Amazing Midweek Bakubung

Pilanesberg Game Reserve is less than 2 hours drive from Joburg and right next door to Sun City, so it's usually very busy on weekends. We joined all the retirees (that's us) and Neil's mum for a midweek break at Bakubung and were rewarded with an amazing 4 days of awesome game. Neil is good at 'reading' the game and most other visitors stuck to the tar roads, so we had plenty of the park to ourselves.
Male lions on the hunt, a pride on a kill, a mother and baby caracal and a unusually bold cerval all in one trip.
We left with renewed enthusiam for Pilanesberg, just avoid weekends.

Hiking the Bushmans Trail in Kruger National Park

As if we haven't had enough Game Park experiences already this year, we were hardly back in Joburg when we left for a hiking safari in the Kruger Park. We met up with Stephen and Vivienne, Gillian and Mark and Denise in the car park at Berg en Dal Camp. After stocking the trailer with all our wine, we were whisked off to our bushcamp in the wilderness by our trusty guides.The hutted camp is fairly basic but in this busy world it's a rare priviledge to be so isolated from the rest of humanity for 3 days and 3 nights. Each morning after coffee and rusks we did a 5 hour walk in the bush. After a hearty brunch, washed down with white wine, a nap was required. The afternoon walk or drive was shorter, with a stop for sundowners. It is great to spend quality time with friends and it's amazing that distance is no barrier to those who travel. In 2013 we were on Route 66 with Stephen and Vivienne; meeting in Chicago and parting in Albequeque. In March we met up in Singapore and parted in Phuket only to meet up two months later in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Where will it be next? 

Mapungupwe

Mapungupwe is a relatively newly proclaimed National Park and World Heritage Site in South AfrIca. It's between Alldays and Messina, on the Limpopo River, where Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa meet.
It protects the ruins of the ancient, early iron age settlement of the Thulamele people. It is also a Big 5 game reserve. It is the last stop on our "Botswana" safari. As we are leaving, we spot the first buffalo of our entire trip, notching up the big 5 yet again.

Botswana Safari 4 :Kubu Island and Khama Rhino Sanctuary

Leaving Orapa, finding the correct track to Kubu Island is a challenge as the pan stretches out as far as the eye can see in all directions. It's fun speeding across the pan though, imagining you could break a land speed record. Suddenly in the distance the island of boulders and baobabs apperappears, looming ever larger as we approach. Last time we camped at Kubu Island we had it to ourselves,but it has become a popular stop over and there are about 10 camping groups. We watch the sunset from the rocks and ponder our navels with the help of wine in this awesome, other-worldly landscape.
Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a beautiful little reserve near Serowe, guarding all of Botswana's rhino. We spend 2 nights this time and apart from lots of Rhino, we see a georgous mother leopard and cub. 

Botswana Safari 3 - Central Kalahari

We left Tommy, Mandy, Gert and Sharon at South Gate, spent another night in Maun at Okavango River Lodge and then headed to Central Kalahari. We met Andrew and Hanli under the tree at the turn off. It's at least four hours from Rakops to the Leopard Pan Campsite. The roads were very rutted and slow going. There had been a lot of late rain about three weeks earlier and Deception Pan was covered in grass. We spent four nights all alone under the light of a full moon. The next nearest campsite is at least 5 kilometres away but we did bump into a vehicle or two on our game drives during the day.

Bat Eared Fox

Gemsbok

Cubs on the move

Caracal

Botswana Safari 2 - Moremi

After crossing the border ( Us, Andrew E, Danie and John ), it's a full days drive to Maun to overnight at Okavango River Lodge ( joined by Gert and Sharon )and then head into Moremi Game Reserve and up to Xakanaxa Camp ( to meet Tommy and Mandy who drove down from Savuti ). We stayed five nights so it was nice to set up camp properly and settle in. We were visited daily by elephants in search of the fruit of the Marula trees under which we camped. The Okavango is one of the most unique and beautiful places on earth.We went out daily on game drives but many of the more remote roads were under water due to late rains. Game spotting was a bit sparce but the birdlife was wonderful. We did an amazing boat ride on the delta one afternoon too.

Botswana Safari 1- The logistics

A lot of forward planning, co-ordination and organization goes into one of our Mega Safaris. Tommy and Neil are the "Big Picture" planners and start working on things more than a year in advance. Getting the group on board and making crucial bookings is the next step. Gail's forte. Everyone's itinerary is a little different..
Matamba Bush Camp - Vaalwater - 1 night
Stockpoort Border Crossing
Okavango River Lodge  - Maun - 1 night
Xakanaka Camp, Moremi Game Reserve - Okavango - 5 nights
Okavango River Lodge - Maun - 1 night
Leopard Pan Camp, Central Kalahari Game reserve - 4 nights
Kubu Island - Magadigadi Pans - 1 night
Khama Rhino Sanctuary - 2 nights
Martin's Drift Border Crossing
Mapungupwe Game reserve -Alldays - 2 nights

 Emails do the rounds and plenty of discussion regarding essential equipment and camping gear takes place. Trailer or no trailer? Caravan or roof top tent? How many jerry cans of extra diesel? Recovery equipment? What sort of bucket makes the best loo? This is the camp in Central Kalahari. Can you spot the bucket?

Fridge or Freezer? Solar panels? Then meal and cooking allocations.
The Pro

The quick learner

Checklist checking.Shopping and ammo box packing.
(Andrew had no time to sort out his stuff before the trip, so he spent all his spare time on the roof opening ammo boxes and discovering things like mayo with a 2007 expiry date! Note the expandable ladder that made it onto every guy's " buy as soon as I get home" list!)

Are we ready for border crossings? Camping without facilities( even bringing in all your water ) for four nights in Central Kalahari? With three course dinners and ice and fresh lemons for the G and Ts at all times!

Actually, this team is totally pro at all this! Newbies are very welcome but the learning curve is steep!(Danie and John resting after erecting the Oz tent for the first time.)

Easter and other stories

We arrived back in SA on the Easter Weekend and went straight to the farm for a party weekend. After a few days in Joburg we headed off to Port Alfred for Morag and Colin's wedding. What a beautiful celebration. Thanks to Johan and Charlaine for hosting us at the Cowie River Resort and of course to Terry, Andrew, Atholl, Ann and others for making it such a great weekend. We decided to spend a little more time in the Eastern Cape and explore the Transkei for a few days. We loved Dwesa and Nkumbati; what awesome coastline and we had the places virtually to ourselves. Port St. Johns was disappointing; dirty and run down but we chose by luck the nicest of the guest houses in town and enjoyed an interesting evening with locals in the bar at Steve's Restaurant. We then spent a wonderful weekend at the Morgan Bay Hotel with Hanli and Andrew and friends. Such a relaxed old style hotel, just like we remember family holidays from the 70's.