Mapungubwe - A short a visit with the Moshi Monster *

[serval]

Plastic chairs ... ???



What happened to the wooden chairs which fitted in so well with the rest of the camp ?

[Bushveld Jock]

Sorry for taking a break with my TR, but I should be able to add more pics during the weekend after SO has shrink the pics to the right size.

Thanks for all the great compliments from all of you answering and just reading. Mapungubwe is one of those places that you cannot come back without taking a great sunset pic of hills and baobabs. :D

Pumbaa my SO is training my LO in photography and the pics were taken by him. Lisbeth thanks for the complimets on LO's pics.

Kamadejo the beauty of Mapungubwe is that you can walk around and soak in the peace and suddenly being surprised by a kudu or elephant walking in the canyon below. You do not have to be in the car as much as in the case of Kruger.

Flutterby I will 0:0 on that sunset Moshi is just too young for that. :roll:

Nan thats quite sad to see the Limpopo to think that it was so full in August. I think there is a large under water table at the confluence of Limpopo and Sashe and the water just disappear. Another reason is the boreholes along the Limpopo (I did not count but it can be nearly 20) from where water gets pumped to Shroda dam. Shroda dam supplies water to De Beers Venetia mine who is in control of the dam. This park is fairly new and the mine started in the 90's before the park was proclaimed. Just wonder what impact the new COal mining will have on the water and peacefull atmosphere.

Serval, Lisbeth and Nan,

The pics of Mpostumus taken in March 2011 still shows the wooden chairs. Not sure what happened and why it was replaced with the white plastic one.

Pooky,

Great to see that you caught up and thanks for your kind words. Its a great place to visit, but its just too far to go there too often. I would have love to see the camping area and hide connect to the eastern side of the park, but now you have to exit the park and then enter again near Pont drift. On the Botswana side is Mashatu game reserve, but they a bit too expensive and I might only afford the bicycle trail, but again the pedalling away from an elie or lion will be a real problem with me becoming a meal on wheels. -O -O -O

[Bushveld Jock]

Day 3: Leokwe camp
The morning started with a quick stop at the Treetop walk and then to the confluence lookout decks. We were a bit late for lovely sunrise pics, but at least were the first there to surprise a small herd of kudu and "tree" dassie.

Giraffe feeding close to the camp:



Brown hooded kingfisher spotted from the hide:





White-backed vulture still resting in the same tree as the day before



We spotted lots of White-fronted bee-eaters around the Tree-top walk and at the river.



There are a number of lookout decks which ensure that you have fantastic views towards Zimbabwe and Botswana.







Viewes of the Limpopo river and Baobab trees.





When walking toward the deck we noticed several elephant dung along the path clearly indicating its not so safe to walk here without a guide. Another guy that did not feel that safe was a rock dassie looking out for any Verreaux's eagle and leopards. Dassie flesh has a pleasant flavour and sought after by various tribal Africans. We had enough food at the camp and just took some shots of the dassies. Some where sitting in trees, but I think they are rock dassies and not tree dassies. The tree dassie is much scarcer and do not nataurally occur in the park.











Right below the decks we spotted a small herd of kudu ewe, which at first just stood frozen and then slowly moved further down to the river.







Back at the car we were surprise by finding leopard footprints together with hyaena and baboon. The picnic site attendant who live in a cabin on site told us about noises he heard in the early morning and wanted to follow the tracks to see where the leopard walked to. SO followed him for about 100m and decided its much safer in the car incase we do spot the leopards. We left the picnic area on the 4x4 track looking into the koppies but spotted no leopard.





Close to the river we spotted two Verreaux's eagle which waited for the thermals to warm-up. They were too far off for great shots. We return back on the same road for a brunch back at camp.

[Bushveld Jock]

The rest of the morning we just relaxed at camp and went for a swim in the afternoon. You can walk around the camp, but as in the case of the picnic area and decks the evidence are there that elephants visit the area frequently and only a day or two back.

Creatures around the camp:







LBJ? Southern Grey-headed Sparrow?



Black eyed Bulbul



Whats up for brunch . Tree squirrel getting ready to be fried together with bacon and sausages for brunch.



Moon above Leokwe camp



View of our rondavel at Leokwe camp. Its actually 3 rondavels interlinking to form a two bedroom unit.



Moshi Monster ready to take a plunge



Swimming pool at Leokwe







Common flat lizard sunbaking on rocks at swimmimg pool




Car park at Leokwe

[Bushveld Jock]

Hi Nan, Lisbeth and Pumbaa,

I am glad you enjoyed my dassie pics and landscapes. When I was still able to rock climb like MM one used to find lots of dassie in the mountains, but nowadays its not such a frequent sighting unless you visit a protected area.

That pool was very refreshing but no pics of me swimming. //\0--

It was our last day and in the afternoon we drove back to the lookout following the road along the river up to Khongoni plains.

We first stopped at the pinic area to get a view of K2 Hill.









Moshi found a crack along the path to the lookout deck and took a picture through the crack down to the valley below.



In the 80's the military had a camp at Mapungubwe and some of engavings from the SADF soldiers can be seen here.


Moon and baobab by MM



Close to the Limpopo river we suddenly came to a halt when a small elephant herd approached. This bull decided he is not going to back off and walk straight towards us. As the elie was approaching us you cut hear the bells from the cattle further down the road. Not sure if it was the cattle that upset this guy but he did not look in a good mood.



Not too far from the elie a croc ran across the road. So was it the croc that chased the cattle and then the cattle that chased the elie.





After the croc we had more sightings of cattle, but I am sure you all know how a ranch look like. Here is some pics just in case you haven't been to one.






End of the last day.





The next day we left early just after the Aussies scored a try against SA in the quarter finals.

[Polentswa]

[quote="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.

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?) A Burchells Starling has a shorter tail and is found throughout Kruger Park too and into Moz

The Starling is a Meve's Starling ...found in all the major river valleys in Southern Africa ...Limpopo and Zambezi etc