-road between Malelane and Skukuza, where a little weir and several rock pools ensures a reliable source of water year round to which a wide variety of birds, reptiles and big game is drawn throughout the day.

Biyamiti scenery

Biyamiti weir is a beautiful but dangerous place

Biyamiti scenery

Another treasure is a hilltop viewsite, only about two kilometers from camp, providing a panoramic vista over a broad bend in the river below. This is an ideal place to breathe in a spectacular African sunset before taking a slow drive back to camp and still be in time for the gates closing.