South Africa Part I and Swaziland

South Africa: December 14 - 19, 2016

Pinnacle Rock

We landed in Johannesburg, South Africa in the wee morning hours of December 14th, in time to catch a few hours of sleep before renting a car and heading off to the Mpumalanga province on the eastern side of the country.  Almost immediately after leaving the city, we were greeted by a countryside of incredible lush green rolling hills.  Along R539, we stopped at Old Joe's Kaia, a quaint tucked away villa with a beautiful garden for meandering, with an occasional monkey jumping through the trees.  As we wound through the hills and mountains on R532, the mountains met the sky with an eery mist settling in amongst the green.  After arriving in the town of Graskop we enjoyed a deliciously prepared and perfectly Mozambican-and-Portuguese spiced South African beef skewer at Canimambo's before tucking in to the Westlodge Bed and Breakfast for the night.

Bourke's Luck Potholes

The following morning we awoke early to start the day, sampling the famous Harrie's Pancakes and then beginning the drive north toward Blyde River Canyon.  The low clouds persisted, giving a magical feel to the landscape even if it did obscure the famous vistas of the area.  Along the route we stopped to admire Pinnacle Rock, the viewpoint at God's window, along with a hike through the nearby rainforest, then on to Bourke's Luck Potholes - beautiful curved and swirled patterns carved into the rock by centuries of whirlpools created where the Blyde and Treur rivers meet.  Soon after we were catching glimpses of the beautiful Blyde River Canyon itself in between the moving clouds on our way past the Three Rondavels Viewpoint.  

The landscape quickly changed as we moved out of the mountains and into the lower lands, filled with brush and a much hotter climate on our way toward nThambo Tree Camp.  Almost immediately after entering the gates of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, we encountered a large bull elephant waiting for our little vehicle to pass before crossing the road.  Not what you would normally expect to encounter in a little Ford Fiesta!  All along the bumpy roads leading to the camp we also came across a dazzle of zebra, a tower of giraffes, a tortoise and a multitude of birds.  Upon arriving to the tree camp we were greeted with an amazing frozen cocktail in the middle of the hot South African bush.  


That afternoon the entire camp of 9 guests set out for an evening game drive, soon coming across a white rhino mother and baby duo that we were able to admire and watch through the brush.  After cruising past impala, giraffes, impala, elephants, impala, hippo, and more impala, sunset found us enjoying wine and snacks for a lovely happy hour in the bush.  As the sky slowly darkened, the crew was on the look out for night animals.  We were lucky enough to spot a mother leopard sleuthing through the low trees, picking up a previously "prepared" dinner before disappearing to deliver it to her hidden away cubs.  Back at the camp we were greeted by an elephant passing through the grounds before we were all sitting down to a lovely dinner.  That evening we concluded the packed day sleeping in a lovely tent-on-stilts high above the ground, hearing the sounds of the wildlife and the faintly falling rain.

Friday morning we were up before the sun, on the look out for more animals and enjoying a coffee break just outside the vehicle.  Not too long after we found two lionesses lying lazily in the shade of the growing morning heat.  After a lovely breakfast and relaxing morning reading outside of the tree house, we set off from the private reserve and into the adjacent Kruger National Park.  Along the roads leading to the Satara rest camp, we stopped to admire the majestic kudu, many waterbuck, and a mother and baby elephant bathing in the nearby river.

In the evening we ventured out on another drive for a little over an hour, ensuring enough time to return before the rest camp gates would shut us out to fend for ourselves against the animals roaming their territory of the park.  In that short time we encountered wildebeest, a white rhino grazing in the distance, and a cackle of hyenas at the side of the road, waking up for their night hunting.

At 4:30am on Saturday morning, we were up to explore more of Kruger with the sky lightening with the rising sun.  South Africa is a large country spanning over 800 miles from the east coast to the west coast and yet it is on the same time zone throughout, making for very early sunrises and sunsets on the east coast with much later beginnings to the day and evening on the west coast.  With the ever brightening sky, we soon encountered a small pride of lions resting not far from the gravel road, with the male lion keeping a watchful eye while the lionesses rested further back in the bushes.  In the cool morning with a misting rain, we continued down large stretches of gravel road in search of more animals, encountering many beautiful birds, a mother jackal staring us down as her pup emerged from the den to run into the bushes, a few lone bull elephants, and some buffalo.  In the midst of a deserted gravel road, with no cell signal and no sign of another human being, we discovered that we had a flat tire.  I kept a lookout for opportunistic predators, while Dennis hurriedly put on the spare tire, and soon we were safely on our way back to a paved road toward camp.

Almost as soon as got to the paved road, a number of cars passing in the opposite direction flagged us down to let us know that there were two separate lion sightings just off of the side of the road, both along the way back to our camp.  The first was a pair of two young lions, one resting on each side of the road after their morning meal lying partially concealed in the bushes.  On the way to the second sighting a family of three elephants asserted their right of way as they crossed immediately in front of our car on their trek for more delicious leafy fare.  Not long after, another pair of male lions were again resting after their hunt of a baby rhinoceros.  While we were in line for a close up view of the nearest lion, the male resting further off began to wake up, strode toward the road directly next to our car, and stood staring at what felt to be directly the contents of our vehicle (aka US!) only 15 feet away.  To stare directly into the eyes of a lion at such close range is a truly humbling and simultaneously unnerving experience.  I was convinced that the lion was staring me down to eat me, and rolled up the windows in rapid time.

After safely returning to Satara we had a relaxing afternoon of reading and admiring the birds, butterflies, and reptiles that inhabit the camp.  This also gave the car and spare tire a break since we wouldn't be able to get it fixed until traveling to the next restcamp the following day.  That evening we went on a guided drive, staying out past the usual gate closing time to witness the vultures congregating near the lion kills witnessed earlier in the day, rhino families grazing in the cool evening air, and watching a beautiful sunset over the landscape.  Walking back to our quarters, we were greeted by a sky bursting with stars of all shapes and sizes, with the outline of the milky way glimmering in the background.

Sunday the 18th we were again up early, watching the sunrise as we drove south toward Skukuza restcamp.  Driving along a dried river bed, we spotted a creature moving stealthily across the bedrock toward a herd of unsuspecting impalas. We quickly realized that we were watching a cheetah on the hunt.  A minute after it disappeared into the bush, we saw the lightening-quick run of the cheetah and the frantic impala scattering in all directions.  Moving around the large national park and observing such a plethora of animals in their natural habitat, you get a truer sense of nature and its raw power, from the hot sun to the leafy trees that sustain a variety of animals, the carnivores that hunt and the many bleached bones seen nourishing the soil from which it all came.  Along the drive the landscape slowly changed to more green and leafy vegetation.  With that we saw numerous families of elephants in the riverbeds, hiding in the trees, and munching on leaves just off the road.  Monkeys played and jumped from tree to rooftop and back again as we stopped for a morning coffee break.  In the warm afternoon, we caught many rhinos sleeping to stay cool in small water pools, and saw an elephant splashing and playing as we watched from across the lake.  Giraffes munched on the high branches of the acacia trees while zebra grazed on the low green grass.

That evening we again went out on a guided drive, which is highly recommended.  With these drives, you can see the park past self-drive hours, and the guides are very familiar with the whereabouts of the animals, as they constantly radio each other about new finds.  As the sun began to set, over one hundred elephants along with multiple crashes of rhinos were sighted nearly everywhere you turned.  Once the sun was down the lions ruled the rest of the drive.  We spotted two lionesses and their cubs far off under the bushes, a group of two males and one lioness coordinating a hunt in the twilight hours, and a pride of six lions guarding their kill of a baby giraffe on a small dirt road.  The experience was incredibly primal, seeing nature and its food chain from nearly every aspect.  Upon returning to the camp we had a carnivore dinner of our own, enjoying a delicious steak dinner with a lovely bottle of pinotage wine underneath the trees with a sky full of stars shining through as we overlooked a magnificent flowing river below.

The following morning we began our drive to leave Kruger, and found ourselves near a watering hole filled with a bloat of hippos in the center, crocodiles basking on the banks, and beautiful birds and storks searching for the morning meal.  Just after we left the park gates, a herd of elephants crossed the road in front of us and seemingly bidding us adieu as we drove on to the next adventure - Swaziland!    

Swaziland: December 19 - 21, 2016

Crossing over the boarder from South Africa into the small landlocked kingdom of Swaziland, we were greeted by beautiful green rolling hills with a smooth and winding road to match.  The roadside villages were quaint amongst the picturesque backdrop.  Perhaps the most difficult transition from Kruger to the outside world was looking at the animals from the car and thinking you might be seeing a rhino or elephant, only to realize it's just a cow grazing in the fields. Upon arrival to the Mantenga lodge, we took the opportunity to walk around the area and admire the large, green hills.  The humans were let out of the mobile cage!  After four days of almost continuous driving, it was a relief to have the opportunity to move around.  Once the sun set over the hills, we took a short walk to the nearby craft village where we sat outside under a large tree on a lovely summer December evening, enjoying a tasty Roodeberg rosé and eating amazing Italian food from Khazimula's Restaurant.  The owner of the restaurant asked his friend from Naples to help him out while he was away, so we were treated to what was essentially a homemade meal of pizza and gnocchi.  Apparently, the chef didn't have any formal training; he cooked the way his mama taught him. 

Tuesday the 20th of December was our first day to sleep in.  We enjoyed the luxury, and later in the morning walked to Mantenga Nature Reserve where a local Swazi tribe resides, with performers demonstrating many aspects of the traditional culture and dance.  Even though there were signs posted warning of possible crocodiles in the area, we took any and all opportunities to walk around the beautiful area, including to a nearby waterfall on the reserve.  The afternoon found us exploring the Ezulwini Valley, stopping by a few of the many craft centers including the famous Swazi candles.  Near sunset we enjoyed Malendela's complex, an amazing area with a B&B, restaurant, and a quirky and creative concert venue - House on Fire - that looks like something out of by Alice in Wonderland.  The gardens look out across more green and rolling hills, with a creative, up-cycled, Gaudi-esque sculpture garden.  

Once the sun set we again found ourselves enjoying the summer night air with a lovely South African wine with a simple yet amazingly delicious margherita pizza.  A great way to end the day!

On Wednesday we drove our way out of Swaziland by way of Ngwenya glass, a factory where you can watch workers make incredible and intricate glass objects in front of your very eyes.  

Before we knew it we were back at the South African border, making our way to Pretoria for an evening out for some delicious grilled fare at Kream restaurant before flying down south to trek the Garden Route.  Bon voyage!