Getting The Lay Of The Land

This morning we were in no rush after our long day yesterday, and as today is the last day of the Easter holidays here in Africa we decided not to go to the Kruger straight away but just take a drive around the area. After all we’re still in the Kruger National Park, even here, and even just driving around the dirt roads we could see anything from warthog to the 7 lion that are here.
Whilst having a small breakfast and coffees we fed a bushbuck and Impala that came to visit. Then at 9am we set off on our drive looking for whatever we could find and getting the lay of the land.
Marloth Park is basically one long road called Olephant Street that has a gate either end. Off of Olephant street run several other dirt roads crisscrossing each other to make 300,000 hectares of hidden homes. On one more expensive side of Olephant street the roads lead to crocodile river which is the divide between the Kruger and Marloth Park, on the side of Olephant street the homes are deeper in the bush and completely hidden in most cases and you really feel like you are living in the wild in any of the houses.
The homes Overlooking crocodile river are on seekoi road and crocodile road and these are the most desirable and most expensive places here and it looks like millionaires row with some huge houses, some even have 3-4 story lookout towers built onto there homes giving them a direct view of the Kruger.
Further back from there the houses start to drop in desirability but they are equally as beautiful and each one is completely unique.
We managed to speak to some locals who told us the best places to spot animals including leopards and we even got an idea of where the lions like to hang out and on route we saw warthog, Kudu, impala’s and the biggest herd of giraffe any of us had ever seen. We even managed to see 2 male giraffe fighting.
Just after midday we went back to the house to grab some lunch and both Pete and Ellie managed to feed a female Kudu by hand. Pete even managed to kiss it on the nose before it bolted off.
After lunch we headed back out and located the hides overlooking the river with a direct view of the Kruger then we continued with our free game drive and looking at the very unique houses in this very unique area.
Just before sunset we headed home and I filled the watering hole and straight away the warthogs came back and had a splash about. Then we fed them, the Kudu, a bushbuck and an impala and just before the sun disappeared a bushbaby came out and we left him peaches filled with sugar. It was a really special day and to finish it Pete cooked us pork belly with Bree Rolls and corn on the cob.
By 9pm we were all completely done for the day and called it a night ready for an early start tomorrow.Read more