16th and 17th April 2017. -Sibuya Forrest Camp - Safari Continues.

We both sleep remarkably well, but 5.30am comes about very quickly and we decide not to shower until after our return from the morning Safari drive.  We all meet for coffee and biscuits in the lounge area of the Camp.  Departure is scheduled for 6.20 and we make our way down to the wharf and board our boat for transport back to the bush camp where we board our safari jeep.  The river is so flat and beautiful with only a few isolated bird life flying about. Sunlight comes at about 6.50am with a stunning sunset.

Into the jeep and we are off about.  We drive several miles only seeing zebra, deer, antelopes and occasional giraffe, before unexpectedly coming upon 3 rhino.  They are grazing in a delta area.  They are not tame , but come quite close to the vehicle.  They are beautiful  animals and Daniel explains that there is still significant poaching even in closed private estates such as Sibuya.  We also are told of the excellent work of the anti- poaching squads funded by the South African government and assisted by overseas aid groups.  But they are hopelessly out gunned by the extensive poaching networks, who predominantly kill the rhinos for the extreme values paid by the wealthy Chinese for their tusks.

Following this discussion we stop for a hot drink and biscuit on the plain and watch the sun rise further and the plains gone to life.

Our safari then takes us to the highest point on the whole estate and we observe wonderful views highlighted by an elephant family grazing on the green foliage of trees.  We drive close to watch the elephants working to pull branches down so that all members of the herde can share the spoils.

There is an amazing range of bird life to take in. 

Our morning safari concludes at 8.45am , having been very enjoyable, but Jeanette also comments that whilst it is enjoyable the animals are still constrained within the electrified fences of the property and there are not the vast open plains as we experienced in Tanzania and Kenya several years ago.  Nonetheless, the animals are wonderful. 

Breakfast is served at 900am where we enjoy a full breakfast underneath the thatched roof of the main lounge area.  We are then free to enjoy the Camp for the next 2 hours. Jeanette and Ken take leave yo return to our tent for a hot shower and then to take photos and donsone reading.

The two groups consist of 16 people plus guides.  Our group consists of the 7 New Zealand hockey players plus our guide Daniel. 

Lunch consists of salads and casseroles served in the lounge dining area.  The group is excited as after lunch we depart at the scheduled time of 2.15pm and we plan yo spend 4 hours as a minimum out in the jeeps on Safar and also visit one of the 2 lion prides who are housed separately on the estate away from the other animals such as Elephants, Water buffalo and other animals who they would traditionally hunt, such as Wilderbeast and Zebra. 

We again start by seeing several elephants putting on a show, then we see the Water buffalo together with zebras grazing.  The guide Daniel, then takes us into a totally separated enclosure where the two prides of lions are housed.  We drive through and suddenly come across the 5 lions, but it us amazing to see them watching animals such as Water buffalo, antilopes, Zebra.  All of the lions are watching and obviously wanting to get out and hunt. 

Daniel , our guide explains the impossibility of allowing 12 lions to graze and hunt in the 2500 hectares and how they would decimate the other animals.  But the other side of thus is how hopelessly inadequate it seems to have the lions locked away independently.

We sto for sundowner drinks at 4.45pm, having enjoyed a great afternoon of activity driving from 2.15pm and seeing so many animals.  At 5.30pm following drinks we begin the drive back to the rives, observe a beautiful sunset with 2 rainbows. We board the boat at 5.55pm for our transfer back to our camp via a 10 minute boat ride.  It has been a magical afternoon. 

Dinner is scheduled for 7.30pm after ore dinner drinks around the fire pit.  We talk and look at the amazing dispkays of the stars and night sky. 

We are served a 3 course dinner of good quality and high quality Wines largely from Stellenbosch area.  Conversations are lively and enjoyable.

We again have an early start tomorrow morning.