Tuesday 30 May 2017

Part 1 - Johannesburg to Phalaborwa (May 2017)



African Wildlife and Nature Photographs – (7 provinces in a 7 week trip around South Africa)

Part 1 - Johannesburg to Phalaborwa (May 2017)


Our trusted SUV and Camper for our trip 
So here we go, time to put fingers to the keyboard. We have been in South Africa for just over 7 days after leaving the Middle East, the first few days were spent in Johannesburg catching up with family and friends; gathering supplies and ensuring our SUV and our off-road camper, that will be our home for the next 7 weeks, had services. This, all before setting off on a 7 week tour of South Africa, covering 7 of South Africa’s provinces. 

Our planned trip will take us the whole length of the Kruger National Park in the North East of the country, endearingly known as the ‘bushveld’ or just plainly ’the bush’, to the far North West and the arid desert region of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park which at this time of the year (winter) has extreme cold at night. Then we will travel down to the Cape, along the beautiful Garden Route to Addo Elephant Park with many stops in-between. 

We hope you will follow our journey over the coming weeks on this blog, so come along and see beautiful South Africa with us an African Wildlife and Nature Photographs trip (7 Provinces in a 7 week trip around South Africa)

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For stunning wildlife and nature photographs and interesting information about the subjects many of which we will meet and photograph along the way.


Don’t forget our website at www.africanwildlifeandnaturephotographs.com

We left Johannesburg on a Sunday which was a good idea as the roads were quiet but as we had a long journey ahead of us, we were on the road by 7:00am with a chilly temperature (in my wife’s opinion) of 11ºC, which we really felt as we'd left the Middle East in spring temperatures of around 40ºC.

Driving north on the main N1 highway towards our first few days camping at Phalaborwa in Limpopo province, we were soon doing a steady 'caravan towing' speed singing along to all the golden oldies that are played on various radio stations on a Sunday morning in South Africa.

First coffee stop after 2 hours of driving (yes you will come to learn we stop often for coffee) then 'On the Road Again' - our signature tune.

Our next stop was once we'd turned off the N1 travelling east was the Lewark Restaurant, outside Haenertsburg. We had a great brunch in a beautiful area, as now we were driving through some of South Africa most beautiful scenery around Magoebaskloof and Tzaneen in the Limpopo province. We pushed on to our final destination for the next few nights, this being the Phalaborwa’s Forever Resort.

Our camp set up (night shot) at the Phalaborwa Forever Resort
Our timings were perfect, arriving in ‘Phalaborwa’s Forever Resort’ at 2:30pm with a much warmer temperature of 30ºC. A bit too warm to set up camp, but as it was our home for the next 3 nights, we had time to relax, have an ice cream before the work of setting up camp began. 

We have yet been able to measure the length of time it takes us to set up our whole camping setup as we find camping a very friendly affair and your neighbours tend to come over and chat.

 I think people are just curious to check out our camping set up and do comparisons ! but also to find out who is travelling where, when and what have you seen on the road etc.

It was wonderful to be sleeping back in the 'bush' as we tend to sleep really well in the fresh air with the sounds of the African night including Pearl-spotted Owlets, Scops Owl and as we were just outside the Kruger National Park (this is our next stop) we could hear the whoops of Spotted Hyena and what was that sounds again .... Oh yes .....rutting Impalas.