The Month Long Betts Couple Camping Safari to Northern Kruger

[Peter Betts]

Jane and I set off to Kruger from PE in the Middle of August and spent a night camping at Allemans Kraal dam in the Free State (Now burned down during our Kruger stay! ) . The Following Day we travelled to a delightful 6 campsite venue for the next night complete with private bathroom . This was situated 10 kms outside Nelspruit on the Crocodile River. Lovely to hear Hippos grunting at night again. The next night was a single night at CROWDED unsanitised (Covid whats that) Berg en Dal. Then we proceeded to Letaba for another single nighter in the campsite before starting our holiday proper at Shingwedzi where we had a delightful 1 week camping despite the wrecked camp from a fire over a year ago (No restoration in sight just like the Beirut looking Letaba Shop complex ) and general Kruger neglet.

From there we went to my favorite large camp Punda Maria for 10 nights>> what a Gem of an area and a pity about the decline in the camp. The Campsite was crowded out with Newbies who would normally be visiting Tanzania , Botswana and Zim annually etc but are forced at the moment to only be able to get to Kruger. I did however enjoy looking at all their expensive trans Africa Rigs. There is now only ONE tap in the whole campsite!! and no sanitizer in the Ablutions. We showered at the Trailer using the Rooiputs Coke Bottle method in our Shower Tent . The Mahonie Loop was OUTSTANDING and all the Pod Mahoghany trees combined with stately Baobab trees and hill tops covered with Lebombo Iron wood Trees. I saw a pack of Wild Dogs one morning on the loop and possibly the RARE Southern Hyliota We ended off at Kruger's Top camp (Tsendze) and Top Campsite in the camp (No 14) for 2 weeks

Our Lodge 'The Taj Mahal' which I bought Jane for her birthday in October last year as a gift of love and to make her life easier while camping and to allow us to reach and survive in the more remote areas of Southern Africa which we are going to do a lot of over the next 12-15 years. Here situated in the QUIET !! Cul de Sac at No 14 = No Passing camp cars and dust

Give the pic a Click

[Lisbeth]

Are you quite sure that the "Taj Mahal" was a gift only to Jane?

Sounds as if the Kruger Camps are really falling to pieces. What a disgrace

[Richprins]

Very nice, Peter!

Pity about the conditions at some camps.

[Peter Betts]

The Bird Life in all 3 camps and areas was fantastic even without the Summer Migrants. I have 15 000 images to go through but here are a couple I have downloaded so far (More to come) The Crested Guinea Fowl are starting to make a comeback at Pafuri after the floods after not seeing them in over a decade

The Crowned Hornbill is the only Hornbill in some parts of E Cape but in Kruger can only be seen sometimes around Skukuza or in Punda Maria Camp and Mahonie Loop where this pic was taken

Shingwedzi trees provided me with some awesome hard to see properly bird sightings. Here a Male Bennetts Woodpecker probes for grubs at the tree providing the shade to our site . They dont drum like the Bearded Woodpecker

A Click will bring out the original colours as they were

[Peter Betts]

Are you quite sure that the "Taj Mahal" was a gift only to Jane?

Yes but she does share her stuff with me

[Lisbeth]

Fair enough

The guinea fowl are among the most ridiculous looking birds in the world, the crested one is no exception, but that's what makes them so interesting.
Great to hear about something coming back instead of disappearing. Also the crowned hornbill is one that you do not see every day

[RogerFraser]

Welcome back Peter . Pity about the slow degradation in the camps .We also noted similar in our recent quick trip In Pretorius although not major it was minor irritations like no soaps provided and an entire missing side table .On the plus side they installed new braais at Orpen while we were there so there is some work happening.

The setup in that location looks perfect . Bet it was hard to leave after two weeks there .

Those Crested Guinea Fowl always look like they need a comb , but I am not one to speak either

[Richprins]

Rog!

[Peter Betts]

Welcome back Peter . Pity about the slow degradation in the camps .We also noted similar in our recent quick trip In Pretorius although not major it was minor irritations like no soaps provided and an entire missing side table .On the plus side they installed new braais at Orpen while we were there so there is some work happening.

The setup in that location looks perfect . Bet it was hard to leave after two weeks there .

Those Crested Guinea Fowl always look like they need a comb , but I am not one to speak either

I was in the Park for 5 weeks not 2

[Mel]

Quality photos