Today is forecast to be a pre-frontal hottie – even more incentive to get to Satara as early as possible. So, we leave Skukuza at 6am having spent 22 very pleasant days there.
We move rapidly up the H1 road noting the bone dry dams of Mazithi and Kumana as we pass. Really, the rains cannot come quickly enough. Reports did reach us that Satara had experienced good rains at the beginning of October but it must have been very localized. The Sweni area is brown and tinder dry.
We reach Satara at 8am and our tactic of getting into these campsites as early as possible pays off as we find an excellent shady site vacated just before we arrive. We have our camp quickly set up whilst all the time the temperature is climbing rapidly. By 1pm it has reached 41 ℃ and we pity those poor souls camping in tents. Satara of course is completely different to Skukuza – something we find really agreeable. It is so much quieter and somehow has a more genuine African feel to it. We love the informality of the camp and its surrounds.
We venture out at 5pm with the air temperature still furnace-like. Nsemani Dam out on the H7 Orpen road is always a good evening option and we head there. We find the dam with plenty of water in it – and plenty of ellies that have arrived to cool off.
Far to the south great storm clouds rear up over Swaziland and we hope so much that Kruger receives some respite from the searing heat of late.
We will be 10 days at Satara before moving on to Lower Sabie on the 4th December.
