Tag Archives: Kruger National Park

Lower Sabie Rest Camp, Kruger National Park

Lower Sabie must be the most popular destination in the Kruger National Park. It is exceedingly hard to get a booking here if you don’t book a year in advance. In peak season, even just finding parking to visit the shop or restaurant can be a challenge, as visitors from all over the the southern sections of the Park flock to the camp. The camp’s location on the banks of the Sabie River, in an area of exceptionally high-quality grazing in the south-eastern corner of the Park, ensures that its surrounds is frequented by an astounding variety and number of herbivores and their attending predators, making for game-viewing heaven!

The Sabie River got its name from the Shangaan word “saba” meaning fear, probably due to the large number of enormous crocodiles that call the river home. The dam in front of the camp came about after the causeway across the river was built in 1987 (it had to be rebuilt higher after the floods in February 2000).

The first tourist accommodation at Lower Sabie was a 5-bedroom house converted from ranger Tom Duke’s quarters in 1930, but this was demolished again just two years later after becoming dilapidated. The only access to Lower Sabie was via Gomondwane from Crocodile Bridge until the road from Skukuza reached it in 1931. The next attempt at providing guest accommodation at Lower Sabie then commenced in 1936, when three buildings, built in a u-shape and each housing six bedrooms, were erected – these units are still used as accommodation to this day, but has been extensively renovated since. Over the years, more accommodation and a camping site was added to the camp, leading up to an extensive project to revamp and enlarge Lower Sabie in the early 2000’s. Today the camp provides overnight accommodation in 117 huts, bungalows, cottages and safari tents and has space for 34 caravans and tents in its camping area. Lower Sabie’s restaurant (Mugg & Bean), with its deck overlooking the Sabie River, is especially popular. The camp has a well stocked shop for groceries and curios, a fuel station, swimming pool for overnight guests and a day visitors picnic area near the gate. Along the river, in front of the bungalows south of the restaurant, lush lawns and deep shade provided by enormous trees is just the place to spend a lazy afternoon, surrounded by Lower Sabie’s prolific birdlife.

Lower Sabie’s restaurant sen from across the river

The deck at Lower Sabie’s restaurant

Lower Sabie restaurant

Lower Sabie shop

Lower Sabie swimming pool

Lower Sabie picnic area

Lower Sabie cottage 93, December 2015

Lower Sabie bungalows

Lower Sabie bungalows and gardens

Lower Sabie Tent 26, July 2015

Lower Sabie safari tents

Lower Sabie huts

Lower Sabie camping area

Beauty in Lower Sabie

Well camouflaged agama

Cape Glossy Starling

Arrow-marked Babbler

Southern Masked Weaver

Spectacled Weaver

Blue waxbill

White-Browed Robin-Chat

Grey Go-away-bird hiding from the heat in a shady Lower Sabie tree

Elephants and impalas mingle on the bank of the Sabie

Crossing the Sabie

Elephant passing right in front of our cottage

Elephant next to the fence

A family of Greater Greater Cane-rat

Night time view from our tent’s deck

We can certainly recommend joining at least one of the guided activities on offer from Lower Sabie, as excellent sightings are almost guaranteed.

All aboard!

Night drive scorpion

The guides are expert at seeing chameleons in the spotlight

African wildcat seen on a night drive from Lower Sabie

Verreaux’s Eagle Owl

Sunset Dam is a brilliant spot just a kilometer from Lower Sabie, and as its name suggests is very popular with visitors whiling away the last minutes before they have to get back to camp in the evening. You can park your vehicle right on the water’s edge, allowing excellent photographic opportunities of hippos, crocodiles, wading birds and herds of game coming to quench their thirst.

Sunset Dam, in daylight

Hippo returning to the water

Yaaaawwwwwnnnnn!

Common sandpiper at Sunset Dam

Yellow-billed Stork at Sunset Dam

Guineafowl hoping for a morsel – don’t be tempted!

Wood sandpiper at Sunset Dam

This crocodile may seem fast asleep, but if anything ventures into the water he’ll be quick to react.

Lurking crocodile

Sunset Dam, at sunset…

Heading north from Lower Sabie along the H10 tarred route to Tshokwane, you’ll encounter the first highlight of this route just minutes after leaving camp. The causeway across the Sabie River is a favourite spot for many visitors, who flock here to enjoy glorious sunsets and an abundance of game and bird species attracted to the water. The plains between Lower Sabie and Tshokwane is home to incredible herds of zebra and wildebeest at the end of winter, and is also an excellent place to look for reedbuck, one of the rarer antelope that occurs in Kruger. Of course, with so many herbivores roaming around it stands to reason that the predators are not far behind. If you, like us, enjoy your game viewing with as little other traffic as possible, try the gravel S29, S122 and S128 loops that turn off the main road as alternatives to explore this area. Two other beautiful places not to be missed is Mlondozi Picnic Spot, overlooking a large dam from Muntshe mountain, and Nkumbe Viewpoint, which offers an exceptional view over the open plains of Kruger.

H10 Causeway at Lower Sabie

Making waves!

Tigerfish in the Sabie River

Giant Kingfisher hunting from the bridge

Green-backed heron

White-crowned Lapwing on the bridge

Warthogs drinking from the Sabie

Hippo jaw on a Sabie sandbank

Lion love at Lower Sabie

Warthog

Reedbuck are often seen between Lower Sabie and Tshokwane

Muntshe mountain seen from the north

Hyena on the S29 to Mlondozii

Elephant bull with Muntshe in the background

Mlondozi picnic spot

Zebra crossing a very wet road

Giraffe under heavy skies

African Rock Python just north of Muntshe Mountain

Black-bellied Bustard

Plains zebra

Pearl-spotted Owlet at Mlondozi

Giraffe, with Nkumbe in th background

Klipspringer ewe enjoying the drizzle

Klipspringer ram on Nkumbe

Wet waterbuck

Nkumbe viewpoint

Herd of wildebeest far below Nkumbe viewpoint

Waterbuck at the Mapilini stream just north of Nkumbe

Lower Sabie sunset

The tarred H4-2 Gomondwane Road leading south to Crocodile Bridge is another very productive route for game viewing, though we personally prefer taking the gravel loops running roughly parallel to the main road (S28 Nhlowa Road, S82 Mativuhlungu Loop, S130 Gomondwane Loop and S137 past Duke’s waterhole) as these carry a little less vehicle traffic.

Lower Sabie sunrise

Scrub hares are often seen in the early morning

Kudu crossing the road

Passing close-by!

Leopard tortoise feeding on fresh shoots next to the road

African Green Pigeon

Plains zebra are plentiful along the roads south of Lower Sabie

Kori bustard, one of the biggest flying birds on earth

Impalas are a regular sight around these parts

Side-striped Jackal

Spotted hyena mother

Excited young elephant

White rhinoceros

Landmark on the S130

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Warthog cooling off in the midday heat

Fight for dominance

Crested Francolin chick

Blue wildebeest

The H4-1 road between Lower Sabie and Skukuza carries more traffic than any other road in Kruger, and not without reason. There’s an excellent chance of seeing all the “big 5” game animals and so much more along this route, which follows the course of the Sabie River, on just one drive. The vegetation along the portion of this road nearer Lower Sabie is much more open than the stretch between Nkuhlu and Skukuza, making for even better game viewing. Keep your eyes open for lions and leopards at the rocks at the Lubyelubye stream crossing about 5km from Lower Sabie, as this is one of their most reliable haunts. Also, don’t miss the short S79 gravel loop that crosses the Nwatimhiri causeway, which is another favourite spot for feline predators. Nkuhlu Picnic Spot is a great place to get out, stretch the legs and have a bite to eat (though beware the monkeys and baboons that hang around here, as they will attempt to steal your picnic if they get even the slightest chance!). The gravel S30 Salitje Road along the northern bank of the river is a wonderful alternative route back to Lower Sabie.

Elephants on the move in the Sabie

Leopard lying in the bed of the Nwatimhiri near Skukuza in the Kruger Park

Buffalo crossing the H4-1

Nkuhlu Picnic Site

Arrow-marked babbler at Nkuhlu

Water Monitor at Nkuhlu

Saddle-billed Stork fishing at Nkuhlu

Elephant cow and calf

Common Duiker ewe

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Baboon

Kudu bull

Lion greeting near Lubyelubye

Rocks at Lubyelubye

If all these photos did not convince you, allow us to reiterate: Lower Sabie IS game-viewing heaven! Remember to book early if you also want to enjoy all it has to offer.

Summer heat at Shingwedzi

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After three enjoyable nights in Olifants‘ spectacularly situated unit 14, we had only a third of our December holiday in the Kruger National Park left. Happily that didn’t depress our mood too much, as we would be spending the last three nights in our beloved Shingwedzi Rest Camp.

Soon after leaving Olifants, we came across a cantankerous hippo bull blocking the road to the north. While waiting for him to get out of the way, in his own time of course, a rustle in the dry mopane leaves beside the roads alerted us to a hyena that was also waiting for the traffic to clear…

The hippo, the hyena and the waiting tourists

Our plan was to stop at Mopani for brunch, so we only had a quick cup of coffee and a rusk or two at Letaba, no snakes in sight this time! On the way we couldn’t resist making a quick detour to marvelous Mooiplaas waterhole, as there is always something interesting to see there, and were handsomely rewarded with a couple of tsessebe sightings as well as a blue wildebeest that was having far too much fun rolling around in elephant dung to be considered sane…

Woodland Kingfisher in Letaba

African Fish Eagle on the Letaba River

Kudu bull

Tsessebe in mopane vegetation in Northern Kruger National Park

Plains zebra foal

Perhaps dung doesn’t stick to a rolling wildebeest…

Tsessebes at Mooiplaas

Mopani was a delight of feathered friends, with there even being a pair of African Paradise Flycatchers nesting in a tree right between the shop and the Tindlovu restaurant (which serves delicious mince-meat jaffles by the way!)

Marabou Storks

African Paradise Flycatcher (male)

White-crested Helmetshrike

The final stretch to Shingwedzi delivered special sightings of yet more mating lions, unfortunately spoiled by an idiot who got out of his car to try and get a better photo, as well as a beautiful old tusker.

More mating lions

The female glancing back after the male was startled by a dumb human getting out of his vehicle

Big old tusker

Whenever we stay at Shingwedzi, there’s only one road we take for our first afternoon drive – a slow drive along the S50 gravel road that follows the river, offering ample opportunity to appreciate the diverse and abundant wildlife that congregate on the river bank. That’s exactly where we pointed the Jazz’s nose after checking into our cottage, number 29, donated by the Wildlife Society in the 1950’s.

Shingwedzi Cottage 29, December 2015

Young waterbuck

Woodland Kingfisher

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Playful hippos

Bushbuck ewe

Western Osprey

Buffalo drinking from a pool in the Shingwedzi

Around Shingwedzi the best viewing is usually along the watercourses, which is why we decided on the S56-route along the Mphongolo River for our first morning drive from Shingwedzi.

Lion at the Sirheni turnoff

Big Buffalo Bull

Protective elephant herd

And off they go!

That afternoon, Red Rocks and Tshange viewpoints to the southwest of camp beckoned.

Lone elephant drinking from a pool at Red Rocks

Tiny elephant calf

Warthog family enjoying the mud

Lazy giraffe

The view from Tshange

Waterbuck

Sharpe’s Grysbok

This little elephant was probably less than a day old and very unsteady on his feet

Slightly older calf

Buffalo and oxpecker in discussion

One last guided nightdrive in search of nocturnal wildlife delivered much better sightings than the windy nightdrive we undertook from Lower Sabie a few days earlier.

Roosting marabou

Large-spotted Genet

African Scops Owl

By the time the sun rose over the horizon on our last full day in the Park, we were already travelling along the S50-route enjoying the Shingwedzi River’s abundant wildlife and awesome scenery before returning to camp and a late breakfast.

Sunrise over the Shingwedzi River

Buffalo bull

Another Grey-headed Kingfisher

Waterbuck youngster

Alert nyala ewe

Shingwedzi was nice and quiet in the early morning, as most guests were still out on the road searching for game, giving us an excellent opportunity to amble through the camp.

Broad-billed Roller

Yellow-billed Hornbill

Rock monitor

With such a wide variety of bird and animal life around Shingwedzi it was a rather difficult decision which area we’d drive to on our final afternoon. In the end we opted for the Mphongolo Loop (S56) again, and what a great choice that was! We’ve already shown you pictures of the waterhole meeting between large herds of elephants and buffaloes we witnessed that day. Dodging a couple more elephant and buffalo herds along the way, navigating through several herds of antelope and scanning the landscape for new species of birds to add to our ticklist, we were thrilled that our afternoon was concluded with a leopard lying in wait at a small waterhole.

Another beautiful tusker

Nyala lamb

African Openbills

Saddle-billed Stork

Waterhole meeting

Leopard lying in wait at a waterhole

Male Double-banded Sandgrouse

And so, our time at Kruger National Park has come to an end, for this visit at least as, of course, the next trip has already been booked. All that remained was to drive down to Phalaborwa Gate, from where Pretoria lay a hot six-hour drive away.

Elephant enjoying a mud bath

Buffalo catching a smell on the breeze

Those trunks are so dexterous!

Female Mocking Cliff Chat

Summer heat at Olifants

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After three nights at Lower Sabie it was time to move northwards to the central regions of the Kruger National Park. Just as we set off, a light drizzle started falling, and kept falling for the entire 50km or so distance between Lower Sabie and Tshokwane picnic site. While the low clouds meant that we could not enjoy the magnificent view from the top of Nkumbe mountain, we did not mind having a break from the previous few days’ oppressive heat! Pretty soon little puddles were forming on rocks and in the road, and while the shower would not have broken the drought, it would have brought a little bit of relief to the parched veld.

Giraffe under heavy skies

Zebra crossing a very wet road

Klipspringer ewe enjoying the drizzle

Wet waterbuck

Klipspringer ram on Nkumbe

Bushbuck ewe at Tshokwane

This trusting Golden-tailed Woodpecker distracted us from our breakfast at Tshokwane

Young kudu bull

Mazithi Dam was little more than a drying mud puddle crammed with tired hippos and flayling barbel

Grey duiker

Elephant cow in the dry bed of the Nwaswitsontso

Towering giraffe

Pair of Little Bee-Eaters

Between Tshokwane and Satara we encountered two more pairs of mating lions. While one couple moved away from the road for more privacy, the other was a lot more relaxed in the company of the few cars that had gathered to watch them. The prevailing drought makes catching prey much easier, and the way the lions are going on there will soon be many more young and hungry mouths to feed.

The loving couple

“All this attention is so boring”!

“Look at me posing”

“Come on, you’ve seen enough!”

Praying that we’ll leave them in peace

After lunch (take-away pizzas enjoyed in Satara‘s day visitors area) we tackled the final stretch of the long drive from Lower Sabie to Olifants Rest Camp. The plains between Satara and the Olifants River were positively teeming with wildlife of all descriptions.

Buffalo looking for fresh grass on the side of the road

Red-billed Buffalo Weaver in Satara

Big bull on the way to Olifants

At times Satara’s plains are reminiscent of the Serengeti

Ostrich siblings

Pod of hippos in the bed of the Olifants

Young kudu bull

Two tiny warthogs in a big, scary world

Checking in at Olifants Rest Camp, we were given the keys to our cottage, number 14, one of the most popular units in the camp, and for good reason. The view of the wide bend of the Olifants River with its pods of hippos and lurking crocodiles far below, the endless wild plains beyond and the continuous stream of game and birds arriving to slake their thirst, is almost unrivaled anywhere on the continent, and you can take it all in from the comfort of a sofa on the wide veranda!

Olifants Rest Camp, unit 14, December 2015

There aren’t many places with a view like this!

With the area around Olifants suffering from an extreme drought and intense heat, we thought it best to stick to the routes along the Olifants River and some of its tributaries that still held water for our afternoon drive. The high bridge and low-level causeway crossing the Olifants, and the weir at the Ngotso-crossing (on the S89 route) proved to be hot-beds of wildlife activity, though in the areas in between, away from the water, there were few animals to be found.

Hippos from N’wamanzi Viewpoint

Yellow-billed Kite in low level flypast

Another pod of hippos at the Ngotso weir

Martial Eagle surveying his landscape

Waterbuck close-up

Showing just how the waterbuck got its name!

Egyptian Geese at the Balule causeway

Wood Sandpiper

This Free-tailed Bat came visiting after dark

Next morning we were already waiting, with a few other cars, at Olifants’ gate for the 04:30AM opening – that’s the way to maximise your chances of encountering large predators on the prowl in the hot summer and we didn’t have to drive far before encountering two spotted hyenas just as first light started painting the African morning. Our drive took us along the Olifants and Letaba rivers, an area of rugged beauty, to Letaba Rest Camp, where we planned on enjoying our picnic breakfast. We didn’t however bargain that we’d be joined by a snake, even if only a slightly venomous Olive Grass Snake. Happily the snake was very well behaved and totally relaxed, and so he enjoyed the warm morning sun while we enjoyed our rusks and coffee…

Spotted hyena close up

Hyenas always seem to be on the way to somewhere…

View over the Olifants River back towards the camp

Two kudu bulls in the bed of the Letaba

Letaba is well-known for the buchbuck in camp

Letaba’s relaxed bushbuck give excellent photo opportunities!

Our friendly breakfast Olive Grass Snake

Here elephants have right of way!

Baby impala in the mopane scrub

Seeing as the Olifants river delivered such enjoyable sightings to us the previous day, we again focussed on the H1-5 tar road and the connecting S90, S91 and S92 gravel roads the following afternoon. This time we worked a quick detour to Bangu waterhole, some distance to the south of the river, into our drive as well – a well rewarded decision as we found a pair of black-backed jackals and flock of Temminck’s Coursers at the Xipembane stream, which still held a bit of water.

Grey Heron

Yellow-billed Stork

Another old timer at Olifants

Black-backed jackal

Temminck’s Courser

Three-banded Plover

Driving up to Olifants two days earlier, the tremendous concentrations of game around Satara really drew our attention, and we decided that we had to explore that area a bit more on our final full day at Olifants. With the tarred road between Olifants and Satara carrying most of the tourist traffic, we opted to rather follow the gravel S90 “old main road”, past Bangu and Gudzani waterholes, to Satara, and then return to our lovely cottage at Olifants along the tar route when the day starts hotting up. Ticking excellent sightings along the way; a large pack of hyenas, showboating hippos, a rarely seen honey badger, two regal lions, more jackals and a quick view of a pair of cheetahs surrendering their kill to descending vultures, not to mention a huge number of more commonly seen birds and animals, and despite heavy cloud cover, a howling wind and the irritation of a punctured tire (quickly fixed at Satara’s car wash), you’ll appreciate that we were a very happy group when we arrived back at Olifants that morning!

Two very coy young hyenas

It’s been a long night…

Hippo posturing at the Balule causeway

Another lone old tusker

Just a sliver of light at the back of these kudus

Ostrich female being blown all over the place by the strong wind

Old buffalo

Honey badger on the hunt

Windblown Kings

Towering over the plains

Playful jackal pups

After spending the hot midday hours in camp appreciating the enchanting view and the accompanying birdlife, it was time for our final leisurely afternoon drive along the Olifants and Letaba Rivers. While the drive wasn’t anywhere as exhilarating as our drive that morning, it did give us another opportunity to enjoy the rugged scenery of the valleys these rivers have carved over aeons through the Lebombo foothills.

Female Red-winged Starling on her nest at our cottage

Wahlberg’s Eagle hunting from a perch near our cottage

Zebra grazing on new growth next to the Letaba

Giraffe in the mopane

We still had three nights left at Shingwedzi Rest Camp after our time at Olifants, and we’ll be telling you all about those next week. We’ll also be telling you more about Olifants and its environs in an upcoming edition of de Wets Wild.

Summer heat at Lower Sabie

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We knew our December 2015 visit to the Kruger National Park was going to test our personal thresholds for high temperatures. It is general knowledge that South Africa’s Lowveld region has sweltering summers, confirmed by the weather forecasts in the week before our departure. On our early morning way, descending into the Lowveld along Schoemanskloof on the N4-highway, we were amazed at how quickly the outside temperature our car was registering was climbing upwards. By the time we arrived at Malelane Gate just after 08:00, we had reached 33°C, with the sun blazing down relentlessly. And yet, we couldn’t think of any place we’d rather be; we were back in South Africa’s flagship National Park, one of our favourite wild places, and we had ten days to explore the length and breadth of it to look forward to!

We were heading to Lower Sabie, and instead of following the tar roads via Skukuza we opted for the more direct route, along the gravel S25 and H5, from Malelane. Of course we had wonderful sightings along the way, most especially of some sleepy elephants! Early December is lambing season for the impalas, and each herd we passed had a few new members, all ears and long legs, to broaden our smiles.

December is the time for baby impalas!

Sleepy elephants

African Hawk-Eagle

Impala ewe quenching her thirst

Steenbok

By the time we checked in at Lower Sabie Rest Camp for our 3 night stay, the temperature had soared to a searing 43°C. Our cottage (unit 93), with a lovely view of the Sabie River in front of the camp and surrounded by huge, shady trees, provided welcome respite!

Grey Go-away-bird hiding from the heat in a shady Lower Sabie tree

Lower Sabie cottage 93, December 2015

But of course no amount of heat was going to keep us indoors for long when there’s Big-5 country to explore outside! Our afternoon drive took in Gomondwane, Duke’s waterhole and a section of the Nhlowa-road to the south of Lower Sabie, after a quick visit to Sunset Dam just outside camp. Highlights of the drive included an unusually relaxed black rhinoceros, our best sighting ever of a side-striped jackal, and the cutest little warthog piglets you could imagine!

Yellow-billed Stork at Sunset Dam

Wood Sandpiper at Sunset Dam

Elephant bull on the Gomondwane Loop

White Rhino lazing in a cool mud pool

Steenbok

Magpie Shrike

Side-striped Jackal

Cute warthog piglets

This little piggy…

Relaxed Black Rhino

The itinerary planned for Sunday 13 December meant that we would be out of camp all day: a slow early morning drive (the camp gates open at 04:30 in high summer) to Skukuza along the Sabie River, visit with good friends at Skukuza over lunch, and then back to Lower Sabie via the Sand River, the Salitje road, Muntshe Mountain and Mlondozi Picnic Site. Covering that big an area is sure to deliver some unusual sightings; apart from a skittish leopard and all the more commonly seen game animals, we even found an African Rock Python along the way. Our final wildlife encounter of the day was with a pair of mating lions, within sight of Lower Sabie, resulting in sightings of all the Big-5 on a single day!

Water Monitor at Nkuhlu

Sleepy Spotted Hyena

Marabou Stork

Banded mongoose troop at Skukuza

Crocodile at the Sabie Bridge

Epauletted Fruit Bat at Skukuza Airport

White Rhinoceros

African Rock Python just north of Muntshe Mountain

Plains zebra

Pearl-spotted Owlet at Mlondozi

Black-bellied Bustard

Lion love at Lower Sabie

That wasn’t the end of the day however, as we were booked for a guided night drive after supper. Unfortunately strong winds sent the nocturnal animals into hiding, and the drive did not yield much more than a Verreaux’s Eagle Owl and enormous scorpion to get excited about.

Verreaux’s Eagle Owl

Night drive scorpion

We had one more day to explore the Lower Sabie area, and headed for Crocodile Bridge along the Nhlowa Road as soon as the camp’s gates opened. About halfway we met a large pack of hyenas at their den, and after spending some time with them our grumbling tummies told us that it was time to go enjoy our picnic breakfast at Croc Bridge. More great sightings on our way back to Lower Sabie along the Gomondwane Road, including a herd of elephants coming to drink from the Sabie River. We also noticed a male lion lying on the river bank and after slaking their thirst, the elephants started crossing the river. This was the lion’s cue to vacate his spot, and we were thrilled that he chose to head into the bush straight past our vehicle!

Scrub hares are often seen in the early morning

Spotted hyena cub

Spotted hyena mother

Elephant bull in musth

Woodland Kingfisher – the sound of summer!

African Openbill

Impala trying to strike a pose…

Sleepy kudu

Swainson’s Spurfowl

African Green Pigeon

The heat taking its toll – a chameleon burned to death on the road

Crested Francolin chick

Bushbuck ewe

Thirsty herd of elephants rushing to the water

Slaking their thirst

Lion lying on the river bank

On his way

Passing close-by!

Lower Sabie is a wonderful place to while away the hot midday hours as there’s a constant stream of animals coming to drink from the river and birdlife abounds in the camp grounds!

White-Browed Robin-Chat

Blue waxbill

Elephant passing right in front of our cottage

Spectacled Weaver

Southern Masked Weaver

There’s no better way to spend your last afternoon at Lower Sabie than slowly driving along the river, and spending some time at Sunset Dam. So that’s exactly what we did!

Hippo on the bank of the Sabie

Making waves!

Yellow-billed Stork

White-faced Whistling Ducks

Ruff

Three Banded Plover

White-faced Whistling Duck

Kudu bull

Baboon

Curious giraffe

Bushbuck ewe

Lurking crocodile

With that, our final night at Lower Sabie had arrived. Next morning we’d depart for Olifants Rest Camp, further north in the central regions of the Kruger National Park. We’ll share more about our time at Olifants next week, and will dedicate a special post in which we’ll tell you all about Lower Sabie and surrounds in an upcoming edition of de Wets Wild.

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We’ve entered the categories for “Best Travel Blog” and “Best Environmental Blog”, and you are allowed to vote for us in both. Clicking on the badge below will bring you to the voting site.

Thank you very much for your support!

Lion love at Lower Sabie

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This evening we were welcomed back to Lower Sabie Rest Camp by a pair of mating lions!

Lion love at Lower Sabie

Eye Spy

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An irritating fly homing in on its target; the eye of an impala ewe in the Kruger National Park.

Impala being targeted by a biting fly

“Eye Spy” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge

________________________

If you enjoy de Wets Wild as much as we enjoy sharing our love for South Africa’s wild places and their denizens with you, please vote for us in the 2015 South African Blog Awards.

We’ve entered the categories for “Best Travel Blog” and “Best Environmental Blog”, and you are allowed to vote for us in both. Clicking on the badge below will bring you to the voting site.

Thank you very much for your support!

Getting to Pafuri

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Last week, we were so excited to tell you about our time at Kruger National Park’s newest accommodation offering, the Pafuri Border Camp, that we skipped over the part of our visit leading up to our time in the extreme Far North of the Park.

We’ll take this opportunity to rectify that now.

We arrived at Phalaborwa Gate on the Friday, early enough to allow a slow drive along the H14-road up to Mopani Rest Camp, where we were booked for a one-night stopover on the way to Pafuri Border Camp.

Tired old elephant bull crossing the road

Zebra at Ngwenyeni

Crocodile along the Ngwenyeni stream

Big herd of elephant crossing the Letaba

Black crake at Shipandani Hide

A quick afternoon sojourn past Mooiplaas, the Nshawu Vlei and Tinhongonyeni delivered no less than 6 tsessebe sightings, lots of energetic zebras, good numbers of other animals and birds, and a very dramatic storm brewing over the plains…

Tsessebe just near Mopani

Zebra cantering at Mooiplaas

At full stretch

Getting started

Again with the running!

Secretary bird

Reedbuck female

Tsessebe at Nshawu Marsh in Kruger National Park

Another energetic zebra

Blue wildebeest marching away from Tinhongonyeni

Storm brewing over Tinhongonyeni

Wind-blown jackal

That evening we enjoyed a lovely meal at Mopani’s restaurant, the howling wind putting an end to any ideas we might have had of braaiing (the traditional South African barbeque) at our bungalow. Afterwards we searched for nocturnal animals among Mopani’s natural vegetation, and were not disappointed.

Mopani bungalow no3

Scrub hare in Mopani

Free-tailed Bat leaving the roost

Leaving Mopani as soon as the gate opened Saturday morning, under heavy skies accompanied by a constant soft drizzle, we anticipated at least one good predator sighting. Sure enough, near Olifantsbadpan, we had a terrific encounter with two big female spotted hyenas and three of the cutest, most playful cubs you could imagine. Only afterwards did I realise that they were so close to our vehicle that I didn’t manage even one full body photo of them!

Spotted hyena

Spotted hyena cub

Spotted hyena

We expected to have good sightings of elephants around Shingwedzi, and our favourite rest camp delivered the goods just as we had hoped. It was still raining softly as we set of from Shingwedzi after breakfast, heading northward past Babalala Picnic Spot. The north of the Kruger Park is also well known for its exceptional birdlife and all these special sightings made the long road seem much shorter.

Waterbuck

Tree squirrel

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Great white egret

Saddle-billed stork

Elephant bull

Elephant crossing

Woolly-necked Stork

Kudu female

After a quick turn in Punda Maria for lunch, fuel and to stock up on some last minute goodies, we could tackle the last stretch of road to the magical paradise that is Pafuri.

Careful

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Careful now, that’s quite close enough!

Buffalo

This buffalo, seen at Pafuri in Kruger National Park, made it abundantly clear that we shouldn’t venture any closer…

“Careful” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge

A new treasure unveiled in Kruger; the Pafuri Border Camp

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An omnipresent sense of history permeates the grounds and buildings of Pafuri Border Camp, with the call of a wild frontier on your doorstep clarion clear and impossible to refuse.

Here at Pafuri in the Far North of the Kruger National Park, Harold and Tiny Mockford built their lives, raised a family, grew old. From 1938 to 1985, Mockford was the recruiting agent and administrative officer at the labour recruitment station established at Pafuri by the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association (WNLA, colloquially simply “Wenela”, later TEBA – The Employment Bureau of Africa) to provide migrant workers for the mushrooming gold mines at Johannesburg.

Comprising the beautifully restored and period-furnished residences inhabited by the Mockfords and other WNLA / TEBA staff, the Pafuri Border Camp will offer overnight accommodation in three very spacious self-catering units: the one-bedroom (4-sleeper) Mockford Cottage, the three-bedroom (6-sleeper) Doctor’s House, and the four-bedroom (8-sleeper) Mockford House. Relaxing on the wide verandas that wrap around the houses, enclosed by mosquito gauze just as they were when their original inhabitants lived there, it is hard not to imagine what daily life entailed for those who lived and worked here all those years ago. The camp’s deep swimming pool will be a delight on hot summer days, as it was no doubt for the family Mockford. A small room next to the tiny reception office will be dedicated as a museum in which Pafuri’s fascinating history can be regaled. More “modern” amenities, such as a fuel station, shop and restaurant, is available at Punda Maria Rest Camp, approximately 65km to the South-West.

Arriving at Pafuri Border Camp

The reception building

Mockford Cottage, Pafuri Border Camp

Doctor’s House

Mockford House

Southern Foam Nest Frog in Pafuri Border Camp

Pafuri Border Camp nightlife

One of the biggest highlights of the new Pafuri Border Camp is its proximity to Crooks Corner, the Luvuvhu River and Pafuri Picnic Site. Being first to arrive at the river viewpoints in the morning and the last to have to leave those serenely beautiful scenes in the evening is a privilege not to be underestimated. Crooks Corner, so named because the borders of South Africa, Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) and Mozambique (then Portuguese East Africa) meet here and allowed scoundrels of all description to escape the long arm of the law, has a very special allure in the golden light of sunrise and dusk. Spending time along the Luvuvhu as the riverine forest slowly awakes in the morning delivers a serenity to the human spirit that must be experienced to be truly appreciated.

Buffalo river crossing at sunset

Pafuri’s fever tree forest

Pafuri serenity

Pafuri Picnic Site

Baobab flower

Baobabs in spring

Pafuri’s fever tree forest

Pafuri sunset

Sunrise over Crooks Corner

You can bet that the birdwatching fraternity will be ecstatic at the news of Pafuri Border Camp’s opening. Pafuri is South Africa’s bird-watching mecca; the diversity of its feathered inhabitants simply astounding.

African Hawk-Eagle

White-backed Vulture

Southern Ground hornbill

Common Ostrich in northern Kruger

Lilac-breasted Roller

White-fronted Bee-eater

Meves’s Starling

African Jacana

Martial Eagle

Immature Crowned Eagle

White-crowned Lapwing

White-fronted Bee-eater

Black-chested Snake-Eagle

Broad-billed Roller

White-crested Helmet-Shrike

Kurrichane Thrush

African Fish Eagle

Wire-tailed Swallow

Red-crested Korhaan

Mammalian wildlife abounds in the Luvuvhu’s riverine bush, with nyala, impala, warthog, baboon and vervet monkey occurring in exceptional numbers. Several other species, including elephant, buffalo, hippo, waterbuck, kudu, blue wildebeest, zebra, and seldomly-seen predators, add to the show. An astonishing number of Nile crocodiles, some in excess of 5 meters in length and probably weighing more than a ton, rule the murky waters of the Luvuvhu.

Vervet monkey

Nile crocodile

Plains zebra

Blue wildebeest

Baboons

Buffalo

Young nyala ram

Nyala female

Buffalo

Nile crocodile

Warthog

Buffalo bull

Nyala bull

Water monitor

Hippos

Plains zebra

Where there’s this much life, death is never far away

Come 1 November 2015, this new destination, hard not to describe in superlatives and quite literally a stone’s throw away from the border post into Mozambique, will open to its first official guests. We recently had the immense pleasure and privilege to spend two nights at Pafuri Border Camp while the finishing touches were being made to the accommodation. It is sure to prove very popular with nature lovers and history buffs from all over the world. Bookings for Pafuri Border Camp is through South African National Parks. Via the N1 highway and Kruger’s most northern entrance, Pafuri Gate, the camp is located approximately 620km from Pretoria.

(Google maps)

Sweni Wilderness Trail

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It is Sunday afternoon and we’re standing around in the parking area of Satara Rest Camp, in the Kruger National Park. My sister Ansie and I have already enjoyed two wonderful days exploring the southern part of the reserve, and now we’re very excited to depart on the next part of our visit – the Sweni Wilderness Trail. Having been introduced to our lead ranger Ndou and the six kind ladies we’ll be sharing the experience with, and with all the baggage packed into the trailer, it is time to get into the open game viewing vehicle and head into the wilderness.

We drive southwards, and apart from Ndou having to admonish a group of tourists for getting out of their vehicle among a herd of giraffe, enjoy sightings of kudu, waterbuck, more giraffe, impala, elephant, blue wildebeest and steenbok. Just across the bridge over the Sweni Spruit, Ndou turns left onto a no-entry road, reserved to access the base camp of the Sweni Wilderness Trail. Soon after, we have our first tastes of what makes the Sweni such a hugely popular trail: two separate sightings of lion males, first an old loner and then two beautiful specimens in their prime. It is a vehicle filled with some very excited trailists that arrives at the Sweni Trails Camp late that afternoon!

Young giraffe

Giraffe and red-billed oxpecker

Turning into the Sweni wilderness

Impala ram

Lone lion

Male lion in his prime

If looks could kill!

The other male was a lot more relaxed

We’ve arrived!

The base camp has four small A-frame huts that accommodate two guests each, and as the camp has no electricity we quickly settle into our units while there’s still daylight left. We are introduced to Rhulani, Ndou’s assistant ranger, and James, the very experienced camp caretaker and cook. The conversation around the Sweni dinner table that evening centered on the collective nouns used to describe various groups of animals – a business of mongoose, a tower or caleidoscope of giraffe, a parliament of owls.

“You’ve got the watches, we’ve got the time”. Ndou’s speaking as we sit around the camp fire after dinner, the camp entirely immersed in the darkness of the African night. He’s making the point that there’s a different pace to the wilderness and that we should let go of our own perceptions of time and distance in order to fully take in the wilderness experience. He and Rhulani goes through the “programme” of the days ahead, ensuring that we understand the rules necessary to our safety while walking out in the wilderness among some of Africa’s most dangerous animals.

Most of the group opt to turn in early, leaving three of us to enjoy a last cup of coffee at the fireside. A rustle in the grass followed by an enormous splash has us grabbing for a spotlight, illuminating an impala ewe standing knee-high in the shallow pool in front of camp. We watch as she gets out of the water, and walks along the water’s edge. She disappears from sight for a second as she passes behind the trunk of a big tree next to the camp fence. Just then, there’s another tremendous splash from the water, and as the spotlight finds the impala again it is abundantly clear that her situation has turned for the worse. There’s a frantic scene playing out just meters in front of us and no one thinks to pick up a camera! A medium-sized crocodile has her body firmly in its mouth, and a hyena (or was it two?) is running up and down along the water. We watch in dumbfounded awe as the struggling impala disappears below the water, a string of bubbles rising to the surface signalling that she breathed her last. Five minutes later, the crocodile surfaces again with his now drowned prize, just for a few seconds, her eyes still open and eerily reflecting the light from our torch. We speculate that the hyenas must have chased the impala into the water the first time, and that the opportunistic crocodile then grabbed her as she walked along the pool. However it came about, the excitement of what we’d witnessed and the sounds of the crocodile thrashing in the water as it enjoyed its meal while baboons scream in horror from the trees nearby kept me awake for quite some time that night.

The drowned impala brought to the surface for a few seconds

James provided an early morning wake-up call for those finding it hard to rise Monday morning, and all of us enjoyed the coffee and rusks before heading out for our first hike. Ndou and Rhulani chose to go walking in an area known as Milaleni, a short drive into the west of the Sweni Wilderness. Our walk started off shrouded in dense mist, which only lifted much later in the morning. Regular sightings of game and birds kept our senses peaked while Ndou and Rhulani astounded us with their tracking skills and shared their extensive knowledge of the bushveld. They chose a rocky outcrop as a picturesque picnic spot before leading us back to the vehicle along the course of the Sweni.

Heading into the Sweni wilderness

Ndou showing us a Mlala-palm leave chewed by an elephant

Interpreting a dung-midden

Big trees line the Sweni

Crossing a dry stream bed

Lion track

Upwards to a picnic with a view

The Sweni area is mostly flat plains, interspersed with a few rocky outcrops

A deep pool in the Sweni, home to a nursery of baby crocodiles

Warthog fleeing from the group

We encountered this herd of elephants on the way back to camp

We arrived back at camp to the smells of a delicious brunch, expertly prepared by James while we were out walking. Meals are enjoyed under a large thatched roof, with a view over the Sweni stream, the crocodile pool below the camp and the muddy waterhole on the opposite bank. There’s a constant stream of wildlife heading to the water, and combined with the wide variety of birds and small animals in the camp it is very difficult to go and enjoy a siesta after brunch, for fear of missing out on any of the action!

The Sweni dining area

Wildebeest and zebra heading for the water

Sweni Wilderness Trail hut, July 2015

Red-billed hornbill

Yellow-fronted canaries and a blue waxbill

White-headed vulture coming in for a landing

African Open-billed Stork searching for freshwater mussels

View from camp

Thirsty impalas

Burchell’s starling

Tree squirrel

Baboons

The afternoon outings take in a spot from which to enjoy the beautiful sunsets that the Lowveld is famous for. Heading eastwards to the Lebombo Mountains on Monday afternoon we spotted a selection of plains game and several species of birds – the Greater Painted Snipe we flushed as the vehicle crossed the Gwini stream causing much excitement in particular for the “twitchers” in our party. The sunset spot Ndou and Rhulani brought us to is known as Ted’s Place – a site high on a cliff in the Lebombos with the mostly dry bed of the Sweni far below and the plains of central Kruger stretching as far as the eye can see. In the distance a herd of elephant were kicking up dust on their hurried way while baboons and impalas foraged on the river bank, unworried by our presence high above them. There’s a calmness that settles over you at sunset in South Africa’s wild places, and it is easy to see why ranger Ted Whitfield enjoyed this tranquil spot so much.

Pair of steenbok near base camp

Sweni scenery

Black crakes

Elephant cows

Giraffes

Sweni sunset

View from Ted’s Place

View from Ted’s Place on the Sweni Trail, Kruger National Park

That evening James had a delicious pot of stew waiting for us back at camp, and what better way to end a memorable day out in the bush than with good company and intelligent conversation around the campfire.

It’s another early wake-up accompanied by coffee, rusks and birdsong on Tuesday morning. Our ranger-guides drive us out to the Gwini-stream area again, where we’d concentrate our walking along the stream in the hopes that we’ll find the snipes again. The area literally teemed with animals and we often found ourselves among mixed herds of wildebeest, plains zebra, giraffe and impala. Rhulani pointed out a well camouflaged rock monitor lizard, hibernating high in the branches of a fever tree, and then later explained to us why the weeping wattle is also known as the “toiletpaper bush” (if you chew on the branches of this tree you’ll soon find a need for its soft leaves 😉 ).

For a long stretch of our walk we were accompanied by the shrill chattering of a Greater Honeyguide. Ndou related the local belief that if you don’t reward the honeyguide with a piece of the spoils after it has guided you to a beehive, the next time it will lead you into danger. Shortly after, with this warning still fresh in our minds, the recently placed tracks of lions we came across made us hope that Ndou and Rhulani didn’t owe this honeyguide anything!

We had our picnic rest-stop near Kally’s Fountain while curious giraffes peered at us from close by. Considering that it was the middle of a rather dry winter season the amount of water simply flowing out of the muddy soil at this spot was astounding and from the tracks in the area it was clear that it was also a favourite drinking and wallowing place for the area’s wildlife.

It was not long after picking up our backpacks again and continuing along the stream that we passed a herd of giraffe that seemed less worried about us and more concerned with something else moving through the savanna on their other side. Walking into a clearing, we were thrilled to see three lionesses and about a dozen tiny cubs heading towards a thicket some 200m ahead of us. We enjoyed the sighting from a safe distance, as lion mothers are notoriously aggressive and extremely dangerous. They quickly rushed the cubs to the safety of the thicket and Ndou and Rhulani then steered us in the direction of the vehicle. While we didn’t see the lions again I’m sure they kept a watchful eye on us as we walked past!

Sweni sunrise

Grey heron

Pool in the Gwini

Can you see the hibernating monitor lizard?

Blue wildebeest on the run

Rhulani, our guide on the Sweni Trail, explaining why a Weeping Wattle can also be called a “toiletpaper bush”

Enjoying wildlife along the way

Plains zebras making their escape

Curious giraffe

Kally’s Fountain

Gwini stream

Lionesses and cubs

Funnelweb spider’s nest

Pearl-Spotted Owlet

Back at camp it was time for another scrumptious brunch and then more opportunities to enjoy the real-life wildlife documentary playing out around the waterhole. The satiated crocodile was baking in the sun at one end of the pool while Egyptian Geese were noisily laying claim to the other. All around us tiny birds were flitting about the branches while wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, bushbuck, kudu and impala put in appearances at the water’s edge. In the late afternoon a big herd of elephants came to slake their thirst from the pool in front of camp, and it was a difficult decision whether to stay in camp enjoying their antics or to head out into the wilderness for one final sundowner walk.

Killer crocodile

Egyptian goose

The view from the Sweni Trails Camp

Chinspot Batis (female)

Black-backed Puffback

Elephant cow

Watching elephants from the Sweni camp

One elephant, or three?

I am glad everyone decided to go out for that last walk in the wilderness with ranger guides Ndou and Rhulani, as it turned out to be the absolute highlight of an already memorable wilderness trail. We drove to the Milaleni area again, to enjoy a short walk to a waterhole in the bed of the Sweni before returning to a low rocky ridge from where we could appreciate another spectacular sunset.

We spotted the agitated elephant bull on the opposite bank of the Sweni as we got off the vehicle, but it seemed he was moving off and we weren’t too perturbed. Not ten minutes later, we had spotted another pride of lions, more relaxed and with slightly older cubs than those we saw that morning. With our attention focused on the lions as we crossed over to the other bank, we didn’t immediately notice that the elephant bull was still in the area and quite close (I’m sure the rangers knew he was there though). With head held high he was making it clear that we shouldn’t follow. And so we found ourselves between a huge and unfriendly elephant bull and a large pride of lions. Eventually the lions realised that we had seen them and the adults moved to cover, while the curious cubs did a poorer job at hiding. The elephant at our back had also moved on and satisfied with our viewing we moved away from the scene as well.

Ndou found a Magic Guarri bush and was busy telling us about how it could be used for anything from a useful toothbrush and fire-fighting tool, its uses in traditional medicine and how it wards of ghosts from your home, when the sounds of hippos rushing to water had us all alert. It seemed hippos have taken up residence at the waterhole to which we were heading and to add to the gravity of the situation Rhulani also reported that a herd of elephant was feeding around the waterhole. Our rangers then explained the dangerous situation in which we found ourselves as we had to pass the waterhole to get back to our vehicle at the sundowner spot. With the sun setting fast, we couldn’t wait the situation out and with the wind against us we couldn’t go back past the lions along the track we came. Having reminded us of the rules and what they expected from us, the rangers lead us closer to the pool.

Peering through the bush we could see a huge hippo bull standing tall in the water as Ndou took up position in the stream bed, facing Africa’s most dangerous mammal. There was simply no time for photos as Rhulani led us behind Ndou and up onto the opposite bank of the river. At this point, the herd of elephants became aware of our presence and sounded their dissatisfaction. Some of the herd, mostly cows with calves, thundered away while especially the younger males gave impressive threat displays. We in turn were following Rhulani in single file heading straight back to the vehicle at brisk pace as Ndou caught up from behind. What an adrenalin rush! Pretty soon a couple of jackals started yelping, probably complaining that the lions, elephants and hippos failed to deliver them some tasty morsels!

It was a supercharged group of trailists that clambered onto that rocky ridge that evening. The show however was not over. As we unpacked our snacks and opened our drinks, we all found a spot from where we could take in our final Sweni spectacular. With the glowing red of an African sunset surrounding us, the lions started roaring. You could feel their booming voices resonating in your chest. From a distance more lions started roaring, moving closer at speed. Must be the males coming to join the rest of the pride! Through binoculars in the fading light we could make out their shapes as they moved up the opposite bank. Every now and then a hippo would chime in with a grunt or an elephant’s trumpeting would silence the almost constant calling of the jackals. The sweet whistles of a fork-tailed drongo coming from a knob-thorn just behind us provided such contrast to the bellowing of the big mammals. And then, the rasping roar of a leopard, very close but out of sight, provided the closing notes to the African symphony. The curtains were drawn on one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had in South Africa’s wild places.

Waterbuck bull

Suckling elephant calf

Elephant calf playing with the dust

Impala on the run

Two tracks leading into the Wilderness

Crossing the Sweni while the elephant moves away

Only he is still around, and not amused!

The lions lying on the other side

The cubs were too curious to hide

Ndou demonstrating how to brush your teeth with a Magic Guarri stem

Surprised elephant herd

Marching out of danger

Disappointed jackal

Sunset spot

Another Sweni sunset

That night, after a delicious traditional meal of pap-en-braaivleis (barbecued meat with maize meal porridge) we reflected around the campfire about the experiences we shared the last couple of days, the professionalism and extraordinary knowledge of the two rangers that guided us, safely, through the Sweni wilderness, and the way the wilderness makes friends of strangers.

Chatting at the fireside

Nighttime view from Sweni

The Milky Way above Sweni Wilderness Trails Camp

WIth heavy hearts we had to vacate the Sweni Trails Camp on Wednesday morning, to be delivered back to Satara and civilisation. A honey badger came to wish us goodbye at the camp, and after savouring James’ home-baked bread for the last time we’re on our way.

Honey Bagder

Spotted hyena

At Satara it is time to bid farewell to rangers Ndou and Rhulani and to newly made friends Verna, Sinmarie, Shareen, Hanneli, Ronel and Cerita. Four of the group would have a few more days in the Park, four of us (including Ansie and me) were headed to Orpen Gate and back to Pretoria, and the two rangers would that afternoon take a different group back with them to the wonderful Sweni Wilderness Trails Camp. How we envied those lucky souls!