Yes, you don´t have to stick to the lodge game drives since all drives are in public roads.Flutterby wrote:The lodge looks great!Are you allowed to do your own game drives?
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
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pedro maia
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Re: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
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nan
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Re: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
indeed lot and lot of Rhinos and Elephants 
like too the lodge
like too the lodge
Kgalagadi lover… for ever
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https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
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pedro maia
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Re: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
In the morning of our only full day at the lodge me and my son we went for a bush walk (not included in the price) and it was definitely another of the highlights of the trip.
The guide for the bush walks is Nunu, quite a character and really a good guide, all I can say is that going with him makes the walk an even better experience.
And truth is it´s really an experience, completely different to the game drives, suddenly you realise that you are actually walking in Big 5 territory without the protection of a vehicule, your guide has a riffle but you have to trust him and your live depends on his knowledge and on his decisions, then it´s on you not to mess things up because the cost can be the highest.
He only takes 4 guests in each walk and another (unarmed) member of the lodge staff goes behind, the walk lasts about 3 hours and you don´t have to be fitted (I´m not) but it was quite hot.
He first calls the anti poaching unit by walkie-talkie to let them know that we are the good guys and off we go without knowing exactly what to expect.
We start by seeing a few zebras who don't lose sight of us until they feel safe.
We also saw nyala and warthog but I don´t have pictures of those.
Nunu is always looking for tracks, he sees buffalo dung, than rhino´s, he explains us the difference between white and black rhino dung and footprints, suddenly he gets more focused and we realise we are following the tracks of a rhino, although at that time we didn´t think we were going to see one.
But yes, we are going to see one, Nunu tells us to walk very quietly and in silence, now it´s the real deal, and we have a glimpse of a white rhino.
Nunu tells us that we are in a bad position, a weak wind is blowing but in the wrong direction, we must go around to avoid the rhino to smell us and that´s what we do, after that we see him again and we find out that we are close (maybe 15m/20m) not to one but to three monstrous white rhino, and they seem to be looking at us (I could only picture two of them), I must say that we could feel the adrenaline although we never felt unsafe.
It didn´t take long before the rhinos showed that they weren´t very pleased with our presence and they just went away, I think that was a good idea...
After the rhino close encounter we followed other buffalo tracks but didn´t get to see them and finally we settled with a group of giraffes, a very pleasant sighting before heading back to the lodge.
There´s not much more to say, it was totally worth it and definitely one of the best memories from the trip.
The guide for the bush walks is Nunu, quite a character and really a good guide, all I can say is that going with him makes the walk an even better experience.
And truth is it´s really an experience, completely different to the game drives, suddenly you realise that you are actually walking in Big 5 territory without the protection of a vehicule, your guide has a riffle but you have to trust him and your live depends on his knowledge and on his decisions, then it´s on you not to mess things up because the cost can be the highest.
He only takes 4 guests in each walk and another (unarmed) member of the lodge staff goes behind, the walk lasts about 3 hours and you don´t have to be fitted (I´m not) but it was quite hot.
He first calls the anti poaching unit by walkie-talkie to let them know that we are the good guys and off we go without knowing exactly what to expect.
We start by seeing a few zebras who don't lose sight of us until they feel safe.
We also saw nyala and warthog but I don´t have pictures of those.
Nunu is always looking for tracks, he sees buffalo dung, than rhino´s, he explains us the difference between white and black rhino dung and footprints, suddenly he gets more focused and we realise we are following the tracks of a rhino, although at that time we didn´t think we were going to see one.
But yes, we are going to see one, Nunu tells us to walk very quietly and in silence, now it´s the real deal, and we have a glimpse of a white rhino.
Nunu tells us that we are in a bad position, a weak wind is blowing but in the wrong direction, we must go around to avoid the rhino to smell us and that´s what we do, after that we see him again and we find out that we are close (maybe 15m/20m) not to one but to three monstrous white rhino, and they seem to be looking at us (I could only picture two of them), I must say that we could feel the adrenaline although we never felt unsafe.
It didn´t take long before the rhinos showed that they weren´t very pleased with our presence and they just went away, I think that was a good idea...
After the rhino close encounter we followed other buffalo tracks but didn´t get to see them and finally we settled with a group of giraffes, a very pleasant sighting before heading back to the lodge.
There´s not much more to say, it was totally worth it and definitely one of the best memories from the trip.
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pedro maia
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Re: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
A great place to gonan wrote:indeed lot and lot of Rhinos and Elephants
like too the lodge
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nan
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Re: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
and love too walks in the bush
Kgalagadi lover… for ever
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https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
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Richprins
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Re: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
Very good, pedro!
Ja, walks are special, and the small stuff is great!
The boy looks very happy!
What are the costs, lodge and walk, if one may ask? Us locals can rarely afford it, ironically!
Ja, walks are special, and the small stuff is great!
The boy looks very happy!
What are the costs, lodge and walk, if one may ask? Us locals can rarely afford it, ironically!
Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
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Lisbeth
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Re: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
What an excellent idea, Pedro
There sure seems to be a lot of rhinos Let's hope it will last 
And lots of elephants too. I just love the little ones
Lovely view from the chalet
Yes, walking is definitely different and gives you the feel of nature
There sure seems to be a lot of rhinos
Let's hope it will last And lots of elephants too. I just love the little ones
Lovely view from the chalet
Yes, walking is definitely different and gives you the feel of nature
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
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pedro maia
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Re: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
The price per night for each villa was ZAR 5200 and the bush walk cost ZAR 490 pp.Richprins wrote:Very good, pedro!
Ja, walks are special, and the small stuff is great!
The boy looks very happy!
What are the costs, lodge and walk, if one may ask? Us locals can rarely afford it, ironically!
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pedro maia
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Re: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, Rhino Heaven
The quality sightings of rhino and ellies was quite a surprise.Lisbeth wrote:What an excellent idea, Pedro
There sure seems to be a lot of rhinos
And lots of elephants too. I just love the little ones
Lovely view from the chalet
Yes, walking is definitely different and gives you the feel of nature
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pedro maia
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