Umlani camp and Africa on foot MAY 2017

[Tom Kellie]

5 hours ago, COSMIC RHINO said:

being a bit warmer is all relative

 

only 2 people briefly used the swimming pool and got out quickly

 

~ @COSMIC RHINO

 

Literally a quick dip.

 

I've experienced those, but never yet in South Africa, where the plunge pools and pools were just right.

 

Tom K.

[COSMIC RHINO]

I go for the wildlife avtivities  and did not miss a single activity

 

guides tell me that this is unusual , they who stay longer tend to rest in camp for some of thew drives , I say what a waste this would  be

[Tom Kellie]

7 minutes ago, COSMIC RHINO said:

I go for the wildlife avtivities  and did not miss a single activity

guides tell me that this is unusual , they who stay longer tend to rest in camp for some of thew drives , I say what a waste this would  be

 

~ @COSMIC RHINO

 

If you feel that you're receiving value for your money, then that's ideal.

 

As everyone has such a range of feelings, there are different approaches to safaris.

 

Like you, I've never missed any game drive, yet it's understandable that for various sound reasons it may be best to rest for extra hours.

 

Not everyone is blessed with a robust constitution, therefore from time to time additional rest may be necessary as a restorative.

 

I'm glad that you get the most out of your safaris, seeing everything possible.

 

Tom K.

[Kitsafari]

On 2017-6-8 at 5:31 PM, COSMIC RHINO said:

 

flat cats as they call them

 

there are no longer resident males in the area

 

they were visiting for mating opportunities , something which was  observed by the lamp after dark

 

@COSMIC RHINO so sorry that the guide made your drives rather unpleasant. some people just don't know when to stop.

 

you mentioned there were no resident males in the area - what happened to the males? won't the pride be opened to new males taking over?

[Marks]

Great detail in your impressions here. Glad you seemed to enjoy the scenery and wildlife despite any other issues. I'm also excited to learn that you've come across a photo solution! Hope to see some soon.

[COSMIC RHINO]

I left Umlani camp  and was transferred to Africa on Foot in the nearby  Klaserie reserve

 

Here both the staff and the other guests are a whole lot more friendly 

 

things are explained  in much greater detail which enables people to understand what is really going on

 

the environment is basically the same 

 

last year everything was dried out and brown , there was just a little bit of water left in a few artificially pumped pans 

 

• in the interim there had been good rains, the vegetation was  thick a green, all of the pans had good water,so the animals can spread out
• with few exceptions the Greater Kruger Park and surrounding private reserves has an external fence but the internal boundaries are largely gone
• animals except those who are territorial can and do go of to where conditions are best
• the Timbavati and Klaserie reserves are in good condition  but some are even better
• the area  with the best rain was the Manyeleti Game Reserve , this attracts a whole lot of elephants and other herbivours
• animals remained around, but in  Klaserie  it was not really worthwhile  for male  lions to stay around when the food to be hunted elsewhere was a whole lot better

[COSMIC RHINO]

Africa  on foot is a low key , unfenced ,small capacity ,comfortable ,not luxury camp  which I find great

 

they do a walk most mornings and a game drive in the afternoon

 

if the wind is excessive  or it is too overcast a game drive is done in the morning as  it is too hard  to hear animals movements , elephants breaking  branches  or tickbirds. It is necessary to approach animals downwind, strong and variable winds rule this out.

[Tom Kellie]

1 hour ago, COSMIC RHINO said:

Africa  on foot is a low key , unfenced ,small capacity ,comfortable ,not luxury camp  which I find great

they do a walk most mornings and a game drive in the afternoon

if the wind is excessive  or it is too overcast a game drive is done in the morning as  it is too hard  to hear animals movements , elephants breaking  branches  or tickbirds. It is necessary to approach animals downwind, strong and variable winds rule this out.

 

~ @COSMIC RHINO

 

What's a “tickbird”?

 

Tom K.

[Soukous]

10 minutes ago, Tom Kellie said:

 

~ @COSMIC RHINO

 

What's a “tickbird”?

 

Tom K.

 

@Tom Kellie 'tickbird' is a nickname for the Oxpecker, red billed or yellow billed. because they pick ticks off animals.

[Tom Kellie]

~ @Soukous

 

Thank you. After reading your kind explanation, it makes sense.

 

For whatever reason, I never heard the term before.

 

Like a fool, I thought that maybe it was a bird species which made the sound of a clock ticking!

 

Tom K.

[COSMIC RHINO]

klaserie  is an interesting reserve

 

it began as a winter retreat in around the 1920's for farmers to escape  the much colder Highveld 

 

only recently have a few (WELL UNDER 10)  commercial tourism operators established in the area, they exchange the traverse rights with each other

 

most of the place is still operated as holiday homes by the later generations of the original winter retreat farmers

 

some of them allow lodge guests onto their properties , so the animals get used to seeing people  in order that they will be more approachable by the residents when they are there

Edited June 21, 2017 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

• some of the  residents have come to traverse arrangements with just Africa on foot and Nthambo camp

 

• Africa  on foot  works  in closely with  the nearby Nthambo tree camp ,which has the same ownership , does game drives only  and in terms of the comforts and the way it is built is much more comfortable.

 

the minimum age for going on a foot safari under South African law is 16.

 

children from 5 and up are allowed in the camp but are taken on drives

 

Nthambo guests  can arrange to join Africa on foot hikes , when I was there a Califorian couple had book late , and could only stay  one night, they moved to Nthambo   who took them back the next morning to join the Africa on foot hike

• the main point of foot safaris is to observe tracks, trees ,dung, termite mounds  etc , viewing animals  is regarded as a bonus
• the hikes can begin from camp, but often the guide drives to a particular place of interest then the people get out and begin the hike from there
• the groups on the hikes are kept small with the superb tracker Issac  taking out some people as well as a guide
• safety rules are given to people ,the guide is armed with a point 458 rifle and in the times I have been there I have never heard a guest query if they would be safe  
• people are advised to wear neutral coloured clothing, hiking boots or good jogging shoes and take a backpack which is small enough to not get stuck on bushes\
• you don't have to wear much in terms of warm jackets as the exercise of  walking  makes you warmer than going around in an open vehicle

Edited June 22, 2017 by COSMIC RHINO

[COSMIC RHINO]

the guides both on the hikes and the game drives are great at explaining things

 

for my stay I was put with my own guide and vehicle, something very pleasing but I had not asked for it, at it was a lovely suprise

 

Kevin is usually the publicity photographer , and use a short wheel based Land Rover without any doors  marked airforce one 

 

given what my interest were there was very little talking on the hikes

[Tom Kellie]

16 minutes ago, COSMIC RHINO said:

the guides both on the hikes and the game drives are great at explaining things

given what my interest were there was very little talking on the hikes

 

~ What was your interest?

 

What did they explain?

 

Tom K.

[Marks]

Very cool to get an unexpectedly private vehicle (Air Force One, no less!).

[COSMIC RHINO]

looking for rhinos ,be quiet as their hearing is very sensative

[COSMIC RHINO]

the walks are at a gentle pace  and last about 3 hours

the guide has a handset from a 2 way radio so he knows what is going on 

 

on the first morning I was shown a very well used true stub rhino rubbing post

 

the grain was very prominent as if  it was being prepared for furniture

 

in the same area there  are also rocks which rhinos rub against

[COSMIC RHINO]

rhino poaching has not happen in Timbavarti and Klaserie reserves for a long time

 

they both share an administrative staff and security unit, which makes good sense being next to each other

 

details of the security is not disclosed to the public

[Peter Connan]

20 hours ago, COSMIC RHINO said:

rhino poaching has not happen in Timbavarti and Klaserie reserves for a long time

 

they both share an administrative staff and security unit, which makes good sense being next to each other

 

details of the security is not disclosed to the public

 

How I wish this were true. But, they are very pro-active, and certainly do their best to protect all their wildlife.

[COSMIC RHINO]

animals evolved with humans as potential hunters ,they have no concern with vehicles , seeing people on foot is something else 

 

on occasions giraffes and zebras could be  seen briefly in the distance  , then they moved of

 

more zebras are in the area since the grass is better  in recent times 

 

the entry to termite mounds are something  to be careful with , if someone comes out they might attack

 

the most obvious residents are wharthogs , they go in backwards  to the burrow so they can come out head first  with the tusks on show  ,something very dangerous if they charge at you

 

the walk began most often at a point of interest from reported recent animal movements, tracking signs or radio calls

 

on one morning I briefly saw a wild dog in a smallish  pound, they moved on when they did

[COSMIC RHINO]

San people lived over extensive area of Africa , but were persecuted by later arriving groups 

 

I was shown some shards of some water pots they left behind

 

the thicker ones came from the fires they used to cure the pots in

 

the placed them around termite mounds which they regarded  as an important place in the source of all life

[COSMIC RHINO]

being shown the pottery shards was a deeply moving experience ,realising that the area had been settled  for countless thousands of years

 

getting out of the vehicle  and walking on the land is a wonderful experience, something much deeper than you get on a game drive

 

when the walks are broken up  different groups  go to separate areas, so there is a private experience   

[COSMIC RHINO]

the last walk was a profound experience 

 

white rhinos had been seen the evening before , I was driven back to the same area, we got out and tried to find them on foot.

 

this is not easy in an area with thick grown mopane trees, not easy to see anything there at all

 

also the soil was so hard that under foot it felt more like rock , so finding tracks was not going to be easy 

 

Kevin my guide eventually  found 6 of them, including the dominant territorial male ,who was in the mood for love ,but no one wanted it as there are calves who need close care before another one was added

 

I was constantly thinking of another guest, the first guide I had here Rein  in 2011, spoke of a woman who was asked to wear flat shoes , and responded that it did not match the outfit --- stillotoe heels, a bood tube and a mini skirt, well that is just what you want to avoid when going through the bush , especially thick mopane country

 

we found the rhinos ,then changed positions twice  to get a better view , I was shown thick bush patches  and a dirt ditch to go into if they came too close

 

from the last position  we could see a mother with a medium sized calf eating around a low mopane bush about 10 meters away, we stayed fir around 30 minutes

 

well I would not say mopane tree as the hight had been reduced by elephants to around rhino height

 

after that we went in for a closer look by vehicle

 

this was so wonderfull

[Atravelynn]

On 6/11/2017 at 3:08 AM, COSMIC RHINO said:

I go for the wildlife avtivities  and did not miss a single activity  I would expect no less of the CR!

 

guides tell me that this is unusual , they who stay longer tend to rest in camp for some of thew drives , I say what a waste this would  be

I agree, but fewer people in the bush for you if they are swimming, lounging, drinking at the bar, etc.  It may have even contributed to your private vehicle.  Perhaps you should have encouraged the loungers to keep lounging, "Nothing to see out here.  That swimming pool looks devine."

The matchmaking thing would get old real fast.

 

That's great you had some meaningful walks to accompany the drives.  Far less meaningful in stiletto heels, I would assume.  You even got to enjoy some cultural aspects.   Klaserie  was a winner.

Edited June 30, 2017 by Atravelynn

[Marks]

Sounds like a very good rhino experience.