Tag Archive for visitors

See you soon!

Lacey / August 13, 2011 / No comments

Time to say goodbye to some more new friends.

Staying with us for three nights Matt and Sheri managed to squeeze in not one, but two game drives. One of which they drove themselves, one of the the joys of Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game reserve is that you do not have to rely on a tour guide and can drive around at your own pace.

In addition to this, they took a short drive to the Cheetah rehabilitation place which is 30 minutes from Umkhumbi Lodge. The height the cats can jump during feeding is astounding and there always surprising little facts about the cats to be learnt. As if this wasn’t enough, you can also get close enough to the Cheetahs to cuddle them – ever heard a Cheetah purr before?

 

Okay, so I know it is neither Sheri nor Matt, but this is how close they got too!

 

At the request of Matt and Sheri, Anton took Gizmo (our convalescing Forest cobra) out of the garage to show them a few tricks.

 

 

 

 

Matt is a teacher and after telling Carly all about school in the Uk, he interviewed him to show his UK students what life in South Africa is like.

 

 

Shy at first, Carly soon started enjoying himself.

See you again soon!

Category: Bushwire / Tags: , , , , , ,

Goodbye to some more new friends

Lacey / August 2, 2011 / No comments

This morning we waved goodbye to six of our new friends who came to stay with us at Umkhumbi Lodge.

 

 

On their last night at Umkhumbi Lodge they went on a night walk around the trail with us.

 

Armed with a UV torch, we took a stroll down to the trail and hunted for scorpions. Scorpions are unique with respect to the way in which they flouresce under UV light. Even the most plain looking brown and black scorpion becomes a beautiful bright glowing green colour.

 



It really does have to be seen to be believed.

It isn’t all scorpions however, near to our trail in the bush we have a clearing which is perfect for viewing the stars above. After years spent staring at the stars and daydreaming, Anton is able to point out various different constellations and our American friends were able to see the Southern Cross for the first time.

 

In addition to the scorpion walk our friends went on two game drives to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game reserve. They saw most of the big 5 and even managed to see hyaena on their game drives this morning.

 

 

And as always, Copper the dog made himself a new special friend.

 

Come back soon and swap some more stories on the lappa with us!

Category: Activities, Bushwire, New friends / Tags: , , , , , ,

New friends

Lacey / July 30, 2011 / No comments

At Umkhumbi lodge we like to think of our guests as friends. We travel too and we know that nothing beats feeling truly welcome where you are staying.

The downside of this is that it is always sad seeing them leave. But leave they must as they continue their travels through South Africa.

Today we say goodbye to two new friends.

 

 

They thoroughly enjoyed their game drives to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi nature reserve, thankfully it is only a 35 minute drive from Umkhumbi Lodge so they didn’t freeze on the way to the park in the open game vehicle. 3 of the big 5 were spotted, and despite seeing multitudes of animals they were eluded by the cats.

As much as they enjoyed the game drives, they were more than happy to delay the start of one to have a cooked breakfast with us on the lappa.

Come back soon!

Category: New friends / Tags: , , , , , ,