Our next stop would be Pafuri. Flood damage was still very evident in the area as can be seen from this road, R525, 19Km away from the Pafuri Gate.
We wanted to stay at Pafuri but did not realise that it was a private camp and was not operational after being washed away during the January floods. The first KNP operated camp from the north is Punda Maria so we headed for that and booked in for 3 nights. En-route we came across a gathering of vultures. It was not possible to see what attracted them but we certainly could smell that they were not just admiring the view!
According to a poster in the reception area, when the founder of the camp arrived in 1933 the first animals he saw were zebra. The Swahili name for zebra is punda. His wife’s name was Maria and she apparently liked wearing black and white. Hence he named the camp ‘Punda Maria’.
The camp has a lot to offer. There is a hide overlooking a water hole (more of a mud wallow!) which is also floodlit during the night.
There is a short walk called the ‘Paradise Flycatcher Trail’ in the hill behind the camp. It was great to stretch legs and get a bit of blood flowing after all the sitting and driving we have done.
The weather was overcast and cool so Roger took the opportunity to potter around and decided to try and insulate the roof with silver reflective roofing insulation.
That night there was a huge storm (thanks Jonathon for sending the clouds) and alas, the water seeped in under the adhesive tape and created a reservoir. Mmm….
And for those not feeling the compulsion to be doing something…
As always, there is a lot to see by just being in the camp. Now this is a moth!!!
There are an abundance of tree squirrels, sometimes referred to as Mopane Squirrels. They are full of energy and really fun to watch.
Our game drive on the morning after the storm was really lovely. Cool, overcast and fresh. We took the Mahonie Loop just outside of the camp. It was approximately 25Km and took us the whole morning!
We had a number of other interesting sightings such as the Brown-headed Parrot, Tawny Eagle, Sharpe’s Grysbok and many more. Sadly the photos were not clear enough to publish.
Hi guys. We are looking at your blog & are thoroughly enjoying it! How is Ufudu doing? We’ve just had Koni shocks fitted to Hoghouse and what an amazing difference! We are amazed at how dramatically road handling and braking have improved. We will be on the road from the 10th Dec and we wish you guys all the best for the festive season. Hoping to do a trip next year with Hoghouse & Ufudu together!
Hi Mike and Charlene. Good to hear from you guys again. Where are you going?
We are going down to the Cape. To Hermanus. Can’t wait for next year when we can do Namibia. We are loving your blog too. What is wrong with Roger’s foot? Hope the op goes well. Speak soon