The Wandering Ramble - in Kruger

A little different approach for this part of the trip -- this will be an overview of where we traveled and special features of the area -- lots of maps and scenery -- not much wildlife or birds (can't say I won't sprinkle one or two in somewhere, when appropriate). The next posts will focus on birds & wildlife exclusively, so if you don't care about birds (hope that isn't the case) or want to focus on them, this format will make it easier to do that. So less travelog, more subject specific posts. I hope you enjoy!

It started with a fairly short and quite comfortable flight to Skukuza airport -- the only down side was the stairs were required to board and deplane from plane -- which would be fine if I wasn't carrying my Suitcase & Backpack. The airport is tiny! I survived and Andrew arrived to pick me up shortly after I deplaned & before my checked bag arrived.

In the Cape Town airport when I realized I was going to have to drag my bag up the stairs

Off to Start on the Kruger Leg with Safaria.za.co

This is where we rambled:

N = Night --

1 night in Satara Rest Camp

2 nights in Letaba Rest Camp

3 nights in Shingwedzi Rest Camp (with a visit to Punda Maria)

1 night in Mopani Rest Camp

2 nights in Oliphants Rest Camp

1 night in Skukuza Rest Camp

Stayed at Satara & Skukuza on my last trip, but this trip they were basically way-station to facilitate our passage further north and the return to the airport.

We boarded the Open Safari Vehicle (OSV) and started the ramble. From the Skukuza Airport (look for the airplane on map below.

On the way to Satara

This is the OSV (Open Safari Vehicle) that is our ride for the next 11 days

On the way to Satara - Andrew is much better at taking video (without my knowledge) than me!

Wearing Andrew's hat (I didn't bring one... thought I'd be fine but the sunset time was brutal)

The first sunset in Kruger

The Brown Snake Eagle at the top of the tree...

We had to book to get to the gate before it closed -- that is a serious thing here. Either 1) you pay a fine - I'm told its a Big one or 2) they throw you in jail for the night as a suspected poacher. Luckily we never had to find out.

We got settled in our rooms and had a lovely dinner catching up.

We started out early the next morning & caught a bit on sunrise.

We headed out to the Nsemani Dam before heading to Oliphants.

Mid-morning snack - Andrew's special made Biltong -- YUM!

Andrew's favorite store-bought gift. He liked the Elephant embossed journal, but he LOVED the pen. Told me that it felt like something to do with a gun... funny the things that make people happy.

The route...

Then off to Olifants for lunch

Some scenery on the way

These guys joined us for lunch at Olifants Restaurant

And on to Letaba for 2 nights

This is from the last trip -- but it gives an idea what the rooms were like. They are called Rondavels

Outside:

My sketch of the inside...

It was a long day, but productive. We've settled into a routine -- up at dawn with coffee & hard-boiled eggs to get started. We are out on the road with a goal of getting back by 11am so we can get breakfast (after that the menu is the same for lunch & dinner). Since there are only two concessions in the parts of the park we are going to be in, that means for the next seven days we have only one menu (and limited options for Keto within that). At least if we get breakfast I've got a different menu for both meals -- after that we get an early dinner and early to sleep. I like it that way.

Our first Letaba Sunrise...

So after we had our breakfast & break, we went to the Elephant museum in Letaba -- a nice diversion and very interesting. Andrew insisted on being a photographer -- The largest portion of the museum were the Tuskers - elephants with large tusks each at least 99 lb in weight and/or 3.2 meters long.

Me with the elephant with the straightest tusks - Mafunyane - the Skulls are the authentic

Me with very cool curvy tusks - Shawu - both have been gone for years -- there are @30 tuskers currently in the park

Elephant size vs. Me (Yikes!)

Babalala seemed close enough to my name that we decided it was my new nickname -- it didn't stick...

We departed from Letaba yesterday I started using the step to get in the OSV and we left it on the bridge -- so it is no longer available as an assist. We decided that someone else needed it more than we did -- we were meant to leave it there.

This was the sunrise the next morning

We headed further north -- stopping for late breakfast at Mopani

Some scenery along the way

After lunch on to Shingwedzi

After a stop at Red Rocks

Did some tracking - mostly Lion

Again booking to the camp gate -- those sunsets are so seductive...

We spent three nights in Shingwedzi --

Sunrise the first morning

Wandering on the way to Punda Maria

Just a day trip -- we made it in time for breakfast and a quick drive around camp -- no rondavels, only a campground.

Andrew's Titanic moment... note the warm jacket, shorts and sandals -- crazy South African?

The evening drive off the back of Shingwedzi

Beautiful Sunset on the way back to dinner

Here is Shingwedzi story -- one night a guard went to sleep in the entry's guard house. The next day he was late for work -- he was NEVER late. Upon investigation they discovered blood in the the guard house and a trail away from it which they followed. They found the guard, bloody and dead in the midst of leopard tracks. Apparently, the leopard had entered the gate house through the open window and the rest is history. The next day they had this star installed - guess they couldn't get anyone to stay overnight until it was done.

Another story -- we did a cruise of the backside of Shingwedzi again. This time Andrew "saw a man about a bush" in other words -- nature called and he was out of the vehicle. A guide from the camp passed by and reprimanded him for being out of the vehicle. He said he had "special permission" which made me laugh -- but honestly when he dismounted the vehicle when we were on the road were the most anxious moments for me. If he got attacked or worse yet eaten -- what would I do -- no way I could get him in the vehicle and even if I did -- I don't think I could drive it. It was not a busy section of Kruger -- there were times we didn't seen another car for a long while.

The last afternoon near Shingwedzi we found a dead Kori Bustard -- took a while to figure out what kind of bird it was...

Another Shingwedzi sunset.

In the morning we were off to Mopani for a night... seems like we're just getting started and it's almost over.

Some vocabulary shenanigans (is that a thing?) - Andrew learns Yiddish...

The Sunset on the Mopani evening drive

View from my Mopani Camp view

That's a Gray Dyker from my porch

The Brai and Andrew's shoulder...

Mopani's Gate -- it reminded of autumn in New England.

On the road to Olifants -- we stopped at Letaba for breakfast

One of the living Tuskers - Xidudla - crossed our path on the way to Olifants!

Feeling chill and happy wandering in the park...

Sunset on the way in

and a full moon! Photo Credit - Andrew Wagner

The morning view from Olifant's accomodations

This is the common kitchen, the rondavels in Olifants don't have kitchens. We only used it for morning coffee, so not too big an inconvenience.

A beautiful last full day in a Camp

Still chill and happy!

The low bridge -- ready for the Pel's Fishing Owl stakeout and Paint out!

My new travel palette - love it - it fits over my knee -- the containers on the side for water

Finished Product!

Along with Subject...

Back for breakfast & nap -- someone suggested that I pick a word to describe today -- so here goes.

Out again to cruise & paint the sunset!

Off to Skukuza after morning coffee & eggs...

On the Road on our last full day -- Recap by Andrew!

A transit day to Skukuza and a night in one of their cottages -- 2 bed, 2 bath and a nice large shared space & patio -- too bad we spent hardly anytime there, but typically these are cheaper (don't know why) than two separate bungalows.

We went for an early drive looking for Leopards -- no luck & took another road with a Lion encounter & a tree with a Pearl-spotted Owlet (and birds always mob them), so a lovely last morning in the bush and on the Ramble. We got a last breakfast and a last life bird on the river at Skukuza. I tried to video Andrew doing his signature bird call -- Trumpeter Hornbill and was hideous inept at it -- I thought I was recording when I wasn't.... I need to work on the Videography skills

The end --

Transition to back to real life... a few last shots of South Africa from the plane (Skukuza to Cape Town)