To the Wild East

Trip Start Nov 10, 2004

Trip End Nov 27, 2004

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Where I stayed

Zuma Zuma Safari Lodge & Spa Timbavati Private Nature Reserve

(Malelane hotels)

Flag of South Africa Krueger National Park, South Africa
Sunday, November 14, 2004

The drive East to the game reserve took quite a while longer than expected about 4 hours. Once we arrived in the Timbatavi area, it seemed to take forever - but you know it was less than an hour. (You know how it is when you haven't been somewhere but you want to be there now.!) Along the road, we began to search for animals .... Just in case. Then, there on the left what could have been a tree was the most beautiful giraffe we had ever seen. (Probably because it was the first one in the wild.) He was just as interested in us too, it seemed. Pictures taken, excitement heightened, the drive continued. We entered the game reserve and were told that there are no more fences - even around the camp. This disconcerted the boys a bit ("you mean the lions can just come up to our room?") but also made it more real. Especially the trees which were recently upturned and the droppings left on the trail by the elephants which come through on a weekly stroll. The Zuma Zuma game lodge is a series of small cabins, elegantly appointed, warmly staffed overlooking a mostly dry waterhole

Elephant Hello

. It felt refined and they did all they could to welcome the kids. Russell, the house manager, played with them and showed them the "secret" areas. After an afternoon swim, we were off on our first game drive.

It is amazing how heightened your senses can be when you don't know what to expect. We were all so thrilled at seeing our first impala and zebra. (Little did we know HOW common and trivial they would become.) The drive took us all over their reserve with a stop over a waterhole at sunset. Sundowners (cocktails and snacks) were a nice break from the bouncing in the open 4x4. All in all we saw fewer animals than we expected but the high from what we DID see and the joy of simply being there took us through the evening. Dinner was enjoyed and all went to bed excited (but wishing it was later) for the 4:30 am wake up for the sunrise drive.

The next 2 days at Zuma Zuma continued in the same vein. Unfortunately, we saw very few animals comparatively. Apparently, until 6 months ago, the lodge was a hunting property and the fear in the animals was apparent - also the lack of cooperation between the management of our lodge and the surrounding ones. There was a lion kill within 1km in on a neighboring lodge's property. But, due to sore relations between management/ ownership we were not allowed in to see it. What a pity. In the end of the big 5, we saw a herd of buffalo and lots of rhinos. Giraffes, impala and other hoofed animals abounded and at night the shrill cry of the hyenas freaked the boys out. The lodging was nice but the lack of animals encouraged us to move on at the earliest opportunity.

We went to Krueger National Park in search of animals and a last minute reservation. Within 1 hour of driving on the public roads in Krueger, we saw more animals than we had in 2 days at Zuma Zuma. (In the end, we really should have gone to Sabi Sands where the land is better managed and the animals maintained.) We stayed in one of the larger camps at Krueger and found it all to be great. We ate in the restaraunt (although self-catering was an option in our rondeval) and drove to our hearts content. We were surrounded by a heard of elephants which was fascinating, saw endangered birds, spotted black and white rhino.... giraffes, zebra, wildebeest, warthog.... the list goes on and on as did the wonder of it all.

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