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Making use of the 50% Krisflyer discounts, we decided to once again visit South Africa for safari for two weeks.
Having already been to Kruger National Park (highly recommended), Cape Town as well as Botswana in previous years, we wanted a different experience this year.
A consultation with our favourite South African travel company resulted in a diverse an interesting itiniery :
1. Pilansberg National Park - Ivory Tree Game Lodge (2 nights)
2. Sun City - Palace of The Lost City (2 nights)
3. Waterberg Biosphere - Nungubane Game Lodge
4. Sabi Sands - Simambili Game Lodge
5. Swaziland - Foreste's Arms Country Hotel
6. Ithala Game Reserve - Ntshondwe Restcamp
7. Hluhluwe/Imfolzi Game Reserve - Hilltop Restcamp
8. St Lucia - St Lucia Wetlands Guest House
9. Johannesburg - Emperors Palace : Grand D'Oreale
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 515.JPG[/IMG]
Flight from SIN - JNB in Y for 27,500 miles return was full and uneventful. Flight leaves at 2am, so it is a rather tiring one. Food was OK, service very friendly and as a TPP I was welcomed, served food first and checked on regularly
Arrived in JNB together with 5 other flights from Europe meaning immigration queues were long. The airport has seen a lot of renovation prior to the 2010 World Cup and is looking quite nice.
From JNB our driver took us on the 2.5 hour drive to Pilansberg park where we stayed at the Ivory Tree Lodge.
Lodge was big and busy but rooms were nice and game viewing was quite good. Saw lions, rhino, giraffe, zebra and various small animals. We were also very lucky to see a caracal (lynx), aardwolf (not an aardvark) and an African Wild Cat all within 20 minutes of one another. These are all very rare.
Took the following fluke shot of a Lilac Breasted Roller
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 093.JPG[/IMG]
After two nights there it was a short trip to Sun City where we stayed at the Palace of The Lost City for 2 nights. Hotel is fantastic. Service was OK. However, Sun City was a bit tacky and 2 nights were definately enough.
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 337.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 317.JPG[/IMG]
From Sun City it was a 4 hour ride to the Waterberg Biosphere. Stayed at the most gorgeous lodge called Nungubane for 2 nights. Perfect in every way. Game viewing was great. Saw a lot of lions, including this little fella ...
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 507.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 508.JPG[/IMG]
After 3 great days it was a long long long drive to Sabi Sands and the Simbambili Game Lodge. Sabi Sands is probably known as the best game viewing area in South Africa and Simbambili one of the best lodges. Neither disappointed and we saw all "Big 5" (lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo and leopard) all in one day.
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 847.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 1108.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 168.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 1044.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 606.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 1211.JPG[/IMG]
Part 2 to follow
Having already been to Kruger National Park (highly recommended), Cape Town as well as Botswana in previous years, we wanted a different experience this year.
A consultation with our favourite South African travel company resulted in a diverse an interesting itiniery :
1. Pilansberg National Park - Ivory Tree Game Lodge (2 nights)
2. Sun City - Palace of The Lost City (2 nights)
3. Waterberg Biosphere - Nungubane Game Lodge
4. Sabi Sands - Simambili Game Lodge
5. Swaziland - Foreste's Arms Country Hotel
6. Ithala Game Reserve - Ntshondwe Restcamp
7. Hluhluwe/Imfolzi Game Reserve - Hilltop Restcamp
8. St Lucia - St Lucia Wetlands Guest House
9. Johannesburg - Emperors Palace : Grand D'Oreale
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 515.JPG[/IMG]
Flight from SIN - JNB in Y for 27,500 miles return was full and uneventful. Flight leaves at 2am, so it is a rather tiring one. Food was OK, service very friendly and as a TPP I was welcomed, served food first and checked on regularly
Arrived in JNB together with 5 other flights from Europe meaning immigration queues were long. The airport has seen a lot of renovation prior to the 2010 World Cup and is looking quite nice.
From JNB our driver took us on the 2.5 hour drive to Pilansberg park where we stayed at the Ivory Tree Lodge.
Lodge was big and busy but rooms were nice and game viewing was quite good. Saw lions, rhino, giraffe, zebra and various small animals. We were also very lucky to see a caracal (lynx), aardwolf (not an aardvark) and an African Wild Cat all within 20 minutes of one another. These are all very rare.
Took the following fluke shot of a Lilac Breasted Roller
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 093.JPG[/IMG]
After two nights there it was a short trip to Sun City where we stayed at the Palace of The Lost City for 2 nights. Hotel is fantastic. Service was OK. However, Sun City was a bit tacky and 2 nights were definately enough.
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 337.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 317.JPG[/IMG]
From Sun City it was a 4 hour ride to the Waterberg Biosphere. Stayed at the most gorgeous lodge called Nungubane for 2 nights. Perfect in every way. Game viewing was great. Saw a lot of lions, including this little fella ...
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 507.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 508.JPG[/IMG]
After 3 great days it was a long long long drive to Sabi Sands and the Simbambili Game Lodge. Sabi Sands is probably known as the best game viewing area in South Africa and Simbambili one of the best lodges. Neither disappointed and we saw all "Big 5" (lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo and leopard) all in one day.
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 847.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 1108.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 168.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 1044.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 606.JPG[/IMG]
[IMG]D:\barbene\HDRIVE\My Documents\My Pictures\Pictures\South Africa July 2009\South Africa July 2009 1211.JPG[/IMG]
Part 2 to follow
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