Page 1 of 9

Across the Frontier into Eden*

Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 11:40 am
by Sharifa
We are all set to visit the Frontier and Garden Route Parks.

This is our first visit to these Parks except for Mountain Zebra National Park (MZNP)

Our itinerary is as follows:

21-23 Dec. - MZNP
23-27 Dec - Addo
27-29 Dec - Ebb & Flow
29-31 Dec - Storms River Mouth
31 Dec-1 Jan - Bontebok
01-03 Jan - Karoo
03-05 Jan - Camdeboo

Having read some of the travel tales for these Parks, we are really looking forward to the trip O/\ O/\ O/\

Tell you all about it when we get back

Re: Across the Frontier into Eden

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 2:15 pm
by Sharifa
It is always exciting to visit a new destination and especially so when it is in your own country. Duke and I had not visited the Eastern Cape Parks and the Garden Route, except for Mountain Zebra National Park.

Beautiful O/\ O/\ O/\

We crossed the Frontier and found the road to Eden O:V

Image

and also the stairway to heaven ;-)

Image

Re: Across the Frontier into Eden

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 2:27 pm
by Sharifa
Thanks Toko, nan, Richprins, Lisbeth and Mel \O
Toko wrote: 0/* Sharifa

Welcome back on Earth O0

Primising start - vistas and skies O:V O:V O:V
Sadly we had to leave Eden and come back to earth :-)

First stop: Mountain Zebra National Park

21-12-2013

We arrived at the gate at about 3pm to a dark and cloudy sky

Image

This was our allocated home for the next two days

Image

Image

Read the history of the Park while you relax

Image

Image

Image

and enjoy a stunning sunset with your sundowner

Image

The last time we were in MZNP we had two very special experiences:

1. The cheetah tracking
2 The Night Drive. Last time we saw caracal, aardwolf and black rhino.

We decided to give the cheetah tracking a miss this time. We could not do the night drive on our first night because of the rain. We did get a night drive on the second night and this was easily the best night drive we have ever had in any Park :-) ;-)

Re: Across the Frontier into Eden

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 8:11 pm
by Sharifa
Mel wrote:Eish, the Mistress of Suspense... ^0^ That night drive sounds promising. \O

Looks like they changed the patio furniture? Those chairs look much nicer than the ones we had almost two years ago. :-?

I already know that I need to get back to that place as well. What a beautiful park with stunning sunsets (and sunrises as well). O\/
But the day comes before the night ^0^ so I will have to do that first ;-)

The furniture has changed but don't try lifting one of those chairs, even the driver was huffing. Why lift it you ask, well don't sit on one that has been in the sun =O:

Re: Across the Frontier into Eden

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 8:25 pm
by Sharifa
We were out of the camp at 6.00 am when the gates opened. There was mist in the valley

Image

Image

It was just too beautiful to describe. The mist lifting from the valley against the backdrop of the mountains....SIGH

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

and then the Mountain Zebra, Red Haarties and Black Wildies in the mist O:V

Image

Image

Image

Re: Across the Frontier into Eden

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 11:26 am
by Sharifa
We also got some nice flowers

Image

Image

Image[

A speckled mousebird also enjoyed the flowers :-)

Image

In the grass, a distance from the road, we saw a PCG wanting to make a meal of a snake. We thought cobra at the time but not sure now looking at the pics.

Image

Image

That was a little too close and the PCG thought better of it and flew off

Image

Jackal Buzzard

Image

Rock Kestrel

Image

A PCG that new snakes should be left alone :-0

Image

Re: Across the Frontier into Eden

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 11:52 am
by Toko
O:V O:V O:V Lovely flowers, Sharifa - The Pentzia globosa shrubs look very pretty O\/ O\/ O\/ and you captured also a beautiful Bulbine abyssinica

Love also the Rock Kestrel and the Jackal Buzzard \O \O \O


But my fav is the Hibiscus pusillus ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ Supercool find O0

Re: Across the Frontier into Eden

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 12:27 pm
by Mel
Sharifa wrote:...also a chance to pick up the aardvark and aardwolf. \O
Aha! :twisted: O**

Great raptors against blue skies! Also interesting interaction between the PCG and the what-ever ;-) snake. \O

Re: Across the Frontier into Eden

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 1:03 pm
by Lisbeth
Sharifa wrote:
The furniture has changed but don't try lifting one of those chairs, even the driver was huffing. Why lift it you ask, well don't sit on one that has been in the sun =O:
I have always wondered why the outside furniture is so heavy :-? I suppose it is a kind of anti-theft -O-

Re: Across the Frontier into Eden

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 1:08 pm
by Lisbeth
Those misty pics have a very special atmosphere..........if it was not cold ;-)

Beautiful flower pics and I love the one of the mousebird O/\ O/\