Something for everyone

Pack of wild dogs - really mean looking animals

Today there was choice of activities for the group. It was another day packed with action for those who chose to play the Skukuza Golf Course and a day of relaxation for those who decided to enjoy the facilities of the amazing Lukimbi Safari Lodge.

The trip to Skukuza started at 6:30 am and, after driving for about 1 1/2 hrs, the group arrived at this special golf course were wild animals are everywhere. As if the game of golf wasn’t enough to keep you on edge at all times, this 9 hole golf course keeps the adrenaline running though your body with “be aware” signs everywhere…”be aware of lions”, “be aware of rhinos” , etc…lucky no one had a real close encounter with them and the experience was, without a doubt, unforgettable for those who went. I believe that Impalas were nearly hit by errant golf balls from some of our players and fear set in when having to hit over lake where about 7 hippos live! Very hard trying to keep an eye on your ball and another one on the hippos! On the way back to the lodge the group also saw a lot of wild animal life.

Those of us who stayed at Lukimbi, had an early morning game drive where we saw a baby hyena with her mum. We also encountered a pack of wild dogs, which is very rare to see since there are only about 2 to 3 thousand left in existence. The hyenas don’t smell badly, they simply stink! And the wild dogs are very well known for being excellent hunters with a 90% conversion rate. Things went quiet for a while before we got a call from a ranger who had spotted lions eating a giraffe on the other side of the park, about 45 min away. We all got excited with the possibility to see them so our morning drive became the “Ferrari Safari” as Paul, one of the rangers, named it. Aaron, the other ranger, took us to the spot in no time and we saw these 2 lions that had eaten so much they couldn’t move!   

After a rest in the lovely rooms where from the baths and the toilets you can overlook the wild animals in the open space –don’t worry the cabins are so well designed they are totally private- we went to have some lunch in the main part of the lodge. Suddenly 7 or 8 elephants showed up to drink water from the creek that borders the lodge! The scene was unbelievable and we could see them so close we felt we could touch them! Watching them interact amongst themselves is fascinating with many of us speculating what their behaviour meant.  It was a real live show and we felt very privileged to be able to observe it.

The weather has been extremely cold which is unusual for this time of the year, especially considering last week temperatures reached 42 degrees. The animals tend to be a lot quieter at times like these and the evening game drive wasn’t as exciting for the entire group, although we still managed to see a baby owl, rhinos, kudus, a chameleon and even more elephants.

Tomorrow morning will be our last game drive in the morning and then we’ll be heading to Johannesburg (about 6 hr drive) where we will be saying our good byes to everyone. Good things don’t last long and it is already sad to think this fascinating experience in South Africa is about to end! Leaving Lukimbi is very sad too since the staff is extremely friendly and seem to enjoy what they do so much. I am sure some of the people in the group will be more heartbroken than others but, as Fiona and I always say, “What happens in Lukimbi stays in Lukimbi”.

Family of elephants at Lukimbi