Our time at Chelmsford has come to an end far too quickly (as always) and we’ll be heading back to Pretoria tomorrow.
Today’s photo, of the sunrise over Chelmsford this morning, was taken by Joubert (aged 3!)
Chelmsford 23/03/2013
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Tag Archives: travel
Chelmsford 22/03/2013
A misty start to the early morning, ideal for hiking. Later the sun managed to burn off all the fog and we enjoyed a gloriously sunny afternoon.
Chelmsford 21/03/2013
We’re spending a long weekend at Chelmsford Nature Reserve, in Kwazulu-Natal Province. We’ll try to post a daily picture while we are here and a full report as soon as possible after we return to the city. It’s so nice to be surrounded by nature’s peace and quiet again!
Mopani Rest Camp, Kruger National Park
Mopani Rest Camp, named for the mopane tree with its butterfly-shaped leaves that dominates the plantlife of the northern Kruger National Park, is located just south of the Tropic of Capricorn. From its hilltop vantage point, the camp offers splendid views over the Pioneer Dam (with a rich aquatic birdlife) and the mopane plains beyond.
Mopani entrance
Mopani bungalow
Mopani has an unfair reputation for not being a very prolific game viewing area of the Kruger Park, mostly because the mopane shrub can get extremely thick and difficult to see through.
Impalas displaying just how thick the mopane’s can get!
However, if you choose your routes carefully, the Mopani area has very much to offer; the best drive is undeniably the circular route made up of the S49, S50 and S143 gravel routes to the east of the camp that skirts the Mooiplaas and Tinhongonyeni waterholes and the Nshawu Vlei (marsh). Mopani, and especially the area around Tinhongonyeni waterhole, is a hotspot for sightings of the rarer antelope and large birds like the kori bustard, ground hornbill, ostrich and secretary bird. In fact, Tinhongonyeni is one of the best waterholes in the entire Kruger National Park for overall game viewing, and a couple of hours there will assuredly be time well spent. Elephant and buffalo thrive in the Mopani area (there’s a herd of buffalo in the vicinity more than 1,000 animals strong) and we’ve had a number of good lion and cheetah sightings in the district.
Buffalo in rainy weather
This buffalo wasn’t overly happy to have his way blocked!
Unhappy elephant!
Eland – a rare sighting in Kruger – at Tinhongonyeni waterhole
Vultures cleaning up the carcass of a tusker that died almost on Mopani’s doorstep
Claiming the road as his own, and who’s going to disagree?
Elephant procession
Lone elephant bull
Giraffe
Kudu bull
This lion gave us a terrible fright, as we stopped right next to him without knowing he’s there (we were watching a herd of tsessebe at that moment)
Lions quenching their early morning thirst just a kilometer from Mopani
Reedbuck are frequently seen in the Nshawu Vlei
Tinhongonyeni waterhole, with three rare antelope in one shot: eland, tsessebe and Liechtenstein’s hartebeest
Tsessebe are seen more frequently near Mopani than anywhere else in the Kruger Park
More tsessebe. Guess where? Tinhongonyeni!
Just south of Mopani, the Shipandani Hide, which overlooks a waterhole in the Tsendze River, offers a very different overnight experience as a single group of guests at a time may occupy the hide between sunset and sunrise.
Shipandani Hide
The neighbours at Shipandani
Mopani is also special to the de Wets for one more reason: it is here, in the glow of a magnificently romantic African sunset, that Marilize and I got engaged!
The scene was set to get down on bended knee!
Lunchtime!
We encountered this black-backed jackal hunting for moles near Satara, in the Kruger National Park.
Austin Roberts Memorial Bird Sanctuary
Austin Roberts was one of South Africa’s most acclaimed zoologists, best known for his authoratitive reference book on the birds of Southern Africa. Today, his legacy is honoured in the Austin Roberts Memorial Bird Sanctuary, located in Pretoria’s leafy Nieuw Muckleneuk suburb.
The tiny reserve covers only eleven hectares (about four city blocks), yet more than 170 bird species have been identified here – a consequence of the wide range of habitats that it provides: dense woodland, mixed bushveld, reedbeds and nine small perennial dams. In addition, a few small antelope and a couple of tortoises also occur here.
Blesbok
Cape Teal
Common Moorhen
Egyptian Geese
Fulvous Duck
Laughing Dove nesting inside the hide
Steenbok
White-faced Ducks
Yellow-billed Duck
Red-knobbed Coot with chick
The Blue Crane is South Africa’s national bird
Crowned Crane
Facilities at the sanctuary include a restaurant and photographic hide, both extremely popular, and both offering a very nice lunchtime break from the office!
A section of the hide at Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary
Milestone for de Wets Wild
“The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa – for he has so much to look forward to.”
Richard Mullin.
Giraffe at sunrise, near Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park, South Africa
This is our 100th post on de Wets Wild!
Our deepest gratitude goes to everyone that has contributed to us reaching this milestone by reading, following, liking, commenting and sharing our posts. We appreciate the friendships we’ve made and the inspiration and encouragement you’ve given us through this medium immensely.
There’s still so much beauty and splendour to share from South Africa’s wild places, and as we look forward to doing just that through de Wets Wild for a very long time to come we’d be thrilled to have your continued support.
Our sincere thanks, again!
Dries, Marilize & Joubert – the wild de Wets
The Big-5 in Black-and-White
The “Big Five” is probably Africa’s most sought-after animals – the term was coined by colonial-era trophy hunters to describe the group of animals considered the most dangerous to hunt: Black Rhino, Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard and Lion. Today, these animals are a major reason for the popularity of South Africa’s wildlife reserves among locals and tourists from all over the world.
We’re participating in the online adventure travel and photography magazine LetsBeWild.com‘s Wild Weekly Photo Challenge for bloggers. This week’s challenge is “Black-and-White“
Letaba Rest Camp, Kruger National Park
Almost exactly in the middle of the Kruger National Park, on the southern bank of the broad and mostly sandy Letaba River, you will find the Letaba Rest Camp – a tranquil retreat beneath large, shady trees.
Sunrise between Phalaborwa Gate and Letaba Rest Camp
Letaba welcomed its first guests back in 1929, and remains very popular with visitors to this day. Hutted accommodation and camping is available for overnight guests, the restaurant offers sweeping views of the river and a spacious and shady picnic area, complete with swimming pool, is available to day visitors. Bushbuck, squirrels and a variety of birds have made themselves right at home among the accommodation units and provide endless entertainment to visitors lounging along the riverfront throughout the day.
Letaba bungalow
Bushbuck at home among the huts
Day visitor picnic site
The Elephant Hall is a unique educational facility with exhibits dedicated to every facet of the elephant’s ecology. Also on display is the ivory of several of the Kruger National Park’s famous big tuskers that have sadly departed to heavenly pastures.
Elephant statue
Elephant skeleton
Inside the Elephant Hall
You then won’t be surprised when we tell you that Letaba is elephant country. Visitors here have an excellent chance of encountering both breeding herds and bulls carrying impressive ivory. Masthulele, probably Kruger biggest tusker at the moment, is in fact regularly seen along the river right in front of the camp.
The late Hlanganini
Masthulele
Buffalo is another member of the “Big-5” that occurs in large numbers in the Letaba area, and visitors are bound to see a variety of other wildlife, including predators, in the area.
The best self-drive routes for game viewing from Letaba are those that track the course of the river; road S46 towards the south-east and road S47 to the north-west. Guided activities such as walks and night drives are also very popular.
Pay Letaba a visit and you’ll quickly understand why it is a firm favourite with many of the Kruger faithful!
Look Up!
LOOK UP!
In South Africa’s wild places danger can lurk anywhere…
Leopard snoozing in a tree, in the Kruger National Park
(you can click on the image for a clearer view)
We’re participating in the online adventure travel and photography magazine LetsBeWild.com‘s Wild Weekly Photo Challenge for bloggers. This week’s challenge is “Look Up!“
DeWetsWild 