Rose Valley Road

The main reason for wanting to come home - the "doddies"

Well, the great adventure is over!! A special thanks from Ken to Debra and Isabella who made this wonderful journey and all its experiences very special. Thanks also to all those wonderful happy people and unique places that we visited. We now look forward to our next "gap year" when Isabella finishes school - it's sooner than you think!!

Cheers

PS Follow us at home on http://www.sydneysandys.blogspot.com/

Joburg to Sydney

The flight from Johannesburg was quicker that expected at around 10 hours and we were collected at the airport by the friendly man from Shoalhaven Shuttle who delivered us to 73 Rose Valley Road. After some confusion about the location of the keys we finally got in just before dark. Great to be home! Hope you all enjoyed the journey as much as we did.

Kapama to Joburg

After the morning game drive, Doug took us to Hoedspruit Airport, about 30 minutes drive. As we left the park a group of giraffes were standing by the gate. We boarded a 12 seater and after landing to collect some other passengers at Richard Branson's lodge, we arrived at Nelspruit Airport and transferred to a big plane for the 1 hour flight to Johannesburg. At Joburg Airport we "finished off " our Rands and boarded a Qantas jumbo for Sydney. Hard to believe it is all over!

Kapama Day 5

Rhinos

Male Kudu

Collen our tracker

Male Kudu

Collen in the early morning mist

Ellie crossing track

Another ellie crossing the track

More ellies crossing

A big Ellie crossing

A young giraffe checking us out

Collen and water buffalo herd

Inquisitive hippo

Last look at the Drakensberg Mountains

Isabella and the Drakensbergs

Isabella and Doug

Collen Isabella and Doug
Our last evening safari

Kapama Day 4

After our morning game drive we visited the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre for a look at the work they are doing with a range of endangered animals with a particular focus on the cheetah and African wild dog. http://www.wildlifecentre.co.za/

A few shots from our morning drive

 

Mrs Warthog and the 5 kids!

Kapama Day 3

Today dawned bright and clear so we left on the early morning drive with high hopes. We were not disappointed when we came across this solitary lioness.

She wasn't at all perturbed by our presence and we were able to approach her quite closely!

She then moved a short distance away into some bushes and we could hear the sound of crunching bones as she snacked on something!!

Here are some more sights from this morning

Isabella "on the lookout"

After our morning drive a few brave souls opted for a "walk". We saw some interesting sights including hippo and luckily Doug didn't need to use the "pacifier"

Giant Kingfisher

Doug and Collen (Note "pacifier")

On the evening game drive we found the mother and three sisters of the lioness we saw in the morning. They were resting and we had a good close look at them before some exciting moments when they noticed a passing Zebra

Evening drinks break during game drive

Lion watching Zebra

Sunset behind the Drakensberg Mountains

Kapama Day 2

We were up at 5am and after a hot chocolate we headed out on the morning game drive just before 6am. It was a bit chilly but we were provided with blankets and hot water bottles!!

Isabella and Wildebeest

Rhino - Number 4 of "The Big 5"

After lunch we rested until afternoon tea at 3:30 followed by the afternoon game drive from 4 to 7:30. We had a quick shower before dinner and then to bed around 9:30.

Cape Town to Kruger

We checked out at Spier early and drove 30 minutes to Cape Town airport where Colin was waiting for us with our "excess baggage". After fare welling Colin we boarded our SAA jet to Nelspruit and then got into a Cessna for the 30 min flight to Hoedspruit.

We were collected by Doug who drove us to Kapama Karula Lodge about 30 minutes from the airport. On the way we saw Giraffe, Zebra, Impala, Warthog, Steenbock, Kudu and Vervet monkeys. After checking in we walked to our room and found a family of 3 Nyala antelope just outside our door.

After afternoon tea we left on our first game drive at about 4pm and here are some of the sights

Elephant - Number 1 of "The Big 5"

Buffalo - Number 2 of "The Big 5"

Zebra and Impala

 

Lion - Number 3 of "The Big 5"

These were not taken with a telephoto lens!!