The magnificence that is Addo Elephant National Park

I've been in the tourism industry for 16 years and first started out working as a tourist guide back in 1998.  Back then I used to go to Addo Elephant National Park sometimes as often as 5 or 6 times a week and people used to ask if I didn't get tired of going there.  I did get tired of the drive to and from the park but I would never get tired of the park itself.  It quickly became one of my favorite places to take tourists and I enjoyed ever new day as much as the one before, getting as excited as my guests when we encountered elephants or other game.  These days I don't get to visit the park anywhere close to what I would like to, but when I do I make the most of it.  I often think people who have never been to Addo don't realise how special the park really is and those comparing it to Kruger does it a great injustice.  No it's not Kruger but it offers magnificent sightings, amongst it the best wild African elephant sightings in the world.  Tourist guides like my friend Craig Duffield of Mosiac Tourism calls Addo his office.  I often wish I still did.

Approaching with confidence

When this boytjie matures a bit more he will be a really impressive bull. 

Not that he isn't already.  He's only problem is that he is an Addo bull so

he will never have the huge tusks that the Kruger bulls have. 

Lalibela Game Reserve - a photo essay

There are some truly awesome game reserves around Port Elizabeth ranging from the epic Addo Elephant National Park to excellent private game reserves with top class lodges.  Playing right in that space is Lalibela Game Reserve between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown.  Lalibela is home to the Big 5 as well as other predators like cheetah, hyena, jackal & lynx on 7500 hectares with visitors staying in one of three excellent lodges.  I spent a night with the Damselfly in late 2012 and did a couple of posts on PE Daily Photo but for some reason uploaded this and forgot about it.  While going through the drafts folder to look for something to post today I found it right at the bottom and just can't let the opportunity go by to show you this beautiful place.  My apologies.  So here is Lalibela in a photo essay.  

 

Mark's Camp is Lalibela's family friendly camp with four twin rooms on one side of the lodge and 4 family rooms on the other.  My favourite part of the lodge is the walkway leading down to the swimming pool and deck next to the waterhole.

 

 A different view of the walkway, this time looking towards the pool deck from the lodge.  The waterhole is on the left of the deck.  Do you now get why I like this so much?

One of the very S P A C I O U S rooms at Mark's Camp

 

High tea before the afternoon game drive.  Just the temptation is an absolute sin but its a case of have food, will eat.  Plus how can you say no to a spread like this? Absolutely divine.

Watching elephants close by with the full moon rising over the horizon.  Game drives is always a highlight for me and I will go on each and every one on offer while at a game reserve. 

Returning to the lodge after the afternoon / evening game drive with a crackling fire welcoming you to the lodge.  The decor around the lodge is authentically African and not plastic Africa like I've seen at some lodges before.  Just what every international visitor wants.

Good food and friendly people, essential components of a good game reserve along with knowledgeable rangers, memorable animal sightings and a comfortable lodge.  This was lodge manager Charmaine waiting for us with dinner us on our return from the game reserve.  Any close up pictures of this would be deemed food porn. 

Ranger Terry was excellent on both game drives finding the animals and getting us in the best possible position for prime game viewing. 

 

Disclosure:  We were invited to Lalibela Game Reserve and stayed on a complimentary basis while our transport was for our own account.  I received no additional remuneration to write this post and all views expressed are my own.

Waterhole interaction

A couple of young bulls interacting at the Hapoor Waterhole in the Addo Elephant National Park just like a couple of young men would at their local watering hole

Game sightings at Kuzuko Lodge

What is the difference between visiting a game reserve and a zoo?  At a zoo the animals are kept in enclosures with little freedom and visitors are guaranteed to see them although the sightings include walls, buildings, fences and cages.  At a game reserve you will see the animals in their natural environment and as they are free to roam throughout the reserve but there is no guarantee to see them.  So which would you rather do?  Personally I would take my chances and rather see them in the wild, even if there is a chance of not getting a sighting.  Before visiting Kuzuko Lodge I read a couple of comments on TripAdvisor from people complaining that they didn't get to see the lions or elephants or big herds of this or that.  Its times like that when I want to scream at the computer screen for somebody to wake up and realise its a game reserve and not a zoo.  Anyway, off we went to Kuzuko with the possibility of getting some stunning sightings or none at all.  I am happy delighted ecstatic to say that we had some amazing sightings on our two game drives and here is the proof. 

 

We encountered Kuzuko's two male lions, Kalahari and Matt, on both game drives.  On the afternoon drive they were having a siesta in the shade of a bush and it didn't make for the best pictures, but the next morning we found them in the open with full bellies after making a kill during the night. 

With the sun rising behind him Matt even showed off his blazing back lit mane, moving into position in a sunny spot to get some heat on a cold winters morning. 

 

We encountered a herd of elephants in a valley not far from the lodge on our afternoon drive and they put up a really good show for us.  First one of the youngsters didn't see the rest of the herd move off and when he realised he was left behind he threw a proper tantrum, stamping his feet and screaming as he ran after them.  The ranger strategically positioned us a short distance later so that the herd could move past.  It was here that the matriarch decided to mock charge us, giving us a good ear flap and trunk up while nearly trampling an innocent tree nearby.  

The elephant sighting was made even more worth while when the big bull, Saracen, made an appearance.  He had a quick interaction with the rest of the herd before strutted his stuff as he made his way past us. 

Kuzuko has two male cheetahs whom the rangers call Batman and Robin.  These two spotted superheroes were a little bit more elusive as we drove around looking for them on the morning drive.  We stopped a couple of times in the area where the ranger knew they were but with no luck.  Until somebody looked back and noticed that they were coming down the road right behind us.

Although the two cheetahs aren't tame, they are used to people to the degree that Kuzuko offers game walks to go and find them.  Unfortunately we didn't have time for this activity during our stay, but it was super awesome to see them as not all the reserves around Port Elizabeth have them and I don't get to see them as often as some of the other animals.

The Cape Buffalo is normally the one member of the Big 5 that people get the least excited about on a game drive.  It doesn't mean that seeing them is any less special than seeing any of the other four though.  Kuzuko has a small herd of buffalo after their numbers took a huge knock from the lions during the big drought that ended last year.  The buffalo is kept in a separate section of the reserve while their number go back up.  Only then will they get released back into the rest of the reserve where there are predators again. 

 

We encountered the buffalo on our morning drive shortly after finding the cheetahs and while watching them one of the old ones got so close to the vehicle that he could scratch his neck against the side mirror.  One couldn't ask for more close up than that.

During both game drives we also saw a number of antelope species, zebra and even a porcupine.  I'm not going to post pictures of every specie we saw, but I want to highlight the fact that Kuzuko is one of only a few reserves that is home to the endangered Cape Mountain Zebra which we saw on both the afternoon and the next morning. 

 

We also saw and heard a number of bird species with the KidZ loving the Pale Chanting Goshawk.  Unfortunately I couldn't get a picture of it.  What I did get a picture of was a Spotted Eagle Owl sitting on a rock against a cliff.  Not everybody would agree, but seeing it was one of the highlights of my visit.  Perhaps it's because I've been fortunate to visit a couple of game reserves and have seen all the other animals on a couple of occasions.  Who knows?  What I do know is that it rounded off our visit and all our game sightings perfectly.   

Place of Glory - the KidZ edition

Going anywhere with the KidZ in a car, and that includes the local supermarket a couple of blocks from home, more often than not result in a back seat battle of some sorts.  When those back seat battles start to take on epic proportions and I'm forced to stop in a cloud of dust on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere to threaten them that I will be kicking them out the car and leave them just there, then you know this dad has had enough.  But enough of our domestic driving problems.  What were we doing on a dirt road and where were we going, the travel minded amongst you ask?  We were heading towards the 5 star Kuzuko Lodge situated in a concession area in the northern section of the Greater Addo Elephant National Park.  It was the first time we've taken the KidZ to a major game reserve and lodge and that was probably why they were so hyped up in said back seat in the first place.

The lodge is situated on top of a hill with beautiful views across the valley covered in Karoo bushveld.  Guests are accommodated in 24 luxurious chalets, each with its own private deck.  It was on this private deck I sat just before bed time looking up in awe at the milky way overhead, seen like you don't see it in the city.  A great white line across the sky made up of millions of twinkling stars.  But I digress.  The spacious chalets feature an en-suite bathroom with bath and walk in shower, all the other amenities that normally come standard with such a lodge (in this case also with free WiFi), a twin or double bed and a foldout couch for children with a maximum of two children under 12 years of age allowed per chalet.

From the reception area we were whisked to the lodge in a game viewing vehicle and after a welcome drink had a quick tour of the facilities before being allowed to settle in and relax.  The KidZ loved the view from our private deck but it didn't take long for them to discover the Wii connected to the big plasma television in the main lounge and they were out under our feet, joining a couple of other kids in a game of Wii tenpin, golf and tennis.

Three o' clock meant it was time for the pre-game drive  high tea which was so much more than scones, crumpets and cucumber sandwiches.  To be honest, I would rather have Kuzuko high tea than a full on lunch any time.  The Wii was like magic for us as the KidZ had to sit still and eat if they wanted to go back playing, but a magic trick it sure was. Eat you here, eat you there and poof... they were gone.  Ok, so I'm not one who's big on televisions at game lodges, but this one was keeping the KidZ busy, giving the Damselfly and I some time by ourselves.  But if you want to relax you go to a spa, which Kuzuko has one of by the way as well, and before we knew it it was time for our afternoon game drive.

Ranger Romeo met us at the open land cruiser with the Damselfly and Drama Princess taking up the middle seat and Chaos Boy and I going on the back, often bouncy trampoline seat.  Romeo did warn us that it's behind the wheels, but I would endure the little bit of extra bounce for the benefit of having an uninterrupted view (and photo opportunity) behind me in case of a good sighting.  After a couple of Cape Mountain Zebras and Kudus, our first Big 5 sighting presented itself.  Kuzuko's two male lions, Kalahari and Matt was having a siesta in the late afternoon sun.  There was a moment of panic by Drama Princess which we thought was because we got too close to the lions, but turned out to be the vehicle taking a bump through a ditch.  The lions themselves didn't scare her at all.  A brilliant sighting like this early on boded well for the rest of our stay

 

Romeo was the perfect ranger.  He's knowledge was outstanding but he didn't bore us with all the details unless we wanted to know.  Ours weren't the only children on the vehicle and he switched from giving us serious info to joking with the kids, mixing it up just enough.  Then word came through, although it sounded like he knew it already, that another member of the Big 5 was hanging out in a valley on the other side of the lodge. So off we went hopping along the uneven road to look for the biggest of the Big 5, Loxodonta africana, or the African Elephant.

The herd was making their way down the valley when we found them.  One of the highlights of the drive happened next.  A young bull browsing a little way away from the rest of the herd didn't see them move off and suddenly found himself all alone.  He threw a bit of a tantrum and went running down the road after the others.  Made me think of the kiddies rhyme about the piggies with the 5th piggy running "wee, wee wee" all the way home.  Romeo slowly made his way around the herd for us to get a better view - in the process "treating" us to a mock charge by the matriarch - and for the next 20 minutes or so we sat and watched these magnificent animals go about their peaceful way.  We even had Saracen, the local dominant bull, give us a walk by.

With the sun heading towards the horizon at a leisurely pace, Romeo drove us to an open area where approaching animals could be seen from a distance for our sun downers.  With cold drinks for the kids, beers for the adults and snacks all around, the African sun set over the horizon in brilliant oranges and yellows.  My favorite time of the day and my favorite part of the game drive.  A time to really take in the surroundings, enjoy the smell of the veld and watch the end of another day.  With dusk turning to darkness, Romeo turned the nose of the land cruiser back towards the lodge and we all knew that dinner was calling. 

Dinner was a scrumptious affair of four courses for the adults and, impressively, a separate menu specially catering for children.  The main menu started with an entreé of roasted tomato soup and followed by a starter of Bobotie or Green Salad.  The main meal was a choice of Karoo Lamb Shank (which I had and I nearly chewed my lips off, mouth watering stuff), East Coast Sole or Blue Cheese Chicken.  Dessert, for those who still had space was Tiramisu or Bread and Butter Pudding.  The KidZ's choices off the kiddies menu were pizza - ham, biltong and cheese - for Chaos Boy and grilled hake and chips for Drama Princess.  I had a taste of the fish and kinda wished I could have had a full portion of it while Chaos Boy wasn't going to share his pizza with anybody.  Not even for a taste.  Kudos to Kuzuko for catering for children separately.

 

Never being one to miss a game drive, and I'm happy to say that the clan all felt the same way and we got up early the next morning for the 7am morning game drive.  Word was that the lions made a kill during the night and that they were still in the area so we headed straight in their direction, this time with Chaos Boy riding shotgun and being on the lookout for anything and everything.

Once again we weren't disappointed with Kalahari and Matt sleeping off their meal in the morning sun with Matt only getting up when we blocked his sun.  Like before Romeo maneuvered the vehicle so that we could get some striking photographs before heading on in search of another big cat.  This one being the world's fastest land mammal.  The cheetah.  Kuzuko has two male cheetahs, Batman and Robin, both who wear radio collars for when guests go on cheetah walks and they need to be found quickly.  We didn't make use of the signal to find them, preferring to do it the hard way.  Ironically enough they seem to have found us rather then the other way around as somebody looked back and saw them casually strolling down the track after the vehicle. 

 

Our last major sighting and the third of the Big 5 to be spotted was Cape Buffalo.  Probably the most underestimated of the Big 5, buffalos live in herds and can be extremely dangerous when threatened.  The buffalo was also the animal we got to see the closest with one old bull literally rubbing himself up against the land cruiser's back bumper.

The game drive was followed by a hearty breakfast back at the lodge, but this also meant that our visit was nearly over.  The KidZ gulped down their food and went to play a last game of Wii sport while we were in no hurry to leave behind this little spot of paradise, taking our time and enjoying the view, trying to imprint it on our minds.  Then it was time to go, pack our bags, say our goodbyes and head on to our next destination.

Kuzuko showed that they can proudly carry the right to be called a Place of Glory.  Visitors and guests can look forward to a stunning lodge and suites, designed for comfort and don't look over the top like some lodges I've seen before.  The food is good and the rangers, in our case Romeo, knowledgeable, friendly and, like the rest of the lodge, accommodating and patient with children.  One word of warning though.  Don't come to Kuzuko expecting to see huge herds of animals.  Kuzuko is situated in the southern part of the arid Karoo which means less water, less grazing and subsequently smaller groups of animals.  It doesn't mean that the quality of the sightings we has was less.  On the contrary, the sightings along with the unique beauty of the Karoo meant that we left happy and with some stunning photographs.  As for the KidZ, they want to know when we'll be going to a game reserve again.
 

Disclosure:  We were invited to Kuzuko Lodge and stayed on a complimentary basis while our transport and drinks were for our own account.  I received no additional remuneration to write this post and all views expressed are my own.

Mongoose

If I stand on my toes I can see the weekend.  Just like this yellow mongoose I recently spotted at Addo Elephant National Park.  Most people who see him standing like that may think it's a meerkat, but that would be a case of mistaken identities. Have an awesome weekend!

Zebra on the plains

I've always wanted to take one of those "lone animal on the plains" photos and got the opportunity in Addo Elephant National Park the other day.  Unfortunately for me I was on a moving open vehicle with nowhere to steady my camera. Hence the fact that its not a crisp photo.  At the time I also though how awesome it would be to have a proper DSLR camera with a big lens and not just my little super zoom.  Maybe some day.

 

"Psssst, I'm thinking sponsorship opportunity with links and a sidebar advert".

Grazing in the late afternoon sun

A Burchell's Zebra (Equus quagga burchellii) or just Plains Zebra as they are apparently being referred to now, grazing in the late afternoon sun in the Addo Elephant National Park.

Chacma Baboons

At Cape Point there stands a little statue of a mother chacma Baboon with a baby riding on her back.  Chacma Baboons (Papio ursinus) are intimately associated with the Cape Peninsula and the Cape of Good Hope.  Baboons inside the Cape Point section of the Table Mountain National Parkpark has become somewhat of a tourist attraction.  Round about six troops either live entirely within the Cape Point section or use the section as part of their range.  The baboons in this area has evolved slightly different from their cousins elsewhere because they have longer hair due to the harsh nature of the  weather around there.  The baboons in the park is also the only primates other than humans that live off seafood.  Due to the fact that there are less food available to them in the park they go down to the coastline during low tide and search for food in the rock pools.  Unfortunately baboons in the park has also become cheeky, associating people with food and will often try to get into cars to get to visitors' bags in search of food. 

International Penguin Day

The 25th of April is Internation Penguin Day and with Algoa Bay being home to the biggest population of African Penguins in the world I thought I would do a post to celebrate it. The South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SAMREC) is located in the Cape Recife Nature Reserve in Port Elizabeth and the staff and volunteers involved there do an amazing job in the conservation effort of this endangered specie.

Why is 25 April celebrated as International Penguin Day? Well, that is the day that the Adelie penguins in the Antarctic begin their annual northward migration. How they know to start migrating on this specific day I don't know so lets say give or take a couple of days. The Adelies start migrating in the Antarctic autumn season and don't return to their colonies until the following spring. They will swim north for only about 600km and stay among floating icebergs, feeding in the surrounding ocean. This means that these penguins don't really migrate to another landmass but spent their time in the water and resting on the ice until the season changes again and they head back home. The reason for this migration is that the days in Antarctica become darker during winter and by migrating slightly north they have more daylight hours to hunt for food.

The Lion Matches lion

When I saw this lion at Kuzuko Lodge near Port Elizabeth it immediately reminded me of the lion on the Lion Safety Matches logo. 

 

There is a bit of a resemblance.

Hippo at Lalibela

Some people get real excited by seeing lions and elephants or even something rare like an aardwolf in real life on a game drive.  The Damselfly had her moment when she saw real live hippos for the first time at Lalibela Game Reserve near Port Elizabeth. What made the sighting even better was that there were a number of this huge semi-aquatic mammals in the dam when we got there and the one then proceeded to get up so that we could get a better look.

The word hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, comes from the ancient Greek for "river horse".   They are found in sub-Saharan Africa and inhabits rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps.  The hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal (weighing between 1½ and 3 tonnes) after the elephant and white rhinoceros.  The Big 5 was named so as they were the five most dangerous animals to hunt and the hippo doesn't get included in this exclusive club as it is quite easy to shoot hippos where they live in the water.  Don't let their calmness fool you though.  The hippo is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and is often regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.  Even with its short legs and big body it can reach a speed of 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances and thus easily outrun a human.

Female hippos is sexually maturity at five to six years of age and have a gestation period of 8 months.  Mating occurs in the water with the female submerged for most of the encounter, her head only emerging every now and then to draw breath.  Baby hippos are born underwater at a weight between 25 and 45 kg and must swim to the surface to take their first breath.  Young hippos often rest on their mothers' backs when the water that is too deep for them and they swim underwater to suckle.

 

There is a ton of information on Wikipedia for those wanting to know more.

Puffadder

A quick trip out on the Elandsrivier road outside Port Elizabeth meant that I had to do a little bit of dirt road that morning.  On the way back I noticed something on the road which looked like a stick and I have it a wide berth not wanting to damage a tyre. As I flew by I noticed the stick wasn't a stick at all but a puffadder crossing the road.

The puffadder (Bitis arietans)  is probably one of if not the most common snake in South Africa.  They are most often associated with rocky grasslands and the bush but not found in true deserts, rain forests, and (tropical) alpine habitats.  Puffadders are responsible for more fatalities than any other African snake.  This is due to a combination of factors, including its wide distribution, common occurrence, large size, potent venom that is produced in large amounts, long fangs, their habit of basking by footpaths and sitting quietly when approached.  The venom has cytotoxic effects and is one of the most toxic of any vipers.   About 100 mg is thought to be enough to kill a healthy adult human male, with death occurring after 25 hours.  Now that's hectic.  Thus I stayed in the car and took the pictures from there.  For more info on puffadders visit Wikipedia.