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South Africa & Swaziland 2005

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pfeil Travel

pfeil  RSA&Swazi 2005

pfeil   Shiluvari/Outpost
pfeil   Mopani/Moholoholo
pfeil   Panorama Route/               Plains Camp
pfeil   Swaziland
pfeil   Rocktail Bay

pfeil   Picture Gallery
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last updated: 17-Jul-2005

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Document made with Nvu
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Klammer

Our trip to South Africa and Swaziland in Jan/Feb 2005

When: 26th January - 13th February 2005

Where: JNB, Shiluvari, Krueger NP (Outpost Lodge, Mopani), Moholoholo Rehab Center, Krueger NP (Rhino Post, Plains Camp), Swaziland, Rocktail Bay (KZN), JNB

How: We rented a car from sixt/Tempest (Tempest Car Hire, JNB Airport), type Toyota Condor. This high-clearance vehicle was especially useful for game-drives in the high grass plains. All accomodation was prebooked via the internet, mostly via Siyabona or directly with the properties. We took malaria prophylaxis (Malarone) during the whole trip.

Please also check out these links to our trips to South Africa in 2002 and to South Africa/Namibia in 2005.
More pictures of this trip, including many accommodation and wildlife pics, are in my gallery here.

Part 1 - JNB-Outpost

Shiluvari - The Outpost Lodge

Shiluvari Lodge, Albasini Dam From JNB Airport we drove to Shiluvari Lodge near Makhado (formerly Louis Trichardt, ca. 350 km), where we stayed for the night. We were the only guests, and it was raining, but the lodge itsself was nicely made and well kept. The landscape around Shiluvari and to the Park is beautiful - rolling green hills and rivers; however, the villages along the road seem poor.

From Shiluvary we drove on to Punda Maria Gate and on into Krueger National Park - we hadn't really entered the park when we saw the first trio of buffaloes. Elephants, giraffes and nyala were to follow until we finally found the turn-off to the Outpost Lodge (located only ca. 10 km from Pafuri gate - we had expected it earlier).

The Outpost Lodge looks very unpretentious - until you enter the main room. Smooth Italian design in the bush, combined with excellent cuisine (well, it is a bit strange to travel 36 hours from Europe to the Krueger and then eat Norvegian Salmon which did the same trip). The view from our space (=room) extended over the Luvuvhu river and endless bush to Mozambique. The Outpost is the first lodge in this region, partly belonging to the Makuleke people who lived here until the 1960s, and now provide most of the staff.


Outpost Lodge, our "space" Outpost Lodge - tub with a view
The Outpost Lodge in northern Krueger National Park: Our "space", and the view from the tub. You can draw blinds if it rains - but why should you? We stayed for 3 nights at The Outpost - enough to slow down and get into safari mode.

Game drives around The Outpost Lodge

Northern Krueger Park is much less visited than the South, and The Outpost rangers are allowed to use roads prohibited to the public. We thus rarely met other cars during the game drives, but saw lots of rather shy animals. Our guide and ranger were extremely knowledgeable and knew the area very well.

Outpost - Lanner's Gorge Outpost - Attacking Elephant
Lanner's gorge (Luvuvhu river)    Attacking elephant matriarch - they hid a newborn baby


Outpost - Leopard Outpost - Chamaeleon walking up my arm
The highlight - a leopard!  This chamaeleon preferred walking up my arm to being run over.
                                                             
Go to Part 2 (Mopani Public Restcamp, Moholoholo Wildlife Rehab Center)
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