On Sunday, we decided to go with our new friends Julie and Sandy to the nearby, much-larger, KZN Conservation-run Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Reserve, where they have lions, black rhino, and other game we might not see in Zulu-Nyala. Our guide Mark had to stay behind to take care of another family, so Ronnie was our guide as we took the open-air vehicle about 40 minutes west to the Reserve. We thought we were going to have to leave at 4:00 am to get the the South gate by the time the park opened at 6:00, but instead we left at 6: and went to the closer north gate. Barry was disappointed that we missed an hour of early-morning game viewing, but the day turned out to be long enough.
We stopped to have our pre-packed breakfast at the park gate. The park itself was beautiful - lots of big hills and mature trees, plus the sheer expanse of space, made for a nice change of scenery, The park has lots of Rhino - well over 1000 - so it seems like we saw them around every corner. We also saw a good number of elephants, near and far, herds of buffalo, baboons, vervet monkeys, waterbuck bull, and lots of birds including both helmeted and crested guinea fowl, a hamerkop, white faced ducks, a blue heron, yellow billed kites, and a purple crested lourie. Of course we mpala, zebra, also saw the usual suspects: impala, wildebeest, zebra, nyala, and giraffe, including a beautiful big one which galloped across the road right in front of us.
We had a stretch break, and later lunch, at the Hilltop campsite, which, as implied by the name, was very high up and featured great views of the valleys below. We braved lunch at the picnic tables, where a group of monkey was very interested in what we were eating. The sat nearby on the ground, in the tree above us, and on the garbage can next to us. There was a particularly cute baby monkey among them. We had to be vigilant to make sure they didn't come right up and steal our food. Sandy didn't want to deal with it, so she stayed near the truck - but before long she came over to say that the monkeys had overrun the truck while Ronnie was away and one of them made off with the nuts out of Gywen's bag. At least it didn't take the whole bag.
Following lunch we headed south down the main road dropping in elevation until we came to a side road which took us down the the riverbed far below. It was the heat of midday, about 2:30, when most of the wildlife was sleeping, so there was very little activity. Eventually we turned off on a more remote loop road to see if there was any activity along the river (no luck), and moments after we turned around to head back Ronnie stopped and hopped out of the vehicle. We were disappointed to learn that the left front tire was flat. Ronnie quickly set about changing the tire, but didn't get far. The vehicle was not equipped with the tool needed to remove the spare from the undercarriage. And there was no cell service. Lacking options, Ronnie grabbed his machete and headed up the road to the slightly less remote road to wait for a car to pass. He told us he would be back soon. We waited. In the heat. I read, while everyone else closed their eyes to rest. Sandy and I hung blankets to shade ourselves from the blistering sun. Gywen somehow felt safe getting out of the vehicle, putting a blanket on the ground on the shady side of the truck, and laying down on the road in the middle of a game reserve.
Meanwhile, Ronnie waited in the heat for a car to pass - not like many other people would be looking for game at this time of day! One car did come along, but sped off when they saw a man standing in the bush with a machete. After half an hour, he started to walk back to us, but then heard another vehicle passing. He ran back and flagged them down. After we had been waiting 40 minutes, We finally heard a vehicle and saw Ronnie riding back toward us on the back of a truck. We were fortunate that this group came along - it was a park worker, a master's student and a PhD student who are conducting research in the park, and their friend. Their truck had plenty of supplies, so we were able to get the spare out from under the truck. Our jack proved to be the wrong one from the truck, and our rescuers had two jacks including a taller one. The got the old tire off, but we still weren't high enough to attach the new tire, so Ronnie dug a hole in the road with the machete so he could attach the spare. All of this didn't take long, once the rescuers arrived. We took their picture, along with "Carlos," their silly watermelon mascot complete with drawn face, hat, and cigarette.
Off they went, and we continued our drive, stopping soon to get some cool drinks. We never did get to see a lion or a black Rhino, but it was a worthwhile and adventurous day. We left the screens off the vehicle on the way back to the lodge and enjoyed the powerful wind blowing on our faces. as the sun began to set.
We stopped to have our pre-packed breakfast at the park gate. The park itself was beautiful - lots of big hills and mature trees, plus the sheer expanse of space, made for a nice change of scenery, The park has lots of Rhino - well over 1000 - so it seems like we saw them around every corner. We also saw a good number of elephants, near and far, herds of buffalo, baboons, vervet monkeys, waterbuck bull, and lots of birds including both helmeted and crested guinea fowl, a hamerkop, white faced ducks, a blue heron, yellow billed kites, and a purple crested lourie. Of course we mpala, zebra, also saw the usual suspects: impala, wildebeest, zebra, nyala, and giraffe, including a beautiful big one which galloped across the road right in front of us.
We had a stretch break, and later lunch, at the Hilltop campsite, which, as implied by the name, was very high up and featured great views of the valleys below. We braved lunch at the picnic tables, where a group of monkey was very interested in what we were eating. The sat nearby on the ground, in the tree above us, and on the garbage can next to us. There was a particularly cute baby monkey among them. We had to be vigilant to make sure they didn't come right up and steal our food. Sandy didn't want to deal with it, so she stayed near the truck - but before long she came over to say that the monkeys had overrun the truck while Ronnie was away and one of them made off with the nuts out of Gywen's bag. At least it didn't take the whole bag.
Following lunch we headed south down the main road dropping in elevation until we came to a side road which took us down the the riverbed far below. It was the heat of midday, about 2:30, when most of the wildlife was sleeping, so there was very little activity. Eventually we turned off on a more remote loop road to see if there was any activity along the river (no luck), and moments after we turned around to head back Ronnie stopped and hopped out of the vehicle. We were disappointed to learn that the left front tire was flat. Ronnie quickly set about changing the tire, but didn't get far. The vehicle was not equipped with the tool needed to remove the spare from the undercarriage. And there was no cell service. Lacking options, Ronnie grabbed his machete and headed up the road to the slightly less remote road to wait for a car to pass. He told us he would be back soon. We waited. In the heat. I read, while everyone else closed their eyes to rest. Sandy and I hung blankets to shade ourselves from the blistering sun. Gywen somehow felt safe getting out of the vehicle, putting a blanket on the ground on the shady side of the truck, and laying down on the road in the middle of a game reserve.
Meanwhile, Ronnie waited in the heat for a car to pass - not like many other people would be looking for game at this time of day! One car did come along, but sped off when they saw a man standing in the bush with a machete. After half an hour, he started to walk back to us, but then heard another vehicle passing. He ran back and flagged them down. After we had been waiting 40 minutes, We finally heard a vehicle and saw Ronnie riding back toward us on the back of a truck. We were fortunate that this group came along - it was a park worker, a master's student and a PhD student who are conducting research in the park, and their friend. Their truck had plenty of supplies, so we were able to get the spare out from under the truck. Our jack proved to be the wrong one from the truck, and our rescuers had two jacks including a taller one. The got the old tire off, but we still weren't high enough to attach the new tire, so Ronnie dug a hole in the road with the machete so he could attach the spare. All of this didn't take long, once the rescuers arrived. We took their picture, along with "Carlos," their silly watermelon mascot complete with drawn face, hat, and cigarette.
Off they went, and we continued our drive, stopping soon to get some cool drinks. We never did get to see a lion or a black Rhino, but it was a worthwhile and adventurous day. We left the screens off the vehicle on the way back to the lodge and enjoyed the powerful wind blowing on our faces. as the sun began to set.
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| Barry and a nice big Rhino at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi. |
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| Hluhluwe-iMfolozi view. |
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| Curious baby vervet monkey and mom. |
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| Tiny baby Rhino! |
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