Wanderings in South Africa - 1 - Pretoria & Kruger National Park

---

Our first night was spent in the South African capital, Pretoria. It was certainly living up to its other name of 'Jacaranda City'. The city was ablaze with brightly coloured blue/purple flowering Jacaranda trees lining the streets and parks - what a spectacular sight. A short city tour took in the Voortrekkers Monument and Museum - a large rectangular brown stone edifice. The interesting story of the 'Great Trek' of the Boar Pioneers in the 1830's was depicted in tapestries, stone relief carvings and original artefacts including a Boer Ox-wagon.

A giant statue of Nelson Mandela was found in front of the Government Union Building overlooking the city. Colonial-style buildings were also seen in the city centre, in Church Square, along with a silver-coloured statue of former President Paul Kruger.

A long trip across flat and low rolling hills of endless farmland, wide-open bushland and savannah eventually saw us arrive at Nkambi Tented Lodge, our home for the next few days, close to the southern Numbi gate of the Kruger Game Reserve. En-route we stopped at the Blyde River Canyon with spectacular views along the canyon to the three rondavels. In this former gold prospecting area we also saw Bourke's Luck potholes where fortunes were discovered in the form of gold nuggets eroded from the surrounding rocks and the fortunes then subsequently lost in the small prospecting village of Pilgrim's Rest.

We had three game drives over the next couple of days and what an amazing experience they proved to be. We travelled miles, in an open topped safari vehicle, through the bushveld seeing many animals, with wonderful close views of leopard, white rhino, elephant and giraffe. We completed the 'Big 5' with a long distance sighting of a lioness lying on the top of a rock!! We also went on a 'bush walk' with a true 'old timer' tracker/bushman who recounted stories and encounters from his life in the bush - he knew all the flora and fauna in great detail - and even regaled us with the minutiae of the contents and signals found within animal droppings!!

---

Photos

Original Boer Ox-wagon
Voortrekkers Museum Pretoria

Bourke's Luck Potholes
Gold prospecting area Blyde River Canyon

Pilgrim's Rest
Old Gold Prospecting Town

Comments

[Helen and Bob]

Safari
So pleased to see the first blog post in my email! Glad we will see you soon for more details. It sounds like it is proving to be a wonderful trip. The photos are terrific. Xx

[Cyril Birch]

As usual "Brillient"
Pleased receive script and photographs. Content very good and very interesting.D

[David Smith]

Fantastic blog and photos as always.
Where were you when the Clarets beat Hull?