Lewa safari camp and Kruger cheaper camps June/July 2013

[COSMIC RHINO]

well I did not think of that.

WHITE LIONS

There are just a few in the Timbavati area of Kruger, they have wandered onto the Klaserie reserve, I saw some here in 2011, but not since.

Some cubs were born at Royal Legend in 2012 and they were being kept there by some means.

Around the time I was leaving Nthambo I was told my Kevein the acting guide that Royal Legend had just cancelled its traversing arrangements, this was put down to maximising advantage of the marketing white lions.

the main group is at a place called Giraffe Farm.

a transfer driver told me that there were not many white lions as (1) they came from a rare recessive gene pool (2) their coat colour was not good camoflague when hunting.

UMKUMBE LODGE

This is a comfortable lodge in the Sabi Sands reserve with a small 680 hectare concession ,directly opposite Mala Mala ,and near Sabi Sabi and Londolozi.

there are no traversing arrangements with either Mala Mala or londolozi who are very keen to exclude those who are not their own guests.

The viewing areas are open to Greater Kruger National, the animals are free to wander where ever they want to. Their terretories and ranges are where they chose.

The lodge has a small guest capacity , its is a 3 star place and is wonderfull in its facilities for those who are not seeking a place which is elaborate and suitable to be featured on GRAND DESIGNS.

For some of the time I was sole guest, then amongst Sth Adricans who were friends of the family who owned it, then again later amongst Europeans and Americans. sometimes the actual owners family was there, they were always polite and interested in me and what I was doing in a friendly manner. Kind of like the person who is helping my family by staying in the lodge is helping them ,so you are my new friend and this was done in a way which was not intrusive at all.

 

most of the family friends were also perfectly allright and interested in me in the same way.

 

one of them was a bit questionable ---

 

on a gamedrive the young attractive female guide was discussing animal maring habits, he then commented "I would like to sleep with you " She dismissed it on grounds of weigt differences. That is something no visitors should raise and no guide shold engage in.

 

I told this to the very friendly chef at Tangala, who is also a qualified ranger who has guides in south africa and east africa. He commented that a man made that comment with a female guide at Londolozi, she put him out of the gamedrive vehicle and the camp management supported her, not wanting this sort of guest to get away with it.

 

There was a new young female guide called Loadger, who was sick of people misprouncing her Dutch name, so she suggested don't call me miss, if you can't remember this call me Charlotte. She wis recently qualified from the Bushwise group, there are a number of women on their courses now, someone else told me that the students are now majority female.

Edited August 7, 2013 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

As well as being the guide she was also the manager, supervising building and vehicle maintaince,preparation of the meals This was all done to a very hugh standard.

 

The other guide, Jason was on leave but she was in cell phone contact with him.

 

As before trhe trackers are biblical 2 men called Moses and Solomon.

 

the lodge quests are in one vehicle, there are some radio calls from day trippers with a group called elephant herd and another nearby camp called nottens

 

Who knows how these things work out, when I was there last year there were a whole lot of good leopard sitings ---- the guide regarded me as a leopard magnet.

 

this year there was a good wild dog siting with a pack playing and eating a kill, and a number of good rhino and elephant sitings. Elephants had not been seen for weeks ,so I was regarded as an elephant and rhino magnet.

 

some of the rhino and elephant sitings were lengthty and close.

 

there was the hiighly unusual case of a large terretorial male white rhino having adopted the male calf who had been farther by another terretorial bull and born to a poached mother. they are knocking around together ,teaching him how to be a proper rhino.

 

on a number of occasions I saw a male white rhino trying to get close to a female with calf , after a while I inquired if it would be possible to bring along romantic cd's say nat king cole and some grass made up into the shape of a valentine , given the situation with poaching more rhinis are needed.

 

elephant family groups, male bachelor groups and single musth males were seen in varying degrees of proxcimity. sometimes in the distance , on occasions vwery close up feeding and playing , and even a bit of excitement right in front of the vehicle.

 

Two maturing males decided to have a bit of direct push and shove right in front of the vehicle complete with the high volume sounds going of. well the track is just like any other patch of ground to them.,then they moved of and did it on the grass nearby.

[COSMIC RHINO]

There was also the sight of an aggressive musth elephant coming right up to the vehicle at dusk , the guide managed to talk him down niece boy, go away etc . This combined with the guide and tracker banging on the vehicle meant that he went awy without doing any damage.

 

there was good general plains game and a few after dark leopard sitings.

 

the visiting family told me that they had seen something of dubious value in a shop --- roobos tea packed in Australia. So rhey were selling it exported for the cape to australi, packed in australia and re exported, instead of stocking tea grown and packed in south africa.

 

the family style food was very good and plentifull, special prevision was made for my vegeterian and soy free wishes.

 

whilst most of us at safaritalk do our planning here and book in Africa ,most of the foreign visitors I came across in sth africa had booked using agents in their home countries at a higher cost.

 

I even came across an American family who used google to suggest agents for their country of interest and came up with Born Free safaris. I wonder how much they told them of their special interest in lions . I did not see them in 2012 or 2013, the guides tell me that this is normal they get dominated by leopards and hyneas.

 

It is good to hang out viewing the sand river between drives, elephants are seen there from time to time.

 

 

Edited August 8, 2013 by COSMIC RHINO

[Super LEEDS]

just before I left a woman at work asked me if she could come with me ayt no added charge, yes if you can fit into a tiny tank bag and won"t put me over 15 kg.

 

When I returned the same person asked did you bring me a baby elephant ?

Now that would be a.... ready?..... thin client

[COSMIC RHINO]

she is thin , but not that thin and could not fold up that small to fit in the tank bag.

 

I am surprised that one one has picked up on the questionable client making the pass on the guide at umkumbe

[COSMIC RHINO]

who knows how true this one is ,but the guides talk that at luxury places there are fixed length game drives and it is back to camp at the alloted time regardless of whar is being seen

 

well I can't comment as I don't go to luxury places

 

there is a wonderfull feel to umkumbe, the sole drawback is the small size of the concession

 

observing now over a period of my visits since 2011 most people cannot get their minds of everyday life and cannot escape from these concerns.

 

I am there as a pilgrim to wild narure whilst most are still thinking of home and shopping , this is a considerable mark of how advertiser have taken over our souls.

[COSMIC RHINO]

well I have been thinking about things recently.

 

I consider the lodge, the vehicle etc as means to get back to nature

 

comfort has not taken over my soul

 

the drinks breaks are opportunities to photograph the landscape and any animals around.

 

I am not fundamentally a consumer and the safari is a bit of another way to consume.

 

When I was on solo drive I had tipped out the tea on the ground in the drinks break when I had heard animal calls on the radio , even before the guide asked do you want to end the break.

 

I have taken on the fundamental truth that the human is the universe in reflective mode , the earth is primary, the huiman derivitive following the work of Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme which I came acroos first in 1990. this has enriched my life and made my travels much deeper.

 

SABI SANDS LUXURY

 

The talk is from the chef come ranger at Thornybush

 

Sabi sabi has a large area and good guides

 

Singita has a large area and good guides

 

Londolozi has a large ara, good guide but does not do much to improve itself.

 

Mala mala has a large viewing area but the guides are not very good

[COSMIC RHINO]

NTHAMBO TREE CAMP

 

My transfer came on time and took some shortcuts, taking main roads only the full driving time to Nthambo is around 4 1/2 hours. With the Seasons in Africa driver, trhe same one who I had for some of last year, and 2 other segments this year it took around 2 1/2 hours.

 

A note to those who self drive for one reason or another most of the traffic lights around Hoedspruit are out and there are no added patrols to compensate. My driver guessed that it was because the road authorities had not paid their power bills. So if you are driving take special care at intersections.

 

I got to Nthambo well in time for the afternoon game drive , the highlight of my stay here was seeing wild dogs twice ,including once when they were making a kill.

 

Nthambo is an very good comfortable tented camp with the units on very high raised wooden platforms., the food is very good and they accomodated my vegetarian meal choice.

 

Regretably it is now a wifi zone, nearly all the guests have a major problem with getting away from it all , not following news, family and friends. Before there was all this online stuff you could just tell people that you were away,here about it when I return, that is the way I will do it and if others would try perhaps they would actually get a true benefit from fully living wild moments in the African bush, rather than being occupied by ordinary day life.

 

Nearly all the other guests spoke of nothing but home and ordinary day concerns nearly all the time. They were not that concerned with where they were.

 

there was a USA visitor at trhe nearby Africa on Foot who arrived at the airport had his international flight redirected a number of times for some reason and ended up arriving without his checked in luggage, which did not subsequently arrive during his stay.

 

I let it slip to someone at my work that the price was drinks inclusive, I am well known for not drinking, so I was dared why not taste wine. I had white wine once with some fruit jouce, this is a matter of personal taste I found it awefull, so for the rest of my stay I had double shots of Amarula on ice in a whine glass each day instead.

 

Nthambo being open to the massive Kruger national park and having a relatively small traversing area has a wonderfull bush feel but can have a bit of a problem with gameviewing. Animals can wander and be hard to find , they can only be approached in the viewing area. My visit presented good general plains game, some elephants, some lions , wild dogs and some skitish rhinos.

 

in 2012 a male rhino called the Legend Umkumbe had a breeding territory, he was very relaxed , and very approachable. To some extent this had an affect on otrher rhinos who could be approached to some extent. When I returned the Legend Umkumbe had lost his territory and moved on, and all the rhinos were skitish to some extent ,sometimes they could be approach to some extent but not very closely.

[COSMIC RHINO]

at nthambo the standin guide Kevin did a remarkably good job , he is a recent bushwise graduate. despite all the talk of retiring the expreienced trackers at both camps enoch and issac are still around.

 

It has a lovely bush feel, but animals can be hard to find.

 

other visitors tend to decide on coming based on friends recommendations, trip advisor or overseas agents.

 

well how much did they say about who they wanted to see --- where are the zebras, these Kruger woodlands are not prime zebra habitat but we mentioned to find some.

 

they talked home all the time, how about getting away for it all, aren't you meant to be taking a break.

 

Well some people are fully surrendered and colinised by consumerism. they think Lion King animal names not the real thing.

 

An USA visitor showed the guide the way she truely was on the Iphone complete with makeup and using a hair blow dryer.

 

on practical matters the rooms supply body wash gel, moisturiser,and conditioning shampoo.

 

you can hang washing out around the edge of the tent using a coat hanger, but I wanted tio hurry things along so decided to put the coat hanger on the fork of tree branches. I moved it from one to another thinking it would dry sooner , when things looked dry I went to recover things with more than a bit of excitement , it was impossible to remove the hanger without encountering torns, hook thorns to be precise , I got a few scratches and even got a small piece underneath the skin of my hand , carefully srratched out with twesers and covered with anteseptic. When I was doing this my fresh shirt got stuck amongst the thorns.

 

viewing areas and radio calls are shared between nthambo, africa on foot, boobab ridge and gomo gomo . Viewing but no of track driving is allowed with some of the private landowners.

 

this is how the wild dogs were seen one day, then on the next . they run in every direction and are not easy to keep pace with. we had given up following them, settled into the breakfast snack then one of them comes through and kills an impala , everyone back in the land rover and checks things out. another dog was brought back and the small fawn was dispatched quickly.

[Kitsafari]

An USA visitor showed the guide the way she truely was on the Iphone complete with makeup and using a hair blow dryer.

 

@@COSMIC RHINO - that made me laugh. it reminded me of the group of young fashionably dressed American girls (Including knee-high boots) on one of the internal flights. One of them remarked that she hadn't done her nails in time for the trip. I tried really hard not to move my eyebrows while burying my head in a magazine.

 

BTW i'm thoroughly enjoying your every comment and description in the TR.

[COSMIC RHINO]

dressed in brown Columbia brand trousers and top , ankle higt SW style cowgirl boots an interior designer from Floridia who's daughter was keen on that kim K reality TV star no less

 

I watch visitors, the bush and wildlife

[COSMIC RHINO]

the same visitor could not believe that the tracker had not seen the LION KING and was arranging to send him a DVD copy even though he had little interest in it. She was also sending a pack of USA lollies to the guide. She had a problem remembering real names, thinking infected by Disney , telling a story of a bird seen elsewhere , trhen I asked size of a yellow billed hornbill(she had seen one and been told its name within 20 minutes ) and she responds with the Disney name .

 

RHINO POACHING

 

This is variable it has happened at Sabi Sands and Manyeleti put down to proxcimity to villages.

 

there has been no poaching at Klaserie, Timbavati and thornybush reserves, attribnuted to very good security and closeness to military bases. The boundry fence between Timbavati and the main road has large areas which are covered witgh razor wire on the front making it hard to breach .

 

TANGALA SAFARI LODGE

 

I was transferred in a Nthambo vehicle, complete with a yellow billed hornbill crashing into the windscreen then flying of as if nothing had happened.

 

The thornybush reserve is a fenced place of 15,000 hectares and is part of greater Kruger. the animals don't wander and can be easier to find.

 

elephants are limited in number and on contraception.

 

it is great for seeing rhinos, buffaloes, general plains game, including zebras.

 

Tangala is an ordinary comfortable style camp which operates from wood fires and LPG for cooking, batteries can be charged with the staff.

 

It was established in 1948.

 

It is a bit lower in altitude than the other [places in the Thornybush reserve ,so it can get colder. the cabins are simple and comfortable ,although they can get a bit dark as they are not lit inside, use a torch. there is a central lodge building for dining, bar, swimming pool and waterehole. it has a wonderfully imformal atmosphere, on occasions after having had my shower I would check the waterhole and come our wearing hiking boots and boxer shorts with my camera if there were animals there.

 

keep your cabin door closed vervet monkeys can create trouble, some people left their door open when I was there an a procupine wandered in.

 

All the other places in the Thornybush reserve are high level luxury,including the mega rich and celebrity retreat of Royal Malawane. The owner of the latter establishment has a large private house ,big enough to lool like at lodge where he entertains his friends and relatives.

 

As opposed to last year there are more Land Rovers on game drive, Landcruisers have problems with getting stuck in heavy bush.

 

The reserve is well named, learning from last year and being winter I brought light rubberised cotton gardening gloves to wear on game drive . they worked well, Tnagala staff thought that it was a good idea and the chef suggested if I lost them he would pick them up.

[COSMIC RHINO]

at thornybush there is a limit of 2 vehicles to an animal siting

 

Lion viewing can be good but they are not easy to find., leopards are more than a bit chancy to locate. In a 7 day visit I saw 1 leopard once lying down very well covered in thick grass.

 

cheetahs are hard to find and were not seedn at all.

 

as with all the other places I went to the drives were done in open Land Rovers

 

for a lot of the time I was there the company in the place was largely absent, on a number of occasions I went out alone.

 

the food is excellent and of a home style nature. the soup is always fresh, never canned. Unusual to lodges, plunger coffee is on offer. all cooking is done with wood on an open fire or in an oven connect to LPG cylinders. my vegeterian food preferences were well catrered fpr.

 

as observed elsewhere perhaps some south africans are not that easily understanding of those who do not eat meat, a number of times one of the owners commented to me in an accepting but questioning way

"you don't drink alchol, you are a vegeterian and you drink rooibos tea". the guide boasted with pride of a previous job which did not require him to frequently eat with the guests that he had a braii naerly every night with a guide friend and they were eating close to 100% meat.

 

I was there mainly for rhinos and they were seen nearly ever day. This was remembered from last year , and I did not even have to ask to be shown them.

 

 

the general plains game is also good, there are large herds of buffalo both on the drives ,and one one occasion at the waterhole.

 

the waterhole can be good for impala, wharthogs, nyala ,zebras and giraffe. if you want the animals to stay don't move around too much

 

yellow billed hornbills are around the lodge, especially one individual who the guide regrets that he was once feed on scrambled eggs.

[COSMIC RHINO]

It seemed to be a source of amusement that someone was actually trying to eat in a healthy way. I was asked why , because I wish to stay around and be in good condition.

 

Tangala is a place where you can rest and recover free of the distraction of wifi, reception is very chancy for internet and cell phones in a small section of the lounge and around the pool only and no where else.

 

the cabins are brick , painted green on the outside , with thatch roofs and tiled floors. lighting is provided both in the rooms and on the pathways by oil lamps, all 148 of them .

 

the guides are Flores and Low, trackers are robert and Frank. Sometimes one of the guides acts as the tracker.

 

the camp is unfenced , nyala wasnder through the place, on occasions joined by other animals, the entrance gates are just there to give a sense of arrival and are never closed.

 

Tangala is a great place to go to.

[COSMIC RHINO]

UNCONVENTIONAL MEDICAL TREATMENT

 

Flores one of the guides at Tangala tells of when he worked at Kapama helping out with the cheetah project.

 

An impala got his horns caught in a fence ,he released him and got joints from one of his fingers severed when doing so. There is no one to help out with medical things above the first aid certificatrs which the guides have.

 

well that is if you do not count the vet , he had managed to recover his finger joint, went to see the vet who stiched it up and applied anteseptic clearly marked for use with animals only, do not use with people , and gave him antibiotics marked the same. As it turned out his hand recovered and he moved his finger joints.

 

It was not necesary in this case to get medically evacuated for complex microsurgery.

 

He had another unusual experience somewhere, he was wearing thin souled shoes. A thorn pierced them and went into his foot, no doctors , so he got someone to pull the thorn out with plyers.

 

 

[twaffle]

They are tough.

[Uh_oh busted]

Great report. I think a trip to Lewa may be in our future. I still have not seen a Rhino or a wild dog in the wild.

 

Best part of our time in Hwange (Davisons) last year, was being out of cell or wifi range. In fact, I found it to be the highlight of our trip that I could wake in the morning without a care in the world. We were there 4 nights. One guest was a gentleman who was there for a month. I think I could do that quite enjoyably. Certainly, the next African safari for us we will spend even longer in camps. Our first trip was a 2 nights per camp 3 camps deal. Last year, we were 3 nights in one, 4 in another. (and I'm not counting the 2 nights we later spent at Addo).

[PT123]

Great report. I think a trip to Lewa may be in our future. I still have not seen a Rhino or a wild dog in the wild.

 

 

...there's only one way to remedy that!

 

 

Best part of our time in Hwange (Davisons) last year, was being out of cell or wifi range.

 

 

I couldn't agree more. No electronic chirps or annoying prattle.

[COSMIC RHINO]

rhinos are superb , part of the appeal is that they look so primal , and that is because they are.

 

Lewa is not cheap but very worthwhile.

 

When you go politely tell the manager in advance that you want the picnic breakfast on your final day, and tell your guide at the end of the last afternoon/evening game drive.

 

On talk of last morning breakfast in camp my thought was I dod not come here to eat ,especially at the prices I am paying.

 

well wild dog are not easy to find.

 

Tangala is also very good for rhionos but not as good as Lewa and is free of electronic pestilence.

 

At Tangala a guide showed me an acacia bush eaten by black rhinos which is ok for people. to identify with them I aet a dew leaves, they taste like dry salad greens. later I kissed a rubbing post on a walk in Pungwe bush camp.

 

Yes guides are though using available so called medical resources.

 

I took 2 torches/flashlights last year for added impact. when I got to Tangala one of them the top would not screw down, turns out one top would screws onto either body, one onto only one body. I marked that one with tape. it gave up at Tangala, lucky I had a spare. I left behind the problem one in my hotel room wishing to avoid the wieght of something which may or may not respond to graphite powder. I have recently bought a cheap replacment flashlight with 30 LED units and a batery compartment like the hatch you get with an alarm clock.

[COSMIC RHINO]

I have more leave available, select places I like or am likely to like and stay a reasonable period. Operators are so used to people having short breaks that they get curious about people who stay longer, they ask about people who stay longer, some have retired and are living of investments,but that is not me.

 

TRANSFERS

 

The transfer to tangala was with a Nthambo vehicle.

 

All others were with Seasons in Africa, for the trip to Schindzela they sent another tour group. The vehicle was comfortable, the driver friendly, imformative and pleasant. I arrived iin good time. For all other trips I got the same friendly driver ,comfortable mini van and arrived in good time. For my final transfer back to Eastgate Airport his phone rang, he had totally forgotten his wife's birthday, he had not spoken to her to wish her happy returns, no card ,no nothing.

Edited August 20, 2013 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

the advantage of the new torch is that it works from AA batteries much lighter.

 

HONEY BADGERS

 

though little guys not seen very often or for long

 

yes there is a larger timber block in front of the fridge at Tangala to keep them out.

 

Schindzela bush camp was named for them, but they are not seen that often now as a whole lot more care is taken with the rubbish.

 

but don't think that they don't have a record , they broke into a container of pool chemicals and aet some on two occasions.

 

A nearby lodge reports that they have eaten pool chemicals.

 

at pungwe busgh camp they broke through a wood door to raid the rubbish making a whole lot of noise in the process.

[COSMIC RHINO]

SCHINDZELA BUSH CAMP, TIMBAVATI PVT RESERVE

 

Schindzela is a simpler ,more rustic camp with a 3,500 ha concession and a 14 guest capacity.

 

the lodge is owned seperately and the land is leased from long term owners who live nearbt in relatively simple style

 

Timbavati means big river , the reserve has 46 different owners, not all are for commercial tourism. If anyone wants to sell their land it goes first to the warden for internal advertising.

 

There was a change of ownership in May 2013 of Schindzela when someone from gomo Gomo in the Kleserie reserve purchased it and made some improvements.

[COSMIC RHINO]

the new owner's background helps with camp upgrades and maintaince. he is a ex truck driver come mechanic and a jack of all trades

 

he brougt in his brother Johanne ,also from Gomo Gomo to become chief guide and manager.

 

As he had seen me over a period of time in the Africa on foot/ nthambo vehicles when they stopped to chat and I dress in distinctive safari dress code, look a bit distinctive ,he could recognise me as soon as I arrived.

 

the strong use of a power generator was replaced by having a whole lot of solar panels with very good storage batteries

 

the tents had their wooden platforms repaired and their support popints pulled up and roped up to a higher horizontal pole so they are very firm.

 

the hot water remains on LPG but it is the best working I have experienced, as the actually heaters are serviced monthly.

 

the actual tents have 2 single beds pushed up together , 2 bedside tables and a small table, with a seperate outdoor bathroom fully covered with thatch on top , and most of the side ,but some is left open for a view . It is enclosed enough for privacy and to keep out the rain.

 

it is the only tented camp I have seen where the actually tent is fully nailed down to a wooden platform , roped up horizontally high, fully supported without a horizontal pole, and has an entrance with a door frame complete with a solid core wooden door latched shut.

 

there is a long list of safety rules inside the front door .

 

there is a central bar and dining area, with a power charging station but please remember to turn on your switch on the powerboard or nothing will happen.

[COSMIC RHINO]

I decided to book here because of jochen's previous review especially the elephant sitings and was not disappointed.

 

eles were seen on all days but the final drive, then they were mentioned in radio calls.

 

the manager reports that while nothing is sure in an open reserv, elepahant viewing is normally good in June, July and August.

 

rhinos are seen here but are ultra skitish, trhey see vehicles are charge of very quickly

 

great buffalo viewing, good lion and general plains game viewing.

[PT123]

CR - any dog sightings while you were at Timbavati?