For a few years now I have read with envy the accounts of Safari's on this site. Now I did promise myself I would save this write up for the arrival of my taxidermy, but alas, I can wait no longer!


In april this year I took my first (I bloody well intend on going back!) trip to Africa and went on safari with Johan of Sandriver Safari’s, based in Messina near the border with Zimbabwe. - http://sandriver.co.za/

We stayed in the Eya Khala lodge, which is situated high up on the top of a hill overlooking and amazing dry river bed, which is all sand! Sandriver indeed!

The river bed, with a buck of some description:



On the first day we got to the camp about mid day, and after unpacking into our chalets, we had some refreshments at the bar which is situated on the highest point of the hill and the views are stunning! My chalet/room was situated on the side of the hill, it had its own bathroom with toilet, bath and shower, all overlooking the river bed!

My Chalet:



View from the balcony:



After some ice cold Coca-cola, we went down into a valley and had a safety brief and zeroed the guns. For the whole of this trip I managed to use a .270 rifle belonging to a friend’s father who was also hunting with us.



After zeroing we set off on the back of a land cruiser to see the land. We had a tracker with us on the back of the truck, and he was invaluable, every so often he would point at a tree and then after a few seconds I would notice the buck behind it! We saw loads of species that first afternoon, nyala, kudu, and many other species of buck. I was specifically after two impala and a warthog though, and at one point we did start a stalk on a herd of impala but I think I was walking too loudly and they fled! Driving back to the lodge we spooked a group of warthog piglets and they fled along the track we were driving, with us following them for about 200 metres!

The lodge was very well equipped and the cook: Sammi cooked amazing meals. The first night we had a Potjiekos which was lovely.

The second day we drove to another of Johan’s camps north of Messina which I think was called Malala Lodge and the land actually fronted onto the limpopo although I never saw it! I hunted on foot from the camp and at about 11am after a couple of hours walking we came upon a herd of nice impala rams. We crept closed and we were hidden from them by a ridge, and they were across the valley the other side of this ridge. We crept up and behind the cover of some bushes, I would estimate that they were about 120 metres away, and the tracker (Pilani) set up the sticks and indicated to a beast. I stayed with the rifle on the sticks for about 3-5 mins sometimes moving them slightly to get a clear shot as the impala was browsing on bushes. Finally I felt happy with the shot and squeezed the trigger. I lost the rams reaction in the recoil, not sure if I was anticipating the recoil or if it was just lack of practice shooting from sticks but the ram ran off into the gully. Still I was happy that the shot should have been good and Pilani seemed happy I had hit it well so we set off to the other side of the gully. Pilani found the spot the ram had been standing at and there was blood on the ground and hoof prints. I followed Pilani along the blood trail and within about 20 metres we found the ram on its side underneath a low tree. Pilani pulled it clear and positioned it for a photo. The whole time he was telling me it was a fat ram, but I was just happy to have my first African animal, the size was immaterial, I had had a great stalk.

My Impala:



Me and my Impala:



I helped Pilani get the beast on his back and we set off for the nearest track. Upon reaching it we put the ram in the shade of another low tree and then tried to raise the cruiser on the radio. I assume due to the lie of the land though there was little reception so we set off along the road back towards the camp. On the way we saw a Baboon crossing the road about 50 metres in front of us. We followed it a bit into the bush but it knew we were there and soon ran off. We stopped at a massive pipeline which carries water from the Limpopo into Messina and this time successfully raised the cruiser on the radio. Shortly after it arrived and we collected the ram and headed back to camp.



That day one of the friends I was with shot a warthog also in the morning, and another an impala doe in the afternoon. Two other blanked, one on impala and one on eland, both had followed animals but not managed to get a shot they were happy with.

Pilani and I:



Reality doesn't escape you even on safari when travelling between camps:



Day three saw me hunting again on foot back at Eya Khala. I blanked this day although we saw plenty of other species, including at one point walking down a shady stream bed where we saw leopard prints!

That evening we went game viewing with a lamp in the back of a Cruiser, and this was another experience, we saw so many different animals I don’t think I could even name them!

Day four I shot my second impala quite early on, and after getting it back to the skinning shed, we took off again, this time after a warthog.

Impala number two:



We came upon a troop of baboon at one point and followed them for a bit but they were always alert and stayed that little bit ahead of us! We didn’t see any warthog, but I did get a guinea fowl! Back at the lodge I gave the guinea fowl to Sammi the cook and asked him if he could cook it for us. Happily he obliged and we were sitting at the bar later that evening when he bought us a tray out with the guinea fowl on and it tasted gorgeous! That man could really cook!

The cooked Guinea Fowl:



The last day saw us really just relaxing, I had given up the idea of a warthog by then and we messed around in the pool and watched the bucks in the riverbed from the bar.

Very ornate Bino rests at the bar:



The pool:



The safari was a great experience and at the end of it Johan was most helpful in arranging for my first impala to be sent to a taxidermist in nearby Polokwane to be cured and mounted. Both of the camps were amazingly modern and yet also maintaining the image of Africa! I would have no hesitation in recommending Sandriver Safari’s and fully intend to go back there in the future, hopefully I can persuade my wife to come too next time!

Great report. Thanks. I really enjoyed the area/accomodation pictures -- nicely done.

Congrats,

Looks like you had a great time.

Congratulations on your first trip and animal! Looks great..

Looks like your safari was quite successful. Congratulations.