Tag Archives: travel

Back to Ithala

Our regular followers and friends here at de Wets Wild will know that Ithala Game Reserve, in the north of Kwazulu-Natal Province between the towns of Vryheid and Pongola, is one of our favourite wild destinations. This lesser known conservation area has an amazing diversity of fauna and flora, dramatic scenery, great accommodation facilities, lovely picnic sites and a most hospitable staff compliment. Our latest visit in March 2016 came just six months after our previous visit in September 2015, and by now we’ve probably told you all we know about Ithala in earlier posts.

In this post we’ll only be sharing a few photos from our latest visit and let the pictures do most of the talking.

The stately giraffe is Ithala’s emblem…

Icon of Ithala

… and they share the reserve with a multitude of other wildlife

Plains zebra

Vervet monkey

White with black stripes, I suppose?

Rock hyrax, or dassie

Waterbuck

Male collared sunbird

Cisticola

Jumping impala

Impala lamb

Young kudu

Older kudu

Grey duiker

Waterbuck

Rock hyrax, or dassie

African Firefinch (female)

Not all of them are always peaceful…

Zebra altercation

…And some are downright scary!

Enormous earthworm

Rain Spider, the size of a cake plate!

Corn Cricket

While out walking on one of the trails…

View over Ntshondwe from one of the trails

Nature reigns even inside Ntshondwe

Sandstone cliffs along the Bushbuck Trail

Along one of Ntshondwe’s trails

This small cave, on the bushbuck trail, is often used by porcupines

No one home today though…

Sandstone cliffs along the Bushbuck Trail

…be sure to keep a look out for the smaller fry…

Variable skink

CMR Blister Beetle and honeysuckle

Watch where you’re driving!

Barberton Girdled Lizard

Butterflies abound in Ntshondwe’s gardens. This is a Green-banded Swallowtail

Honeybee and honeysuckle

… if you don’t find the grand scenery too distracting!

Ithala scenery

The comfortable accommodation almost goes to waste as you spend so much time enjoying the wonders of Ithala outdoors!

Ntshondwe Chalet 34, Ithala Game Reserve, March 2016

Ntshondwe Chalet 15, Ithala Game Reserve, March 2016

Pretoria to Ithala
(drawn with Google Maps)

Sojourn to Golden Gate

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A quick working visit to beautiful Golden Gate Highlands National Park last month provided a few leisurely hours to enjoy the reserve’s exceptional scenery. Heavy skies and regular downpours provided some much needed relief from the drought that has even this mountain paradise in its grip.

Arriving from Clarens’ side

Pied starling

What would a visit to Golden Gate be without the hiking trails!?

Heavy clouds add to the dramatic scenery

Golden Gate Hotel & Chalets, February 2016

Speckled pigeons

Downpour coming along the valley

What would a visit to Golden Gate be without the hiking trails!?

Mountain cascade following the heavy showers

Blesbuck

View from Highlands Retreat

Black-backed jackal

Drakensberg view

Looking from the foot of Brandwag towards Clarens

Golden Gate Hotel & Chalets

Looking from the foot of Brandwag towards Clarens

At the foot of the Brandwag buttress

Eland cresting a nearby hill

Red-eyed bulbul

Mountain stream in full flow following the previous day’s good rains

Immature Cape Robin-Chat

A ray of sunshine illuminating the cliffs

Speckled pigeon

Crested Barbet

Rock Martins

Weekend in Pilanesberg

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By mid-February, the Wild de Wets were suffering from extreme bush withdrawal symptoms. So, with our “monochrome memories” from a visit to Pilanesberg National Park in December lined up for publishing at the same time, we headed back to Pilanesberg for a quick weekend bush-fix, camping at Bakgatla Resort for the Saturday night before Valentine’s Day.

It was noticeable that the Park received some much needed rain since our previous visit, evidenced by flowing streams, fuller dams and greener vegetation. We hope that more falls before the end of the summer rainy season, and that it will be enough to sustain the fauna and flora through the dry winter.

Camping at Bakgatla, Pilanesberg National Park, February 2016

Giraffe reaching for tasty leaves

Young giraffe

Blue wildebeest bull

Kudu close-up

Skittish mountain reedbuck

White rhino

Red hartebeest

Plains zebra

Elephant on a rocky outcrop

White rhino

Waterbuck cow

Elephant bull at Batlhako

Pilanesberg scenery

Elephant herd on the move near Bakubung

Early morning at Lake Mankwe

Klipspringer peeking

Western Osprey

Early morning impalas

Grey Go-away-bird

Plains Zebra

Plains Zebra foals

Herbivores often congregate in mixed herds

Blue wildebeests on the run

Tsessebe in the Pilanesberg

It was Valentine’s Day, after all…

Shocked onlookers!

Mankwe stream in Pilanesberg National Park

Kudu bull

Kudu cow

A month of monochrome memories: On the Rocks

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A pair of confiding Klipspringers seen along Mankwe Drive, in the Pilanesberg National Park. Pilanesberg 29122015 (17)

Our end-of-year 2015 holidays were absolutely packed to the brim. Apart from our ten-day visit to the Kruger National Park (read more about our time at Lower Sabie, Olifants and Shingwedzi in December), we also made day trips to five other reserves, and shared photos from those (except Suikerbosrand, which we introduced in a post all of its own) daily through the month of February, in a series we called “a month of monochrome memories”.

A month of monochrome memories: Towering Giant

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Warthog, Waterbuck and Giraffe meeting at the Malatse Dam in the Pilanesberg National Park Pilanesberg 29122015 (14)

Our end-of-year 2015 holidays were absolutely packed to the brim. Apart from our ten-day visit to the Kruger National Park (read more about our time at Lower Sabie, Olifants and Shingwedzi in December), we also made day trips to five other reserves, and will be sharing photos from those (except Suikerbosrand, which we introduced in a post all of its own) daily through the month of February, in a series we call “a month of monochrome memories”.

A month of monochrome memories: Pied Pair

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A pair of Pied Kingfishers hunting from a shared perch at the Mankwe Hide in the Pilanesberg National Park Pilanesberg 29122015 (13)

Our end-of-year 2015 holidays were absolutely packed to the brim. Apart from our ten-day visit to the Kruger National Park (read more about our time at Lower Sabie, Olifants and Shingwedzi in December), we also made day trips to five other reserves, and will be sharing photos from those (except Suikerbosrand, which we introduced in a post all of its own) daily through the month of February, in a series we call “a month of monochrome memories”.

A month of monochrome memories: Mud, Glorious Mud!

25 Replies

A warthog finding respite from the heat in a pool of mud at the Mankwe Hide in Pilanesberg National Park.
Pilanesberg 29122015 (12)

Our end-of-year 2015 holidays were absolutely packed to the brim. Apart from our ten-day visit to the Kruger National Park (read more about our time at Lower Sabie, Olifants and Shingwedzi in December), we also made day trips to five other reserves, and will be sharing photos from those (except Suikerbosrand, which we introduced in a post all of its own) daily through the month of February, in a series we call “a month of monochrome memories”.

A month of monochrome memories: Bull In Hiding

8 Replies

A kudu bull seeking shelter from the harsh midday heat in Pilanesberg National Park Pilanesberg 29122015 (11)

Our end-of-year 2015 holidays were absolutely packed to the brim. Apart from our ten-day visit to the Kruger National Park (read more about our time at Lower Sabie, Olifants and Shingwedzi in December), we also made day trips to five other reserves, and will be sharing photos from those (except Suikerbosrand, which we introduced in a post all of its own) daily through the month of February, in a series we call “a month of monochrome memories”.

A month of monochrome memories: Mother’s Love

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A blue wildebeest calf looking for reassurance at the side of his mother, in the Pilanesberg National Park.

Pilanesberg 29122015 (10)

Our end-of-year 2015 holidays were absolutely packed to the brim. Apart from our ten-day visit to the Kruger National Park (read more about our time at Lower Sabie, Olifants and Shingwedzi in December), we also made day trips to five other reserves, and will be sharing photos from those (except Suikerbosrand, which we introduced in a post all of its own) daily through the month of February, in a series we call “a month of monochrome memories”.

A month of monochrome memories: At The Water’s Edge

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In contrast to most of the other bodies of water in the Park, the large Lake Mankwe in the centre of the Pilanesberg still held a considerable volume of water, and was a predictable magnet for wildlife, such as this male impala.

Pilanesberg 29122015 (8)

Our end-of-year 2015 holidays were absolutely packed to the brim. Apart from our ten-day visit to the Kruger National Park (read more about our time at Lower Sabie, Olifants and Shingwedzi in December), we also made day trips to five other reserves, and will be sharing photos from those (except Suikerbosrand, which we introduced in a post all of its own) daily through the month of February, in a series we call “a month of monochrome memories”.