Thursday, October 2, 2014

MIMI's SOUTH AFRICAN ADVENTURE (Part 2): A trip to IMBALI SAFARI LODGE, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Greetings from South Africa
This is the second bumper blogpost in this series: "Mimi's South African Adventure" 
The highlight of our 17-day-day holiday was a trip to the beautiful IMBALI SAFARI LODGE in the heart of the Kruger National Park. My husband and I both love the bush, so to take Mimi to this beautiful lodge was truly, truly special! 
We were treated like royalty!
Imbali's food was outstanding, our rooms were beautiful,comfortable and tastefully decorated; the setting was exquisite, the game drives breathtaking and the management and staff extremely friendly and helpful.  What a treat it was to simply sit on the deck of the reception area and watch the waterhole...
 There were always an array of colourful birds that came for a drink on the edge of the swimming pool:
Above: The colourful starlings.
Below: Crested Barbet

The view from our room: A dry river-bed: home to a large troop of baboons.
What more could we wish for on our deck?  A refreshing plunge pool and lounger chairs - for the peaceful afternoons prior to afternoon tea and evening game drives.

I can't give enough accolades to this lovely lodge. 
Thank you, IMBALI SAFARI LODGE for your incredible hospitality and good service! 
May you grow from strength to strength.

---xXx---

So, lets get on with the Bumper photographic post which will tell it's own story...
Sunrise over the smokey landscape
(after the recent fires)
Setting out on an early morning game-drive

 First sightings

 I must say that the terrain was extremely dry. Indeed, I have never seen Kruger so dry before. Yet, these conditions are ideal for game viewing.




 Mimi's favourite - the Baboon family
"MacDonalds" - fast-food of the Kruger Park ;)

 Fungus growing on a Buffalo skull
 Above: Buffalo skull
 Above: Rhino tracks


Above: The beautiful flowers of the 'Sausage' tree...outside our room
 Above: Yellow-billed hornbill

 Lilac-breasted roller 
 uh...oh! Who is drinking out of our plunge-pool?
Above: Quiet contemplation
  Above: Elephants at the waterhole
 Up REALLY close...the king of the jungle.


 Above: African Civet cat
 Sunrise over the dam 
 Above: Waterbuck
 Above: Breakfast time

Above: So nice to see them...
 A beautiful lionness

 Above: Vultures on a kill site
 Above:The fossil of the tree family: THE FAMOUS BAOBAB TREE
 Above: "You don't mine, do you, Mr Hippo?"

 Above: Buffalo
Above: Elephants testing their strength


 Thank you to the rangers at IMBALI SAFARI LODGE for the following awesome leopard sighting!!!





 Above: Warthog
 Above: Hippos on a sand bank
 Above: The beautiful pearl-spotted owl
 Above: One of my favourites: Green Pigeon nesting
 Above: Ever present Yellow-billed hornbill
 Above: Tree squirrel
 Above: A shy Sable antelope at Imbali's waterhole
 Above: A beautiful pair of Lionesses 
 Above: Oh yes, a vulture CAN be pretty!  ;)
 Above: Red-billed oxpecker on a giraffe
No game drive is complete without the anticipated stop for refreshments...
and IMBALI SAFARI LODGE delivered well.
Thank you so much to our Ranger, "Suit-boy" for the meticulous care of your guests.

Relaxing Spa treatments are also available to guests at Imbali. How wonderful to be treated to a "back and neck massage" on the deck outside our room, with the background accompaniment of twittering birds.

On a funny note though...
Above: Even the Baboons have learned to enjoy a Spa Treatment.

The bonus of our stay at IMBALI was that we were able to see all of the big five.

Many thanks, once again, to the management and staff of this beautiful lodge.  Your hospitality was outstanding and the game-sightings truly breathtaking.
Above: Sunset over Imbali

Readers, if you want to spoil yourself be sure to book your stay at
IMBALI SAFARI LODGE
(Please note: I have NO commercial attachments or obligations to this lodge)

Sending lotsaluv

Be sure to look out for our next blogpost (soon): Part 3 in this series of
MIMI's SOUTH AFRICAN ADVENTURE

9 comments:

Two French Bulldogs said...

We really enjoy seeing your pictures of the lodge and animals. They are fantastic. Guess what school my neurologist Vet went to, Pretoria Unicersity. Yep. He's from So. Africa
Lily & Edward

Molly the Airedale said...

What fabulous photos and what an incredible adventure! The photo of the lilac-breasted roller doesn't look real. It looks like a painting. What a beautiful bird!

Tweedles -- that's me said...

I can't even imagine being there and seeing the wild animals so close.
What very beautiful photos,,, and your a very good photographer!
love
tweedles

My Dog Sam - Ruptured Disk said...

Wow MaxMom, that's some great outing with so many different animals, birds, baboons, vegetation. Maybe you could start a tourist lodge....

The Life of Riley said...

Amazing sights and really great photos!

Mudjie said...

What a wonderful surprise awaited while looking at your lovely pictures from Imbuli. Mixo, the leopard. I was fortunate enough to watch this boy grow up in the Dumja Private Reserve, in the Sabi Sands. We would seem him while watching out computers from all over the world. Wild Earth had live drives everyday, twice a day. Mixo was born Dec of 2008 His mother is Karula, his father is Yambilu Jordaan, his litter mate was his brother Induna. We again have live Safari drives daily and are privileged to again see his mother and his newst brothers Quarantine Male and Kunyuma who are now 2 yrs old. Thank you for taking such wonderful pictures of this special boy. There are many who will be so very grateful.. If you are interested in the live Safari Drives here is the link: http://www.wildearth.tv/cam/wildearth-safaris

Unknown said...

Hi, I hope you don't mind but I have put your pictures of Mixo onto his Facebook page so that all his many fans can see them. I don't know your name to give you proper credit, so if you'd like to visit the page maybe you'd like to put your name under one of the pictures and I can edit it in on the photos. Thank you SO much for giving us Mixo fans the proof that he is still alive and doing well out there :) Here is his page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mixo-Male-Leopard/127935330927?fref=ts

Unknown said...

Hi, I hope you don't mind but I have put your pictures of Mixo onto his Facebook page so that all his many fans can see them. I don't know your name to give you proper credit, so if you'd like to visit the page maybe you'd like to put your name under one of the pictures and I can edit it in on the photos. Thank you SO much for giving us Mixo fans the proof that he is still alive and doing well out there :) Here is his page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mixo-Male-Leopard/127935330927?fref=ts

Xi-Momo said...

What fantastic pictures! Especially those of our boy Mixo - we (Wildearth Safari addicts) do worry about him so it is so good to see he is thriving!