August 15 to 17, 2025
As the name suggests, Lower Sabie Rest Camp lies on the bank of the Sabie River. The restaurant here overlooks the river, with almost constant sightings of Hippo and elephants while dining.
On a night game drive our first day, my wife was scanning the trees for leopard and spotted a large-spotted genet climbing down. While they look to be part of the cat family, genets are more closely related to racoons. On the walk back from reception to our hut, the stars shown brilliantly in the dark, moonless sky far from any other light source. Being the Southern hemisphere, these stars were unfamiliar.
The sunrise game drive the next day was quiet at first with the guide pointing out birds and trees. Suddenly, the guide accelerated east toward the bird hide, then south on the Nhlowa Rd. Noting vultures in the trees, we thought there was a fresh kill; no, just some old bones. Further south, a bunch of cars snd safari vehicles suggested something interesting. Three cheetah were resting under a tree a few hundred yards from the road. An Afrikaaner couple loaned me their binoculars for a closer look.
Afyer the guided sunrise drive, we headed north on our own. Crossing the Sabie, we soon encountered a huge dazzle of zebra walking single file on a trail 100 yards or so west of the dirt road. Turning east to Mlondozi dam (1) the dirt road became quite corrugated, making for a bone-rattling ride. While unfenced, visitors can get out of their cars to visit the pavillion here. A good crowd was here enjoying their lunch (gas grills for rent, no charcoal braai (2) here). I dozed on a bench while my wife kept watch (3).
Sitting by the swimming pool later, we decided to go on our own sunset drive. The limiting factor was the camp's gate closure at 6:00 pm (4). Heading south on the dirt Matlyuhlungu loop yielded sightings only of the ubiquitous impala. Back north on the sealed road, we saw a car heading south suddenly turn around and point unto the bush before turning back south again (5). A male and female lion were sitting 10 yards or so to the west of the road. We had the sight to ourselves for a while, but soon other cars stopped for a look. A big safari truck soon appeared, and the driver looked at me snd said "it's you again;" he had been our driver/guide this morning. The road being a little noisy now, the lioness got up and walked away, followed by her mate.
Thrilled to see lions up close (6), we drove towards the camp gate. Shortly thereafter, a lioness appeared out of the bush to our right, and sauntered across the road, followed by more females and cubs. They plopped themselves on the tar in the middle of the road (7) and began to play, to the delight of the small number of cars (now unable to pass anyways).
Another driver and I speculated whether a pride of lions in the road was an acceptable excuse for late gate arrival, and what type of bone the cubs were playing with. Eventually clearing the road, we saw the bone was just a big stick. Back at the gate with less than 10 minutes to spare, I told the guard about the cars coming behind due to the pride of lions on the road. He looked skeptical as if he had heard that excuse before.
Leaving Lower Sabie next day, we drove north towards Tshokwane, a picnic site halfway to Satara. A few rain showers heralded the waning of the dry season as the road ascended Nkumbe peak and a viewpoint with sweeping vistas of the savannah below. A short drive off the sealed road leads to Orpen dam, where hippos were keeping out of the sun.
Approaching Tshokwane, my wife noticed movement in the dung piles, which I drive around when I can (8). A hinged tortoise was nearing the west side of the road. Stopping caught the attention of the driver behind us, who stopped before we could back up for a closer view. Just after the tortoise cleared the road, the other car left. Backing up for a closer view, we could not spot the brownish-grey animal, reflecting its excellent camouflage.
(1) In Southern Africa, a dam refers to the dam itself and to the body of water formed behind the dam.
(2) "Braai" is barbecue in southern African English.
(3) Up at 4:30 for the sunrise drive after getting back at 11:00 last night, so I had an excuse.
(4) Gate opening and closing times vary by season, timed to roughly coincide with sunrise snd sunset. Today's sunset was at 5:37. Late arrival yields a warning for the first offense, and fines subsequently.
(5) The nearest soon-to-close gate to the south (Crocodile Bridge) was still a fair distance away for them.
(6) My wife said she made eye contact with the male lion.
(7) Being late winter, they appreciate the heat absorbed the road.
(8) No need to crush dung beetles.
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