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We second everything that Pirata said since we were on the same trail, and it was the highlight of our Kruger trip. She didn't mention (yet, though waiting for the full report!) how we sat on a Koppie with 4 male elephants feeding around us just metres away, or sitting on a rock watching a mother & baby rhino feeding below us!
Thanks to Nick & Orris for sharing their skill & knowledge with us. Definitely reccommended!

Planning to go walk Bushmans 26 Aug , havent been there since 2001 .

Any one walked bushmans trail in last month ?

Any rain lately , is there any water in spruits , has the water hole at the camp got water ? ( does the water hole still exist ? )

Has the camp changed , and is the wilderness & camp experience the same as before , now that the running of trails has reverted to SANParks ?

I long back to the days when , in my opinion , the trails rangers
seemed to have a more deep seated interest in the trailists ( spirituall ? ) wilderness well being . ( Or is it the trailists had a more deep seated interest )

I did bushmans trail in bergendal last year, in August same date aprox you are doing...

That was the best experience of my live...

We saw elephants, rhinos, jiraffs, zebras, antelops (sorry never remember the name of the families)... and A NICE FAMILY OF WILDDOGS HUNTING...

A rhino started to charge against us.. that was quite scary... but he stoped, he didn't really want to charge us... We were looking to a female white rhino and to his little baby, and the male was some far meters away, the wind changed, the female rhino saw us and she left, so after some minutes the male rhino followed her...

We left the rocks where we were, and started back our trip.. I was the last on the queue, and I found myself like in a "comic-gag" all the group going ahead, and a lion behind me (yes, i'm quite paranoid!!!! ) And then I turned round and I saw a rhino running to us!!!!!!

I shouted our ranger (tom I think was his name): "Rhinos comming" and I quite remember like a film... he shouted back "everybody behind me" and all the group steped behind him... just a few seconds later the rhino stoped, and then we realized that the rhino male just tried to put himself between the female (that we don't know how, started to walk in a different direction from the one where she started) and us... That was really scaryyyyyyyyyy...

I have another very exciting livings with elephants also in there...

the facilities were fine, some ot the components of the group had been in other trails and said that the bergendal one, was one of the oldest, but still I found it enought... our cooker Elson was great, good food... And the guide, pity I can't remember if it was "Tom"... was brilliant... also the second-ranger... (sorry my english is not too good, hope you understand...) Great people, great professionals...

I really enjoyed my stay there... I will go back, that was a promise to myself... nice place to remember...

Our trail started the 20th August aprox.

Here is a panoramic view of the area, as you can see, nice brown view:

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This is the encampment, you can not see it because it is hidden in the green trees, but you can see how close is the waterhole:

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There were San paintings, and it was a nice stay:



Nice close elephants:

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two more:

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Group picture, I just remembered our ranger was NICK (not Tom as I previously said!).
And you can see at the back the Berg & Dal encampment of the trail.



my husband and I, our happy faces can tell how BIG we were enjoying...



This is the rhino female we were watching with her baby:

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and this is the rhino that charged to us:

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sorry I have no images of the wild dogs hunting... pity

I'm sure you will enjoy your trail... wow... how lucky you are!!!

Great report!

I just updated the wilderness trail info on the website...

Dianne

Does anyone know when the Bushmen rock paintings were painted? They are beautiful.
Also, on a more logistical note--
Should one bring a towel on the wilderness trails, or is one provided?
Thanks!!

Hi,

we want to visit the KNP and to do a Wilderness Trail in October 2008.
We have only one question:

Where can I park my rental car and where can I put the rest of our luggage that we don't take with us for the Trail?

Thanx.

Hi holger & welcome to the forum.

I believe the camp that 'hosts' the trail will have parking for your car until you return. Put your unnecessary stuff in the car and lock it.

I will be doing my first hike in Kruger - Bushman Trail, at the end of March. Can anyone offer any advice on the do's and dont's and what to take and not to take. I assume that the guides are on the ball with animal behaviour, or should I say misbehaviour???

There are other forumites who have much more experience than I do about do's/dont's and what to bring/not bring. I hope they speak up. I'm getting ready to do my 2nd trail in April, and here's what I'm thinking:

--Last time, I brought a bird book on my walks. I don't think I'm going to bring the bird book again. The guides readily identified everything we saw (and sometimes heard, but didn't see), but I always felt like I would slow the group down if I flipped through the book while on the trail.

--I also brought a video camera last time on our walks. I'm not sure I'll do that again, either. I used it at times during our breakfast breaks, but I didn't feel comfortable videoing during the walk itself.

--Do bring some books or something to occupy yourself during mid-day. Also, bring snacks. My wife and I took only what we could fit into 1 suitcase each . The South Africans in our party (who had done Wilderness trails before) brought coolers full of stuff.

--You may need to be aware that the afternoon walks are considerably more leisurely than the morning walks. I didn't know this, and thought it was odd when some of the trail veterans wore flip-flops on our first afternoon walk. I was mentally and physically prepared for another 3-hour walk, not a 1/2 hour jaunt followed by sundowners (which my wife and I didn't bring).

--Do bring shoes and clothes that you feel comfortable wearing in places where there is no path. For me, this means hiking boots and pants. However, my guide wore open-toed sport sandals and shorts.

I think you'll really enjoy it. The wilderness trail was my favorite experience in Kruger.

I again would recommend taking a bird book along .
Assuming one may want to cultivate an interest in birds , it is a good way of getting to know birds , as the sightings are often of a short duration and if the guide identifies it , you can look up exactly what it looks like in detail .

Closed boots with good ankle support and thick "grippy" soles .
Terrain may vary , I have worn the wrong shoes for the terrain , but lerned from the mistake .

"Sock savers" made from canvass like material , which fit over your ankles prevent stones getting into your shoes and keep grass seeds out of socks ,
(available from camping hiking shops)

An l.e.d. globe head lamp , most usefull , especially when looking for items in your travel bag .

I hope for silence when walking (obligatory , but sometimes not enforced rigidly enough) as well as when having rests and snack breaks .
Silence is something sacred in the wilderness , only a few trailists I have walked with appreciate this .
I ask for permission to move away from the group and enjoy the silence just out hearing distance .
At these times one can hear amazing sounds of nature the others are unable to hear .

Enjoy .

Oh WOW!!! What an experience to walk where I have been driving for 46 years - nearly get trampled by Rhino and track lion. Watch Ellie from 10 meters perched on a granite boulder. Eat yourself silly on good food and sit into the early hours of the morning around a bushveld fire, listening to the night-jar and lions.

How do I submit the highest of compliments to the "Powers that Be" about our Ranger (Oris), tracker (Bentu) and cook (Elson)? They were exceptional and they must be highly commended. Not once did I feel unsafe.

I have returned to Pretoria with a revitalised soul. THANK YOU!!

You're making me envious here, now I really want to do a trail... In two~three years...

I have patched your praise to Dianne with the request to pass it on to Oris, Bentu and Elson.

At times the trail group leaves the camp on foot , other times the trail leaves camp by vehicle to travel to a point from where the walk takes place . The return drive to camp may be at dusk , and if the distance is far enough back to camp the drive may be in partial darkness .
As far as I know spotlights are not kept on trails vehicles as actuall night game viewing drives are not offered on wilderness trails .

I agree with this: Although some of the vehicles do have a fixed light on the side which comes in handy during a late return from a sundowner.