Africa Wild

We spent two nights at Mata Mata in a riverfront unit. I really enjoy the patio area just to sit and read, do crosswords, cookout, etc all while waiting for something to wander by. You only have one choice of drives out of camp, the only question is just how far south to go.

Odds 'n ends from our two days:

Another HB sighting





Giraffes play fighting







A jackal that was lucky enough to steal a meal




A thirsty Brownie




and a thirsty Martial Eagle

A groveling ostrich Lothario wanna-be







"She said YES!!"










A couple of skinks in territory skirmishes. ("This tree ain't big enough for the two of us!" )







There's no such thing as too many squirrels-playing photos:










A few wildebeests were sorting some issues out:










I can usually find some insects at Mata Mata in the grass/wooded areas across from the riverfront units, but this year I found practically NOTHING due to the dryness/lack of flowers there. Even the patio lights attracted virtually nothing, and I didn't take a single insect/macro pic there.

Great sequences with the ostriches and wildebeest , but my favourites are the squirrels!!

That American expression "cookout" is so interesting!

Fascinating badger and ostrich behaviour, Ex!


Grovelling Lothario!

Good to see the wildebeest are just as loony there.

That is one good-looking brown hyena, wow! It's looks as if it had just had a nice grooming at the hairdressers -
with that fur all in order and so fluffy

There never has to be a reason for "too" many squirrel pix either. Although there is a universal one:
They are just cute.

What a weird honey badger

So you recommend the river facing units at Mata mata

Love the squirrel pictures playing

Alf - I always enjoy our stays in the RF units at Mata Mata. The outdoor patio/braai area is large, somewhat private due to how they are positioned relative to the next unit, and has a decent amount of game coming to the waterhole (of course that varies, but there are also birds, squirrels, meerkats, etc that play nearby the units). I don't enjoy TweeR because the evening atmosphere is not peaceful, nor private, as you are right next to everyone else grilling and conversing, and you cannot sit and watch game from your accom. (Obviously, being an enclosed camp, MM it is safer for children as well.)

Flutts, RP (I used the term "cookout" because I couldn't remember if it's spelled "braai" or "braii" and was too lazy to look it up ), Mel (yes, the HB was indeed weird - cooling off, getting warm, dirt fetish, who knows ), and Alf - thanks, all, for hanging in here with me.

Next camp was TweeR for 2 nights. I do like the restaurant there, and the choice of drives (Auob or Nossob), but it's just too people-dense for my taste. (Dense as in numerous, not IQ-wise, har har. )

Our sightings those two days -







A leopard quite far away near a ledge, which it moved under and out of sight, but our resident cat wizard, Mel, was able to ID it as Botshelo. (That's for Mel, not Botshelo)













Our best sighting of those days was of this big guy:


























Coming up - KK for 1 night, than on to Grootkolk for 3 nights.

Thanks for the advice about the camps

Something about Mata mata attracting me, not sure what it is

Will start our planning soon