Safari Day 6: Walking the heritage trail with a man with a gun

Hard to describe how beautiful this setting is - so many windows giving expansive views of the red sandstone hills feeding right into your balcony.

King of the Hill- Confluence walk

A different rhythm to the day and so refreshing to have two days in the same venue - it does get a "bit old" setting up every night but we do have a bit of routine established so feeling we are improving with each new venue.

Had loads of laughs with our beautiful morning outdoor shower - the water was piping hot and there was plenty of it and it was quite refreshing to have that outdoors sense of freedom. 

Freedom!

No big distances today but lots of walking, stalking and talking. Even did our outdoor heritage walk escorted by a guide with a gun.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

A. An 11 km safari drive this morning punctuated with the heightened excitement of successful spotting. We all held our breath early because @Louis stopped the vehicle and jumped out - we thought an elephant dung demo was on its way as a welcome to @Marg and @Tom. Let out a collective sigh of relief when we realised he was stopping to pick up litter. He reboarded with a discarded bottle and it was laughter all round. 

The relief was short lived because the next stop was over an impala midden - a large patch of the tiny pellets of their droppings. And then the fun of the morning began with an animated demonstration of a typical African game. It's similar to Aussies spitting watermelon seeds to see who has the greatest range - except in @Louis's case, it was with pellets of dung from the impala midden. He turned the tables on us with his accurate aim and launched one ball straight from his mouth, through our open window. Parted my hair and landed in @Mac's groin much to the delight of @Louis and the crew. @Louis loved the look of astonishment on @Mac's face. @Mac responded quick as a whip, in his deadpan "This is my $h!tface" and that set the crew off again.  

On target

I have to say @Mac's best joke of the day fell in deaf ears. Even brother @Gary would be pleased with this one. @Louis described elephants as "the gentle giants. .... except when they charge" and @Mac queried "How much??" May have been lost in translation although I think @Tom got it.

All this is happening while we are on spotting duty and getting our morning fix of animals. Plenty to see in this beautiful cracking red sandstone landscape dotted liberally with the huge and solitary baobab trees and the desperately clinging and white trunk of the Rock Fig trees.

Continuing in the prankster mood of the start to the day @Louis got @Marg and @Tom a beauty with his rerun of the "Did you see the lines/lions" as we passed under the power lines. They jumped up on full alert and @Marg wanted to know why we weren't stopping.

All this hilarity meant we were in fine form when we reached the gate for our walking tour.

B. Took a different safari vehicle to do the Heritage Trail with @Johanus,. What an imposing presence - immaculately presented in his uniform which included a traditional impala headdress and in this park, home to the Big5 (minus the buffalo), included the obligatory gun. @Johanus welcomed us to his home and invited us to enjoy the beauty of the park. 

This was our first jiggle and bobble and rattle and roll in an open safari vehicle and you are perched up high to gain a wider view. 

First stop was to take in the sweeping views of the valley with a bird's eye view of the mountain that we would be scaling. It was cool in the open vehicle high above the road. There was cloud cover and a little breeze today - felt like rain was threatening early on (didn't materialise) and it was crisp and cool - mind you that changed as we began our walk.

So there we were, strung out in single file, head down (to avoid obstacles on the uneven ground) in our muted safari colours and with hushed tones, marching through potential sightings of elephants, lions, leopards and lions of the Big5 (minus the buffalo - phew, that's a relief) behind a man with a gun! All heading towards an archaeological site on a sacred hill that could only be accessed by climbing up 150 steps. 

It really was worth it. Admitting that the first 20 steps were a challenge - uneven surface and sometimes a high riser to get you up - but the wooden steps with railing made the ascent to the tabletop manageable.

 @Johanus unravelled the history of Mapungubwe Hill and the discovery of the 23 graves and the golden rhino rediscovered in 1932 when an explorer (need to read when I have time - couldn't quite catch it) was offered a drink of water in a clay pot. When he asked the local tribe's person where it came from, he was told the location was a secret, and if he did reveal the location of the sacred site, bad things would happen to him as punishment for showing disrespect to the ancestors. There was a boy in the village however, who did reveal the location by taking the explorer close to the sight and point backwards over his shoulder. After many failed attempts to fund a pathway to the top, the explorer found a route and rediscovered the graves - three with remains sitting upright in clay pots and 20 sets of bones prone in their graves.

And yes, something "bad" did happen to the boy who revealed the location, at just 16 and a short time later, he went blind. And here is the goose bump moment, that boy was @Johanus's grandfather. 

 @Johanus shared this information in a bunker (safe from the Big5 (minus the buffalo)) in an underground bunker standing in front of an exposed face of the archaeological dig. Then we scaled Mapungubwe Hill and looked at the remnants of the king's village with a background of panoramic views of the surrounding valley.

Had great animal viewing as part of the return journey. At one stage as we sat in the vehicle, we had views of 7 animals enjoying a quite graze - giraffes towering in the background, zebras in the foreground and a crazy speedy-Gonzales warthog skittering through the bush. Moved on and turned the next corner to happen across a herd of elephants - right up close and personal. Complete with tiny baby (@Louis estimated about 2 weeks old.) with elephants right beside open safari vehicle.

Big laughs on the way home as everyone was snapping pics if the beautifully posed Klipspringer. @Marg commented that she couldn't spot him through her lens. About 3imutes later @Marg fessed up and quietly said "That's why I can't see it, I had the lens cap in!"

As we turned into camp it was great eagle eyes by @Roz to spot a gigantic rock python, about 4 metres long, with a belly filled with something the size of a hyrax, slithering across the rock face behind the bungalows. 

She had trouble convincing everyone that it was actually there but persisted "It's there, it's green. It's huge! How can you not see that." On her insistence (think here a desperate voice from the back seats of #Magogo urgently demanding "Get out, get out, get out of the car." ) We all tumbled out of #Magogo and then she guided our eye-line to her sighting and as everyone gradually brought it into focus, we all agreed it was impossible to miss, it was enormous. What a great spot and @Louis as the fervent reptile lover was in his own version of heaven.

C. Rallied again after a quick lunch stop whipped up by @Louis (even had time to cook up marinated pork bites - how does he do it) before heading out for a short 4 km drive to access the Confluence viewing point. Took the very gentle trail and found ourselves perched on platforms of varying heights with endless views of the confluence of the Limpopo River and the Shatsi River - the river of sand. With @Louis help you can even pick out each of the three beacons that mark the borders of South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. There was a couple set up on the Sunset Deck with an esky and wine! Cheers to them.

Short transit and we were racing the elephants to the treetop boardwalk. We could see them ambling and eating headed in the direction of the water for their afternoon top up. Raced along the boardwalk, dodging baboon poop (some of us luckier than others) and then waited patiently for the herd to move in its own time to the water's edge.

Loaded up for the last part of today's drive with the sun falling to the horizon (it is so quick - the sun literally falls out of the sky) and checked the infinity pool at our accommodation to see if the elephants had dropped by for a drink.

D. Evening routine engaged - quick dust off, meet up to walk in a group to @Louis, pre-dinner drinks accompanied by a retell of the day's events, great food, more info (loved tonight's sharing of the significance of the design of the South African flag), a sharing of tomorrow's plan, the dishes (good try @Gill - would have needed verifiable evidence of that bruise 😀) and then fond farewells and goodnight.

@Mac is burning the midnight oil, but I barely pass muster for teeth cleaning- I am out like a light!

Another fabulous day that delivered in animal sightings and cultural history packaged in experiences that are varied and new to us. Travelling well and appropriately cautioned for the border crossing into Zimbabwe tomorrow - no shenanigans.

PS: Handy hint from @Del and @Steve - don't leave your soap or shampoo in the outdoor shower - the honey badgers chew it - they have soap teeth imprints to prove it.

Accommodation: what a blessing - a second night on this beautiful location sharing the infinity pools with the elephants (potentially) AND washing was done by the staff - woo hoo.

Meals: last day for a while that @Louis has to take care of meals. Our bushman's breakfast to start the day (plenty of choice); lunch salad, fried pork bites, ham, fruit and bushman's bread; dinner beef stroganoof, rice and stir-fried veggies, with Sisters bread (??) (reminded us of baclava) washed down with Amarillo (accompanied by the story of the beverage and the tree,)

Steps: 14 532

Transport: #Magogo; open safari vehicle Departure 8:30 Arrival 5:15 Distance estimate fewer that 50 kms

Weather: alternated between crisp and warm - cloudy skies

Wildlife spotting:

So prolific, hard to keep up with. Spelling of animals' names will be verified later. Also improving on our "scat-a-logue" and our print identification. 

Red billed buffalo weaver: big untidy nests

Giraffe

Elephants: can't jump three eyelets on each eye - third one like a windscreen wioer nictating membrane

Corrie bustard: heaviest flying bird

Banded Mongoose

Slit faced bat: flew through our braai chasing insects

Warthog

Rock python

Large leaf rock fig: very white, grows inside rock, roots can split rocks open; sweet fruit, latex inside can be used for disinfectant 

Klipspringer: walk on tippy toes and jump from rock to rock - always a in pairs, Hollow hair to make lighter

Ball biter black ant: large ant travelling on trail down steps of walk, nasty bite in uncomfortable places

Rock Hyrax: related to elephant, herbivore, urinate on paws to male them sticky to cling to rocks

African Hawk eagle:caught an hyrax in front of our eyes - hunt in pairs one flies out to get attention then partner swoops in

Kudu: 

Squirrel:

Red bill quelea: very small; massive flocks; destroy crops, enemy of farmers

Wildebeest: spare parts animal; horns of buffalo stripes of zebra and sloped back of hyenna

Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk: Grey bird with pink legs with beautiful call - follow the honey badgers and eats his scraps; bird gives call to to honey badgers when it finds a bees nest - HB breaks nest (loose skin immune to stings) and bird gets share of honey - kill prey by stepping on it

Impala:1 female 3 males this morning in herd - female was limping and perfect food for lion, leopard and hyena; impala midden (toilet)

Baobab: mesh to protect - 1 metre 100 years old; make beer, stores water, music instrument; creator turned tree upside down - looks like roots grow in air; 

Oryx: both males and females have straight horns; thermo regulation; black and white face; open mouth and uses hot air to fool the brain - don't drink water get water from food they eat; males fight to death; gestation 7 months; sleep in "bed of sand" nice and warm in cool night