#gamereserve -

8 Tips to get the Most from your Game Drive

1) Understand how a game drive works Some people like to live in suspense and take life as it comes. If that’s you, you can skip this part! Others get more from an experience if they understand how it works… Broadly speaking private game lodges offer open vehicle game drives with anything from 4-6 people (at the most expensive lodges) up to 10 people on a game vehicle, usually somewhere in between. There is a place for one person next to the ranger (more on that later) and then three rows of seats usually each one a little higher than the last. The drive usually lasts around 3 to 4 hours depending on what you see and there’s a break for morning coffee/tea and for evening sundowners which is also an opportunity for a bush loo stop. Usually the ranger will be in radio contact with other vehicles. Either belonging to the same lodge and/or neighboring lodges traversing the same area. This is a good thing because more eyes out in the bush mean more sightings and everyone wins. But of course there is an etiquette involved here! A private game reserve doesn’t want 10 vehicles converging on a sighting all at once. As this disturbs the animals, the tranquility of the bush and throws your chances of getting a stunning photo badly off-kilter. So when a vehicle comes across a major sighting such as one of the so-called Big Five, or wild dog cheetah etc, they spend a few minutes enjoying the sighting in peace before radioing in to other vehicles. There then follows a delicate ‘dance’ between the rangers as to who heads to the sighting next depending on their distance away. Usually two and not more than three vehicles are allowed at a sighting at any one time. If you are second to a sighting, you cannot immediately go in front and take the best vantage point thus ruining the experience for the original vehicle. However as they move off, your ranger can move the vehicle into a better spot for photos. Your ranger will try to ensure that all people on the vehicle can get a decent photo. Please keep in mind that depending on the terrain, the animal’s behavior and the lighting, this is not always possible… Sometimes you may find yourselves in a sort of ‘queue’. Of course a good ranger will not make this obvious to you and will occupy the time discussing other things. The private game lodges generally stick to the reserve roads but are allowed to go off road to follow a major sighting. However whether they do so or not depends on the terrain. It might look fine to you but they will know that there is major ‘donga’ (sharp steep cleft in the bush uncrossable) for example. In an “ideal” game drive, you will have a mix of good, sometimes even exciting sightings with plenty of time to just appreciate the animals, lots of discussion with your ranger and also the chance to learn about other aspects of the bush such as plants, birds, how to track animals, how to know which animal passed on the basis of their dung etc. However not every game drive is an epic one just as not every day will be the best day ever. Some drives are quiet. Sometimes this is because of the weather – a strong wind or a cold front affects animals as much as humans. Sometimes you’re just not lucky! 2) Bring the right kit I go into this in some detail in our What to Wear guide but as far as the actual game drive goes, try to have the following: • Camera – See next point • Binoculars – the best you can afford and ideally one for each person • Sunblock • Wide brimmed hat for summer, and woolly beanie for winter • Animal and bird books – usually on sales in the lodge shop if you don’t already have • For bush loo stops – some tissue & a bag to put it in afterwards, hand sanitizer • Layers of clothing for late autumn to spring • Mosquito repellent for summer • Water (if the lodge doesn’t provide it) For families • Simple animal check-list – great for keeping kids motivated • Access to photography whether it is a disposable camera or borrowing your camera phone • Binoculars – ideally one for each family member – have I said that before? Shall I say it again • Dried fruits if your kids are likely to get hungry (though snacks are provided at the break) 3) Sit in the middle of the vehicle This gives you the best of all worlds. You are high up so animal sightings are good, but not so far back that you can’t ask questions of the ranger. However each seat has pros and cons. The front seat is ideal for older less mobile people and in winter, it is definitely the warmest. But your sightings are not nearly as good because you don’t have the height. The first seat is ideal if you like to ask a lot of questions and you have an unobstructed view to the front (my preference). The middle row gives you greater height but you can still hear the ranger. The back seat is a love it or hate it experience. My husband reverts to being a naughty schoolboy at the back of the bus (much giggling and in-jokes with the kids). It is definitely the bumpiest option and also the coldest in winter but you do have the added advantage of being able to look over your shoulder at what is behind the vehicle – ideal if a line of animals such as a pack of wild dogs has just walked from the front to the back. 4) Ask Questions This does what it says on the tin. The more you ask, the more you learn. Some rangers have

8 Tips to get the Most from your Game Drive Read Post »

Emdoneni News

The Wildlife of Hluhluwe | Imfolozi The Game Reserve that Saved the White Rhino

Famed as the wildlife park that saved the White Rhino from extinction, today Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal is home to a large population of Rhino and is a must-see destination while visiting South Africa. The game reserve that saved the White Rhino – Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Located on 96 00 hectares of land, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is approximately 3 hours from Durban and is considered one of the highlights of any visit to South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal province. Home to over 96 species of mammals and more than 330 species of birds, visitors to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi can look forward to spotting at least one or all of the Big Five while exploring the reserve. The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Viewing Experience The nature park is home to the second largest population of White Rhinos in the world, after the Kruger National Park and also has a large population of Black Rhino and growing populations of Elephant and other African wildlife. Visitors should aim to spend a few hours in one of the hides overlooking a water point as it is here that one will see game sauntering down to the water for a refreshing drink or to wallow in the mud on the banks. Nile Crocodiles, Water and Rock Monitor Lizards can all be found in the rivers. There are 31 species of snake in the game reserve including the venomous Black-necked Spitting Cobra and Puff adders, both of which frequent the camps and visitors should be weary of where they are walking. Up at the Hilltop Camp one can look forward to seeing Red Duiker and Blue Duiker in the scarp forest surrounding the camp and Buffalo and other game can regularly be found grazing right outside the camp’s main entrance. Although the large carnivores such as Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Spotted Hyaena are found in the reserve they are more likely to be heard, calling at night, than seen. A great destination for the avid birder Today the reserve is flourishing and visitors can look forward to excellent game viewing opportunities in a beautiful setting. A top bird watching destination, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi is home to a wide array of bird species from residents to migrants and regularly visitors. Some of the special species include the African Finfoot that can be seennear Memorial Gate from the Gontshi stream crossing. The Southern Bald Ibis, Striped Pipit and the Mocking Chat are all regularly spotted on a cliff viewed from the Siwasamakhosikazi picnic spot to the south of the Hluhluwe River. Heading out along the Mbhombe self-guided walking trail at the Hilltop Camp will provide sightings of some of the scarp forest birds including the Crested Guinea fowl, Olive Bush Shrike, Lemon Dove and Green Twinspot. Along the river, especially in fruit season, one will find a wide variety of fruit-eating birds including Crowned and Trumpeter Hornbills and Purple-crested Turacos. Visitors should also not forget to spend time at one or more of the many bird hides as any time spent there is always fruitful. The History of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve Split into two sections, the hilly Hluhluwe Section in the north and the iMfolozi section with its rugged hills and wide jagged valleys towards the south, the first evidence of human occupation is iron smelting and metal-working sites from about 1 500 years ago during the Iron Age. More recently the land was occupied by Dingiswayo and his Mthethwa tribe and later still by Shaka and his mighty Zulu warriors. Shaka and his tribesmen used to hunt in the area and later, from the mid- 1800s white hunters and ivory traders discovered the wildlife populations and severely hunted the game. A remains of the White Rhino population in the area in 1895 led to the establishment of the Hluhluwe and iMfolozi game reserves in 1895 however the arrival of the tsetse fly borne nagana disease in the local cattle saw farmers calling for a de-proclamation of the reserves and the start of an extreme hunting spree over a 10 year period that saw over 100 000 heads of game slaughtered. During this hunting spree only the Rhinos were sparred and in 1952 the sparse remaining wildlife was again protected. In 1989 the Corridor separating the two reserves was opened, incorporating them into one. Habitats The reserve has 3 distinct vegetation types; the most widespread is the Zululand lowveld, while the higher areas are dominated by the Zululand sourveld and the rest of the reserve has patched of scarp forest. The extreme north and south of the reserve are particularly hilly with the landscape being carved out and cut through by three major rivers which then split into a number of small streams. Source: nature-reserves.co.za

The Wildlife of Hluhluwe | Imfolozi The Game Reserve that Saved the White Rhino Read Post »

Emdoneni News

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: Game for something different

Need a break from the Kruger? go! suggests the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in northern KwaZulu-Natal for a totally different game-viewing experience. You might even see the elusive black rhino… Hluhluwe and Imfolozi were proclaimed in 1895, and since 1989 they have been managed as one park. Their history goes back even further. Before 1895, this was the hunting territory of Dingiswayo and Shaka. Hunting was limited to royals and was only permitted in winter. The two reserves are quite different. Hluhluwe has densely grown, green hills and is said to be the best place to see elephants. Imfolozi is flat and open. You’ll see plains game like impala, kudu, blue wildebeest and zebra. And predators like wild dog and lion, if you’re lucky. Rhinos and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi are synonymous. After all, this is where the massively successful Operation Rhino kicked off in the 1960s, with the aim of saving the white rhino from extinction. Black rhino, however, are seldom seen. They’re shy creatures and there are lots of places to hide. You have to have an eye for detail to distinguish a black rhino from a white rhino. Don’t be fooled by the names; both species are the same shade of grey. The most obvious difference is that a black rhino has a pointed upper lip and a white rhino has a wide, square upper lip. The name “white” rhino is apparently a mistranslation of the Afrikaans word for wide – “wyd” – in reference to the lip. A black rhino also has a concave back, whereas a white rhino has a flattish back. And although white rhinos are bigger, black rhinos are more aggressive. At the reception at Hilltop Camp there’s a map of the reserve where visitors can indicate their sightings. Set out early, because it’s a bit of a drive to the Imfolozi game-viewing routes: about 50km of tar road to Mpila Camp (the main camp in Imfolozi) and then another 12km to the lookout over the Black Mfolozi. The last remaining lion in the reserve was shot in the early 1900s. Then, in 1958, game rangers were astounded to see a huge male. He was believed to have walked south from Mozambique, dodging hunters out to bag “the last lion in Zululand”. Safe and sound in the reserve, he spent a few lonely years checking out his new territory until a few lionesses magically appeared – apparently smuggled in by conservation-minded staff. The rest, as they say, is history. Certain prides in Imfolozi have developed an unusual habit – the lions climb trees. Reserve ecologists aren’t entirely sure why they do this. The most plausible theory is that the extra elevation allows them to cool down more easily. They might even do it for fun. Maybe they’re hiding from the black rhinos? Rhino poaching has escalated dramatically in the past few years and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi’s population has been targeted too. Rhinos have been killed, despite the best efforts of the reserve authorities to curb the scourge. To spend time with a rhino in the wild – white or black – is yet another reminder of how fragile our natural heritage is, and how important it is to preserve it. Source: network24

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park: Game for something different Read Post »

Emdoneni News

Have you been to Mkuze Game Reserve?

Mkuze Game Reserve is renowned as a mecca for bird lovers with more than 420 bird species on record. The Mkuze River curves along the reserve’s northern and eastern borders with a fine stretch of fig forest along its banks. Fish eagles swoop over the pans, snatching prey spotted from their perches in the fever trees. The reserve has an astonishing diversity of natural habitats, from the eastern slopes of the Lebombo mountains along its eastern boundary, to broad stretches of acacia savannah, swamps and a variety of woodlands and riverine forest. A rare type of sand forest also occurs in the reserve. This diversity of habitats means a wide variety of animal species including black and white rhinoceros, elephant, giraffe, nyala, blue wildebeest, warthog, eland, hippo, impala, kudu and other smaller antelope. Rare species occurring in the reserve are cheetah, hyena, suni and leopard. Three game viewing hides have been constructed next to the Kubube, Kamasinga, Kwamalibala pans. Visitors park their cars and enter the hides on foot. Depending on the surface water in the reserve, but normally during the drier winter months, large concentrations of game may be seen at the waterholes. Visitors are therefore offered excellent views of most of the reserve’s larger mammals. These hides offer unique opportunities to photographers. General information: No pets are permitted in the reserve. No firewood may be collected in the reserve. The water is chlorinated and filtered for human consumption but is very salty. Mineral/spring water is on sale at the camp curio shop and Rhino-Dine-O takeaway. Basic food stuffs and a variety of curio items are on sale at the curio shop. It is advisable to bring binoculars, a first aid kit, a torch, insect repellent, a hat and sun-tan lotion. Unleaded petrol and diesel are on sale at the Camp. Visitors are urged to take precautions against malaria before, during and after a visit to the reserve. Mosquito nets are provided in each accommodation unit. Gate entry times: Summer (1 October – 31 March) 05:00 – 19:00, Winter (1 April – 30 September) 06:00 – 18:00. These times are strictly enforced. The accommodation complexes are either not fenced or do not have a totally game proof fence surrounding them. Please do not walk beyond the vicinity of your own chalet or campsite after sunset unless it is essential to do so. Office hours are from 08:00 – 16:30 daily. Sundays and Public Holidays are 08:00 – 16:00 daily. The hides are being renovated at uMkhuze and will not be available for game viewing until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. How To Get There From the south, the turn-off to the Mkhuze Game Reserve is signposted 35 km north of Hluhluwe. From this point, the road is gravel. Approximately 15 km further turn right onto another signposted road through the Lebombo mountains. The entrance is 10 km along this road and the route is clearly signposted. Visitors from the north should take the road through Mkuze Village, which is 18 km from the entrance gate and 28 km from Mantuma camp. This road is well signposted. Visitor’s Activities A road network of 100 km traverses a variety of bushveld habitats which offer excellent game-viewing. Animals include: wild dog, black and white rhino, elephant, giraffe, nyala, blue wildebeest, warthog, hippo, impala and kudu. Rare species occurring are hyena, suni and leopard. Four game viewing hides are situated next to the Kubube, Kumasinga, Kwamalibala and Kumahlala pans. The hides are being renovated at uMkhuze and will not be available for game viewing until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. More than 420 species of birds have been recorded . Two bird-viewing hides have been erected next to the Nsumo Pan, where a wealth of waterfowl can be seen. The Fig Forest Guided Walking Trail (guided by a field ranger) should not be missed. Short day walks (± 2 hours)conducted by a field ranger, may also be undertaken. Night drives are also offered, giving visitors the opportunity to see some of the reserve’s nocturnal animals and birds. A swimming pool is situated in the hutted camp and campsite respectively, strictly for accommodated guests only. The Rhino Dine-O take-away situated near Mantuma is open from 07:00 – 09:30 for breakfast; 11:30 – 14:00 for lunch and 17:00 – 19:00 for dinner. Source: Emdoneni Lodge Mkuze Game Rerserve

Have you been to Mkuze Game Reserve? Read Post »

Emdoneni News

Exciting Emdoneni

I discovered Emdoneni a few years ago. My sister was out from the USA and I wanted to give her a truly South African experience. And she wasn’t disappointed. By Tim Lombard. There’s something special about seeing a wild animal up-close. At Emdoneni, you get the chance. As part of the Cheetah Project, where they carefully rehabilitate wildlife and then release them into the wild, we get to experience monitored interaction with cheetah, caracal, serval and African wildcat. Emdoneni Lodge, with Cheetah Project, is a high quality lodge and is situated on a small game farm. It is accessible for any vistitor who still wants to experience the luxury of a bush environment and also be close to the main attractions such as Hluhluwe/iMfolozi Game Reserves and St Lucia World Heritage Park. This intimate, beautiful, multi-award wining lodge is the ideal location from which to explore the wildlife and coastal reserves in Zululand. We got to experience the abundance of our wildlife and the scenic splendors of this rich and diverse region during game drives offered at Hluhluwe/iMolozi Game Rerserves, guided and non-guided walks done at the lodge, cultural excursions close by and relaxing bot cruises at Lan St Lucia. The kids got to enjoy the facilities at the lodge too, with a swimming pool, jungle gym and play area. They even have their own kiddie’s menu, which was a real bonus for our fussy children. It’s now my third time and. And it won’t be my last. Do yourself a favour and experience Emdoneni’s owner-run lodge. You won’t regret it.

Exciting Emdoneni Read Post »