Satara 11 – 14th August

Sunday, 11th           After our 37ºC hottest day of the trip, we take off late down the H6 tarred road to Nwanetsi. Everything is  lying low except a battered lioness that comes strolling down the road towards us.

Monday, 12th     We repeat yesterday evening’s route but push on to the Sweni Causeway down near Nwanetsi.

Thereafter, we take the S41 northward towards Gudzani Dam. This road marks the western boundary of the Singita Sweni Concession that lies between the S41 and on the east side, the Mozambique fence. Our son, Warren, once worked for a while there and we once joined him for supper at this super luxury lodge. At that time guests were paying R25,000 pp/night – far beyond our reach I am afraid. Singita maintains this S41 road and after the travails of Timbavati, driving this road is so pleasurable. Just dragging some old tyres behind a bakkie is sufficient to keeping the road free of corrugations and potholes – so cheaply and easily done but quite beyond Sanparks.

At the beautiful Nwanetsi Causeway we stop to enjoy this little oasis set within a dry veld. Interestingly, the Nwanetsi River is not flowing under the bridge along the main H1-3 but down at the end of the S100 there is some water flowing – with no apparent tributary stream feeding into it. The remnants of the past wet summer is still then evident as these deep basalt soils are like sponges, still oozing water into the streams well into the dry season.

Having enjoyed this morning’s drive and being a cool 27ºC south wind day, this afternoon we set off early down the H6 and repeat the same route.

Coming up the S100 Nwanetsi gravel road, we come across a couple of cars  near the halfway mark windmill. They tell us a leopard is nearby in the grass and by reversing a bit, we are fortunate to get a clear view of her.

She wishes to cross the road but her way is barred by a solid line of cars. She then disappears and most of the cars leave with just us and two others remaining. How fortunate we then were that she should re-emerge right next to me before slinking over the road. That has certainly shaken things up for us.

Tuesday, 13th            I mentioned that one must quickly learn the lie of the land when one comes to a new camp. Sweni, Timbavati and  Girivana are certainly not firing. So we are going a new route today. Despite getting to the gate at 5.35am we are still fourth in line going up the H1-3 northward. After  7km, we turn off right along the S90, a gravel road that traverses real Satara grasslands. With the sun now rising at 6.20am, this road is a golden picture.

Reaching the S41 intersection, we turn south towards Gudzani Dam and at last Satara starts to show its true colours. There is so much of  interest along this road.

We stop at Gudzani Dam.

Coming up the S100 the road is lined with the usual game.

Towards the end we come across a lonely lioness.

Today is a cool 27ºC and we go out along the Orpen H7 road.

After coffee at Bobbejaanskrans, we dawdle back towards camp. Coming to the Timbavati/Mzandzeni turnoffs we note a bunch of cars along the S36 and  further investigation reveals a lone cheetah atop a bank of earth some 100m off the road.

Cars pour in from the nearby busy H7 road and in no time there is a jam. The cheetah suddenly runs off the mound and makes for some kudu browsing close by. But they get wind of the cheetah and run off and that ends the action. A really beautiful cheetah but seen in such trying conditions. I must say though that the behaviour of the cars was very good considering circumstances.

Back at Nsemane Dam a large black mane rests next to a distant bush. Yesterday and today have certainly been an improvement and Satara’s reputation has recovered a bit.

Wednesday, 14th           I seem to be jinxed by cheetahs and have really struggled to photograph them well. So today we repeat yesterday’s route – up the H1-4, right along the S90, right again down the S41 and finally up the S100.  These are  all good cheetah roads.

Today is not as productive as yesterday but we do find our cheetah on the S100 although he was in a typical pose – lying quietly in the shade.

We wondered why so few cars were coming down the S100 today and guessed that something had been spotted up the road. This was certainly the case as besides the cheetah, two mating leopards were seen near the big sycamore.

Overall, Satara has been disappointing and tomorrow we move on to Skukuza for eleven days.