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Skukuza to Satara via
Tshokwane - June 11
We went for a leisurely buffet breakfast at the train station, then stopped by the store for hard candy, PowerAde and water. We packed up, checked out (by leaving our keys in the drop box) and headed for the road to Satara, which was by way of as many gravel roads as possible. Tom thought to buy a box of black plastic garbage bags, which we wrapped our backpacks and rucksacks in to keep the dust from the road out of them. Shortly after leaving Skukuza everyone in the road stopped because there was a python crossing the road. We headed out across the Sabie river and then the Sand river. The damage done by the floods from the rainy season were evident everywhere. We were heading mostly northeasterly on H1-2, but took a side trip on the gravel Maroela Loop, then on by Mantimahle, N’watindlopfu on S84, then back onto H1-2 for a stop to get out of the car and see the Kruger tablets up close and take some photos. We stopped at the rest area at Tshokwane for lunch and had a nice snack at one of the tables. Here we saw our first batch of Glossy starling, which were begging food everywhere. Other people were having their "bush braai" but we settled for a toasted ham and cheese. At this rest area I saw a sausage tree, and there was also a small–bed pick up truck with two rear axles. In addition, there was a large touring vehicle with a raised, windowed body that looked a little like a recycling vehicle, but was for rich tourists. It had it’s own stoves mounted on the side, and was many-wheel drive. After lunch I tried my hand at driving a stick on the right hand side of the car and didn’t do too bad. We took our time, but didn’t really see a lot. From Tshokwane we drove north on the paved H1-3 and then turned right (east) on the gravel S37, which headed through Knob Thorn / Marula Savannah ecozone almost to the eastern border of the Park, which is also the eastern border of the country. We believe the top of the ridge we saw to the east was actually Mozambique. S37 headed northeast for 13 kilometers and turned into the Trichardt Road, which paralleled the Makangolweni river, all the way to the Sweni river. After taking our time on the way, we crossed the low water bridge at Sweni. We saw what looked like a lodge up river. Around the corner there was a marked driveway for a bird hide. We decided at the last moment to try it, and we parked, went into the fenced walkway and found ourselves alone in a fairly new birdhide donated by proceeds from a marathon in the park. There were at least 14 hippos playing in the water, and it was a wonderful, peaceful sight. Every once in a while they would bellow. We took a lot of photos and lingered at this spot, so peaceful, with the hippos playing in the river. After a while, we got back in the car and continued north toward the tarred H6 road which would lead east to N'Wanetsi or west to Satara. Since it was getting late in the afternoon, and the gates closed at 5:30, we turned west toward Satara. Going up a hill toward the west, there was a giraffe about half mile ahead at the crest of the hill, in the middle of the road, so that it’s profile was above the horizon. The sun was below the horizon, so it looked really neat. I maneuvered the car so Tom could get some good photos of the giraffe. We crept closer, and it was a giraffe family crossing the road for some better leaves. We watched for a while, but they didn’t mind us. Further on up the road we tracked a hyena off in the bush. We arrived at Satara and got our lodges, showered and checked into a night drive, which was available for R70. We decided at dinner, a buffet, to get up early and try to go out at sunrise to see what we’d see. We decided that the food at Skukuza was better, but there was more solitude at Satara, probably because Skukuza, being farther south, has more tourist accessibility. We had a few beers before supper, then wine. We were definitely feeling good. 7 Photos archived 13 April 2002. |
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