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Well after reading all this i am also green with jealousy!!
The two morning walks I've been on don't even come close to this!!
The first one i did was at LS and uneventful and we saw very little but it didn't matter to me as I wasn't out there to see animals.
I wanted to be in the bush and learnt a huge amount of the trees and spiders Irwing(the one guide- i cant remember the other) told us about.

The second was at Skukuza last year December and there we had to run for our lives as we walked into 3 white rhinos and we were clearly in their way of going!!!
what disappointed me was that the guide ran faster than any of us and the other were out doing a no 1 when the rhinos stormed past him!!!
well I can say it was a bit of an adrenalin rush and to see the guide that took a toilet break face!!!!

I have been on many trails (think I can give WTM a go!) and were charged numerously by lions and ellies and rhino - always because we surprised the animals by walking down wind and not due to arrogant rangers / hikers.
The rangers had to shoot warning shots on four different occasions (and walks), but unfortunately they had to shoot and kill a charging rhino bull on our Napi trail in December '04.
It was a very bad and sad experience . I just love the bush and prefer the walks any day above a normal 'car visit' and trust that I will never have to witness such a tragedy again.

I have mentioned this on other threads , but to me it was very special and perhaps worth sharing .
We were able to walk one Nov in the Lindanda plains area to the east of the S35 . The area was literally crawling with plains game , many small herds of zebra , wildebeest , impala etc , apparently they congregate in the area at that time of the year for a mini migration to Lower Sabie area .
What was different was that contrary to my experience , the animals showed little fear of us , just snorting , not fleeing , perhaps due to us being visible from afar and that we kept moving .
In the same area we came across a lone black rhino in the open and we were able to view from about 200 metres for a good 10 minutes without it being aware of us .

I was wondering if there is also a regular bush walk (just for a couple of hours) from Olifants Camp along the Olifants River?

I think I can remember about reading something about this...
Or am I confusing this with the Olifants River Back-Pack trail which lasts 4 days? - haven`t got enough time to do that this trip

Hi Safrica,

there is indeed a river walk which will done via the Olifants camp but same is not that long (1 1/2 hours). The morning walk will take up to 4 hours but they will not walk along the Olifants river but nevertheless both walks are highly recommendable.

The walks at this time of the day start at 05h30 and you leave the camp in a open vehicle with your 2 Guides who would typically be qualified with SKS DG including Advanced rifle handling.
You drive to a spot in the section where your camp is situated and this could be an area of 103000 hectares (Mooiplaas section) or 66000 hectares in Letaba section as an example.
The vehicle is parked and the walkers are briefed and questioned and the walk commences at about 06h15 and finishes about 09h30 and back in camp about 10h00 having walked (in my experience) between 3 kms and 8 kms once when we got onto the trail of a lion at Bangu right at the beginning and the 4 of us pushed it tracking hard until we caught up with the Male.

Hi gsquaredb, the walks are most likely to start very early in the mornings in January so one walks in the cool of the day. In winter they set off from camp at 05:30 in the pitch dark in the game vehicle which takes you to the area you will walk in.

They take the groups to different areas so as not to impact too heavily on the bush. We walked in an area in Letaba they only walk in once a month.

The entire activity - drive out and back and walk lasts about 3-3.5 hours.

We have four guides from Kruger that post regularly on the forum - I am sure they will be happy to answer any questions you have!

Have a look here at the first four topics

If you get charged by an animal, which incidentally happens, not often, you stay where you are and listen to the guides. Nothing else!

Out of those 3 I would choose Lower Sabie, but that's because I like the vegetation there. There are 4 guides regulary posting about their walks and nightdrives, look them up, Dinkybird made a link a few posts back.

Clothing: depends on the weather of course, but in the morning it can be quite cold, so a vest will be handy. Sturdy shoes are a must, no slippers, and I would wear jeans. You're walking gametrails, so expect tough grass, small branches, brambles etc to reach out to your legs. And there might be dew on them.

Hi Yolandé,

Treating yourself to a walking experience is a must. Here are some tips from me. I have done a good few walks over the years, and never been in danger on any In a SANPark, one is only sent out with very experienced guides who are highly trained.

The drive out in the truck can be very chilly - go prepared.

You are given strict instructions how to behave on the walk - follow them.

Wear comfortable clothing - and if it is chilly, layer your clothing because as you walk, you will get hot.

Wear long pants and comfy takkies/sneakers/walking shoes. I have walked in shorts, and been fine. Just ended up with a few scratches on my legs.

Take a backpack with some water for along the way. The guides will provide a light snack during the walk.

On the last two walks we did, we came across rhino, and with the experience of the guides, the rhino were not at all bothered by us. We kept a safe distance, kept downwind of them and all was fine.

Don't go on a walk expecting to see many animals. Rather go along to experience being out in the bush on foot, being able to listen to the sounds of the bush and to learn about the little things in the bush.

Something that totally amazes me is when one sets off, if the guides hear an animal close by - one is taken within a safe distance of it. So - there is no set path the walk follows, and yet in the end, the guides bring you out the bush, right at the truck.

The pace of the walks differ from walk to walk and guide to guide. And they also take the group into consideration.

An awesome experience!

Coming from the guide side in Kruger, first thing first… a guide can never say when a walk would be back and for how long are going to walk.
I’m working for 10 months in Kruger now and not one day was the same.
In Lower Sabie our walks are between 4 -5 hours because our walking areas are all quite far from camp and it takes us a while to get there, because we want to give you that wilderness feeling.

Then again in January we leave at half past 4, a half an hour after the morning drive.
A walk is also more about the smaller things in life; it is not only about the big 5 and special animals but the smaller things in life that you won’t be able to see in your car.

We were on a morning walk I think It might have been 19 Oct 08 if my date is correct.
We had the best ever leopard sighting.
On the way to where we are going to walk were two leopards busy mating.
They were walking around, ''touching'' each other, calling each other and sharpening nails and walked against each other from one side of the road, then in the road then the other side then back again and so on.
We watched them for a while and the game ranger said it's his best ever leopard sighting and he is in the park for 19 years.

Take it from me BB, the last walk I did that way the bearers are still running and the donkey was a lions breakfast.

Play it by ear, check weather conditions, and take the basics. You will be able to leave stuff on the vehicle for just incase. Although the vervet that took my shades actually looks quite cool with them, his friends now call him "THE Dude".

No seriously though
- Good pair of walking boots(walked in of course) and good walking socks.
- Sock protectors, available from Cape Union I think. (Loads of grass seeds currently due to the good rains)
- DOOM (works best) to spray around the ankles for them pepper ticks, you dont want them going north.
- Bino's
- Camera
- Sunblock and lip balm
- Nuetral coloured clothing, hat and sunglasses
- Water bottle, although the guides normally carry a small backpack for snacks and drinks along the way
- Sense of humour
- Handheld GPS (can be fun)
- Small pocket notebook and pencil

Leave all books and other paraphenalia at the camp takes notes and verify later.

Hope this helps

Enjoy

People tend to dress too warm for walks, especially when it is a bit nippy!

Let me put it this way: When you drive to your destination it can become very cold especially in the winter months. So do take something warm for the drive if it is cold.

But when you get out to walk, do leave those warms clothes behind on the vehicle, except if it is really cold and the wind is really blowing. When you walk, you create a lot of heat, and within a hundred or two hundred meters people start stripping of the jackets etc. This is always noisy and cumbersome and really unnecessary. If the weather get really bad, the guide will return to the vehicle.

I prefer walking in long trousers, since it protects your legs against grasses, twigs, etc. It also gives protection against the sun! But that is purely a personal choice.

I have been doing lots of walks recently. Started off with too much stuff....and ended up leaving it on the vehicle or putting some things in the backpack the guides gave me to carry (here at CB they like to be free to carry the rifle only - elsewhere I have seen them carrying the 2 backpacks).

Now I put on the insect repellant and sunscreen before we go out. I take my camera and binos, and a small bottle with isotonic drink in a holder clipped to my belt. I wear a sunhat, and dark-coloured neutral clothing, including long pants with sock protectors. And that is all I need.

Brown, khakie, even blue and green.

The reason ... not all animals are colour blind.

Avoid white, and the colourful bright stuff.

Had a female friend walking with us in the bush once. She was wearing a red blouse. I warned her, but she said it was more burgundy ... so no worries.

Then we got in between two groups of elephant, with the one group closing in on us. She volunteered to get rid of the blouse just there! I had to stop her ...