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Nancy Vandermey, Author South Africa Trip October/November 2013 part 8
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Sweni trail camp is set high on the bank of the Sweni river, a permanent camp with A-frame huts
View from campfire/dining area
There were lots of birds to see from camp, including plum-colored starlings
and gray lourie
and many elephants
We set up the trail camera
and enjoyed a good dinner, but the heat was oppressive - over 40 degrees Celcius and near 100 percent humidity. The moon rose red
and there was much lightning in the distance. Everyone else went to their huts while we watched the storm get closer. When the rain started we moved to the safari vehicle, which was under a roof. Just in time, the storm passed directly overhead, with heavy wind and rain and lightning all around. Several times lightning struck right next to camp, with a super loud BOOM. I wish I could have caught this on camera. After the rain subsided a bit we went to our hut, but the lightning had a few more loud BOOMs yet. In the morning the rain had stopped, so hiking in the mud we went!
I highly recommend the Sweni trail, the open area around camp is fantastic for walking. On foot we saw kudu
giraffe
impala
waterbuck
and klipspringer
along with a view back to camp
elephant flower
morning glory
impala afterbirth
and hippo
as well as several large trees brought down by the lightning last night
Morning break was at a fantastic view point
with skink
and then it was back to walking. We came close to elephant
and rhino
and saw more flowers
before approaching camp from the north
Another tree hit by lightning right next to camp, probably one of the hits we heard
Just before the camp gate Obert spotted a chameleon
And then it was time to wash off the mud
In the wilderness camps everyone votes whether to hike or do a game drive in the evening, as we had hiked about 17 km that morning we all chose a drive, with maybe a short hike to a sundowner spot (you bring your own drinks, but all food is provided). On the way to Marheya dam we found rhino
a black backed jackal (rare to see here compared to Kgalagadi park)
and then a large male lion
and his companion
At the dam we watched hippos and the sunset and relaxed
Heading back after dark I caught two porcupine out of the corner of my eye, and then shortly thereafter another one was slow enough to allow a proof shot finally, our 6th one of this trip
And to top things off we found 3 more male lions
I woke up at midnight to the sound of breaking branches and ripping grass right outside the hut. I could even see a trunk by the moonlight reaching into the tree next door. My husband refused to believe there was an elephant in camp, as there is a fence, which is meant more to keep us in than animals out. We put shoes on and grabbed the flashlight and looked outside, but elephants are very good at hide and seek. In the morning Job asked if anyone had heard the elephant, so I wasn't crazy! There was a nice sunrise
For today's hike first we drove 30 minutes away, seeing elephant, including a good tusker
Today's hike was quieter than yesterday's, with squill
caterpillars
and spider nests
There was giraffe and warthogs and impala too. At camp I took a picture of the area map before siesta time
Getting together to plan the evening, we were treated to a hundred elephants coming to the water in front of camp to play
and a honeymoon couple
Lots of pictures were taken as we stayed through 4 mating sessions
Session #2
Posing afterwards
Session #3
More posing, and resting
Session #4
All done
In the morning we were up before the wake up call, as I was getting ready to shower Eric ran back yelling "Lions in sight!" so we all went to the campfire area and saw the honeymoon couple again, which I count as seeing lions while on foot (to go with the leopard, elephant, rhino, hippo, and many antelope)
On the drive back to Satara we found a nice buffalo herd
