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Day 06:
Weather:
The temperature was 15C when I left Satara with clear skies.
The temparature peaked at about 28C by the time I checked into Maroela.
Odometer Reading (km):
Start: 237 293
End: 237 455
Total Distance: 161
Includes 63km drive and 99km day drive.
Trip Summary:
Trip Summary:
The distance to Maroela Rest Camp was only 63km so I decided to get up an hour later (06h00).
Large sections of the park had suffered veld-fires and there was no visible vegetation for animals to eat yet I saw Giraffe, Kudu and Tsessebe in this desolated landscape.
I stopped at the Bobbejaankrans viewpoint and could see elephant drinking from a pool of water left in the dry Timbavati river.
I was lucky to see a huge "tusker". This is an old elephant with huge tusks and there are not many left in the park.
I had to drive to Orpen Rest Camp/Gate to check in before proceeding to the Maroela Rest Camp. This is a small camping site with about 20 camp sites situated along the Timbavati river. I took a site overlooking the river with a deck close by to provide a better view of the river. The river was dry, however a couple of Elephant visited the river and dug a hole near the reeds to drink water.
I did a small load of washing before setting off for the day drive along the H7, S36, S145 and S140. This area appears dryer than further north. I saw Elephant and Giraffe and hardly any Impala. I parked at the Shimanquaneni Dam on the S36 for an hour and watched the comings and going of the animals. I think staying at a waterhole/dam all day may be just as rewarding as driving around.
I stopped along the Nwaswitsontso River to admire the wonderful large trees
Hyena at the Maroela Camp Site
Rock Monitor (lizard) at the Ablusions
After the day's drive, I returned to camp to see the Park Officials working on my neighbour's (Danie) Jeep. The fan-belt had broken and they were busy fitting a new one that Danie had arranged to be delivered to the Orpen Gate. I sat down to enjoy a ice-cold beer and heard a squirrel giving off a warning cry. I looked up and saw him looking down from his security viewing platform (Tree). He was looking down towards the fence and there was the danger. A Hyena.
There was a mongoose family scurrying around the camp that was entertaining to watch.
After my braai, I sat in the darkness and heard elephant munching on the bush, literally behind some bushes 15m away. When shining a torch through the bush, I could not see them. Apparently there were 4 elephant that one of the other campers identified.
View of Elephant at a water pool in the dry Timbavati riverbed, from the Bobbejaanskrans viewpoint
This rest camp only provides for camping and had the standard Kruger camping facilities of kitchen, ablusions and laundry. Sites have electricity points.
There is no reception, restaurant, shop or fuel station which means less tourists passsing through making this a lovely quiet camp site.
Maroela Camp Site along the fence line
Maroela Rest Camp Ablusions
The Route:
The Route:
Satara Rest Camp to Maroela Rest Camp (63km)
Maroela 1st Day Drive (99km)
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