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South Africa & Swaziland 2005

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Travel

RSA&Swazi 2005

Shiluvari/Outpost

Mopani/Moholoholo

Panorama Route/ Plains Camp

Swaziland

Rocktail Bay

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last updated: 17-Jul-2005

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Part 2 - Mopani - Moholoholo

From The Outpost Lodge, we drove southwards to Mopani Restcamp (1 night) and then out of Phalaborwa gate to Moholoholo Rehab Center (2 nights).

Northern Krueger

The drive to Mopani was rather quiet - both regarding animals and other cars. Crossing the tropic of Capricorn was thus one of the top events... Only during our late afternoon game drive, the occasional elephant or waterbuck showed up.

Mopani Restcamp was not very busy at the time we were there. It is located at a dam, and they have a big shop and a nice swimming pool with weaver bird nests hanging above the water, and squirrels and a pair of paradise flycatchers buzzing around. Having a shop AND a bungalow, this meant Braai for dinner - finally!

Driving from Mopani to Phalaborwa gate and on to Moholoholo was again not too exciting unless you consider several encounters with elephants, giraffes, zebras - and flowers. JJ didn't really like to brake and reverse for flowers. Crinum is nevertheless beautiful, especially if you just know it as an ornamental plant in a pot at home.


Elephants taking the same road	Crinum

After the Phalaborwa gate, reality is back with traffic, a big bleak mine and endless fences. The landscape gets lovelier again when approaching the Escarpment and Blyde River.

Moholoholo Rehab Center

Moholoholo is on one side a lodge, but also a Rehab Center for injured animals. They collect all kinds of injured or poisoned animals from all across South Africa, nurture them back to health and release them - or if this proves impossible, they keep them for "educational reasons". Their focus is on birds of prey and cats, but they also host a big family of antelope, warthogs, dassies and Mr. Honeybadger.

The animals' enclosures seem a bit small and zoo-like initially, but nevertheless we visited the rehab center twice: Firstly because of the excellent presentation and secondly because of the young servals. It was the first time we saw servals, but also the first time someone explained to us how a Brown Eagle is adapted to hunting dassies, whereas the Martial Eagle better hunts in the steppe. And they showed to us how heavy it is to lift a hungry white-backed vulture with one arm...

The second enterprise of Moholoholo are the lodges - we stayed in the Forest lodge. Nestled among dense trees and shrubs, our chalet was very cosy - as long as you mind that the local hippo roams free at night. The team is very friendly and laid back, food is good farm fare and plentyful, so we really enjoyed being there.

Unfortunately this was the time that my usual holiday fever caught me, so I was out of order for 1 day. Still don't know whether it has to do with taking Malarone. Nevertheless, we went to the Blyde River Dam for a picnic lunch - a beautiful and quiet spot, but no chance for a bath due to crocs.

Moholoholo also offers a volunteering programme, where you participate in caring for the animals and at the same time provide funding for the center. I thought about going there later in 2005, but then decided for studying Meerkats in the Kalahari... Contact Moholoholo directly for more information about volunteering. Moholoholo's homepage seems to be frequently out of order - try again.


White-backed vulture having food, me having exercise	Chalet at Moholoholo Forest Lodge

go to Part 3 (Panorama Route, Rhino Post Lodge, Plains Camp)