A chance not to be missed! A couple of friends were working in Lesotho and suggested we visit and travel to a few national/game parks with them. They arranged the itinerary, park reservations, transport, etc. Lucky us!

We flew to the capital of Lesotho, Maseru, where our friends lived with their three sons. After a couple of days of relaxing, we flew to Sehlabathebe Park in the Maloti Mountains, since it is quite a long drive and the roads are not the best.

Fantastic views from the plane

The landing strip

We camped the first night, and then got ready to head out on the horses our friends had arranged for.

Rock dwellings: habitations of long ago

Nice waterfall provided a great place for a swim

A spitting cobra: they spit venom into their prey’s eyes, blinding them for the attack. Mechtild absolutely wanted a photo, and I think she was a little too daring to take this one.

Campsite

We only had one plane for the return flight, so half of us returned to Maseru by car. It was a long drive, but provided us with the opportunity to see some of the countryside and its inhabitants.

Next we drove east, stopping in the Drakensberg Mountains (Dragon Mountains) on the border between Lesotho and South Africa.

Mkhuze Game Reserve was our next stop where we put up camp.

Passage to the lookout over the watering hole: when we wanted to leave, there was unfortunately a rhino blocking out path and we had to wait a while before it was safe to leave.

Roadblock

Dung beetle

Nice walkway

On the road again

We had to stay in a bungalow in Umfolozi Game Park, since tenting is too dangerous given all the animals about, but I have to admit that the comfort was nice.

This guy was unsuccessfully trying to hide.

Warthogs

And of course rhinos

Only the adults were permitted to go on a walk and then only with an armed guide. The Cape buffalo, one of the Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo) in Africa, are very dangerous, and the older males get rather ornery if they have been expulsed from a herd by younger ones and no longer have female companions. We suddenly spotted a group of several of them, and our guide shouted for us to climb a tree. Only problem was, the nearby trees were only approx. 2 meters high. The guide readied his rifle, but fortunately did not need it.

Off again

Cape Vidal park, where we were able to swim. There are nets in the water not far out to prevent sharks from taking bites out of the swimmers.

Zululand

Show and dinner: yes, put on for tourists like us, but it was quite enjoyable and a nice end to the trip.

The chefs du cuisine

Delicious

Souvenir time

On the road to Johannesburg Airport

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