🙂 Watching the world go by from the deck: Ellies, Rhino, Cats … heaven on earth.
Mjejane is a Private Game Reserve on the banks of the Crocodile River. Spacious, fully equipped – the lodge houses are home from home. Buffalo Brooke is located next to Leo Lapa and these lodges are mirror images of each other. The Owners are really helpful and available on call. We pre-order our groceries from either Pick n Pay Malalane or Spar and they are delivered and waiting for us on arrival. The Reserve is an hour away from Nelspruit (Mpumalanga International Airport) or you can fly directly into Skukuza. There is a bridge that can be used to cross into Kruger but it is often closed due to the threat from Poaching. In that case it is a 30min drive to Crocodile Bridge Gate or 20mins to Malalane Gate.
Well, this was a touch and go trip with all the Covid rules chopping and changing! Paul and I flew into Jhb from Upington and spent the night at the reasonably priced Protea Hotel which offers free shuttles from the airport. We met the kids on their arrival at O Tambo the next morning. We went to collect our vehicles – ANOTHER cockup for Paul and I! Wrong vehicle and they made us pay £1,750 as they had no record of the reservation being paid!!! Fortunately Daniel sorted it out but extremely annoying….never using Avis again. Grrr… We soon set off on our drive to Mjejane!
On arrival we were greeted by a herd of elephants with tiny babies – this was Katie’s bucket list!
We left with pangs of regret but the sunset drive with Muntu was an incredible start! Huge male lion, rhino, buffalo, leopard in a tree and elephants – the Big 5 in the first hour! A number of vultures were gathering on a giraffe kill. Plus a chameleon! What a start!
another highlight being our sundowners next to some rhino!
We had a lekker braai while listening to lions roaring.
We set the table in readiness for Christmas while Paul prepared the three bird roast.
The next morning we woke to Bucks Fizz and the great excitement of opening gifts!
We celebrated a lovely Christmas with the Krugers – very special indeed!
Matheus found the change in the trifle!
We then went for a great game drive.
Over the course of the week we spent alot of time in Kruger but we enjoyed a few highlight sightings in Mjejane too on our sunset drive.
Another highlight was two leopards on our way back from our sunset drive … The cub disappeared but Momma with an injured ear did not seem bothered by he vehicle. The lion was on our way back from our bush braai – fortunate timing!
