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Thanks boorgatspook

Was feeling a bit lonely in here .

Will continue soon...

Senyetse, I have been reading your report with great interest as firstly, we stopped and camped for two nights at Karoo on our way back to CT from Addo and although we experienced similar weather - fine drizzle but not unpleasant, we also managed to see quite a bit. The 4x4 route was closed but we did manage the Klipspringer and did the Lamertjiesleegte (spelling?) Too lazy to do any of the hikes/ walks. Agree - a lovely peaceful Park. Thanks for the info on the tortoise - we were wondering what happened to him.
As for Wilderness, agree that it is more of a recreational Park but still beautiful nonetheless. Nice to see what it looks like after the floods. Thanks.
BTW - we also found that the guy on duty at the gate at Karoo was exceptionally friendly and really good PR for Karoo.
(unfortunately never thought to get his name)

Arriving at Storms River mouth is like coming home. This must be one of the most beautiful coastal resorts in the country.

We are staying in a forest hut. The forest huts are arranged in 2 circles in a patch of forest a few meters from the sea. The only forest hut with a sea view is number 1, which of course is taken. (Must remember that one for next time). There is a single small log communal kitchen with a fridge, several 2 plate stoves and washing up facilities. There are also 2 buildings witha ladies and gents toilet for each of the 2 circles of huts. The ablutions are about 50 m away and are excellent.

We hiked, snorkelled (I saw a stingray!), swam, tanned, relaxed and of course I did some birding. We also went on a boat cruise. The original boat had been damaged and they now have a rubber duck that departs from just below the restaurant. The boat travels at some speed over the waves (which is such fun!) toward the Storms river and then slowly cruises up the mouth and into a bat cave. We had the park manager and his family on board (he reckons this place is heaven on earth to work in). On the third day my daughter informed us that she had two splinters in her foot. We noticed that one of these had caused an infection which over the next few days caused a huge abscess. Of course this meant no more hiking and she did not want to swim anymore. Eventually we became quite concerned with the state of her foot and drove 50 km to the nearest doctor at Kareedouw (the one at Storms River village was on leave). The doctor precribed some antibiotics and a pain killer, saying that the abscess was not ready to lance.

Apart from that the 4 nights at Storms River rest camp were the most amazing of the entire trip. I could really stay at this camp for a month! The park management organises holiday activities such as bird walks, tidal pool excursions, wildlife movies, talks etc. On Sundays a pastor from a nearby church delivers a sermon in the information center and I must say it is one of the most beautiful locations for a sermon that I have ever been in. The camp is quite crowded over the December period (particularly the camp sites) but because of the size of the park it is never a problem. On New Years day and Christmas the resaurant and day visitor picnic areas do become quite busy with quite a severe shortage of parking near the restaurant and shop.

On the morning of our departure the clouds started to gather once again as we set of toward Port Elizabeth and Addo Elephant National Park beyond...

Forest hut


Toilet at forest hut


Campsite with view (in fron of forest huts)


Bushbuck at forest toilets


Miscellaneous

That Forest Huts looks great, Senyetse! Lovely pic's. Hope your daughter has recovered from her foot injury?

Wow Senyetse, Forest Huts at Storms River. Stayed in one at Natures Valley but never knew of the ones at Storms. We stayed in the Oceanettes when we were there about 2 years ago. Saw dolphins every day. Any on your trip?

Thanks bgs and Munchkin.

My daughter's foot is almost completely healed. They have house sports on Friday but I don't think it will be 100% before then.

Funnily we did not see any dolphins at Storms River this time . The forest huts are exactly the same as those at Nature's Valley except that there is no electricical point in the hut (so no kettle); there are lights though. They do have a 24 hour urn in the communal kitchen. It would be nice if they could build a second kitchen so that each group of huts has its own, the one kitchen is near the group f huts we did not stay in. It is not a long walk at all. The communal fridge got quite full so they organised a second one.

Visibilty while snorkelling at the small beach was not very good
due to a large amount of twings and other fine debis from the recent floods. At some places the rocks were filled with huge logs also obviously from the floods.

We were at Stormsriver from 9 to 12 January and saw dolphins on four occasions. On Saturday morning (12) they show up at 08:15 and were swimming up and down in front of the Oceanettes till past 11:00. They seem to prefer the bit of coastline in front of the Oceanettes, from the end of the caravan plots and including the small bay at the beginning of the Otter trail. We saw them there this time, last January and the previous July. They were no more that 5 metres from the rocks.

Thanks for the kind comments everyone!

We decided to go through the bottom gate near Colchester and drive through to the main camp. We didn't see much in the colchester section but birding was very good. We arrived in a very busy main camp wigth people screaming at each other and fighting for parking. I found a gap somewhere, keeping clear of the stressed out dudes and we checked in.

The safari tents are right next to the camping area and are extremely good value for money. Each tent has a fridge, 2 single beds, a huge balcony. There is a separate communal ablution for the safari tents as well as a separate communal kitchen with a microwave oven, 2 plate stoves and washing up facilities. Each tent has its own cupboard filled with untensils including a kettle. You are supplied with a key to keep your things locked away.

One of the showers had a leaky door so everytime someone showered the floor was covered in water.

Our safari tent had a young sweet thorn tree growing right in front of the balcony obscuring the view. It was the only tent with an obscured view and we would be unlucky enough to get it. I thought of complaining but reckoned we would be there for only two days and would have to live with it.

Furthermore, the Addo website and booking confirmation states that each tent has a Weber braai which they did not. Also the light in the path of our unit was out so we had to take a torch after dark.

Apart from that it was really lovely and is highly recommended considering the price.

More to come...

Gate


Safari tents seen from entrance road


Safari tent detail






Safari tent ablutions


Safari tent communal kitchen

That afternoon we go for a short drive. This bulb was all over the place. Anyone know what it is?




And of course the ever present morons who just ignore the rules:






More to come...

Hi Senyetse ...thoroughly enjoying your trip report...especially the bit on Karoo as I am heading that way over the long weeknd in June.



The safari tents in the past did have webers. We went there in October armed with our chickens to be webered and the webers had been replaced with braais. I also noticed that a wooden door replaced the zip up entrance to the tent as well. This is a vast improvement because we all know that zip up entrances do not last for long. Also they are very noisy when one is trying to sneak out late at night to see if there is any game about! I think the Safari tents are great to stay in...especially for the price!

Eagerly awaiting more!!!

Eventually I continue, albeit very condensed...

Our last two days are spent camping at Mountain Zebra National Park. The clouds had gathered once again and a nasty wind had arisen causing the temperature to plunge. We arrived at the campsite and pitched our tent in the wind, quite a trying experience!

We had camped in MZ 11 years previously, in December, and had stayed in the chalets last year. Then it had been hot. Now it was cold and windy, really uncharacteristic summer weather. The veld was extremely green and there was water everywhere. We saw all of the common animals in the park, mountain zebra, springbok, black wildebeest, red hartebees, blesbok, and a mountain zebra. We also saw a BB jacal, a first for us in the park. The wind was practically howling on top of the mountain and the birds were very scarce!

The SO and I reflected a bit on our holiday and we both agreed that camping is a lot more enjoyable (even in the wind and rain!). Maybe we'll feel differently when we're older but for now we're camping. Its cheaper and a ot more fun!

The camping area at MZ is small, but very nice. The sites arer grassed and shaded, each with a power point and a tap nearby. The communal kitchen has a microwave oven, 2 plate stoves and a leaky urn. The ablutions have seen better days (they were band new when we were there in 1995) and need to be refurbished. They are clean but are getting on a bit.

All in all a very pleasant SANParks tour but with one very very negative point. TOO SHORT!!! It felt like we were only getting into it, then we had to go home again!

Not very many pics I'm afraid but here goes:

Campsites

View from campsites