Sunday, Mar 5. Traveled to Entabeni Game Reserve. First half was on an excellent highway, part of the Cape Town to Cairo Road. After exiting we traveled on roads of decreasing quality until the pavement ended and the dirt began. The final section put us back into the “This is a road?” Category. The lodge is very nice with a breathtaking view of a reservoir and butte. It’s a large resort, but the four of us are its only customers.

At 3:30 we departed on a game drive. As with my other sub-Saharan adventures, it’s no quick or easy drive to the park’s key area. At one point we turned back due to the threat of rain and the resultant detour we’d have to make to return. (The track we were on would become impassable if wet.) But radio reports changed our direction back to the park. Then an update told of a cheetah sighting, so our driver sped up, ignoring any distractions. Success! There were two graceful and indifferent cheetahs, totally bored by our presence. 

On the way back we passed a dead giraffe and a sleeping lion. Later we viewed a pair of rhinos. We aren’t allowed to approach rhinos in any way, so distance viewing seemed our only hope. BUT, after we stopped for “sundowners’ cocktails”. we noticed that the rhinos were passing by, giving us a closer look. Then they made a deliberate course change and approached us. Our driver immediately hustled us into the truck and we sat in silence as both rhinos came near (40 feet). One rhino then came nose-to-nose with the truck. After a little silent contemplation, he did some excited dance steps and moved off. We followed them slowly as they paraded down the track. Priceless experience.

Our return was mostly in the dark. We had a fine fish dinner, slightly rushed as we were soon to experience a scheduled power outage, the result of a long-term shortage of nationwide power generation capacity.

My photos weren’t’t the best, as I’d set the camera specifically for capturing birds in flight. Experimentation continues.