The Rhino Walking Safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa

Overall impression: Imagine waking to the sound of a young wounded water buffalo being hunted by a pack of hungry lions as it searches for the safety of the herd. Now imagine walking out into the bush to see how the drama ended; standing fifty yards from a pack of lionesses tearing apart a carcass when they pick up your scent and scramble. Though we were warned that it is rare for visitors to have close encounters with animals during bush walks, lady luck was with us that day. We followed our able and patient guides to the kill shortly after breakfast our first morning at the only wilderness concession inside Kruger National Park and a big five area, Plains Camp at Rhino Walking Safaris.

Beyond this exciting first meet with the lions, Rhino camp offered a novel perspective. On foot, we found the bush environment intimidating, marvelous, surprising, noisy, and amazingly attractive in spite of the unlikely possibility of any big five viewings. In the company of our experienced armed guides we walked in thick and tall grass for hours (sometimes four or more at a time) in the bush taking only brief brakes. We examined trees, branches, leaves, insects, reptiles, flowers, fruits, nests, and the water buffalo carcass.

These opportunities enhanced our understanding and respect for the cycle of life in the African bush. We were thrilled to be among the first to spend a memorable night outdoors at the Sleep-out Camp miles from anyone, in the comfort of a tree tent with a partial view of the stars, within feet of wild lions roaring in the predawn hours. In this area of Kruger park that for many years had remained a wilderness area untouched and unspoiled by man, many of the animals were unfamiliar and unaccustomed to people, a rarity even in remote areas where often wild animals recognize and fear humans. Our final night was in the more luxurious surroundings of the Rhino Post Safari Lodge where we went gave viewing and enjoyed diner in a glass enclosed cozy dining room.

Location: In the Mutlumuvi Concession, a wilderness area of Kruger National Park , 20 km northeast of the Park’s main rest camp, Skukuza

Owned: The land was owned by the South African government. The concession was awarded for 20 years to Rhino Walking Safaris Pty, created by Brett and Paige Gehren .

Managed: The Concession managers were Nikki and Gervit Meyer and the Plains Camp Supervisor was Pieter Pretorius

Year opened/renovated: Rhino Post Safari Lodge and Plains Camp December 2003, Sleep-Out Camp in May 2004

Class of accommodation: Plains camp offered luxury tents, the Sleep-Out Camp was a tree structure on which comfortable tents were set up by guests for overnight stays and Rhino Post Safari Lodge housed guests in luxury rooms.

Size: Maximum of eight guests in four tents at Plains Camp (or four platforms at the Sleep-Out Camp); 16 beds at the Rhino Post Safari Lodge and a maximum of 33 people (including staff and guests) in the entire 12,000 hectares concession

Handicapped access: Uneven terrain made wheelchair access difficult

Check-in/check-out process ease: Excellent

Languages: English, Shangaan and Portuguese

Lobby and common areas: Plains camp was rustic and reminiscent of the classic Safari era. There was antique memorabilia and the camp layout was set around the plunge pool and camp fire. Set amid Tamboti trees, Rhino Post Safari Lodge was decorated in a contemporary African style with stone, canvas, thatch, and Moranti wood throughout with a touch of regional artifacts, bed fabrics from Senegal , place mats from Swaziland , and lampshades from Zululand . Some of our favorite features included the glass enclosed dining room and wood bar made of 22 African woods. There were thousands of Macadamia nut shells on the ground.

Room: Plains Camp: Set in an Acacia thicket our camp was surrounded by an electric fence. Our 40 square meter explorer type tent was off the ground on a wood floor. It was equipped with two single beds side by side with night tables on each side, a luggage rack, a desk and chair and two wood chairs on the porch.

Sleep out: We spent the night in the only sleep-out camp inside Kruger Park in a swiftly pitched (by us) tent among Leadwood and Timbati trees. Though it was winter, our comfortable sleeping bags, which were at the sleep out, kept us warm.

Rhino Post Safari Lodge: An elevated wood walkway led from the common areas to our 400 hundred square foot room with en-suite bathroom, which faced the waterless Mlutlumuvi riverbed. There was a queen bed, a night table on each side of the bed and an inviting small back porch with two lounge chairs outside facing the beautiful riverbed.

Bathroom : Plains Camp: the bathroom area was at the back of our tent. It included a toilet, sink and shower with a smart tree like set up. There were plenty of towels. Sleep-Out Camp: our common area, four meters above the ground included a walkway set approximately 10 feet off the ground which connected four sleeping platforms. These were another 10 feet above the walkway. A maximum of eight guests shared two bathrooms (indoor toilet, shower and small sink) located on the walkway level. Rhino Post Safari Lodge: the bathroom was to one side of our comfortable bed. It featured an inviting claw foot bath tub with a view of the dry riverbed and his and her sinks. There was a water closet further back and beyond it there was an outdoor shower.

Cleanliness: Excellent

Amenities: Toiletries and bush walk back pack

Facilities: Plains Camp: Swimming pool and lounge deck, an Africana book collection and period antiques; Sleep-Out Camp: Two bathrooms, four sleep-out decks and tents, kitchen/fireside/dining section; Rhino Post Safari Lodge: a common room with a bar, a pool and deck within feet of the riverbed, a glass enclosed dining room and lovely wine cellar.

Pool: Plains Camp: There was a small plunge pool though it was much too cold for us to take advantage of it during our visit, and three lounge chairs. Rhino Post Safari Lodge: there was a small pool and lounge chairs adjacent to the riverbed.

Food: Executive Chef Stefan Louw, a Cordon Bleu Cooking school graduate, and chef Hannetjie Van Heerden were in charge of meals. We enjoyed some tasty meals at Plains Camp and at the sleep-out, where our guides grilled dinner featuring delicious home made breads and desserts including a memorable lemon merengue pie.

Activities: Bush walks, game viewing drives, and sleep outs. We walked from Plains Camp to the Sleep-Out Camp in the afternoon and back the following morning. Small packs were provided for the guests to carry clothing and provisions for the overnight trip.

Game viewing: Located in wilderness area not accessible to the public in the past, Rhino Post Camp purposely limited its impact to the environment in the design and construction of its facilities.

For example, no trees were cut down or concrete used for the camp’s development. This included maintaining a limited number of roads to disrupt the animals and environment as little as possible. In appreciation for the great care Rhino had taken to preserve the concession as a wilderness zone with minimum commotion, the authorities awarded Rhino management and its guests the right to drive within some of the Kruger National Park roads at night, a privilege few if any other camps or lodges received. The emphasis was on a walking and a bush experience with a pampered orientation.

Rhino driver guides Elvis Mhlanga and Mica Ubisi and trails rangers Gerrit, Pieter and Bernard Mhlanga oversaw our game viewing. Senior guides held the highest guiding qualification possible in South Africa

We had some memorable sightings while at the Rhino camps. There were the amazing lion sightings while on foot as we mentioned earlier. We also sighted a pack of lionesses out in hunting formation near a road in the park.

On an evening walk with Pieter, we saw the fascinating dung beetle, rolling a last minute ball of elephant dung off to a hiding place. Later that evening, from the vehicle, we spotted a mongoose on the road in the distance, and were delighted when Pieter made some prey noises and induced it to walk right up to the vehicle in search of an easy meal.

While on an evening drive with Elvis, we came across an infamous black mamba sunning itself on the road (we had been on the lookout for these for a month without success). We saw (and sometimes heard) a variety of birds, parrots, vultures and owls. On the drives within the park, we also encountered giraffe, elephant, zebra and impala. A hyena dashed down the riverbed and through the lodge during our evening cocktail.

Service: Staff were friendly, helpful and welcoming. We especially appreciated and admired the bush skills and patience of our Plains Camp guides. Pieter, our camp supervisor answered all our questions, kept us from harm, guided us flawlessly through the bush and looked out for our overall comfort and safety throughout.

We enjoyed the downtime we spent with the staff in the evenings, discussing the day's sightings and adding another dimension to the fun and learning about the bush. The experience with the lions had affected us all, and Pieter explained to us why he had made odd sounds when the lions scattered. We were in awe of his ability to keep a cool head with nearly a dozen lions scrambling all around us. Gerrit tells a fine story and had us in stitches over an encounter between a honey badger and a lion.

Other: Guests were free to select the number of nights from Rhino Post Safari Lodge, Plains Camp and the Sleep Out. A generator provided electricity for the camps and water was from a borehole (well). Septic tanks were used to keep the area pristine. An Internet connection was planned for 2005.

Length of stay: Three nights: One night in each camp

Date of last visit: May 2004

Would you stay again? Yes

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