Mapungubwe - A short a visit with the Moshi Monster *

[Bushveld Jock]

Our last visit to Mapungubwe NP was in July 2007 when Moshi Monster was still a tiny Grade 2 pupil. Four years later we decided it was time to see if it’s still such a magical place to visit after reading some wonderful trip reports on Mapungubwe. I made a booking from the 6 – 9 October, which will be perfect, because it’s in the school holidays. The itinerary is one night at the Vembe Wilderness camp followed by two nights at Leokwe Rest camp.

Last time we only stayed at Leokwe Rest camp, but could not enjoy the pool as it was winter and a cold front was passing by resulting even in snow in Jo’burg.

Mapungubwe National Park includes a World Heritage Site, which makes the park ideal if you want to show your child some of the history of South Africa. Last term Moshi Monster learnt about Mapungubwe in Social Science and I thought it would be great to show him the places he studied about.

What makes the park great for us is not only the Heritage site but the natural beauty and serenity you will find there. Numerous lookout decks are build along the Limpopo river and the hide at Malotswa is one of the best in South Africa never disappointing the ones with patience. The animal life is not the same as Kruger, but there is plenty to see and the birding is great.

On my wish list is the following:
Eland, Duiker, Red Hartebeest, Leopard, Wild dog, Aardvark, Hyaena, Elephant and Bushpig.

The birding wish list will be the following:
Verreaux’s (Giant) Eagle, Meyer’s Parrot, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Tropical Boubou and Collared Palm Thrush

I am starting off this TR with pictures from our previous visit and hope to have the same unique experience adding some similar and greater pics after the trip.

Leokwe Camp July 2007 (Take note of the elephant dung)



One of the best places to visit is the Treetop Walk among the riverine forest on a raised canopy walk that takes you to a hide over looking the Limpopo River.





View from the hide at the end of the Treetop Walk





Sunset close to Leokwe camp



To be continued......

[Bushveld Jock]

Hi,

We back from our trip and saw some extra animals we did not really expect going kling-klong as they walk. Yesterday was a very hectic day driving all the way from Mapungubwe to Volksrust and back to Secunda nearly colliding with one of the new additions to SANParks mammal list on a farm near Volksrust on the way to Vrede. This "Volk" now need some rust (rest) and vrede (peace) after a long day of driving about 12 hours, listerning to the Bok loosing , facing a police blockade outside Bela Bela (Warm - Warm translation for town and expression when facing blockade) going through a number of toll gates and just to add on a few stop-and-goes taking about 30 min at a time just to turn back and face it again. That's one of the perks of being a parent to drive kids to veld school after holidays. -O -O -O

I will need a few days to recover and after SO completed the pics. I can start with the TR.

[Bushveld Jock]

Day 1: Vhembe Wilderness camp (6 October 2011)

Finally our trip to Mapungubwe started and we left very excited early on Thursday morning from Pretoria. Our route was along the N1 passing numerous toll plaza until Polokwane where we turned left heading north-west towards Alldays. Just outside Polokwane we had to slow down due to an abnormal load vehicle driving across both lanes making it impossible to overtake. At least at Vivo they pulled off the road and we could continue at normal speed. Well not for long, because 5 km after Vivo up to Alldays the road looks like a chessboard consisting of tar and gravel blocks.

We reached the park gates around 12:00 pm and booked in. Luckily the camp was not occupied the previous night and we could get the keys. Vhembe camp consists of 4 2-bed cabins and a central kitchen lapa area. My mom came along so Ouma and Moshi slept in cabin 3 and SO and I stayed in cabin 4. The camp is in the World Heritage Site Eastern Section north from the entrance gate.

On the way to camp we did not see many animals, but it was clear that elephants walked a while back along the road. After Schroda dam we followed a 4 x 4 track to the camp passing interesting rock formations and balancing rocks on top of cliffs. When reaching camp we found the car park is below the camp and a steep zig-zag path leaded to the top.





The camp was design as a walking trails camp and when I complaint SO quickly informed me about this and that any one going on such trails should be fit. After the slog to the top we and some lunch and relaxed in the lapa and those that could not sit still explored the area around discovered an empty pool. The pool is self service and you can fill it, but we decided not to due to the fact that we only stayed for one night.



Camp from the lookout rocks:


Lapa and braai area:


Kitchen area:


Entrance to cabin 4:


To be continued after my afternoon nap.

[Bushveld Jock]

Thanks Kamedajo for popping in.

Day 1 contunues:

Just joking about the afternoon nap. After lunch Ouma went for a nap and we explored the rocky area around the camp sitting like dassie at a lookout. Not for long and we noticed Eland, Impala and when looking closer some Klipspringers. It was amazing to sit on a rocky outcrop watching animals moving past instead of sitting in a car not allowed to get out.





LO wished for a nice cold pool, but instead fooled around in the pool.





Usually when I find these guys I scream but funny enough the frog on out balcony looked pretty to me.



Later the afternoon we went for a drive past Poachers corner and the Treetop walk. We drove into a herd of elephants climbing over the RSA border fence with little effort, but ensure that the bob wire did not hurt them climbing gentle over.







At the Treetop walk we were just in time to enjoy the area with about 100 students of Limpopo. Maybe we should have left and rather come back when it will be quiet again, but I was so excited to show the place to my mom that we decided to give it a go. Must be my stubborn Taurus nature. . Any way after a while we could at least enter the hide.



Posing for a family pic


After the Treetop walk we returned back to camp a bit dissapointed not to see many birds at the walk or animals below. Returning back at camp we were rewarding with some splended sightings. :D

To be continued with more sightings around Vhembe camp

[Bushveld Jock]

Hi Lisbeth,

If you can see the prince in it it looks pretty. :D


nan and Kamadejo,

The fence is the border fence between South Africa and Zimbabwe. Not difficult to get through as long as the river is dry. I assume the reason why the fence looks so bad is due the Transfrontier park agreement and become redundant although not removed. The only problem is the fact that the other side is a haven for cattle so I am not sure how one can refer to it as a Transfrontier park.

It was nice to see Eland again as its not common in Kruger and in KTP Eland is sometimes not present when they move into Botswana. I always associate Eland with the Drakensberg in KZN where you can walk a few meter up to them.

[Bushveld Jock]

Day 1 continue: Vhembe Camp

On the way back to camp we stopped at the picnic area looking out towards Zimbabwe. We decided to leave the walk to the lookout decks for the next day and headed back to camp.



Along the road back to camp we passed Zebra pan near Poacher corner and found a lovely female kudu feeding along side the road and a klipspringer at the dam.







After arriving back from our afternoon drive we headed again for the Dassie Lookout and watch elephants, baboons, eland and klipspringer walking past the camp. Some of the elephants came very close to our lookout and when they smelled us and one trumpetted I was hoping that they are a bit slower climbing up cliffs than my legs can carry me back to the camp.
Alternative showing some signs might help or







View of the camp from the lookout and rock formations at the back.





That evening SO tried out some night shots with the new camera.

[Bushveld Jock]

Day 2: Morning drive from Vhembe camp.

The next morning we had a quick cup of coffee and left for an early morning drive to Khongoni plain leaving LO and Ouma to sleep late. The previous night was full of exitement when the lights suddenly went out at 8 pm and we had to rush around for candles. The lights operate on solat power and I am not sure if the battery ran flat but there was suddenly no power. LO did not enjoy the darkness and I think at first he did not sleep much. I even thought I heard a lion roaring... Funny what tricks darkness can play with ones mind. //\0--

While drinking coffee cliff chats or mocking chats jumping around us in the lapa area.



Some early morning shot of the landscape close to camp.



We spotted lots of Klipspringers, Kudu's and Steenbok along the 4x4 track running towards the camp.



Going down the steep decline at the start of the turn-off to Schroda pump station we spotted an elie on top of the koppie showing that they can indeed climb. They might not show it that well, but the it was taken before a decend down the pass nearly on the same level as the elephant.



Along the Khongoni plain drive we spotted a bat ear fox, which dissapeared to quick for a shot, impala and wildebeest but not much on the plains.





Namaqua dove


And then we found this sign indicating some sort of associasion between the park and DeBeers mining. The sign leads to the pumpstation at Shroda dam. Along the Limpopo river are numerous boreholes, which pumps water to the dam.



Back on the main road running close to the dam we spotted zebra and wildebeest again as well as kudu and small antelope.

To be continued.

[Bushveld Jock]

Day 2: Leokwe camp

After packing up at Vhembe bush camp we took a drive to Maloutswa Bird Hide on the western side of the park before booking into Leokwe camp. The hide about a 36 km from the main gate to the western section. The park is split in two separated by citrus farm lands and a private reserve of De Beers - Little Muck. Even at the Tsuguhlu lodge area one can only enter if you a guest.

The first animals we saw were baboons, which look as if the can be a real problem when camping. Not sure how the citrus farmers and tamato farmers deal with them because the fruit must be attracting them and the reason for so many baboons.

During our previous visit we were more lucking with game at the hide so I will show some old and new pics.





Blue Wildebeest


Bushbuck (male)


Bush pigs: Mainly nocturnal but the Mapungubwe family did not get hold of animal field guides and spend time at the water hole during the day.

[Bushveld Jock]

Thank you for all the complements and comments on pigs. This waterhole must be one of the few places one will see pushpigs by day. I think this one can be left out from the voting list for a logo, although some can make a pretty good pic. -O -O -O.

Interesting when entering the park you will find a notice that you are not allowed to take in any citrus fruit. Just wonder if its the ellies or baboons that's causing the most problems to the farmers crops around Mapungubwe.

Day 2: Leokwe camp.

After lunch I joined LO for a refreshing swim at the Leokwe pool. It was fine getting in but getting out was not that easy. LO made a friend and they were climbing with ease in and out of the pool over the rocks around the pool and back in again (pics will be added later). Late afternoon we went on a game drive down to the Limpopo river and visited the Treetop walk in absolute silence and peace with no-one else around. In the forest below the walking platform we saw bush buck, impalas, baboon and lots more birds. LO even spotted some vultures in the one tree. At the hide we saw a giant kingfisher, brown-hooded KF and malachite KF. In the distance from the hide we spotted people crossing over the Limpopo from Botswana to South-Africa. No border control for them, but it seems like a daily event and maybe they working at on of the lodges in Botswna.

On the way back to the car a party of about 5 red-billed Woodhoopoes flew pass us and landed in tree near by. They are one of my favourite birds because of their pretty colours strange cackling call and being summer visitor to my garden.

Kudu spotted along the rocky edge near the camp.



Locals in the Treetop forest:





Bushbuck staring at us from below the deck.





Long-tailed Glossy Starling: only place where you will find them in South Africa is along the Limpopo river. (or is it the Burchell's glossy starling only found in western parts of Limpopo?)





Border crossing Mapungubwe style



We spend quite a bit of time in the forest and found that its too late to go to the lookout deck if one keep within the "gate" closing time (there are no gates at the camp, but still one keep by the rules)

Wildebeest and zebra were seen in the rocky outcrops along the road back to camp

[Bushveld Jock]

My LO (Moshi Monster) also took some pics around the Treetop walk of the Limpopo and vultures. Unfortunately the vulures came out too dark, but driving back home he got a nice shot of zebra and a baobab sunset. Dad helped him a bit with the settings, but the final touch was done by Moshi.

View of Limpopo river from Treetop hide in an easternly direction


View of Limpopo river from Treetop hide in an westernly direction


Sun rays falling on zebras


Baobab forest


Where's the Amarula?




Kudu standing in road before turn-off to Leokwe camp (taken by PRWIN)