Need to post pics when wifi is stronger.....
Saturday, Oct 8
Took a flight from Joburg to Hoedspruit (1 hr flight) to the northwestern part of the greater kruger national park. If you go to south africa kruger is the place to go to see the big 5 (elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, rhino).
Got picked up at Hoedspruit for my transfer to my first lodge (Kambaku Lodge). RIght out of the gate we see a giraffe! My excitement ofcourse picks up, and this happens to be one of my favorite animals. Its a 45 minute drive to the lodge, first on paved road then along dirt roads. Along the way we see lots of impalas, kudus and cutest of all a zebra who happens to be crossing the road! I am definitely NOT in kansas anymore! Saw some monkeys but they were too fast for me to take pics. Kruger is a huge nature area that's about 200km long. There are also private nature reserves that borders kruger but without fences so the animals roam freely in between. My 2 lodges during my week safari are in two different areas but both part of private nature preserves. The difference between this and the national park is that you have significantly less traffic than in the national park. You pay for it too! It's well worth it though!
My driver described Kambaku lodge as rustic because the room do not have electricity and operate by oil lamps. I am quick to find out that you can still manage a 5 star accommodation with rustic. Wish I could post pics right now to show it. I was greeted by Moshe who took my bags and directed me to the main area where I was given a welcome drink and crystal who have me a small orientation to the place. Already I was enthralled by the place. It's an open airy place of multiple huts complete with straw roofs. There are big rooms and decks to relax. My room was gorgeous, four poster bed with white mosquito netting, high ceiling fans, poured concrete floors. There is electricity to charge my batteries but yes, lighting is by oil lamps. No phones, no tv which is fine by me!
The lodge has 6 private chalets with thatched roofs facing a big watering hole (a pond) that invites all the animals to come for a drink and ofcourse a photo op! Our meals is gourmet quality and we know its time to gather when Bennet our bartender beats the drum (literally). So happy to find the weather perfect, warm up to high 70's, sunny, not humid and best of all, hardly any mosquitoes! I did start my malaria pills before I flew here and will keep it up since I don't feel any side effects. The nights are perfectly cool! Apparently I got here right after winter but right before the rainy season. The only drawback is that the foliage is still dry and the trees dont have leaves yet. That's ok - you can see the animals a lot further, and no mosquitoes, and it's not hot and humid!!
Lunch was on the veranda and the view was so beautiful overlooking the grounds. I met the other guest. A group of 8 came together and worked for an american company and here on business. One couple was from brazil but has lived in Joburg for last 6 yrs. There was a german couple who got here same day as me. The lodge can have max 12 people so it will never feel crowed. I quickly learn that you will eat a LOT of food here. A typical day will be wake-up call (by the form of Moshe coming around to knock on your door), meet at 6am for a 3 hour game drive, then breakfast at 9am, optional ranger walk at 11, then lunch at 1, then an afternoon game drive 4-7pm, then cocktails and dinner at 7:30. Dinner is outside under the stars.
Last night we had multicourse dinner starting with apple soup, then stuffed baked potato, green beans, curry lentils, beef filet, then a wonderful flan for dessert. OMG it was so good, all this while the stars came out!
On our afternoon game drive we split into 2 groups and went separate ways so that you literally do not see anyone the whole time you are out. THe jeep seats 6 guests, the driver and then a seat in front of the vehicle for the tracker. It's tiered so that even if you sit in the last row your view is not obstructed, kinda like a move theatre. It's open air so it's very invigorating driving in the nice weather. I felt like a kid as we stopped for elephants, rhino, crocodiles, kudus and lots and lots of impalas. It got exciting when Eric (our tracker up front) spotted some rhinos (very shy animals) and we proceeded to chase after it. The jeep got off the dirt road and we literally bushed wacked through the brush. It was incredible, I kept thinking there's no way he's going to make it through those bushes and he did. It was so cool. We finally got to a spot with a nice view of the rhinos. Around 6pm we stopped to enjoy the sunset in the bush. Ofcourse that calls for Eric and Moshe to break out the wine glasses and some great local white wines with chips and beef jerky. Moshe said it was hippo jerky but for some reason I think he was pulling our legs. We rode through the last hour in the dark, the cool air was so invigorating. Eric was upfront with a spot light shining it back and forth to try to catch some wild life. It's a bumpy ride but so exciting.
When we got back from our game drive I go to my room to find that they have turned down the bed and but a candy wrapped with fresh flowers on my bed. The mosquito net was let down, and the oil lamps are lit and placed in my room and in the bathroom. It's enough light to get around but perhaps not to read. It's so quaint!
There was a pit fire right next to our dinner table to enjoy. Once dark one of the guys would escort us to our room even though we were given a little lamp to walk around with. They tell the guests to stay in our room at night and not wander around unsupervised after dark. There is an electric fence around the property but it does not guarantee to keep the animals out! This is not a zoo where they keep the animals locked up and safe. You are in the wild, that's for sure.
It's only the 1st day but all the staff know me by name, even Bennett our bartender! I haven't figured out how many they have on staff but I know there are 2 rangers that drive the jeep and 2 trackers. There's crystal who runs the office. They live on site in a small house near the chalets. They work 26 days and then off 7 days. OH! and there's a whistle attached to the door in our chalet! This is in case of emergency, in case a big animal comes to your door and doesnt want to go away. You blow on your whistle and one of the guys will come to your rescue. I didn't like the sound of it when crystal explained this to me!
At dinner I met the owners and their 2 daughters. John is actually an american, from Oklahoma! THe kicker was they are planning to emigrate to Scottsdale this December! What a small world! THe girls are about 16 and 18 and are excited to live in the US for awhile. I asked Tanja where they are going to live and she asked me if I knew an area called DC Ranch! It's only a few miles from my work. So weird!
I love this place, it's so magical. So sad that I cant post my pics while at this lodge but here is the link to the lodge if any is interested in seeing their pics. It's AMAZING. I really really really really wish Gary was here to share with me
http://www.kambaku.co.za/
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