Kruger Park: An amazing experience I would highly recommend to anyone! (due to his work schedule my friend C. was unable to accompany me). I flew from Jo’burg on a short 45 min flight to Nelspruit airport (one of the largest thatched roof buildings in the world I was told), near a town called White River. Again I found my name on a small board being held by a wonderful informative guide from Thompsons who managed to make the 2 hr drive to the park entrance go very quickly. I saw lots of sugar cane and pawpaws growing along the way.
We entered at the Southeastern corner of Kruger Park at Crocodile Bridge. Apparently there are over 15 different entrances and the acreage of Kruger Parks is massive, over 2 million hectares (over 5 million acres)which makes it larger than some countries, Israel for one. As soon as we entered the park, and crossed the bridge I started seeing animals and was delighted to see elephants and impalas, and a group of 5 giraffes just off the road about 20 feet away! Took my breath away to be that close to these tall creatures! My first night was spent in the big lodge as there was some problem with the small chalet I was to stay in at another site in the reserve. The next day I was driven the ½ hour to their Shawu camp, a setup of 5 chalets on a lake. Very nice, with a small main building where we ate, with short “boardwalks” to the chalets. The term “chalet “ is used, but my idea of a chalet was one in Switzerland with a peaked roof… these were actually a good sized one room cabins with 1 solid dung wall and 3 walls of heavy screening, with a flush toilet area, a lovely claw footed bathtub (yes, hot water!!), an outside shower (I didn’t use) and its own wooden deck overlooking a lake made by a dam. Once ensconced on the deck, I didn’t want to leave. Using my “new” binoculars, I just sat and watched (and listened to) the parade of different animals coming down to drink. It was magical!... I had to move at 1pm to have a lovely lunch served to me at a table that had a similar view of the lake. I sat there with my binoculars on the table beside me constantly picking them up to scan for new arrivals. Then it was back on the deck, to do more viewing until time to leave for the evening game ride around the reserve at 3:30. I was listening to the hippos and then all of a sudden realized I was making a noise as I’d fallen asleep in my chair! Hoped the neighbors thought it was the hippos!!
I loved sitting on the deck of my chalet in a deck chair just watching the animals thru binoculars comedown to the water to drink. First a herd of zebras, next impalas, then elephants, cape buffalo, it never seems to stop. There was always something to see and it was really neat! And at night, before I went to bed, I could hear the hippos walking in front of the deck area about 10 feet away (a 3’ electric fence in between) grazing. Every now and then they’d make a rumble / grumble noise. The chalet tenants next door (a South African couple) said that the noise at night would get very loud but for the two nights I was there it seemed to be just fine with a few hippos complaining periodically. I didn’t hear any hyenas or lions or if I did I didn’t know that’s what they were!
The game rides, are scheduled for early in the morning, leaving at 5:30 or 6am and returning around 8:30 ish… upon return there is a 2-3 course breakfast at 9am. Lunch is served around 1pm and the evening game ride starts at 3:30 and goes until about 7 when dinner is served. During the game rides there is always a stop (in an open area) with tea /coffee served off the back end of the vehicle and in the evening you get to watch the gorgeous African sun set while enjoying a glass of wine. Really roughing it!!!
Must go as time running out will give more on Kruger later!
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