An 8-day Kruger Safari: Treasure Hunting in Tamboti and Lower Sabie

Lion Kruger National Park — Well, hello there.

Our final three days of this 8-day safari to Kruger National Park were spent traveling to, lodging at and traveling around Tamboti and Lower Sabie Rest Camps. To see days 1-3 and an uber cool Baboon Happy Hour video, click here. To see days 4-5 and a winged surprise in the terrapin video click here.

To learn more about the Tamboti and Lower Sabie Rest Camps, read on. To go straight to the Wildlife photos, bee-bop about midway down the page.

Tamboti – Mopane Shrubveld Country

Tamboti is a satellite camp of Orpen. We weren’t particularly impressed with Orpen, but we are smitten with the lush and cozy feel of Tamboti. To check availability, click here.

Tent #34 Tamboti — View from the awesome front deck of Tent #34. A massive thunderous rainstorm swept through. We sat on the deck watching and listening in awe.

Safari Tent #34 – our fave (#33 looks like same)

There’s a futon for an extra person or a snoring husband.

Big bathroom #33 (it’s handicapped accessible)

The rain poncho came in handy while we were at #33 – used to block view of neighbors

The view from #33 at night. I was hoping to see elephants in that moonlight.

Josephine hid her stunning smile from the camera. At each camp, staff wear the same uniforms.

Tamboti lodging rating for the Safari Tent (1-6 scale): Cost R1021 Rand

Cleanliness: 5
I like this tent SO much, who cares?
General Accommodations: 6
We rented a safari tent (#34), which is a fancy way to say a hotel room with wood board floors and canvas walls. It was wonderful. I mean, who wouldn’t want to do some fancy camping without the headache of setting up a tent? It had a WC and a small inside sitting area. The kitchen was outside on a deck. Comfy chairs, a sink, fridge, and two electric burners.
General Environs: 6
I love this place. We were here on our first safari and knew we would return. Overlooking the Timbavati River, lush growth and big trees, the sweet melody of birds from morning to night. Divine. And the front porch is situated in a way one couldn’t see one’s neighbor.

While we called ahead to reserve #40, with only one day advanced notice, someone much wiser and on the ball grabbed #40. We were able to get #34 on the first night and #33 on the second. #33 has a bigger bathroom and a ramp because it’s handicapped accessible, but I don’t like the location despite the fact it is next to #34. It’s much less private with the deck directly facing #32 and with less shrubbery. We really like #34 because of the privacy.

**Tip** Prime real estate: Safari Tents 34, 39, 40 (call ahead to reserve).

Lower Sabie – Sabie River Thickets Country

These benches are in front of the Sabie River.

We really liked the safari tents. The location seemed private.

The gals at reception were very friendly

Most of the camps have these boards showing which animals were spotted on the various walks and drives. Twenty + lions on this morning’s walk. Wow…

The main yard at Sabie – the bungalows are on the perimeter

Cleanliness: 5
This place was brand spankin’ new. It was in great shape save for some busy ants in the bathroom. They didn’t bother us, and we didn’t bother them.
General Accommodations: 6
We received an upgrade to a bungalow with a kitchen. Very nice and a pleasant surprise. It was almost too modern for our rustic taste.
General Environs: 4
Only doors away from a river view and instead, a view of the construction going on across the yard, this will one day, when the construction is over, be a great camp. The restaurant was superb – a bit fancy pants (see our preference for rustic above). Owned by an American company, M&B (Muggs and Bean), it offered a high quality of service and food despite only a few vegetarian options and only one vegan option if you don’t count sides (chips, vegetables). We ate at three of the restaurants in Kruger: Olifants, Letaba and Lower Sabie. There were more vegan options at Olifants and Letaba including (surprisingly) a tasty wrap with grilled soy and a soy burger along with some flavorful salads.

**Tip** Prime real estate: Bungalows 5-10 (while bungalows 1-4 were very nice, the views were blocked by shrubbery) and Safari tents 27-29. Call ahead to reserve and check out this Lower Sabie Map.

There are at least 3 crocodiles in this photo.

crocodiles and hipps — Curious. A hippo hanging out by a croc. Taken at Lower Sabie along Sabie River.

It’s a Wild Life

Going on safari is like treasure hunting. Hours and hours exploring and searching for that shiny golden nugget. It may be the Big Five or more birds to add to the birding list or simply catching a glimpse of some unusual shape in the grass. While being in a car all day is tiring, with each “find” I feel reinvigorated.

Birds

The bird life in Kruger is stupendous. With nearly 90 different species and counting, I’m aiming for 150 before we leave South Africa.

Longtailed Shrike (male) aka Magpie Shrike

Ole Jackal Ears

Off in the distance, my eye caught something in the grass. A baby zebra? A wild bush dog? A spiky plant? What WAS it?

After waiting patiently for about 30 minutes, a Blackbacked Jackal emerged. Now Scott calls me “Ole Jackal Ears” using the voice of someone who just walked out of a moonshine distillery. It makes no sense at all given how “ears” have nothing to do with my sharp vision, but we laugh hysterically.

Spotted Hyaena Pup

Passing by Satara on our way to Tamboti we happened upon this Spotted Hyaena pup again alongside the road. The first time we saw him, I thought he might have been unwell, but now I think this is his hang-out place.

One day, I suspect that yawn will have a vicious tint to it.

But for now, it’s an adorable puppy yawn.

Spiders

I like the site What’s that Bug? Check it out if you want to learn more about insects and spiders. Mostly importantly, the folks who run the site don’t support extermination. They see the value of keeping these critters around.

I am perfectly comfortable seeing a spider outdoors and a good 5ft from my person. I think this is a Banded Legged Nephila.

This one took a curtsy for the fine web she wove. It spanned about 6ft between two trees. If you look closely, you’ll see the intricacy of her design and some offspring as well as several little bugs who met their maker within the fabric of her talents.

Chacma Baboons and Vervet Monkeys

Just can’t get enough of ’em. Check out the slideshow to see the Vervet Monkeys at our tent in Tamboti.

They were waiting for us to step away so they could raid the garbage

Vervet studying avocado skin – eventually he tasted it and grimaced

Vervet staring at me disappointed that we had nothing better than avocado peels in the garbage.

Zebras Down and Dirty

One by one the older zebras were dropping to the ground and rolling in the dirt. The little one didn’t seem to know what to make of this behavior.

zebras in south africa — The zebra that didn’t budge despite the dirty chaos? She’s the one taking a snooze on someone else’s back.

Road Signs Kruger National Park — On our way to Timbavati picnic area to alight and ablute, we happened upon a couple who told us of a lion sighting only 2 kilometers away. Off we went forgetting the need to stretch our legs and relieve our stretched bladders.

Lions

THIS is the part of treasure-hunting I find thrilling. Beneath any bush, within tall grass, up in a tree, a treasure for the senses awaits. Check out the slideshow to watch these two young male lions.

No! There are two gorgeous male lions in there!

No indeed. There are two young male lions taking shade beneath that bush.

For quite a while we were the only humans in this place.

Stunned and amazed that we were so close to lions – out in the wild – we sat in the car mouths agape.

Eventually getting up and walking around the tree…

His body seems relatively small compared to his head.

Our rest at Timbavati was a grand success. I saw an owl in a tree (check out bird slideshow), elephants bathing in the river, and had a delightful conversation with the sweet gentleman who was working there.

Elephants

I had what I coined to be a Mammothfestation, an elephant manifestation. Stopping at this lovely watering hole, we admired the landscape and were once again surprised to discover…

an elephant arriving for an afternoon bath! The geese in front were also surprised.

Check out the slideshow to see this beautiful animal splish splash takin’ a bath.

Earlier I told Scott, “TODAY I see an elephant take a bath”. Mammothfestation.

Hey! There’s mud in your eye. Unlike most other animals, elephants actually get dirtier from a bath.

Shortly after, a crocodile emerged from the same watering hole. And with an EEL in his mouth.

Elephants fighting — Shortly after witnessing a monumental bath, we saw these two young ones in a tussle.

Cute and Curious Odds and Ends

elephant butt — Does anyone else find elephant bum adorable?

I created a short video to honor the Impala, because they get totally dissed at Kruger. This is due to their large numbers (150,000) and the fact that most people get no thrill after seeing them the second, third, fourth, fifth or tenth time. We, however, held our affection and appreciation for these stunning animals.

A safari would feel incomplete without seeing a band of Dwarf Mongoose pups at play. The little one on the right is in mid-air leaping into the mongoose mosh pit.

This caught Scott’s eye first. Do you see it? To me, it looks like a Mardi Gras mask. What does it look like to you?

Termite mount kruger national park — The termite mounds here resemble Egyptian temples…with shrubs growing from the tops.

Rhinos

Only minutes from the Crocodile Bridge Gate and the end of this 8-day safari, we saw the rhinos. Joy.

White Rhino — At first we saw two white rhinos and then came a giraffe

White rhino, giraffe, impala — Two white rhinos and a giraffe and then came a herd of Impala wildly chasing one another

Rhino's Giraffes and Leaping Impala — Two white rhinos, a giraffe, leaping Impala and an Oxpecker comes onto the stage or rather, the giraffe

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The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.
~Lao Tzu

Happiness is your own treasure because it lies within you.
~Prem Rawat

One’s own self is well hidden from one’s own self; of all mines of treasure, one’s own is the last to be dug up.
~Friedrich Nietzsche

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Check out the other South Africa posts below:

Photos, videos and stuff*** Please contact me for permission to use images and text for commercial or private use. And please do follow this blog and/or write comments.
A million and fifteen thanks.

Thanks for reading, and may the treasure you find – in Tamboti or Lower Sabie, your own back yard or in your soul – bring you great joy.

24 Comments

Scott Pepper

March 27, 2014 at 4:03 pm 10 years ago

Your dad woulda been proud! Spotting that black-backed jackal over a hundred meters away in the tall grass!

1. kendaswartz@gmail.com
  
  March 27, 2014 at 4:06 pm 10 years ago
  
  Ahhh…thanks Bokkie.
  
Scott Pepper

March 27, 2014 at 4:02 pm 10 years ago

You’ve done it AGAIN, ole Jackal Ears ! Lovely

1. kendaswartz@gmail.com
  
  March 27, 2014 at 4:08 pm 10 years ago
  
  I’m just a tracker at heart. I mean, a tracker OF heart. <3