Camping at Satara

Our campsite at Satara




Our first morning in Satara, Dad and I set off for an early drive when the gate first opened at 6AM. It was still dark out, but we had a spotlight, so I used that, sweeping the beam across the bush, searching for eyeshine. We saw giraffe, impala, zebra and wildebeest but nothing really out of the ordinary that morning. It was a beautiful sunrise however and so wonderful to be out and smell the fresh, early morning smell of sweet grass.

We returned for breakfast, got freshened up and then headed up the road -back the way we came yesterday - but this time to visit the Olifants Restcamp (one of my favorite camps because of its view... I've decided this is the PERFECT honeymoon spot! Hehe! ;o)

One of the "rondawels" (huts) at Olifants


Don't worry, it's not real! :o)

Instead of going up the tar road however, we decided to take a detour dirt road that went east, before heading north and connecting with the tar again just a few kilometers from the camp. Again, we saw lots of the usual stuff. Which I suppose isn't really "usual" at all! ;o) We took time to stop and enjoy them (many times we'd just drive on, in search of the "big cats").

So many animals are accustomed to cars in Kruger and they really don't associate them with people at all...the smell of the car (exhaust, etc.) does a good job of covering up human scent.
Because of this, animals are completely relaxed and wander about you as long as you are in your car, but the moment a person steps out of the car, they'd be gone or attack you in an instant!

We drove along leisurely, finally coming to the Olifants River low-level bridge (again, hippos and crocodiles sunbathing on the sand) and then drove on up to the Olifants Camp. This little camp hasn't changed for years! It's perched on a bluff of the Lebombo hills and looks east and south down on a bend in the Olifants River. You could literally sit there at the little viewing area ALL day with a good pair of binoculars and look for animals. And given enough time and patience (and a good eye) you would see hundreds!!!

What an amazing view!!

We decided that since we'd been snacking in the car that we'd only get an icecream bar there, so we sat at the viewpoint to enjoy those and while there, we saw all sorts of birds, crocodiles (including a dead one, belly up...rather unusual!), hippos, giraffes, kudus, impalas, etc. etc. It was with great reluctance that we pulled ourselves away and got back in the car to head south.

Mary and I had signed up to go on a sunset drive at 4:30PM until 7:30PM, so we needed to make sure we were back in plenty of time (the sunset drive is worthy of a story all its own).