AN AMAZING 7 DAYS AT MANYANE - EACH YEAR JUST GETS BETTER *

[steamtrainfan]

Enjoyed reading your TR. Any comments on nightsounds at Manyane camp? Do you hear the bush or is there a lot of noise pollution ? Interested in visiting Pilanesberg for the first time, but worried that camp will be full of people more interested in Sun city than the bush.

Hi G.G.. A very warm welcome on board. The one thing about Pilansberg is that the camps are situated just outside the game reserve mext to the fence. So if you are lucky enough to get a hut near the fence you will in all probability hear some nice night sounds. Our unit at Manyane is not too close to the fence and we have heard lion, elephant and zebra sometimes. We have never suffered from noise pollution as we go out of season. I do not know what the noise is like during high season. If you are concerned about Sun City revellers then maybe you should think of staying at Bakgatla which is further away from Sun City than Manyane. I am sure you will enjoy a few days at Pilanesberg.

[steamtrainfan]

OUR LAST DAY 11.10.12 PART 2/3 08:00 to 10:00 (Part 1/2)

After we had said our farewells to the leopard we continued along Mankwe Way until we reached Manwe Dam hide. Here we saw one group of ellies drinking while another group came out from bush and headed straight to the first group. We thought that this could prove to be interesting but I guess that they are such sociable animals that there was no drama, just from friendly greetings and then the first group went off while the second group went on to drink.




Another shot from the hide of this pied kingfisher stretching his wing.


Having left the hide we saw these wildebeest being a bit skittish on the shores of the lake.


No matter how close we got to this guy he did not mind and just carried on grazing. Joan got this rather unusual angle.


And a very cute but inquisitive youngster.


And lastly for now some white faced duck. All the above photos taken between Mankwe Lake hide and the Letsha Link junction with Kubu Drive.


Until next time.

[steamtrainfan]

OUR LAST DAY 11.10.12 PART 3/3 10:00 to 12:00

A little further along Letsha Link just before the junction with Kubu Drive we saw a number of cars parked at all sorts of angles and people pointing all over the show. When we got into a reasonable spot we saw what everyone was looking at. There were 3 lion with a wildebeest ( we think) kill. Not a very good sighting as they were behind some bushes and in the shade of a tree but here is the best shot we managed to get. The rear end of a lion and what looks like the wildebeest carcass. Note the fish eagle in the tree in the background.


After a while we moved to another spot near the river bank in the hope of getting a better view from another angle but no luck. As we were about to move on we saw a lion coming out of the bush and walk straight towards us. We think it is a young male so I shall refer to mim as him in future. He then walked down to the river bank where we had a lovely clear view and settled down to slake his thirst.
Joans picture:


Melanies picture:


What a lovely sight to be able to sit and watch this beautiful animal drinking and relaxing for about 20 minutes.

He then got up and walked back to the tree and disappeared.


We left the lion in peace and a crowd of cars all pushing and shoving to try and get into the best spot.

An uneventful trip back to camp. Before turning into Manyane we decided to go and see if there was any sign of this mornings wild dogs.
The doggies had gone but this was all that was left of the young wildebeest.


Near the caravan shop I took this shot of what I thought was a chamelion (spelling??????)


Not a bad mornings viewing for our last day. Once again Pilanesberg had saved the best until last.

To follow: Our last few hours in Pilanesberg.

[Flutterby]

Great sighting, although I'd say that's a lioness.

[steamtrainfan]

OUR LAST DAY 11.10.12 PART 3/3 15:00 to 18:00

After a light lunch and yet another midday snooze we started off on our final trip into Pilanesberg. Down at Mankwe lake, with lovely a lovely thunder storm brewing in the background Joan got this shot.


Some ellies heading away from the approaching storm.


We went back to spot where we had seen the lion in the morning and this is what we saw - proof that the lion were still in place.


Putting on my most authoritive voice I told them to please get back into their cars or they would be fined. They apologised and hauled themselves back into their vehicles.

We sat around for a while but the lion were still well hidden so we moved back to the spot where we had seen the lion drinking in the morning. A short while later our patience paid off as a young male came and settled on the river bank but did not drink.


Gary Player once said " The more I practice the luckier I get."
We have learnt that the more patience we have the luckier we get.

On the Hippo Loop side of Mankwe Lake we watched as these ellies gave the waterbuck a hard time and showed them just who was the boss.




A late afternoon shot of some implala and a lonely springbuck with the lake in the background.


Our final shot of the sunset but what could also have been many millions of years ago of the volcano erupting bearing in mind that Mankwe Lake was the centre of a huge volcano all those millions of years ago.


We do hope that you have enjoyed this trip with us as much as we have enjoyed writing it. Thank you for all the comments. It is your comments that make a Travel Tale even more interesting.

[steamtrainfan]

Reading about you saying it was a male lion, - looking underneath, I thought it was a female too.

Wow F.B. and JIF - Having now taken a closer look I have no idea how I could have missed those tell tale signs. Thanks very much for the correction.

However, we are sure that our last lion picture is a male as one can see his mane starting to grow.

[steamtrainfan]

Just re-read your Trip Report - great sightings. I have now drawn up my wishlist.

As you said that each year just gets better, I hope this year spoils you when you go.

Hi Amoli. Hope you are well.

Thanks for the lovely comments. The time is approaching at a rapid rate and cannot wait to meet the gang.

I read in todays paper of people complaining about the people complaining about the dirt roads being in such a shocking condition. Lets hope they do some repair work before we get there.

[Toko]

steamtrainfan

Great sightings and some amazing photos - the thread deserves the title

Your lizard is a Southern Tree Agama Acanthocercus atricollis