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.