Djuma Bush Lodge

Overly anxious to reach Krueger National Park for our first safari, it was only natural that our takeoff from Johannesburg would be delayed by one hour due to some schmuck who wasn’t supposed to be on our plane. The man remained defiantly in his seat as the ground and flight crew haphazardly attempted to sort things out. Bitchy stewardesses scrambled around to calm frustrated passengers who demanded to know what was going on. Gene and I grew restless in our seats, worried that we would miss out on the late afternoon safari.

After having finally landed in Nelspruit, we met with the flight crew who would be transporting us to the game park and apologized for our delay. I gave Gene a troubled look as I squeezed into the backseat of the 4-seater propeller plane, so that an older couple along with for the ride would have an easier time boarding. Any worries, however, were instantly faded by the anticipation of what we were about to experience.

As we soared at an altitude of approximately 5,000 ft., Gene and I twisted our necks like flamingos to look out of the window onto the terrain below. I squealed in excitement as I pointed out hippos lounging at a watering hole, and an elephant traipsing along as we made our descent. Like two wound up toddlers on a caffeine kick, we couldn’t wait for our first encounter with the wild.

Upon check-in at Djuma Bush Lodge, we were handed the keys to bungalow #1, the first bungalow erected at the lodge to accommodate hunters before the game park became a reserve. Alas, the old huts were not built to support a heating system. Instead, hot water bottles placed beneath our covers at night would have to suffice.

Every morning at 6 o’clock sharp, the housemaid knocked on our door, belted out, “good morning,” and dropped off hot water for coffee and hot chocolate. We would have just enough time to get bundled, drink our beverages and gather our belongings before meeting the guides promptly at 6:30 for our morning safari.

The mornings were brutally cold and dressing appropriately was imperative. We had picked up a pair of gloves in advance, but later purchased a cheap scarf in hopes of preventing my cold from worsening. I made Gene, who refused to wear the girly scarves for sale at the lodge, wear a makeshift scarf that I put together with one of my long sleeve shirts. We made sure to dress in layers and frequently wrapped ourselves up in blankets. Despite the morning’s frigid weather, we were always ready to get a move on.

The Land Cruiser seated up to 9 people in addition to our guide, Chris, and tracker, Abraham. Each morning started out on the road in search of fresh animal tracks. Each tour lasted a total of 3 hours with a snack break halfway through. We would then return to camp for breakfast and have the choice of spending the next few hours until lunchtime relaxing, taking a guided walking tour, or going on a guided tour of the village. Lunch was provided daily at one o’clock.

Guests would again congregate in the dining area for a drink and snack at 3:30 p.m. before heading out at 4:00 p.m. for the late afternoon safari. Once the sun set, the tracker used a high-powered spotlight to catch sight of the animals. The evening drive was followed by a dinner, usually set up around a fire pit. Gene and I were always quick to hit the lukewarm sheets after filling our bellies, and eager to get started on a new day.


ANIMAL SPOTTINGS

Evening Tour:
 White Rhino (Mother and baby)
 Female Leopard
 Spotted Hyenas
 Burchell’s Zebras
 Blue Wildebeest
 Chacma Baboons
 Kudu
 Antelope
 Impala
 Bush Buck
 Small Spotted Genet
 Scrub Hare

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