South Africa & Mozambique, 2010

[Jochen]

I found to guide to be a great chap, who empathized a lot with his audience. And it was obvious he loved his job. I asked him if he ever wanted to work in a different area, but he felt he was already in one of the best areas. So he sees his job as a "dream job" and is therefore fully committed to it. Despite the fact that, in our opinion, he should give the animals some more privacy, he clearly loves nature with all his heart. You could see that by the fact that he often photographs himself when a sighting is just too good to NOT take pictures, and also once he saw something lying on the road that had fallen from another jeep, and he picked it up spontaneously.

 

 

Unfortunately I cannot be as enthusiastic about our tracker. He often seemed to be dozing, in his seat on the bonnet. Even the "newbies" in the jeep noticed this very quickly. OK, maybe that's because he wasrarely needed (why track when so many sightings present themselves via the radio?) But still… you'd expect he would help the guide with spotting, because the guide also needs his eyes for the road. I even thought the job was called "tracker / spotter". But no, he did not help with spotting. Many sightings we found ourselves (I mean the tourists, not the guide nor tracker). Like two monitor lizards in a tree, a nyala, and the rhino family mentioned earlier.

 

 

Painful anecdote; at one point I saw a plastic bottle lying by the side of the road. Given the earlier incident, where the guide himself stopped to pick something up, I thought that the slogan "keep the bush pure" was important here too. So I asked the guide stop and pick up the bottle. The bottle was lying on the tracker's side of the road so the guide asked the tracker "would you mind picking up the bottle?" The tracker gave the guide an angry look that lasted for ten seconds. It not only made the guide feel uncomfortable, but all the other people in the jeep too.

The guide insisted, however, and after another fifteen seconds the tracker got up, and with heavy shoulders, he walked the full five meters needed to pick up the bottle. It is a mystery where this behavior came from. Maybe he no longer had both feet on the ground. I mean, as a young black man to be employed as a tracker in a top lodge: it can go to your head I guess. And perhaps then you feel too good to do more than what you have been recruited for. Something like that?

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[Jochen]

I fully realize that the above may sound racist but I can assure you that I'm not. I'm just looking for an explanation for his behavior, and we must simply admit that his world (probably from poor local people) and the guide's world (perhaps coming from local people too, but certainly not poor) are very different, and that therefore they approach their job differently.

For a moment, because of this incident, we thought about not tipping the tracker, but finally we did it anyway. But then through the guide; I asked the guide to make it clear to his tracker that the environment he works in is what brings the dollars in, and that therefor it is important to keep it 100% pure. Well, I had only spoken half a sentence and the guide knew exactly what I meant.

 

 

So the guide was a positive story and the tracker rather negative. But what about the "newbies" in our jeep? Here too, I can be very positive. It made me truly happy that these people not only fully enjoyed their safari, but they were also very committed to the animals and the environment. Also, they were doing everything they could to maximize the knowledge to be taken home: they asked many, many questions. And most of them very good ones too (not the "where are the tigers" type).

Funny story; there was one question that came close. One night we had very clear skies, so again there were four visible planets in the sky. I decided to share my knowledge (see the travelogue of Africa On Foot) with our newbies. I showed them Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn, and they were clearly impressed (not of my knowledge, from the fact that you could see four planets lol). A girl suddenly asked "how about Uranus? And I blurted out, "That I can show you too, just let me get up." Well, I could not pass up on such an open goal. Fortunately, they all laughed about it (including the girl who had asked the question).

 

 

Also, none of the people in the jeep had problems with their fellow travelers. You should know, because of the popularity of Elephant Plains the jeeps are often quite full, and it may be that you end up in a "full row" of seats completely (there are three rows of three seats, and the seat next to the guide is also free). So there is a chance that there is disagreement about seats. But everyone rotated seats after every drive, and nobody had a problem to give the amateur photographers in the company (in our case, two men, and that's including myself) a bit more room (ic not in a row with three people). I am very thankful for that, and will gladly share my pictures with them. They asked for some, of course. :-D

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[Jochen]

Also, no need to make an elephant out of a mouse. I've read on the web that some see "full" jeeps as a problem and therefore even choose another lodge, and not Elephant Plains. In reality it rarely happens that you end up on a full row. There are three jeeps, which makes thirty seats in total. But the lodge has only 13 rooms, one room being a very expensive suite which is booked only 50% of the time. Add to that the fact that there is almost always a room left empty (everyone's schedule is different, which in practice means a continuously 100% full lodge is difficult to get) and you realize quickly: the number of tourists at the lodge is more like 20 to 22. Divided by three jeeps …you do the math.

 

 

One final word on game walks. Yes, they have these too. Just after the morning game drive. They last about an hour, and that is long enough because at that time it is already quite warm in the bush. We found them to be no comparison to the previous game walks we had in other lodges. At Elephant Plains, it's just a walk "around the block", so to speak. Also, what bothered me a bit is that the guide did not point out to the game walk participants that they should not wear white clothing. Anyway, you can't see (or learn) much in one little hour, but if you book this lodge then I would do the walks anyway, as you still might learn a thing or two. Besides, everything is better than staring at the walls of your room.

 

 

As an ode to the leopards of Elephant Plains; CLICK HERE for a collage of video fragments

 

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[ZaminOz]

Thanks for the report... stunning photos!

[Jochen]

Thx Zaminoz.

 

On to part 4; Pungwe Bush camp in Manyeleti GR

[Jochen]

Pungwe (click here for their homepage) was again very different than the previous lodge. In fact, it was so different that for the first ten minutes I had a bit of trouble letting it all sink in. Perhaps you can only understand if you ever experience this yourself. But I'll try with an example: we came from a place that had a reception area that was as big as the whole central area of Pungwe. I mean, ending up in a real bush camp, right after having visited a big and luxurious place such as Elephant Plains; it is quite a bit of a shock. I guess one easily gets used to luxury.

 

But I must say we adapted just as easily to Pungwe. One of the reasons for that is the host, Cilla. She makes you feel right at home. In fact, Pungwe really is a family-run business (they say that about Elephant Plains too, but we never were introduced to the owners). Cilla does all the email correspondence and handles bookings. She also manages the cooking & cleaning staff. Cilla is from South Africa, and her husband, Lothar, is originally from Germany. However, they both speak fluent English and speak Afrikaans amongst themselves. Lothar manages and trains the game drive and game walk personnel, but considers himself retired when it comes to game drives or -walk. I mean; he doesn't do that himself anymore, normally. Which is quite understandable, at the age of 65. His eyesight is not 100% anymore either, he said. Now, I said normally, but in our case he did do the game walks and game drives, as just the week before we arrived one of his rangers decided to quit and he did not have a replacement yet (there's three rangers but one was just on holiday as well). Oh, by the way, Cilla uses the Nickname "Loth" (pronounced Lu-eth) for her husband.

[Jochen]

A bit about the camp first; you enter by crossing over a little wooden bridge, and the first thing you see is a fire pit with some logs around it. This is where you have your coffee in the morning before you leave for the game walk. And something I had not seen before; the same fire was used to cook breakfast. So your eggs & sausages do not come from the kitchen, but it is cooked over an open fire.

To the left from the "fireplace" is a big thatched roof, with underneath it: a bar, a lounge area and a big dinner table. The table was made from bush material, and in fact a lot of other small things too (like polished logs to put some candles in etc). All around on the wall were animal horns and skulls, found nearby in the bush. Loth said there was a story behind each of the ornaments, and that he had known a lot of these animals throughout their lives. This may all sound like small details, but it is important that I mention it as it all added to the camp's atmosphere. I quite liked it.

 

 

There's also a small kitchen building behind some bushes. Meals are typically "home cooked" (Cilla and Loth also join the guests for dinner every night) and taste delicious. In fact, the South African Cuisine has a lot of European influences; we ate dishes that have their origin in Holland and Germany, for instance. But of course here they are made or mixed with local ingredients. Every evening there's also a local dish for you to try.

 

A bit further on the right (from the fire) is a pathway leading down, to the tents. These tents are rather big, compared to the ones we had at Shindzela. Here, they have canvas walls, but no canvas roof; you look straight at the thatched roof. The bed is in the center and is made from wooden logs out of the surrounding bush. That looked great. We did not use the mosquito net that was hanging around it as it was the end of the dry season. Here, just as Shindzela and Africa On Foot: no electricity, just kerosine lamps.

The parts I liked a bit less were the stone floor (I prefer an elevated wooden floor), the bathroom with stone walls in the back (I prefer an outdoor shower) and the location (you do have a little terrace with two chairs, but not much of a view). But I admit; now I am quibbling. Please note; I still liked this a lot more than that rondavel at Elephant Plains, which looked really out of place. Also; the bathroom had quite a special touch to it, as it had this ingenious self-made copper plumbing system. Really cool. Or hot, if you open the right tap. Note that hot water is provided via a little wood stove that was lit for you every evening.

 

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[Jochen]

Pungwe is located in the southeast part of Manyeleti GR, and in fact it is the only lodge operating in that area. There are two other lodges in the reserve, but these are at the opposite side of the reserve (northwest). These are the the "Honeyguide" camps and they are much more expensive and luxurious. Basically, this means that Pungwe has one end of the reserve completely to itself, as the HoneyGuide jeeps never drive that far. It is a fantastic area, in the corner between Sabi Sands and Kruger NP. In fact, one of the tracks that Lothar likes to do while on game drive, follows the border of the Manyeleti Reserve.

 

Funny anecdote; there used to be a fence which was taken down a long while ago, which had a road on both sides of it. But now, since the fence is gone, only one road is needed. However, Kruger park guards have told Lothar not to drive on their road …while a few kilometers further they themselves are clearly using Manyeleti's roads as theirs has been washed away. So you see; the fences may have gone, but the mentality (ic the fences in everyone's head) takes longer to wear off.

 

Funny anecdote (or rather: fact) no 2; from the tip of Manyeleti, it is only a 10 minute drive to the gate Of Sabi Sands, on a very good gravel road. But the vans that do the inter-lodge transfers are not allowed to take it, so it took us more than two hours to go from Elephant Plains to Pungwe.

Edited March 20, 2011 by Jochen

[Jochen]

Back on topic; because all other lodges stay on the other side of Manyeleti, and because Pungwe is rather small (only 4 or five tents or so), and also perhaps a bit because Lothar doesn't like to go off road at all, the area is very pristine. We were a bit wary on that first game drive; is this going to work out? Well, Lothar sure showed us. For starters, we had excellent sightings of giraffes drinking (finally! The shot with the swirl of water when he/she pops her head back up! …wait let me check the picture …it's a "she", and she's clearly pregnant). After that warthogs, tawny eagles and some elephants. And then mom and baby rhino came trotting out of the bush. The most incredible rhino sighting ever. Completely in the open. Also, I never knew that baby rhino could be so playful. What a joy that was!

 

 

When we drove back to the lodge, Loth always stops at a small waterhole, not far from camp. Here, he's got a diesel pump running, to fill the waterhole, but also to supply the camp. When he switches off the pump, it is the sign for Cilla and the staff to start dinner. That night, we found a leopard at the waterhole. She was quite skittish and we thought she would run. But we waited and she returned. She drank about ten minutes so she must have been really thirsty. I got great shots of her and her reflection in the water, taken at ISO 6400, at 400mm handheld, lol. Still not sure how I pulled that one off.

 

 

Only after the game drive we realized that indeed we had not needed to go off road the entire day. And at that point my wife said: "well, can you remember going off road at Shindzela?" I must admit; I could not. It is incredible how easy you get used to crashing through bushes like at Elephant Plains. Am I making against off roading now? No, I am not. I a merely saying that you should not exaggerate with it.

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[Jochen]

The next day we did a bush walk and a game drive, but alas, we were much less successful. One of those "quiet days in the bush" I'm afraid. This is the sort of day you cannot get at Elephant Plains, I guess. So you see; pros and cons! Still, the walk was very instructive and Lothar, perhaps even without realizing it, filled in a lot of blanks I had on fauna. Previous game walks had mostly been about the animals, and Loth taught me a great deal about trees.

 

 

At noon, an elephant was near camp, and Loth took us there on foot. He was browsing peacefully, and perhaps a bit too peacefully because I think he had actually not seen us coming. So when he finalli DID see us, he gave us a mock charge immediately. That was no problem but when he stopped, and then did two more steps towards us; that was a bit too much. But Loth has obviously done this many times before and after a few shouts the elephant understood that he we were not pleased by his behavior. Anyway, those two steps still send a shiver down my spine even when writing about it.

 

So that was a bit of suspense at noon, but the drive was a bit quiet again. We saw kudu, hyena, zebra, giraffe, squirrels and mongooses, etc… just no big cats or elephants or rhino. Again; incredible how easy your expectations shift after having done safaris on "steroids".

 

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[Game Warden]

Am enjoying this report alot. Cheers Jochen. Great images.

[Jochen]

That evening our best sighting was of a journey of seven giraffes in a row. We took our sundowners at an artificial lake on the border between Sabi Sands and Manyeleti. No game there, but the moon came up and was incredibly big and as red as blood. So that was a fantastic shot as well. Loth had hoped that some new guests would have arrived early enough for the night drive, but it was not to be.

When we arrived in camp, the other guests had arrived (two Dutch couples on their first safari ever), and were waiting for us in the lounge. Before having dinner, we quickly freshened up in our tent. While we were doing that, a guide was waiting for us some distance away (you are always escorted to and from your tent there). All of a sudden, that guide started shouting in his native language. Then again. Then somebody at the lounge answered and all hell broke loose. We heard someone coming from camp and running towards the guide who had escorted us.

 

(shouting in native language)

shoot! shoot!

(more shouting in native language)

BANG! BANG!

 

Mira and I looked at each other a bit perplexed. What the hell was that all about? Well, what apparently happened was this; the guide that was waiting to escort us back to the dinner table heard the zipper of one of the tents being opened. Since everyone (including staff) was at the central part of the camp, he figured it must be thieves, and called for help right away. At the camp, Loth was chatting with the new arrived guests, and it took him a moment before he realized what was going on. His main camp help was a bit faster, grabbed a rifle and speeded for help. When they arrived at the tent where they heard the zipper, they saw two men running away very fast. To give them a bit of a scare, Loth fired two round in the air.

We were a bit shocked of course. And the Dutch folks even more so. It was their tent, and they had just arrived. But even more shocked was Cilla. she was visibly shaken. This had never ever happened before. She got herself together and called the central park management and park guard for help. Immediately, a search party was assembled to look for the two idiots who had gone so far into the bush to steal. That night, we put a little lock on the tent flaps, in retrospect a little silly. A bit shook as well was the kitchen and cleaning personnel; they dared not go to the tents in the morning, even though the thieves were of course long gone by then. They had probably been running throughout the night.

Edited March 20, 2011 by Jochen

[Jochen]

To understand why a thing like this attempted robbery was possible, I need to explain a few things. First of all; Manyeleti has only recently made the switch from government-run park to community-run park. But as these things go, certainly in Africa: such a switch takes time. To say it in Loth's words; there are people in the community that are no longer needed nor wanted there, and it's time to kick them out, if needed by force. So these people (or "friends" of these people, because anyone can get into the reserve if he says he's got relatives or friends there) are in the reserve, doing nothing useful, perhaps even looking for any opportunity to grab something that they're not entitled to. Secondly, it was a holiday that day, and the start of a long weekend. So what do you do if you do not need to work? Right… Thirdly, it was a full moon, so plenty of light in the dark. It's similar to Murphy's law; you need more than one parameter to be exactly "right" before disaster strikes.

 

Viewed from the thieves perspective; they must have had quite an adventure. First of all; they probably had hoped to be able to steal during the daytime, and be out of the reserve by nightfall. But they had no luck; the rooms they could get to were empty (ours laid in view of the campfire). So they waited until the Dutch folks were settled in. Perhaps they hoped that they would join the afternoon game drive. But they didn't. They were tired so they stayed in the lodge. So the thieves had to wait until it was completely dark, so they could get to the tents unseen. And when they were about to make their move, we arrived back from the game drive, and we did not stay at the dinner table; we came to our tent. I think right after that perhaps all was a bit quiet, and the thieves must have lost their patience and must have decided to make their move. So then they were discovered, and chased through the bush. With all the dangerous animals around them. Not smart! I think they will not attempt such a stunt a second time.

Edited March 20, 2011 by Jochen

[Jochen]

Sorry for being so long-winded about this incident but I'd rather be complete, so it is clear to everyone, and so I'm not flooded with questions. It must be perfectly clear to everyone; this was a very exceptional circumstance, and you should absolutely NOT dismiss Pungwe as a potential candidate for you future safari to the Kruger area. As I said, things are looking up and definitely moving in the right direction. Soon enough, things will run as smoothly as, for example, Shindzela (which is also a lodge on community soil, in case you are wondering).

Right now, there may still be some signs that the reserve has gone through some bad times, or otherwise put: that a lot of money ended up in bottomless pockets and was not pumped back into the reserve. For example; the area where Pungwe is in could do with some more waterholes (the two I mentioned above are the only ones). And it is not normal that Loth has to provide anti-poaching units with petrol for their car, and has to return a day later to verify that that petrol went in the tank of the right car. But as I said; it's getting better. You can see it in the motivated people working there (like the local guides and staff at Pungwe). You can see it in the fact that businesses like the Honeyguide "upper class" lodges are choosing this reserve to receive their guests.

 

And you can also see it in the abundance of game. Because it's high time I start writing again what is most important; the wildlife you see on game walks and -drives. The previous day may have been slow, the day afterward was incredible. I had heard some stories about poaching in Manyeleti. That it was very bad in the past, and that now it was better. Well, I can only say: this must be true and the anti-poaching patrols must be doing a good job, because we really saw plenty of game that second day.

 

In the morning we did a great walk to some lookout point where an anti-poaching unit is stationed. We saw giraffes from up there, and a tawny attacking guinea-fowl. Well, you do not see THAT much on a game walk, but it was enough. But at noon, there was a group of elephants that walked past the camp. They were going for the waterhole of the camp, so Loth took us there by jeep. The ellies gave us quite a show at the waterhole, and I got great shots. Somehow, these guys (it was a bachelor herd) had much bigger tusks than any elephant we had seen in Timbavati, Klaserie or Sabi Sands.

 

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[Jochen]

And in the afternoon we decided to go to the center part of the reserve for our gamedrive. You have to know; there's a lot more water there. The biggest lake is right next to the community buildings. There were plenty of animals, obviously not scared (of being shot by) the people living there. That afternoon, we saw kudu, zebra, buffalo, elephants… all crossing the road in front of us, going towards the lake. However, we were on a mission two find a cheetah family. Our tracker, Efrans, spoke to a tracker of one of the Honeyguide vehicles, and that's how we came to know. We found them soon enough, and spent about an hour with them. I must admit I went a bit shutter crazy. You have to know; cheetah is the cat that has eluded us the most on previous safari. We saw one (!) cheetah head from far away in the Serengeti, and one in the Khwai area in Botswana (who had just made a kill). So these four cheetahs; that was, in one sighting, more than we'd ever seen on all our previous safaris.

 

 

This was also the first time that Loth left the road. But that was quite OK, as the area was rather flat and not that bushy.

We also saw regular vehicles here. As I said before; this was a holiday weekend. And these local people obviously decided to pay the entrance fee of the reserve and spend a day watching animals. They did not leave the roads, of course. Actually, I was quite pleased to see local people who are interested in their wildlife. If only we had more people like that, then we'd be absolutely sure that the parks and their inhabitants are going to be safe in the future. There's only one thing I regret; there was a family that could have gotten in the jeep with us. We could have taken them to the cheetahs. I only thought about that afterwards and I'm still hitting myself over the head for that.

 

After the cheetahs decided to move on, we decided the same. We also heard lions had been spotted nearby, one of them a cub. So we decided to skip the sundowners and look for them. Sure enough, we found them. More by smell (of their prey) than by sight. Again rather far away from the road, and this time in a very bushy area. By that time it was dark, so the pics are not the best. But for the Dutch folks it must have been quite a thrill on their first game drive ever. For us it was our last game drive, and a good sighting to end with.

 

(sorry just found out that I've not placed any of those lion pics online, so you're gonna have to do with another shot of the cheetahs)

 

Loth had a bit of trouble getting back on the road and regretted having off roaded. To be honest; perhaps he did have a point. He had to destroy some bushes to get to the lions. But not even 10% as much as what I've seen the guides at Elephant Plains do. So my own opinion is that it was still worth it. Certainly because of the Dutch folks. Also; he could have avoided a bush or two had it not been for his eyesight. But hey, this is not meant to judge him because of that. Considering his age I think he did a great job, replacing his missing guide, and I am very thankful that he was able to show us so much of Manyeleti in so little time.

 

An observation; Pungwe managed to show us the big five in those two point five days. Only Elephant Plains had been able to do the same. Not that those animals are more important to us than any others, but I know lots of other people judge their safari by this aspect. So I am glad to tell you; there IS an alternative to "safari on steroids"!

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[twaffle]

Really enjoying this report Jochen, thanks. Love the cheetah photos, especially the one of the 4 under the tree with the beautiful sky. Fantastic detail.

[Jochen]

Thx Matt, thx Twaffle,

 

Upon rereading this part I noticed how much more positive I was towards Manyeleti's plans.

 

Too bad that what I found out afterwards is much more negative for potential investors (or too bad I could not find out anything more; the fact that even the most basic info is not to be found on the web worries me even more).

 

I still hope the best for the community and the wildlife, but...

[Jochen]

Oh well... time to move on to the final leg of the trip; Mozambique (Nyati beach lodge near Vilanculos)

[Jochen]

Nyati Beach Lodge (see here for the website) sits on an isthmus between the Indian Ocean and a swamp. You can only get there by helicopter or by boat (when high tide). For convenience's sake the lodge charters a helicopter to fly customers to and from the airport. It is the only lodge on that isthmus, so there is 15 kilometers beach for no one else …but you. A pure paradise, and ideal to rest a bit after a safari. But how do you get there? I mean; how do you get to Vilanculos in Mozambique? Well, there's a South African charter company called Federal Air that flies there twice a week. Departure is from Johannesburg, but they make a stopover at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) near Nelspruit. That's ideal for anyone who's just been on a safari, because now you can fly straight from the Kruger to Mozambique. On the way back there is no stopover, so you're back quickly in Johannesburg, for your international flight home.

 

The central buildings of the lodge are built on the last major sand ridge of the isthmus. From there it gets narrower (up to 50-100m wide, but the isthmus still continues for several kilometers past the lodge). There is not much to say about the central buildings. There is a curio shop and an office for management, and behind that there's the the kitchen. At the front, where one has a sea view, under a big thatched roof, is a half-open space with lounge, restaurant and bar. And right next to it a large terrace with pool. There is also a separate building with toilets. The very front of that part of the lodge, which is closest to the ocean, has a solid wall and some windows that face the ocean, so one is shielded from the wind. Most tables in the restaurant take advantage of that protection from the wind, but not all (so be careful what table you take).

 

The rooms are individual cabins in a long row, with their views towards the lagoon. So they are built behind the hills, sheltered from the Indian Ocean and its strong winds. We did not mind that at all, as the view of the lagoon is more beautiful than the ocean. And the lagoon side is perfect for sunsets. For a further description of the rooms, see below.

 

(panorama of the view from our room)

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[Jochen]

While at Nyati, we did not do any trips. The only thing that comes close to a "trip" would be our beach walks. That does not mean that walking is the only thing you can do there. No, the lodge offers a wide range of excursions such as scuba diving or snorkeling near a reef, visiting fishing villages nearby, a trip on a catamaran, etc... You can also go fishing yourself. Now, we are not boat people, and we'd rather have fish swimming than being caught on hooks, so we were not interested much in what the lodge could offer. But we knew that this would be the case beforehand, and we did not mind. As I said; we were there to rest.

But one can not spend three days and do nothing else but rest (we were there four nights), so we did long beach walks. And they are very worthwhile. It also pays to do a certain walk several times. Being; at least once at low tide, and once at high tide. Because what you get to see is very different, including the wildlife. For example, if you walk along the beach at low tide, then that beach is very wide and completely deserted. You feel alone on earth. All you see are some small waders. But at high tide, then there's an incredible number of crabs that come out of their holes, and the beach is full of life. I'm not talking about hundreds of crabs, but about tens of thousands! The beach looked red from all the crabs! But they always stay about ten meters away from you (very funny).

 

 

At the other side of the isthmus, in the lagoon, there are many flamingos. And in the water you see a lot of fish and snails with pointy houses that make funny traces on the sandy bottom. Watch where you tread, as there are also some sea urchins. Crabs also. Bigger ones, and definitely another kind. But a lot less. They stay at the entrance of their burrow and dive down if you come too close.

 

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[Jochen]

After such a walk, it's great to sit on your terrace and relax. It has views of the lagoon, and has a rattan table and two chairs. There are also two sunloungers. It's full of life here too. In the bushes on the isthmus are a lot of birds, including yellow-bellied Greenbul, Black collared barbet, speckled mouse birds and black-eyed bulbul's. Occasionally an eagle flies over. Also, sometimes monkeys come along. They are very timid, but they do try - if possible - to steal stuff from your room.

 

 

Talking about the rooms; they are great! In the middle is a large bed made of tree trunks, with a mosquito net over it. It also has a lot of storage space, a small desk, etc. .. behind it lies a bathroom with a (small) bath, a large sink and a separate shower and separate toilet. On the left is a door that leads outside, to an outdoor shower made of bamboo sticks. You guessed it: we have only made use of that one. The whole thing (terrace- + room + bathroom) is covered by a large thatched roof. You can keep the monkeys out (the doors can be locked and at the front where the terrace is, there's a big glass sliding door) but you cannot keep the birds out. They get in through some small holes, but also through the bathroom door (which has some horizontal wooden plates to keep the sun out, but there is no glass behind it). We had two sparrow couples who each had their nest in a corner of the thatched roof. You can worry about that (eg that they sometimes leave a little message on your patio), or you can enjoy the show. We gave them cotton wool for their nest.

 

 

A little something about the meals; these were delicious as well, with lots of seafood and fish, but you could always get something else if you do not like that (but please do ask in advance). Only the breakfast is a buffet. Especially the orange juice was delicious. And speaking of juices, the cocktails were very tasty as well. Although half of the cocktail menu is not available, due to lack of ingredients (see below why). But hey, there were enough possibilities to try a different one every night (every night we took one to our room to watch the sunset from the terrace).

 

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen

[Jochen]

LOL, I still think the above picture is brochure material

 

The final conclusion for us; the lodge was absolutely fantastic. And as far as resting is concerned; mission accomplished! That is also because we were almost alone at the lodge. The only other guests were six Danes and they went out every day. We saw them only during breakfast or dinner. Now, the week that we were there; there were even less people; when we arrived there were only two tourists. And when we all left there was nobody there anymore, and there were no new customers for them on the plane that flew us back to Jo'Burg (the guy with the Nyati-sign who escorts the customers to the helicopter was not even there).

 

And there lies the potential problem for Nyati. The destination is still unknown and not popular. I suspect that the long, bad time that Mozambique has experienced is partly responsible for that. I hope they manage, and that they remain in business. Because it is a dream destination. But I also see some signs that made me less confident. Like the elusive cocktail ingredients, and a few unreplaced cracked windows in the salon, and there was already serious wear on the loungers, etc… Add to that that the prices went way up… We still got the introduction rates of Nyati's startup year, but those are far lower than the current prices. At the current price the lodge would have been too expensive for us. When I was negotiating prices with Nyati, and I saw the new and higher prices, I thought "they are going for the wealthy tourists" (the same as the expensive lodges do in Sabi Sands ... their product might not be better, but their prices breathe exclusivity). But now I know better. Nyati simply had to raise its prices to make sure all costs are covered. Note that they have to survive on the few customers who step off that Federal Air plane, twice a week. Now, this is the case for every lodge in the area, and if they can survive, I guess so will Nyati. Moreover, Nyati has several lodges in their portfolio (see their main site) so they "can take the dent with the bump", as they say here in Belgium. I just hope that the steep prices do not deter you from visiting this paradise!

 

Outro:

 

Edited January 3, 2012 by Jochen