Saying goodbye to Skukuza we headed further north and away from the busier areas. Our next camp wasTalamati Bush camp.
The Kruger bush camps provide a more authentic experience
away from the commercial aspects of the bigger camps providing an intimate
insight of the true African bush
Talamati is one of several of these camps. It
has 15 comfortable self-contained cottages nestled in the raw bush
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| Talamati bungalow |
A feature
of this camp is the waterhole with a hide viewing platform which is illuminated
with spotlights. The waterhole serves a multitude of wildlife all of which
frequent it throughout the day and night. But night-time is when the magic
really begins.
Emerging ghost like out of the shadows large families of
elephants make their way in orderly file to the water, the larger animals
siphoning water from the large concrete reservoir, the smaller one's, among
them some of which are newly born calves, are directed by the adults to the
edge of the waterhole. Once replenished each family group quietly gather
seemingly inquiring of each other whether they are ready to move to the safer
environs of the bush, decision made and in single file, with the young in the
middle they silently pass by casting a silhouette against the spotlight, as
silently as they arrived they depart with silent footfalls disappearing into
the darkness and merging with the surrounding bush. There is a communication
energy hidden from human understanding of these majestic creatures, you can
feel it as you sit in silence out of sight but not unknowingly to the animals
who undoubtedly feel your presence. In this environment where they are
protected they do not know fear of humans and allow us to co-exist peacefully,
but there is also an order of things among them as they take their turns at
the waterhole each family group together and gathering later in single file to
depart. It is an experience of the deepest kind to be able to share time in the
presence these majestic animals.
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| The waterholeTalamati bush camp |
Our final camp further north took us to Bataleur camp. On approaching this camp we were reminded of the harshness of the African bush which in this part of the Kruger is in drought conditions. Our hope of seeing much game here was however later dispelled as we were treated to wonderful sightings of giraffe herds, sable antelope, elephants and lion as well as a multitude of other animals.
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| Bataleur cottage |
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| Lion near Shingwedzi |
You are welcome to make contact if you are planning a Kruger trip. Simply message me via this blog and also visit my photographic blog on the link cdhdesignsandphotography.blogspot.com to see more big game images.
