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Category: 2014 South Africa diversity Ecotour

Kruger National Park day 1 2014

Greetings from Kruger National Park day 1, 2014 of the South Africa diversity EcoTour.

Elephant Kruger National Park South Africa

After driving in circles and camping at Hans Merensky Dam in Tzaneen we headed for Kruger National Park.  Entering through Phalaborwa Gate we made reservations for two nights at the Tsendze Rustic camp.  An elephant greeted us along the way.

Impala Kruger National Park South Africa

We stopped at Shipandani Hide to be further welcomed by a herd of Impala.

Turtles on dam wall Kruger National Park South Africa

Woodland Kingfisher & Carmine Bee-eater Kruger National Park South Africa

Woodland Kingfisher and Carmine Bee-eater

The bird hides offer an opportunity to get out of the car, stretch the legs a bit and enjoy the view.

We arrived at Tsendze, where you must get out of your vehicle to open the gate, to discover it’s rustic beauty included no electric power which would have been fine if we didn’t have computer work to do.

Letaba camp Kruger National Park South Africa

So instead we drove to Letaba to camp.  Set up along the fence a bushbuck strolled by several times.  Bought some Wors (sausage) to braai (BBQ) for dinner and enjoyed a peak at the sunset before calling it a night.  Bedtime comes early on safari as wake-up call happens around 4:30 am.  An ungodly hour for me but always worth it to get out for a morning game drive when the animals are still active.

Sunset Letaba camp Kruger National Park South Africa

2014 South Africa diversity Ecotour, South Africa 19 Comments

Blue tailed lizard Kruger National Park

Blue tailed lizard Kruger National Park South Africa

Going on safari isn’t all about the Big 5 as there are many small things to see as well like this blue tailed lizard seen at a bird hide in Kruger National Park.

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Driving in circles South Africa

Madikwe Game Reserve Gate South AfricaMadikwe Game Reserve doesn’t have camping and requires reservations for expensive accommodations.  I didn’t know that and we didn’t do that.

Wag-n-Biekie Bar camp Groot Marico South AfricaSo we drove from Pilansberg for four hours for nothing, turned around and two hours later camped by invitation for free behind the Wag-n-Biekie Bar in Groot Marico where it poured providing an excellent lightning and thunder storm plus a very soggy tent by morning.

Sunrise N4 South AfricaAfter some discussion we decided not to visit Marakele National Park as it has very few roads drivable by a passenger car and we don’t have 4×4 so blew that off and instead got a very early start back to Pretoria, and thus we ended up driving in circles.

map of driving in circles South AfricaTook care of some quick shopping and of course lunch at Wimpy then headed north but had also decided not to go as far as Mapungubwe Nature Reserve on the South Africa, Botswana/Zimbabwe border.

Gaelyn by Magoebaskloofe Pass sign South Africa

View from Magoebaskloofe Pass South Africa

Hans Merensky Dam Tzaneen South AfricaA beautiful drive over Magoebaskloofe Pass provided views across valleys to far mountains and landed us at Hans Merensky Dam in Tzaneen to camp for the night.

Hans Merensky Dam camp Tzaneen South AfricaBecause it looked like rain we only set up one tent and the tarp just in case.  This camp is owned by the local water affairs and could really use some maintenance.  The bathrooms were falling apart and the grass definitely needed mowing but the view was superb.

Sunrise Hans Merensky Dam Tzaneen South AfricaNo rain and shortly after sunrise we were on our way.

Elephant Kruger National Park South AfricaWhere to?  Kruger National Park of course as it’s a do not miss park no matter how many times visited.

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