Another early (although later than yesterday) start this morning. We needed to be at breakfast by 7 am and out at the bus by 7:40 so that Johannes could give us an overview of Africa, South Africa and Kruger National Park.
We were on the road by 8:30 and were driving the couple of hundred kilometres to Karongwe Private Game Reserve. As the name implies it is privately run and people can buy into the reserve (there are some private houses throughout the reserve).
On the way we stopped at the third scenic viewing point we’d missed on the way to Kruger. They are called the Potholes. They are holes in the rock along the Blyde River. You walk down to them from the car park and then across three bridges to look at the potholes. Luckily for me they aren’t swinging bridges (suspension) so I managed to go across them even though they were a little bouncy.
After we walked down to the Potholes we had a quick shop then on to the bus to Becks Safari Lodge in Karongwe. As we headed back down to the lowveld and the Greater Kruger Area we noticed that the cliff along the road were green. Johannes explained that this was from lichen.
Becks is one of three resorts and is the top lodge in the reserve. We had been upgraded as the other lodge was full (this was going to be glamping). The reserve is fenced and animal here have been acquired or are here for breeding purposes (eg Cheetahs).
Our rooms are beautiful we have a balcony that looks out over a river bed and Impalas, Zebra and Giraffes have come down to drink so far. Once it gets dark you have to have a guard walk you to and from your room in case there are big cats around. A couple of nights ago there was a Leopard in the compound and tonight there was a J“ackal (yes not a cat but predator none the less) and a Serval.
After we settled in and had lunch (ostrich steak) we had a talk from a Cheetah conservationist who explained there are 5 Cheetah’s here at Karongwe, 2 females and 3 males. Once the 3 males have bred with the females and teh cubs have been born they may either move the cubs (once they are weened) or the males to avoid inbreeding.
After the talk we got into the open jeeps (no roof on these) for an afternoon game drive. We have 4 game drives while we are here, afternoon today, morning and afternoon tomorrow and a morning on Tuesday before we head back to Johannesburg.
We drove around the area the lodge is in and we didn’t see much (we encountered some wildebeest and some buffalo) but then the driver said he was driving fast so he could show us something. When we came to a stop the tracker jumped off the seat in the front of the jeep and walked off into the bush. He waved us all over and we got out and walked over to where he was. They had managed to find the three male Cheetahs (they are brothers) and we could virtually walk up to them. Unlike the lion and the leopard they aren’t aggressive to humans and seemed very relaxed with about 20 people milling around them.
After we’s spent some time with the Cheetahs we had drinks on the savannah as the sun set. On the way back they spotted some leopard cubs in the undergrowth which I couldn’t quite capture.
We had a very long, late but delicious four course dinner and were back at our room by 10pm for a 4:30 start for a morning drive – and what a drive it was.
davstuholidays 