Back to Madikwe I go.

As I waited at the airstrip for the plane to arrive, 

I was both sad (to leave) and grateful (for having this experience)

Taking off from a ‘bush’ airstrip is an experience on its own...firstly getting the animals of the strip. 

Especially the lions as they enjoy lying on the warm earth and secondly because it is a small plane and it tends to ‘bounce’!

Some of my experiences and adventures during my stay at Tuningi

This 5-star 16-bed lodge is set on the South Western side of the Madikwe Game Reserve.

My arrival at the lodge was greeted, aside from the friendly staff, by grey skies and the threat of impending rain. But I refused to be fazed by the storm and was prepared to hop on the game drive vehicle with Grant after lunch.

My room was well appointed but lacked a proper desk which I find useful as a writer. I also discovered, much to my amusement, three plastic ducks in my bath tub(and unlike a guest house in Clarens, these ducks floated!)

Despite the weather I was determined to try the outdoor shower during my stay ...

and I did, ducks and all!

Our first afternoon drive brought quite a lot of excitement...we found lions, a dead giraffe and a dead Impala...

And we broke a shock absorber on the rear wheel within leaping distance of at least two lionesses.

Two legs good...

Four legs better...

After sunset, and with the rain coming in squalls, game viewing was not ideal. Grant did manage to find us a chameleon sheltering in a tree.

 Back to the lodge and a roaring fire and a wonderful evening meal!

We paid a visit to the giraffe carcass and sure enough there were lions busy having breakfast there. 

Our search for Rhino proved fruitless, but we found MORE lions on the Western airstrip!

Back to camp for a hot breakfast and then it was off for a bush walk

Except for Philip who decided that some ‘down time’ was more important than a walk...Africa is not for sissies...or Canadians it seems!

Our afternoon game drive produced this pack eight Wild Dogs...

 a white rhino,  

a herd of Elephants

AND another male lion

on the giraffe carcass...

Our final morning drive was superb as we were able to locate a huge herd of buffalo

 as well as a Crimson Breasted Shrike that actually sat still long enough for me to get this image!

My thanks to all the lodge staff, 

but especially to our ranger Grant Marcus for the invaluable photographic tips he shared with me...

Unlike many other 5-star lodges, Tuningi  welcomes young guests 

and has several eco projects specifically designed to keep them busy,

 while mom and dad are off on a game drive...or just feel like some ‘down time’

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