When we were invited to join friends for a few days at Buffalo Thorn Lodge, we did not quite realize what was in store for us. Getting to Buffalo Thorn Lodge is such a short and comfortable drive from Johannesburg. This is the first bonus in a long line of bonuses at this marvellous place in the bush.
The accommodation is 5 star and in the heat of summer to have a cool chalet with air conditioning is a real treat. Jacques and Nerina made us feel like we had come home. They gave us such warm welcomes and were friendly and relaxed the whole time we were there. Nothing was too much trouble. The staff were so efficient, friendly and discreet. When we arrived home after the evening game drive, the fire for the braai was lit and waiting for us. The dinner and breakfast table was always laid and just waiting for the food to be placed on it!
Every game drive was overflowing with really close-up views of Rhino, Elephant and Lions. A highlight was seeing a Cheetah kill, with one of them chasing off a lurking Jackal. The highlight for our ‘birder’ was seeing 75 different varieties of birds on only 5 game drives! What joy! The only disappointment was that the Black Faced Wax Bill spotted on our last drive was not a ‘Lifer’ for our ranger, Jacques.
And there were so many other sightings; many varieties of Antelope, Jackals, Hyenas and often the small and less obvious, like Scrub Hares and even a baby African Tortoise. It was quite special listening to Jacques tell the story of the Shepherds tree.
We also had a large herd of elephants visit the small watering hole at the Lodge every afternoon. We could watch them enjoying the water while we enjoyed the water in the pool on the deck! A wonderful place to stay especially for overseas visitors with limited time available to them
Thank you for creating such a special place!
PS – from Colin… If you see a bird for the very first time in your life it is called a ‘Lifer’. Jacques has seen over 550 different birds, and to see a new lifer has become very scarce for him. At the start of our last game drive, I had seen 58, at Buffalo Thorn. He said that we had to at least get to 70 by the end of the drive, and hopefully he would see a lifer. When we saw the Black Faced Wax Bill, he thought it was a lifer, but when he got home and checked his records, he had seen it before. But he had taken me to 75 varieties.
Story and Photographs by: Colin and Cyni Cowie