Day 17: From Mkhuze Game Reserve to Tembe Elephant Park
A lot of Sand Forest there Tembe was proclaimed in 1983 to protect the elephants, sand forest and suni antelope. But sand forest and elephant don't like eachother
That's what they call "Matriarch Suite" "luxury, spacious, safari tent built on a wooden platform with a deck"
Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5) TEMBE *
Re: Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5)
Would be much nicer if selfcatering was on offer There is no fridge in this luxury tent and it's quite a walk to the car park or to the bar
But it's ok, if you like red wine
But it's ok, if you like red wine
Re: Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5)
... and you can not have a huge fire next to your tent
But the food served in the "restaurant" is ok
If you have a good cooler box and a 4x4, you can have lots of cold ones in the bush or in the hides/picnic sites
Terrible and expensive place, don't go!
Worst experience: Got stuck in the boma at 11pm (alone, without any drink) and could not get back to my tent 'cause of big tusker blocking the way for two hours
Horrible place!
But the food served in the "restaurant" is ok
If you have a good cooler box and a 4x4, you can have lots of cold ones in the bush or in the hides/picnic sites
Terrible and expensive place, don't go!
Worst experience: Got stuck in the boma at 11pm (alone, without any drink) and could not get back to my tent 'cause of big tusker blocking the way for two hours
Horrible place!
- Mel
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Re: Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5)
No self-catering IS horrible!
No fridge for the beer IS horrible!
Not bothered about the long walkies to the car or the bar though.
Unless it's pitch dark and there is a tusker blocking my way.
(What happened to the drinks?)
No fridge for the beer IS horrible!
Not bothered about the long walkies to the car or the bar though.
Unless it's pitch dark and there is a tusker blocking my way.
(What happened to the drinks?)
God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
Re: Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5)
It's not pitch dark (there are lights on the path) unless a big tusker is playing with the electric wiresMel wrote:
Not bothered about the long walkies to the car or the bar though.
Unless it's pitch dark and there is a tusker blocking my way.
(What happened to the drinks?)
Drinks?
One night I went to the boma (without anything: no camera, no torch, no drinks) to get that interesting book about trees of the sand forest which would have made an interesting read with a glass of wine on the stoep of my tent. When I wanted to leave the boma I noticed Isilo walking along and he spent some time taking down some small trees and feeding on the soft twigs. He was peacefully feeding between the boma and my tent in the middle of the path for two hours -O
Re: Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5)
Isilo is the only bull breaking the electric fence and entering the camp and he is a regular visitor I think the area was his fav feeding place before the camp was built and he likes the soft branches
Perhaps the other bulls don't know how to break the fence with the tusks without getting an electric shock
Perhaps the other bulls don't know how to break the fence with the tusks without getting an electric shock
Re: Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5)
Day 17: Tembe Elephant Park
Leopard Orchid
It was only 11:30pm, so we decided to have a look at Mahlasela pan
Sand roads
Red duiker not running off
the hide
another bull walking in
Bushbuck & Red Duiker
Nyala & Red Duiker
Velempini
It was about time for lunch so we left the hide and walked into this guy
This polite gentleman with perfect manners gave us the right of way and we could get into the car.
Leopard Orchid
It was only 11:30pm, so we decided to have a look at Mahlasela pan
Sand roads
Red duiker not running off
the hide
another bull walking in
Bushbuck & Red Duiker
Nyala & Red Duiker
Velempini
It was about time for lunch so we left the hide and walked into this guy
This polite gentleman with perfect manners gave us the right of way and we could get into the car.
Re: Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5)
Mel wrote:The area looks very familiar! Even the visitors at the waterhole...
I reckon, I saw them before... somewhere... -O
Lovely!!!
Indeed, some guys are old friends and it's great to meet them
BTW: There are about 80 adult bulls in Tembe, but not all of them are visitors to the cam waterhole
And it was even more fun if we knew more names and could ID our bulls.
So far it's only a few, I know by name:
The tuskers: Isilo, Mkadebona, Siqualo and Phukile (is never seen in the south)
and: Rudi, Mabhudu, Ukhana, Mr. Half Ear, Hero, Kwazi, Phyco, Mfungeni, Gus, Indida, Mr. Mc Donalds, Ibhungu, Tyrone, Lebo, Ucici, Velempini, Khelemfana, Ndawoyakhe
-O
Re: Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5)
Day 17: Tembe Elephant Park
The Elephant Highway
In the afternoon we went out again and this time we were at the Elephant Highway just in time ... six bulls crossing the road on their way back to the bush after the waterhole fun
And interesting to note their interaction with a vehicle: All of these bulls stop at the edge of the road, look around, slowly move forward and stop again in the middle of the road and give you a curious look, come closer to inspect you and then move on qickly
The Elephant Highway
In the afternoon we went out again and this time we were at the Elephant Highway just in time ... six bulls crossing the road on their way back to the bush after the waterhole fun
And interesting to note their interaction with a vehicle: All of these bulls stop at the edge of the road, look around, slowly move forward and stop again in the middle of the road and give you a curious look, come closer to inspect you and then move on qickly
Re: Travel Snippets from Kruger, Swazi & KZN (5)
Day 17: Tembe Elephant Park
Mahlasela pan is a good place for a cold drink -O
Yellow-billed Kite
Mahlasela pan is a good place for a cold drink -O
Yellow-billed Kite