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Winter, or not, at Royal Natal

Early August is still considered winter in South Africa. In preparing for our latest trip to Royal Natal National Park, in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park and World Heritage Site, we had therefore anticipated snow, at least on the high peaks, and severely cold temperatures. Watching the weather forecasts in the days before our visit was a confusing affair. One private weather site was predicting extreme cold and gloomy weather, while the national weather service predicted glorious sunshine with temperatures in the mid 20’s. Not knowing what to expect, we packed for any eventuality.

The Women’s Day long weekend was only three days long, and so we decided to get an early start out of Pretoria. Through the Free State, the outside temperature remained around freezing. Imagine therefore our excitement seeing the temperature reading on the dashboard rise as we descended the Drakensberg Range into Kwazulu-Natal Province, with not a flake of snow to be seen anywhere! By the time we arrived at Rugged Glen, just to the east of the Royal Natal National Park‘s entrance, it was warm enough to start taking off some layers of clothing and soak in the sunshine. The South African Weather Service got it right this time!

Despite it being a long weekend, the campsite at Rugged Glen was devoid of people; perhaps the predictions of poor weather dissuaded many campers from venturing to “The ‘Berg” for a break. Whatever the case may have been, we didn’t complain about having only Rugged Glen’s diverse birdlife and a few nervous reedbuck to share our first mountain picnic with.

Turnoff to Rugged Glen

Rugged Glen scenery

Bald Ibis and Cattle Egret

Red-knobbed cot

Little Grebe

Cape Batis (female)

Olive thrush

From Rugged Glen, which is also the base for the popular guided bridle trails that traverse these scenic hills, we headed to the Park’s gate, supported the crafters selling their wares and then drove the short distance to the Mahai Visitor Centre. Time for another picnic at one of the tables along the Mahai stream before making our way along, and a little beyond, the pretty and easy Cascades boardwalk, passing several dainty bushbuck ewes along the way while a herd of eland grazed high above us on the slope of Dooley Mountain (named after an Irish logger given a concession to cut wood here in the late 1800’s).

Grey Duiker

Welcome to Royal Natal

Royal Natal entrance

Bushbuck ewe

Red-throated Wryneck

Groundscraper Thrush

Eland on the slope of Dooley Mountain

The murmering waters of the Mahai

The Cascades

The de Wet family looming over the Mahai stream

Bushbuck

Tiny beauty

Bushbuck irritation

With our hiking boots now introduced to Royal Natal’s network of walking trails it was time to head to Thendele Camp and our accommodation for the two nights we’d be spending at the foot of the magnificent Amphitheatre formation, a basalt cliff-face almost 1000m high and 5000m wide. To the left of the Ampitheatre is the Eastern Buttress, 3011m above sea level, and to the right Sentinel peak soars to 3165m ASL. These majestic natural features absolutely dominates the scenery at Royal Natal, which together with Rugged Glen covers over 8000 hectares, and was the main reason for the Park’s proclamation in 1916. The “Royal” moniker was added to the reserve’s name after a visit by the British Royal family in 1947. The vegetation in the Park, more than 900 species strong, is mostly open grassland dotted with a few hardier trees and shrubs, with heathland on the summit and mountain forests in the sheltered valleys.

We found Thendele alive with bird song, and just below the huts a small group of mountain reedbuck were right at home. Despite the camp’s 29 units (offering between 2 and 6 beds each) being fully booked, it was a haven of peace and tranquility – just the way we like it. At 1580m above sea level, Thendele lies a lot lower than the peaks that tower above it.

Baboon scratching for grass roots

Welcome to Thendele

The Amphitheatre from Thendele

Thendele

Policeman’s Helmet formation dwarfed by the Amphitheatre

Thendele Lower Camp

Hiking from Thendele

Helmeted Guineafowl

Hiking from Thendele

Chorister Robin-Chat

Cape Robin-Chat

Mountain Reedbcuk

Southern Boubou

Evening temperatures were admittedly a lot cooler, and our chalet’s lounge with its cosy fireplace was just the place to enjoy dark chocolate and a cup of coffee at the end of a wonderful day spent outdoors.

The early morning sun on Sunday bathed Thendele and the Amphitheatre in a glorious gold, inviting Joubert and I to walk around camp while Marilize prepared a hearty breakfast.

Early morning in Thendele

Early morning from Thendele

Thendele Chalet 23

Highveld Cabbage Tree

Huge tree clinging to a rock face

Curious Helmeted Guineafowl

Our first destination this morning was the trout dam at Mahai, where the windstill conditions made for splendid reflections on the water’s surface and we found out just how easy it is to loose complete track of time while marveling at the spectacular scenery around us.

Reflections at Mahai

Reflections at Mahai, Royal Natal National Park

Little Grebe

Olive Woodpecker

Reflections at Mahai

Royal Natal’s biggest attraction is the selection of well demarcated hiking trails traversing the area and excellent pocket guides and maps are available at the shops at Thendele and the Visitor Centre. One of the easier trails is Otto’s Walk, which starts at the Visitor Centre’s parking area and named after one of the reserve’s early Superintendents, Otto Zunckel. It follows the course of the Mahai stream through dense mountain forest for most of the way before returning along the main access road, a total distance of 3km. The pair of rare Mountain Wagtail we encountered at a pleasant spot next to the stream was a real highlight. Another particularly interesting walk is to the San Rock Art site in the Sigubudu Valley, accessible at a small fee and accompanied by a local guide.

Getting closer with the locals

Bushbuck

Jennifer Sutton Memorial Wall

Otto’s Walk route marker

Alert bushbuck ewes

Otto’s Walk passes through mature mountain forest

Mountain Wagtail

Mountain reedbuck on the run

Wildlife have right of way!

Smiling dassie

Cape Grey Mongoose

Along the main access road from the gate to the Visitor Centre there’s a viewpoint offering an absolutely unobscured view of the Amphitheatre and the wider Drakensberg range. With winter being the dry season, the Thukela River was barely flowing, with only a trickle evident among the rocks and pebbles in the river bed. There was also no sign of the Thukela Falls, which with a combined drop of almost 950m is the 2nd highest waterfall on the planet. One of the Park’s most popular trails follows the impressive gorge cut by the Thukela through the Drakensberg’s sandstone.

We spent the afternoon relaxing around Thendele, enjoying an ice cream on the lawns outside the reception office and exploring the short forest walk behind the camp.

Common Tree Ferns

Male Greater Double-Collared Sunbird

On our final morning, before heading back to Pretoria, we awoke to a Thendele cloaked in thick mist. And cold. Neither the Amphitheatre above nor the Thukela Valley below was to be seen. The wintry weather we had been dreading seemed to have set in just as we were about to depart. After spending two lovely days walking and picnicking in these beautiful mountains, we were immensely grateful for the blessing of good weather! And as we drove out the park that morning, we were already going through our diaries to see where we’d be fitting in our next visit to this magnificent mountain landscape.

Misty Thendele

Sun trying to break through

Goodbye, till next time, Royal Natal!

The previous time we visited Royal Natal (April 2012), we traveled to the Park via the Oliviershoek Pass and found it such a pothole-ridden affair that we took a 100km detour to return via Van Rheenens Pass instead. This time we decided to give Oliviershoek (the R74) another try for the last 70km from Harrismith to the Park. The road is being rebuilt and by the time it is finished this should again be one of the country’s most enjoyable drives. For the moment, there’s a 6km stretch of one way traffic on which Stop / Go controls are operating, and a further 15km portion on a wide, smooth gravel detour, perfectly safe to travel in a sedan as long as you don’t try to drive too fast.

Pretoria to Royal Natal (drawn with Google Maps)

The Royal Natal National Park, Thendele Resort and Mahai and Rugged Glen Campsites are managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

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!

Big elephant bull just outside Satara

The crocodiles at Nsemani Dam seems to have acquired a new fashion of mud on their backs 😉

Southern White-crowned Shrike

Ground hornbill

Little Bee-eater

Orpen Gate, and Sweni Wilderness Trail, to Pretoria via Lydenburg (map drawn with Google Maps)

The Sweni Wilderness Trail is one of seven operated by SANParks in the Kruger National Park.

The story of our three magical days on the Sweni trail is a perfect fit for the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge “Today was a Good Day“

Back in the mountains!

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We’re spending the Women’s Day long weekend at Thendele, in the Royal Natal National Park. We couldn’t have asked for a more glorious winter’s day. We’ve been hiking and having picnics all day, and now we’re kicking back in one of the most beautifully situated camps in the country.

Thendele 08-08-2015

Beneath your feet…

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is your shadow!

The de Wet family looming over the Mahai stream, in the Royal Natal National Park.

Beneath your feet

“Beneath your feet” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge

The rugged beauty of Mission Rocks

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Today a very popular picnic and fishing spot north of St. Lucia Town in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Mission Rocks is named for a Catholic mission station established in the area in 1888. The path leading from the parking area to the beach opens onto a scene of rugged, rocky beauty, revealing rock pools teeming with life at low tide and impressing with the thundering of crashing waves at high tide. There’s a sandy, open beach 500m northwards of the rocks, with a sea-cave where thousands of bats roost.

Mission Rocks

Mission Rocks picnic spot

Mission Rocks

de Wet family shadows at Mission Rocks

Mission Rocks

Keep an eye open for the vervet monkeys while having a picnic at Mission Rocks

Natal Rock Crab at Mission Rocks

Mission Rocks

Fiscal flycatcher

On the way to Mission Rocks, the uMziki viewpoints and picnic site, set right in the coastal forest, is a worthwhile stop. From atop the dune there’s views over Lake Saint Lucia to the west and the Indian Ocean to the east, and down below in the forested picnic site there’s an astounding variety of birds that would normally be very shy but here seems quite habituated to having humans around. There’s also usually a couple of red duiker to be seen.

uMziki viewpoint over Lake Saint Lucia

uMziki viewpoint over Indian Ocean

uMziki viewpoint

Golden-tailed woodpecker

White-eared barbet

Livingstone’s turaco

Red-capped robin-chat

Red duiker

Kgaswane Mountain Reserve

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It is hard to imagine a more peaceful mountain retreat than Kgaswane, especially so close to the maddening cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Kgaswane sunrise, taken by Joubert!

Located in the western Magaliesberg mountain range, the Kgaswane Mountain Reserve forms an integral part of the Magaliesberg Protected Environment, an inspiring collaboration between private and state land owners and agencies to protect this beautiful ecosystem from exploitation. Proclaimed in 1967 as the Rustenburg Nature Reserve, incorporating the farm Rietvallei that once belonged to Paul Kruger (legendary president of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek), Kgaswane today covers an area of 5,300 hectares and is managed by the North West Parks and Tourism Board.

The reserve is a popular hiking destination, with two overnight hikes; the Summit Route of 25km and the Baviaanskrans Route of 20km, each trail with two overnight hutted camps accommodating twelve hikers at a time. For day visitors, the 5km Peglerae Trail and 2km Vlei Ramble (which incorporates a bird-viewing hut overlooking the marshlands below the main visitor centre) is an excellent introduction to Kgaswane’s varied topography and habitats, with wonderfully shaded picnic sites available at the visitor centre. While the road network may be limited, it is tarred and in good condition, allowing for easy game and bird-viewing from vehicles and mountain bikes. There’s three spectacular viewing points along the way into the mountains from the entrance gate. Joubert and I spent a night on one of the twenty-two spacious camping sites and found the ablution facilities well maintained and entirely adequate (just remember to bring your own bath and sink plugs). There are no powerpoints at the camping sites but each site has a braai (barbeque) stand and picnic table and there’s a communal freezer available in the scullery. Best of all, there’s little to no cellphone reception in the camping area so no telemarketers can interfere with your rest and relaxation! Accommodation is also available in a self-catering cottage and two rondavels that sleep a combined 14 people and a group camp that can house up to 50 people in dormitory-style.

Kgaswane entrance

The scenic route

Camping at Kgaswane, May 2015

The viewing hut on the Vlei Ramble

The scenic route through Kgaswane Mountain Reserve

The Magaliesberg dominates the scenery at Kgaswane with rocky ridges, stacked boulders and deep ravines. The vlei (marsh) on the plateau is the largest in the Magaliesberg, and an important catchment area.

The Magaliesberg Range

A view over the central plateau and vlei

Open woodland

A view over the central plateau and vlei

Kgaswane scenery

A view over the central plateau and vlei

Stack of boulders

A view over the central plateau and vlei

The reserve hosts good, though skittish, populations of a variety of game animals; we encountered black-backed jackal, baboon, warthog, eland, red hartebeest, plains zebra, oribi, reedbuck, blesbok, impala, kudu and waterbuck. The reserve’s birdlife is even more diverse, with 320 species recorded, including a breeding colony of endangered Cape vultures. Kgaswane’s most prized residents are the herds of the magnificent and rare sable antelope. It was here in the Magaliesberg that these regal animals first came to the attention of the scientific community, thanks to explorer Major Sir William Cornwallis Harris, in the 1830’s. But unlike Harris, we were not lucky enough to find the sable on our first visit to Kgaswane. And that’s just one of the excuses we’ll use to visit again, soon…

Waterbuck calf

Blesbok

Black-winged Kite

Impala ram

Red hartbeest

Painted Lady

Plains zebra

Impala female

Warthog

Well camouflaged yellow-fronted tinkerbird

Kudu bull

Kudu herd

Kgaswane Mountain Reserve lies on the outskirts of the city of Rustenburg, in the North West Province, an easy 3km from the R24 offramp on the N4 highway and 134km from our home in Pretoria.

Pretoria to Kgaswane <br /> (map drawn with Google Maps)

Pretoria to Kgaswane
(map drawn with Google Maps)

Easter Sunsets at Loskop

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Just below the tennis courts at the Forever Resort at Loskop Dam, on a piece of land jutting into the watery expanse, there’s a big old thorn tree standing next to the water. The tree’s extended root system, exposed by the action of countless waves, is the perfect perch from which to enjoy the most spectacular sunsets over the dam and the hills that surround it. Though cloud cover on the distant horizon obscured the setting sun on Good Friday, we got enough of a taste to be sure that this was the spot we’d want to spend every evening this Easter…

Good Friday Sunset

Saturday evening had an altogether different feel to it though. Very welcome rain had been falling almost the entire day, and dark, broody storm clouds and a constant drizzle were our companions that evening.

And then came Sunday’s sunset! On our tree-root front-row seats we were bathed in the glorious golden glow of a perfect bushveld sunset.

Easter Sunday Sunset over Loskop Dam

Easter Sunday Sunset over Loskop Dam Nature Reserve

Easter Sunday Sunset over Loskop Dam

As a Christian family celebrating the cornerstone of our faith, we felt profoundly blessed for being together in that spot at that point in time. Life doesn’t get any better than this.

Beneath the Mushroom Rocks

22 Replies

If the trail to the top of the Brandwag Buttress is the most popular of Golden Gate Highlands National Park’s walks, and the Echo Ravine trail the most spectacular of the short walks radiating from Glen Reenen, then the Mushroom Rocks trail is the easiest and least demanding. And that’s a good thing, because you can concentrate on finding the little jewels hiding among Golden Gate’s flowing green grasslands and gawk at the amazing scenery without using it as an excuse to catch your breath 😉 . The only challenging section of the trail is the crossing over the Little Caledon River, especially in summer when the Park experiences most of its rainfall and even more so when lugging a couple of cameras, binoculars and water bottles along…

Which way to go?

Looking back at Glen Reenen

Looking up at the Mushroom Rocks

Dwarfed by the massive cliffs

Heading straight into a wall of rock?

Looking up

Water dripping from above

Dwarfed by the massive cliffs

Looking back at Glen Reenen

Moss growing where water drips from above

The trail

Looking up at the Mushroom Rocks

Drakensberg Crag Lizard

The Mushroom Rocks towering over Glen Reenen

The Little Caledon far below

Heading into the mountains

Scenery along the Mushroom Rock trail

Crossing the Little Caledon requires a steady foot

The Mushroom Rocks towering over Glen Reenen

Glen Reenen camping grounds in the foreground

The valley Glen Reenen is located in

Up and into the Echo Ravine

35 Replies

What better way could there be to ring in the first day of a new year than exploring new places? Especially after ending 2014 on a literal high atop the Brandwag Buttress? That’s why Marilize and I decided to undertake the Echo Ravine trail at Golden Gate Highlands National Park that day (Joubert was out exploring other pastures in Golden Gate with his grandpa), a walk we’ve not done before. We were not disappointed that we did, the scenery on the way to, and inside, the ravine is simply awe-inspiring and in our view this is one of the best short (taking an hour or two to complete) walks in the Park. It’s not an easy walk, requiring you to clamber over boulders at several stages, especially as you near the head of the ravine, but the rewards are entirely worth the effort.

Into a copse of Ouhout Trees at the start of the trail

Which way to go?

Scenery on the way

Upwards and onwards

Romance in the ravine – Heady Maiden moths

The vegetation gets denser as the ravine’s walls come closer

Small mountain stream flowing through the ravine

The walls are closing in

Clinging to life

The walls are closing in

Small mountain stream flowing through the ravine

At the head of the ravine

Looking back out of the gorge

Don’t lose the way

Small mountain stream flowing through the ravine

Clinging to life

Water falling from the overhanging rocks above

Depth

58 Replies

The Bourke’s Luck Potholes, at the confluence of the Treur and Blyde Rivers, form the head of the Blyde River Canyon, the third biggest canyon on earth.