South Africa – Ngwenya Lodge and southern Kruger Park [1]

Atlasville, 21 Jan 2005

Just back this evening from a week away. This is the 6^th consecutive year that my wife and I have taken up our January timeshare week at Ngwenya Lodge, near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga. Our chalet commands a great view across the Crocodile River into the Kruger National Park on the far bank. Not all of the chalets at Ngwenya are on the riverfront and of those set back from the river some are set around two dams.

Our first visit here was in November 1998, when we stayed for a weekend with a view to acquiring a timeshare week. Ngwenya is only a 15 minute (12 km) drive from the Crocodile Bridge entrance gate into the Kruger Park, so well situated for day trips into the southern part of the park. This was a huge draw card for my wife who just loves any game-viewing experience. After I compiled a list of 88 bird species in one day without leaving Ngwenya the deal was done. We have thoroughly enjoyed all our trips to Ngwenya and hopefully will for many more years to come.

As for this trip, I have concluded that digital cameras with in-built zoom are OK for landscape shots and large mammals, but still leave a lot to be desired for bird photography. Occasionally I have managed some reasonably acceptable shots of which these are a few from our day trips into the Park – Common Ostrich, European Roller, Black-winged Stilt, Black Crake, White-backed Vulture and Nile Crocodile.