David and Karen Journey – DNKJOURNEY

At the far eastern point and a last visit with the South African National Park Rest camps. I cannot give enough praise for the ease of registration, high quality and value for dollar their rest camps provide. During one drive, we came across several elephants enjoying a watering hole, the elephants had a well protected newborn elephant that stood no taller then it’s mom knees. So cute! We estimated the elephant as one week old, and larger elephants included several juveniles. We watched those big guys use their trunks as a nose, a siphoning device, a spray mud or dust to keep the flies away, wrap it around their tusks, or to place it lovingly on the head of a smaller member of their herd. We learn something new every day, and lucky to be so inspired by what you see it keeps you asking questions.

Goodbye to Zambia, and hello Garden Route….. The Garden route is described as a region of pristine beaches, mountains, forests, lakes and rivers all along the southern route of South Africa, between Cape Town and Addo Elephant Park, 6 hours east, our first stop was Plettenberg Bay. The drive took us along the South Africa’s Indian Ocean — the warm water ocean. The scenery was constantly varied, and a great road trip segment of our visit to South Africa.

The distance from Cape Town to furthest east stop (Addo Elephant National Park) was 500 miles. The return trip took us thru the town of Kynsna where we went canoeing (kayaking) In their lagoon. One hour east of Cape Town we spent two nights in the wine country town of Stellenbosch. We visited 7 wineries and sampled both white and red wines. We found a few that we liked and bought a few bottles to enjoy while in Cape Town.

We did not see any Cheetahs during our game drives, so we decided for a close encounter.

What a great experience and photo opt this was. Like the canoeing on the Zambeze, we were briefed on the do’s and don’ts. There were 3 Cheetahs and 2 other crazy tourists like us and 4 guides to help if the Cheetahs get hungry or get out of control. Keep in mind we did this before the Cheetahs had their breakfast.

Victoria Falls are 1.7km long with only 500 meters of them can be seen on the Zambia side and the larger falls on the Zimbabwe side. We visited both sides, however, this time of year the falls are flowing at their greatest and put off much mist and self produced rain. Having very expensive cameras we stayed away fro the wettest part of the falls. Karen, however, with our water proof camera and bathing suit, took on the falls.

When we returned from the falls on the Zimbabwe side we had to walk across a bridge only to find beautiful rainbows from the falls mist.

In Zimbabwe, we enjoyed lunch at the old and famous Victoria Falls Hotel.

We had a great dinner and probably the best steak we ever had in Hazyview. as an appetizer to dinner we got stopped by the police for going one meter past the line at a stop sign. In fact we did stop before the line and then moved forward to see the oncoming traffic. All the issues with driving on the left hand side of the road, which way to look first. Well the policeman first told us of the offense and then asked for 750R which equates to about $90. We refused, he said how much can you pay, I offered him 200R. He walked around to the passenger side of the car and then asked Karen. She said that we are leaving for Zambia in the morning and that’s all the R we had. Not allowing him to see the large amount of Rs I had in my wallet, I handed him the 200R, he put it into his pocket and off we went for this great dinner that cost about as much as the policeman’s new found cash. Lesson learned: ask for a written summons; write his name down; ask to be taken to the police station to sort things out.

The Panorama route has great scenery and waterfalls.

Bourke’s Luck Potholes are without doubt a major icon, but when thrown in together with the likes of the Three Rondawels, God’s Window, the Blyde River Canyon and numerous magnificent waterfalls, pulled over by the police, one can become immune after a while.

We are catching up with reviewing our photos and have some additional ones from our visit.  We enjoyed our stay at Toro Yaka, the hosts were great and very helpful. It has a beautiful setting on this private reserve.

Self drives are not allowed, so we went on evening game drives with our Host Steve, where we saw many of the big 5, including a recent kill of a Zebra. The game drives are much different than a drive in Kruger where you must stay on the road, our game drives here were in a Land Rover and now we know where the name came from. We ran over trees to get very close to the game, making great photo opportunities. The drives started at 4:30pm and we returned to the lodge 4 hours later. A great dinner, prepared by Nicolle, followed the drive.

This special lodge is nestled in the heart of the Balule Nature Reserve, a 38 000 hectare conservancy, which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park biosphere.

Balule is home to a large variety of plants and animals. From the smallest spider to the largest elephant, from the tiniest flower to a 1000 year old Leadwood tree, owls at night and eagles by day, every aspect of the ecosystem is explored.

The Olifants River, which flows year round through the Balule, is home to hippos and crocodiles, and the whole area is one of scenic splendor, with the northern tip of the Drakensberg mountain range being visible from many points.

We have added many photos and posts, however we have limited the each page of posts to 9 to allow for quicker loading. Please click on ‘Older Posts’ for more great photos and posts.

We have not seen a Leopard on this trip, this is one from Kenya that we had taken six years ago.

we had a difficult time picking the best. We came across a group of 8 elephants crossing the road in front of our car. We sat still until they all crossed and were far enough away so that we can move forward only to find them closer and in a watering hole. They did not care we were there as they flirted with each other and ……

There is a series of several photos where two elephants flirted, got closer with each other and ultimately twisted their trucks together. We sat this watering hole for nearly 1 hour and got some amazing shots.

We saw the giraffes necking.

We visited this hippo pool and enjoyed watching and listening to them.

Black on white or white on black?

Lions on the tar road waiting for us. Or climbing a small tree to pose for us.

Along the tar road were Chacma Baboons and Vervet Monkeys. They elder monkey or baboon groom their young. The young hang on for a ride when they get tired.

During an early morning self game drive we came across spotted hyenas on the tar road. Like the wild dogs, they came over to greet us. As they approached we quickly closed the car windows. One of them chewed on our front license plate and one took a look at us thru our back window with its front paws on our trunk. All of our game drives have been in our rented Toyota with the exception of one sunset game drive where we came across a family of Hyenas after dusk.

Wild dogs are rare, however during a early morning drive we saw these two dogs with their breakfast. As we were watching them they approached our car and took a good look at us. They were not interested and returned to their breakfast. We were watching them for 15 minutes before another car approached for their viewing.

there are several hundred different types of birds in Kruger.  Some of the ones we photographed are: European Roller which migrate from Northern Europe; Fish Eagle; Burchell’s Starling; Woodland Kingfisher; and Southern Ground Hornbill.

It was our intention to photograph Kruger animals. To push ourselves, to improve our technical skills, to pay attention to composition, to find a spectacular shot. And at the end of the day, it was all about waiting, staying quiet enough for the animals to forget that you are there, and then they carried out with their normal lives – which was spectacular . . . .

And here are our results. Of the nearly 2,000 pictures taken, our top 200. But the part I remember the most is going down some dirt road, winding along thru trees and coming upon a group of buffaloes, then elephants around the next corner to the point you were almost afraid to drive. Or the day we got up so early, there was a pride of lions laying on the road.

We will post a blog for each set of animals. Please note it was difficult to narrow the number of photos, on some blogs there are more than one page of photos. Enjoy and check back often for updates.

Next . . .Happened pretty quickly, back in our bungalow, at Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp, gate closes at 6:30), we were exploring our new digs, roundels, the South African holiday house found in all the rest camps at Kruger. Low, round and with a giant veranda it usually over looks the river on which the rest camp is situated. This was the case for Crocodile Bridge, and the entire rest camp is surrounded by an electric fence which is turned on at 6:30. Just then a large, aggressive bull elephant – in heat – came bellowing up the river bank. It seemed there was a pretty, young female elephant near our fence and the big bull was trumpeting his presence and his skill at impressing the tourists inside the wire fence. If you moved, at all, he stomped, bellowed and stuck his ears straight out. All the signs for humans to shut up and sit down, and click a few pictures. Eventually our lovely lady elephant moved off, and predictably the bull followed, still bellowing. MEN!!! Our safari had only begun.

Over the course of the next 7 nights we stayed in 3 other rest camps: sukuzu, olifants and satara. Always enjoying the roundels, the view, and the beautiful park we found our selves in.

It all began with such a flurry of activity. Land in Johannesburg, organize phone and data plans, exchange currency, rent the car, remember to drive on the left side of the road, go 5 hours east, grocery shop, gate check, room finding. Check, done, ok that worked, next. . . . .

And then it was done – well, except for animals of course, the whole reason behind the previous lists. I wonder how long it will take before we see our first wildlife, will they be far away, a distant spec? Will there be many like the herds in East Africa? With a sedan will we be limited to tar roads? What time do the gates close, can you drink the water (so much research that did not get done) is there internet? We are so exhausted, jet lagged and rattled, should we just start fresh in the morning?

Nah. Let’s get our bearings, we can sleep later. Thirty seconds out of the gate there are zebras, mixed with impala! Go another kilometer and there you see elephants, make the first left turn (we were looking for a hippo pool) and we find rhinos! The sun is shining right Into our eyes, bad light so we turn around; back on the Main Road we find a gaggle of cars, MMmmmmmm. Let’s see what they see, oh a lion walked by and climbed the tree stump directly across from us: posed and preened for the cameras.

We have been out of the room maybe 25 minutes.

We move away from the lion and found this road right next to the rest camp, the hippo pond is just west of the camp, let’s go! The massive giraffes blocked the road. Literally stood in the middle and we could go no further, no forward, not back. The cape buffalo and zebras looked on from the field and the giraffes bent their necks low to look us curiously in the eye, as if to say, my road, got it. We just giggled. No sense of jet lag and the big five: elephant, giraffe, cape buffalo, rhino and lion completed in the first 45 minutes. Check, done, ok that worked, next…..

We have many more amazing photos and additional posts. We will be adding them in the next few days.