Lewa safari camp and Kruger cheaper camps June/July 2013

[COSMIC RHINO]

 

 

@@kittykat23uk looks like the area around umkumbe is a better choice for gameviewing that Elephant Plains

 

If I remember correctly some umkumbve people found gavin a bit annoying, can't remember why

 

 

VEHICLES

 

they use Land cruisers at Lewa and land Rovers in sth Africa.

 

the discussion is that a Cruiser is too close to the ground to avoid mud, rocks and big logs etc, and too long so it gets stuck in confined bushy places.

 

I could hear the guide and the tracker talking Afriknas at thornybush, then in English "Land Cruiser is an absilute farce in this area"

 

I was told that Jeep tried to interest lodges in sth africa in an electric vehicle which supposedly had batteries which could drive through water and still be recharged without a problem. However, no one took up the new vehicles as they were not given a trial to see how they actually worked in the bush.

 

the advantage of an electric vehicle is that it is quieter.

 

the talk is that land Rover is coming out with a solar vehicle in a few years time.

[kittykat23uk]

I havent stayed long enough in either camp to be able to draw that conclusion. I only had one night at EP compared to 3 At Tydon. I had two sightings of single leopard in EP and one sighting of 3 leopards together with Tydon. Had a coalition of four male lions at EP and none at Tydon. Saw one rhino at EP and one Elephant. Saw several Rhino and herds of Elephaant at Tydon. Saw hyena at both, more general game at Tydon, and more Nyala at EP.

 

Tydon are a bit cheaper and offer a range of different packages, either at the bush camp and/or at the safari camp located by Shaw's Gate. They include drives and walks both in Sabi Sand and in Kruger. As I understand it the duration of the Kruger drives are roughly the same as in sabi sand and they come back to the lodge for the mid morning to early afternoon. Tydon also offer transfers to Johannesburg as part of their packages, but as it happens our transfer was handled by the company that handled the first part of the safari out of Marloth park. So I have no idea of the cost of each part of our package.

[ZaminOz]

the talk is that land Rover is coming out with a solar vehicle in a few years time.

I think that they already have developed an electric game viewing vehicle:

http://www.barkerperformance.co.za/drive/component/content/article/8-game-viewer-of-the-future-the-innovative-electric-concept-vehicle

[PT123]

How does it get recharged at eco-friendly camps with no access to electricity? Also, in camps with generators, do you burn oil or wood to create electricity to recharge the batteries? Wouldn't this cause more air pollution than what comes out of the vehicle's exhaust pipe?

[stokeygirl]

How does it get recharged at eco-friendly camps with no access to electricity? Also, in camps with generators, do you burn oil or wood to create electricity to recharge the batteries? Wouldn't this cause more air pollution than what comes out of the vehicle's exhaust pipe?

 

I'd guess the electric game viewing vehicle would only be suitable for camps with mains electricity- otherwise, as you say, it wouldn't make sense.

[PT123]

@@kittykat23uk looks like the area around umkumbe is a better choice for gameviewing that Elephant Plains

 

If I remember correctly some umkumbve people found gavin a bit annoying, can't remember why

 

 

VEHICLES

 

they use Land cruisers at Lewa and land Rovers in sth Africa.

 

the discussion is that a Cruiser is too close to the ground to avoid mud, rocks and big logs etc, and too long so it gets stuck in confined bushy places.

 

I could hear the guide and the tracker talking Afriknas at thornybush, then in English "Land Cruiser is an absilute farce in this area"

 

 

I've asked guides about their vehicle preferences as well (out of curiosity and nosiness!); I've heard the same comments camps in TZ, Kenya and SA. From my limited poll, the general consensus seems to be that Toyota Landcruisers are "too long" and are therefore less maneuverable and get stuck more often. When I asked why so many camps use them it was explained that they are more mechanically reliable than the Range Rovers.

 

 

 

[kittykat23uk]

@@COSMIC RHINO in your travels have you come across any lodges in the Sabi Sands area that go out for longer than 2 1/2 to 3 hours? Coming from doing all day drives out of Marloth Park into Kruger from 5.30 to 16.00 plus on two occasions extending these with sanparks sunset drives, I found it frustrating not to be able to get out in Sabi sands for longer.

[COSMIC RHINO]

@@kittykat23uk yes I would like longer drives sometimes they were at Umkumbe lodge if the viewing was good mainly leopards in 2012, rhinos and elephants in 2013<br /><br />I have been told that luxury places hAve fixed lengrh drives. thala in Kwazulu natal mentions length of 2 and 1/2 hrs in its activities description.

[kittykat23uk]

Out of interest, did you fly to hoedspruit or do you know if Umkumbe will pick up from Johannesburg?

[COSMIC RHINO]

You can go to Umkumbe by seldf drive, a booked transfer all the way from jiohannesburg, or fly to Nelspruit then a transfer vehicle.

 

on electric vehicles they will probabby be a problem recharging the batteries on anything other than mains power.

[COSMIC RHINO]

Any place not presently on the grid has to pay a massive price per km to the govt business enterprise which supplies power.

 

their existing systems are generators, LPG and solar power , wood fires support things like kitchen, lighting, guest battery rechatging.

 

using electric vehicles would require an expansion of the charging capacity.

 

electric vehicles would be much quieter but not friendly to the environment unless recharged from renewable sources.

[COSMIC RHINO]

the end of a safari is not a pleasing time but I am already thinking about next year ,and have rebooked Lewa Safari Camp for the same dates next year.

 

the people at the Premier OR TAMBO hotel are very friendly ,it is a great place to stay.

 

The porter turned on the TV when he tok me up to the room I was impressed to see an ad for a life insurance company which is seeking out HIV positive people offering affiordable rates, an advice line and test date reminders by email and SMS. Something people copuld do with , I assumed that people who were HIV positive would be unable to get life insurance.

[COSMIC RHINO]

Seeing bags around the place, red tank bags are becoming more common than last year, probably from people who don't want black it is too common and hard to notice.

 

I even saw 2 red bags with USA travel agent names printed on it given out to clients come of the plane at Lewa .

 

no way would my red tank bag get confused the handles have leopard print sewn on them, and nearly the entire width of the top has leopard and zebra print fabric stiched and glued down on it.

 

to make it easier on yoursel at the very least use a luggage strap.

 

some self drive people are rather inpractical, I saw full sized wheeled suitcases at Pungwe bush camp , not the easiest things to move and not very easy to fit ino the car.

[COSMIC RHINO]

@@kittykat23uk the morning drivea at Lewa Safari Camp are longer they begin at 0630 on the different days ended at 11 10,10 20, 12 10, 11 10, 12 noon ,11 am and finally around 1045 I made it obvious that I enjoyed being out, who knows if they normally do this, I was in the welcoming party for any new arrivals at the airstrip and the vehicle stayed out doing gameviewing ,rather than back to camp and back out again.

 

as mentioned before some people enjoy the comforts of camp more , and actually ask to have the drive cut short.

 

the afternoon drives are a bit shorter and they try to be back in camp before it gets too dark, not wishing to disturb tghe animals.

 

UMKUMBE begine 0630 rtn 0845 to 1050 , the early rtn is explained by wild dogs having been seen recently ,their smell was around so animals were scarce. afternoon drives around 3 1/2 hours

 

TANGALA about 4 hours in the morning , at least 3 to 3 1/2 afternoon

 

SHINZELA 3 1/2 TO 4 hours morning , around 4 hours afternoon.

 

PUNGWE walk morning 3 1/2 to hrs, afternoon drive over 4 hours.

 

My morning times for Lewa are more precise because I put them in my journal.

[COSMIC RHINO]

staying out longer at Lewa is aided by the picnic box breakfast.

[kittykat23uk]

Of the camps you have visited in Greater Kruger, which do you think represents the best value for money in terms of the chances to see predators, esp leopard, variety and density of general game seen and length of time being out in the field? Accommodation and facilities are less important to me than these considerations.

 

Would you for instance place Umkumbe above some of the others for density of viewing, and sacrifice time out on the drives compared to e.g.Tangala or Shindzela?

[COSMIC RHINO]

 

 

@@kittykat23uk Umkumbe can be good for leopards it was in 2012, then it was just a few in 2013. it is not a place for lions at all it is too small.

 

does the tydon camp have much of a Sand riveer frontage?

 

The other places I went to leopards were either not seen much or absent.

 

Shindezela was good for lions.

 

Tangala is superb for rhinos, has good buffalo viewing, ok general plains game, ok for lions saw cubs a few times, as I was there alone for a fair amount of time they were mainly looking for rhinos. leopards were seen much more last year and were easier to approach, they are now regarded as skitish.

 

Nthambo can be ok for lions, leopards seen more 2012 than 2013

 

Pungwe bussh camp cats only seen on the night drive.

[kittykat23uk]

Thanks for the info, no there is no river frontage at Tydon bush camp. The nearest is at Umkumbe lodge.

[COSMIC RHINO]

thanks kitty

 

the game viewing at Nthambo can be good at sometimes, not so at others. The traverse is relaively small and split up, if animals go of the block they cannot be followed. The arrangements with Royal Legend has ben withdrawn.

 

Schindzela with 3,5000 hectares of their own is a better choice.

 

 

CHANGING CLOTHES

 

Once at Pungwe bush camp they had a group of Italians come in . A merchant banker from Milan wore hiking boots for the morningh walk , then changed into Gucci shoes to wear around camp. the women had three changes of clothes per day, well it is not a fancy place and no one could care if they wore the same clothes all day, but that's what they wanted to do.

[kittykat23uk]

We had an Italian couple with us too, yeah they do like to dress up!

 

TBH Lions are a lower priority for me than Leopard in Sabi Sand but that is generally because all three of my trips have included time in KNP proper, where we have been fortunate enough to see lions on each occasion, usually good views; not every day, but frequently enough not to have to worry too much about whether we'll get them in Sabi Sand. Same goes for Rhino. Also had a couple of lion sightings at Tremisana Lodge in Balule, a mum and two little cubs and a small pride.

[Jochen]

I waited a while before commenting, to let it all sink in, but also as new info was (and is) still being added to this thread. But I think I can now safely say; don't judge camps by the number of animals that you saw that one time you visited them.

 

If I read all your experiences here above, it's often a bit (or a lot) different than mine. A few examples;

- CR says nThambo has little traverse and animals can be different to find. In reality, it has at least double the traverse than Shindzela. This is without Royal Legend. I can only assume he hit a patch of bad weather (not necessarily rain, but perhaps windy and chilly), causing the animals to go into hiding. Or just bad luck to hit a number of slow days.

- CR says Umkumbe can be good for leopards, but my personal experience is that it's small area of operation is not a good thing for any cat sighting. In two visits (8 days total), we only ever saw one leopard, just a glmpse as it passed in front of the lodge. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad place! But I'd rather advise it for rhino, as there are always there (at the mud wallow) and the encounter is always "up close & personal".

- KK2UK compares Tydon with EP and her experience was that at Tydon she saw more plentiful game. My experience is just opposite. At EP it was a "ferrari safari" with 15 minute slots at every sighting. In 3 days, we had the big 5 multiple times over. We did not get that at Umkumbe (where Tydon drives too). By the way, the last time I was at Umkumbe I found the Tydon vehicles to be a bit of a nuisance, especially when we got stuck behind one and were eating it's dust. Fellow tourists were not pleased at all, and said out loud "I did not pay for an exclusive experience at a private lodge to find out there's people from outside the park borders spoiling my view. They should go drive in Kruger NP".

- CR says Shindzela is good for lions, but the last time we were there we saw none, while at nThambo (just 5km away) we saw two different prides on more than one occasion. Although Shindzela's patch isn't small, the guide admitted to a "lion problem", as they hadn't seen any for weeks. Note that at this point in time, Shindzela is OK again for about every predator. I follow the guide Johan (the one that came from Gomo Gomo) on FaceBook, and he reports all his sightings.

Etc...

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying your observations are worth less than mine. I'm just noting that they are different and therefor come to the only conclusion possible; when it comes to animal sightings, your satisfaction-level always has a big factor of unpredictability.

Also, I'm not dissing on any camp that I've been raving about before. In fact I still like them. A lot. And I will be going back. To all of them. But I'm just being honest here; you can get lucky and unlucky at every camp. And the weather plays a role in that as well. Plus animals move etc. So my best advise would be; do not choose a lodge based on what you read in just one trip report on ST (be it mine or anyone else's), but rather choose a combo of these lodges, and make sure to stay long enough, just to minimize the chance of being unlucky.

 

And for those that think that the bigger, more expensive patches/lodges are better in terms of "getting lucky"; I just returned last month from two weeks on Sabi Sabi plot (ANT training course) and we heard plenty of lions but saw... none at all!

 

But we did have 8 wild dogs to ourselves for two hours though, hehe.

 

:-)

 

Ciao,

 

J.

[Game Warden]

I just returned last month from two weeks on Sabi Sabi plot (ANT training course)

Just going to check the trip reports subforum now...

[kittykat23uk]

Thanks for your thoughts too jochen. As I said I didn't feel like I could draw a conclusion based on doing one night at EP and three at tydon. Esp since they were years apart. We also had a cold snap whilst in knp area.

 

As regards tydon, their bush camp is located within the concession, so I think they have every right to be traversing the same as the lodge guests in that regard. They do also have another camp outside shaws gate and they use that to combine drives in kruger with sabi sand drives. So I could understand that being more of an issue. But then more eyes looking for cats isnt necessarily a bad thing imho.

 

Also Debbie wss aware of the other vehicles and walkers and tried her best to give them space.

[COSMIC RHINO]

@@Jochen and kittykat

 

looks like things can be a bit variable, so if you can spread yourself around

 

leopards were good at umkumbe in 2012 with multiple sightings during the day and after dark , ok in 2013 a few sightings during the day and after dark

 

these animals are variable in their ranges

 

shindzela lions were mainly a few big males trying to get close to some females, there were no families.

 

nthambo can be a bit variable eles hard to find, rhinos now skitish. It was a bit cold and wild dogs had been around so their odor I have been told puts of other animals

[Jochen]

Hey CR, KK23UK,

 

My message was not directed personally at you. I just wanted to point how shocked I was to read that your experiences were so different from mine. My conclusion is that wildlife is unpredictable, and that to maximize your chances, you need a stay that's sufficiently long, and with a few camps in your itinerary.

 

As a last example; CR saw lots of lions at Shindzela, but we were there in a period when there hadn't been any in over a month. The whole of Timbavati was battling at that time. Something to do with a coalition of seven males wreaking havoc throughout the region. We left Shindzela after 4 nights to go to nThambo, as that was our schedule. But there was an English couple who booked a room at Shindzela for 12 nights (their whole vacation). So they stayed. They were convinced that by the end of their trip they'd have seen it all. I contacted them later on FaceBook; they had a fantastic safari, but... no lions. A 12-day safari without lions! Too bad, because 5 km down the road we saw plenty. Anyway, it's a good example that you should optimize your chances by spreading your night over multiple lodges, and by staying long enough.

 

About Tydon; the main lodge is outside Shawn's Gate, but I'm not sure about the location of their bush camp. If it is within the borders of the reserve then it must be on Umkumbe's plot, and they must have a deal with them (operate the camp and drive there for X amount of money per guest). I see no other possibility. I mean; it's not because you have a property there that you are entitled to drive on the reserve. You have to have the land too. For example; there's some private homes on Dudley block (between Umkumbe & Singita). They can drive there, but nowhere else. Except the main road to/from the gate.