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Peter Taylor shares with us his photos taken from Chalet 52
We were at Ngwenya as normal in December and the resort is really looking great. The renovations are awesome, we were in 52, what a difference. I have attached 3 pics taken at Ngwenya on 16 and 17 December. The hippo and rhino were taken from chalet 52.
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Simon Swiel tells us of his sighting of a Clawless Otter and leopard at Ngwenya
I just wanted to let you know about the spectacular week we had at our unit from 4-10/01/2008. Rhino seem to be quite common now as we saw at least one every day, the Friday we arrived there were 3 to the left, 2 to the right and one that walked past on the island. No elephant until Monday, which was a particularly hot day, and then around 5 family units came to drink, swim and feed in the reeds. We also saw eles on Tues and Wed. The usual resident, old male buffalo were around and we saw them every day. As the weather was rainy and cold, hippo were wandering around occasionally. Other general game seen were giraffe, waterbuck, impala, bushbuck and warthog. The highlight for us was 5.15 Sat morning when I went outside and caught a glimpse of a Cape Clawless Otter walking on the island in front of the unit. 5 minutes later it came out of the reeds and walked along the short grass that borders the pond to the right of the unit. Very exciting!!!! 20 minutes later we saw a leopard walking through the grass on the flood plain but it quickly went into the trees. I think that is the first time I've seen an otter in Kruger and it's certainly the first time in 12 years that I've seen a leopard at Ngwenya.
Best regards,
Simone Swiel
Dr. Rodney Jacobs tells about an unusual Ngwenya sighting
On the afternoon of 05 October 2005, I was sitting on the patio of Chalet 340, scanning the riverbed and observed a rather large crocodile sunning itself on the opposite side of the river bank. At about the same time, I happened to notice a group of impala, making their way down to the river, but on a collision course with the croc. The leading impala walked straight towards the croc and started to sniff it from head to foot. I decided to study the situation through my binoculars, in the hope of seeing something develop. At the same time, I called my eldest daughter, and she set up the telescope, hoping to see an unusual occurrence, which one often only gets to see on TV. No sooner had the impala moved away, then another replaced it, and it also proceeded to sniff the croc. However, when this impala got close enough to the head of the crocodile, the latter lunged backwards with incredible speed, and grasped the antelope by it's front leg. The impala proceeded to jump up and down, eventual managing to free itself after what seemed an eternity. In hindsight, the event probably did not last more than a couple of seconds. It then trotted away for about twenty meters, and stopped to feed as if nothing had happened. I studied it intensely for visible injuries, but it did not appear to be much the worse for wear. Needless to say, my daughter was ecstatic. Only the previous day, we were in the park, and happened to spot a gerbil running across the road, in front of our vehicle. As we passed the rodent, still studying it, a Yellow-billed Kite swooped down and took it right next to her open window, so close that we actually heard the bird’s claws knocking against the tar. As far as she is concerned, crocodile incident beats this sighting, and is the most exciting event she has seen on any of our previous Ngwenya and Kruger Park visits.
Just thought you might be interested, as it is slightly different from the regular Ngwena sightings, and definitely a first, for us, at the resort. I might add that we have made the annual October Ngwenya trip religiously for the last couple of years, and have no intention of swapping out our week, to any other resort, in the foreseeable future.
Simone Swiel describes a visit by hyena and a lion
"I am lucky enough to have 2 weeks at unit 102, in July and January, what a privilege!!! We saw elephants every day during our stay, sometimes 2 herds feeding on either side of the river. The hippo were a constant delight and our funniest bird sighting was a saddlebilled stalk chasing a baby hippo into the water. Late one afternoon a hyena walked across the sandbank and a rhino came down to drink. On our last evening a hyena was walking around our chalet and then walked across the rocks in front. At 9.30pm having just gone to bed I heard a noise outside, looked out the bedroom window (expecting to see a hippo) and was confronted by a lion. No pictures as he took one look at me and ran!!!"
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Glenn & Beverley Neadley describe an incredible week of game sightings
"Just spent another brilliant week at Ngwenya. We were flabbergasted at the sightings which we enjoyed from the veranda of chalet 86. There must have been so many more of these awesome times for so many other visitors during the course of the Year. Unfortunately, no photo's will accompany this brief since they were predominantly nocturnal (viewed with the aid of a 1 million candlepower lamp), however the sightings may be confirmed by Nick and Alison at Chalet No. 88, whose very pleasant acquaintance we made during our stay.
Our October week went something like this :
- Arrived lunchtime and were greeted with sighting from 100m of large Crocodile and 2 large Waterbuck.
- Early Saturday morning we slept in but awoke to the news of a herd of up to 300 Buffalo which moved past the chalets in the middle of the river (Eastwards).
- Saturday evening 12 Buffalo moved from the Kruger bank into the water in the middle of the river. Had hippo foraging in the garden between our chalet and the river (less than 50m).
- Sunday morning gave good sightings of Giraffe (very playful) and early evening Hippo once again were in our front garden. A treat later in the evening when 12 Buffalo joined the Hippo in our front garden (less than 50m).
- Monday morning we were greeted by the Crocodile once again (50m). Evening was quiet excepting a lone Waterbuck drinking at the "Croc" pool.
- Tuesday mid-afternoon sightings on the Kruger bank of 2 White Rhino which came down to drink but unfortunately too far east and so went out of sight around a river bend.
- Wednesday evening again joined by between 10 & 14 Buffalo in our front garden (less than 50m). Saw Spotted Hyena running eastwards along the middle of the river bed at Dusk.
- Saving the best for last (and I'm sure it couldn't have been scripted any better) Thursday evening........ the last night before departure ....... we caught sight of 2 Elephant walking the same route as the 2 Rhino from the previous day and thought they would wander away eastwards. Later that evening we were utterly gob smacked when they too pitched up in our front garden at a distance of as little as 20m. When we went to dine at the restaurant we were delayed by a very large python lazing across the pathway - so we took the car instead. We figured that we'd rather eat than be eaten.
- I'm not at all sure whether this type of experience is common amongst owners during the course of the year or not. I haven't seen that much activity amongst the editorials in the newspaper and that is unfortunate. Where else does it all come to you, every single day of the week ? Perhaps we were just extremely blessed for that week. Perhaps we were just in the right place at the right time. All I can say is we are thrilled to be a part of "Ngwenya" and will be back time & time & time again. If it happens to you............BRAAGGGG about it !!!"
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Elrene van Deemter tells of a frighteningly close encounter with 6 hungry lionesses on the hunt.
"I have had many frightening experiences in the bush where I do annual bush walks with rangers, but there was always a ranger with a rifle nearby or an open vehicle - but on the evening of 30/10/2003 I was the most frightened I have ever been in the bush - and all my own doing...
Coming in from the Game Reserve (where I had been up close and personal with a pride of 8 lions), Pieter at Reception told me that there were lions on the other side of the river opposite chalet 82. At 18:35 we found them with the spotlight, on the other side more or less across from chalet no. 74, moving east and eventually disappearing down the riverbank opposite chalet no. 78. About an hour later I was coming from friends when I shone the spotlight from between my chalet (no.77) and chalet no.78 to see the lions crossing the river just to the right of the rocks in front of the hide - six lionesses coming over one by one!
When I informed my neighbours and others, everyone more or less rushed onto their verandas or inside. Foolishly, I rushed to the hide to look at the lions of which four were now sitting on the smaller of the two rocks in front of the hide and two were lying on the sand to the right of the rock. At the same time there was a little herd of buffalo with a youngish calf in the reeds to the right of the hide (about 30 metres off). We had all been watching them for the whole week while they were grazing close to the chalets or lying in the water, al the while protecting the calf. Everyone had been keeping close tabs on especially the calf.
The young couple from chalet 76 joined me in the hide to look at the lions, when suddenly like one, they got up and started moving straight towards the hide, keeping downwind from the buffalo. It was at this stage that I experienced terror as I have never had before - 6 hungry lionesses were moving directly towards us - and the hide is no real protection from the rear against predators! We couldn't keep tabs on them with one spotlight as they were moving more or less abreast, and they quickly disappeared into the reeds in front of the hide. Then my utter terror grew even worse for they could perhaps move below and behind the hide to stay
downwind of the buffalo - and I knew I (we) should never have been in the hide (as I had known all along!).
The next moment all hell broke loose to our right (about 30 meters off) as the lions attacked the buffalo with ear-splitting growls and bellowing buffalo! Then the buffalo started their escape - immediately in front of the hide, charging to our left in the direction of the restaurant - with the breaking of tree stumps, bellowing and growling. We looked down on their backs, seeing only streaks of brown and tan in the light coming from the spot, held in my shaking hand. We caught a glimpse of one lioness on a buffalo's back, but she lost her grip about 15 metres to the left of the hide, joined by another lioness. But where were the others?
Had they passed or were they still in the reeds? We were too frightened to move and I whispered to the young couple not to move - this was heard by the two lioness who turned around to look at us who were shivering and shaking in the hide. They stood looking in our direction for about 15 seconds, but it felt like 15 minutes of utter sheer terror... Then they moved off in the direction of the restaurant. We still couldn't move as we were not sure where the other lionesses were ( it was a moonless night). After a while we couldn't see or hear anything and I said we could move back, and added that I think a buffalo had either been hurt or caught because I had heard a kind of bleating.
As I was still too upset to walk to the restaurant to find out whether anyone had seen the buffalo passing, I took the car to the restaurant - where I found everyone hanging over the banisters, looking at the kill below: 6 lionesses devouring the baby buff.
People were shocked to hear what I had experienced - and I was still in a state of shock, with all the fear I had experienced, the rush of adrenaline, the utter madness of my deed. Two hours later I was still having the shakes and a wildly beating heart - so much so that I couldn't fall asleep, only to hear the hippo munching below my bedroom window at midnight, where it stayed for more than an hour.
Yes, it is Big Five territory at Ngwenya, and yes, it is dangerous, and yes, I will never do anything so rash again near hungry predators - and yes, I have had the most amazing and stunning experience: three of us alone in the hide with our only "weapon" a spotlight in the company of six lionesses on the hunt!
When I returned to tell the neighbours that the baby buff had been killed, there was general sadness felt by all who had been watching and counting the buffalo for a whole week - the Dutch ladies even burst into tears! But that is life in the bush - and we had the chance to experience it very (!) closely.
PS: The elephant with one long and one short tusk paid a visit again on the lawn next to my chalet as she does every time, the hyena was seen earlier, three hyena who had finished off the kill came down to drink water the next morning opposite 72-75, the impala were there, giraffe, waterbuck, two rhino, as well as the ever-present fish eagles.... can we complain? It was unforgettable!
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Nigel and Lynette Aitken describe the death of a buffalo as well as a visit by an elephant and lions
"On Monday evening 21st October we were sitting on our veranda outside chalet 84 watching a small herd of buffalo. Shortly after - just before dusk - they moved towards us leaving one behind. We noticed that there were a number of young calves one of which was very small and seemed slightly lost. The next morning before leaving for the park we noticed that the one buffalo remained sitting on the riverbank. That evening we noticed that it was lying on its side and was dead. We could only think that it may have been extremely weak and giving birth could have been the last straw.
On the morning of the 24th a lone elephant visited Ngwenya coming up the bank next to the hide near chalet 77 - it spent about 2hours outside this unit and was a great attraction for Ngwenya guests. That evening around dusk, we sighted five lionesses opposite chalet 100. At 03h00 the next morning we were awoken by a strange sound outside our bedroom window. On investigation we found the self same elephant that had visited on Thursday morning rubbing its backside up against the brickwork of our chalet while munching on a tree. I hope you find this of interest and I must say that we have never seen so much game on the banks of Ngwenya as we did during that week in October."
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David Grant describes "the most impressive evening ever" at Ngwenya - wild dog sightings and a whole lot more
"We have 2 weeks at Ngwenya in different seasons. Over the years wild dog spotting has become very important to us. The past two years has given us concern because we have failed to see them. Sometimes having to drive over to Pretoriuskop to try and pick up the Doispane pack. After arriving at Ngwenya on the 31st January we spent five hot days driving around with no sight of them again. On returning to Ngwenya at 17h00 on Wednesday the 5th Feb we found17 wild dogs on the far bank opposite chalet 102 (we have chalet 100)! We were under the impression that they had made a kill behind the reeds to the left as there were about 10 lappet and whiteback vultures in the tree overhead and 2 hyena in attendance.
The dogs seemed very content laying in the bright sun sleeping periodically moving back to the reeds. That's not all.
Between 17h00 and darkness we spotted the following game along the approx. 1Km of riverbank viewable from our veranda: 1 male waterbuck, 3 female waterbuck, 5 impala, 17 wild dog, 2 hyena, 10 vultures, 3 warthog and 2 white rhino with a baby which were quite near the dogs. One of the warthogs charged a hyena and both disappeared from view. In the failing light 6 elephants including youngsters appeared from the tree line behind the dogs. The dogs got up with ears erect and the elephants bunched together and seemed intimidated and moved off up the hill. We also spotted 3 hippo with their wet skins catching the moonlight - better than the Pretoria Zoo!
The next morning the dogs were gone so we hurried into the Park and took the dirt road that leads past the hippo pool. We met up with them just before the hippo pool with the two hyena still in tow. We spent an hour with them taking close-ups - we only counted 12 dogs at this encounter. The most impressive evening ever at Ngwenya. Regards."
The Story of Winston Geldenhuys's shoes that were stolen by a hyena and found by a honest elephant during his stay in October 2004
Just to say thank you for a fanastic week at Ngwenya !
We had the most fantastic experiences during our stay at Ngwenya [ 08/10/04 to 15/10/04 ]
We were booked into chalet no. 97 during our stay, arrived at 20.30 and from the word go things started to happen.
I kicked off my shoes enjoyed a cold beer after driving 800km. Buffalo welcomed us on arrival - sleeping in the reeds right in front of our chalet. I forgot my shoes on the verandah went to sleep and never saw my shoes again.
The next morning only the spoor of hyena was noticable on the tiled floor, and I realized what had happened.
Two days later a herd of elephant grazed right up to our chalet with a baby scarcely two months old among them.
A cow, grazing in the reeds suddenly reacted with a waving trunk and flinging something into the air! You`ve guessed it, it was one of my shoes! By her reaction I was sure she must have been most offended by the odour!!
The next morning we were camp bound for 1 hour, because of an elephant grazing between the chalets, obstructing our car from leaving for Crocodile Bridge.
To cap it all 4 days later lion killed a waterbuck in the reeds in front of the restaurant for all to see!
Our compliments to all at Ngwenya - from reception to cleaners to the chef at the restaurant for providing excellent service during our stay there.
Needless to say, I am already booked in for next year [14-21/10/05] chalet no. 63 !!
Keep up the good work!
Winston Geldenhuys
Ivor and Barbara Jacobs relate the story of a lioness attacking a hippo calf
Ivor and Barbara Jacobs (chalet 97 ) sent the following report: "On the 1st May 2005 at around 6.30am a female hippo and her recently born calf were grazing peacefully on the near bank of the Crocodile River right in front of the chalets. A lioness emerged from nearby reeds and stealthily approached the hippos. The mother hippo seemed to be strangely unconcerned. The lioness made an attempted grab at the baby but withdrew when the mother made a threatening head movement in the direction of the lioness. At this point the lioness backed away, sat on her haunches and watched the hippos as the mother slowly shepherded the baby towards a pond thick with water hyacinth. The lioness resumed her hunting position and crept nearer to the hippos which were now out of our view behind the reeds. In a split second the lioness darted forward, was momentarily out of our sight and emerged with the calf in her powerful jaws and quickly ran off, disappearing behind another patch of reeds. The mother seemed slow to re-act and after about 10 seconds turned around and gave chase. She also disappeared into the thick reeds where we heard the loud "roar" of a hippo and crashing sounds in the reeds. About 30 minutes later we saw a mother coming out of the reeds a short way to the right of the chalet, followed by her calf."
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