mkhonzo

Cheetah do not have territories as well defined as lion & leopard, consequently their home range can be massive. It is really pot luck to find them in the sands, they are definitely there, but can be gone in a day. Should a female be in the area with cubs, then your chances are greater for seeing them on a regular basis, as they don't travel as far.

Regarding Rhino, this shouldn't be a challenge at all at any of the sands lodges, they have defined territories and don't venture too far from water. I do know that the section of land where Sabi's Earth Lodge is has an abundance of Rhino and in particular is attractive during the winter months: a combination of pallatable grasses and water points.

Thant said the challenge in SS is finding Black Rhino & for this, quite honestly the tamboti thickets around the sabie river and in particular the lion sands area offers the best chances and those are slim at best.

safarinut

<< I do know that the section of land where Sabi's Earth Lodge is has an abundance of Rhino >>

Do they literally drip from the trees?

Would you say Earth Lodge has more rhino than say...Londolozi Safai Lodge?
or that your chances of seeing rhino at Earth Lodge is better than any other lodge in the SSGR?

Funny...I thought there is no difference in game viewing at the lodges in the SSGR?

Maybe the grass is sweeter at Earth Lodge

mkhonzo

errr drip from the trees? I think not. Abundance yes and in particularly in the winter months....Why, yes beacuse the of the grass and yes beacuse of the favourable water points. Are they more abundant there than elswhere, perhaps not, but then again i did say that they abound throughout the sabi sand.

FYI: The grantic soils of the southern kruger biome, includes the bulk of the Sabi sands supports grasses of an unpalatabel nature. The White Rhino which is a bulk grazer can subsist on the less nutritious grasses such as, panicum, pennistem, urochloa and digiteria where other species cannot, consequently you will find that as a result of the soil, "unsweet" grass and water, Rhino will be in abundance.

So the area around Earth lodge, also known as Lisbon, has both of the above ingrediants and is consequently attractive to white Rhino, it does however have capacity limitations, so and obviously; but I feel i need to spell this out for you safnut, because you have some challenges comprehending biological issues, will not attract all the Rhino from the Sabi Sands.....

As I stated, they can be found throughout the S/sand.

atravelynn

Thanks for the responses and the biology lessons. Looking forward to Kaye's observations.

napamatt

Rocco - the rooms make you queasy, I can't give you a pass for such a ridiculuos statement. I've felt queasy in rooms before, but usually die to a surfeit of alcohol.

It's clear that you think Simbambili is wonderful, good for you, but the only images I've seen of Rattray's make it look very nice, certainly nothing to lose my lunch over.

Their seems to be a little inverted snobbery on this board about the more luxurious camps, that I simply don't understand. If you can't afford Singita, don't go. if you think it's worth paying more for the game viewing in Botswana over Zambia then do so.

As for Rhino and Cheetah in Sabi Sand, or the only part I know Mala Mala. We have seen Cheetah on roughly half our visits and White Rhino on every visit. Black Rhino is very rare in the area. I don't remember a trip report where someone had seen one there.

thit_cho

Black rhino is tough all over Africa. The only place I have seen them in the daytime is was in Etosha (very close and great photos) and also the Crater (but much futher away). At night, I saw lots around the waterhole at Okakuejo in Etosha and Ongava. I am visiting Hluhluwe and I understand they have an abundance of rhino, both black and white, like the cookie.

napamatt

Madikwe is supposed to be good for Black's, but considering their shyness it is not unusual to miss them. Now that the part of the Ngorongoro crater where they are to be found is closed off, they will be seen less often there.

White Rhinos may start to get thinner on the ground now that a pride of Lions in Sabi Sand has taken to eating them.

mkhonzo

Share the info on the lion pride that snacks on Rhino, what a sighting!

I know that in northern Botswana the lion do pretty well on elephant, but haven't heard of Rhino being taken in the sands, awesome.

And just the heads up for the black Rhino in SA:
Best viewing is in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi complex. Then Madikwe and then the Augrabies Falls National Park.

Roccco

Napamatt,

Rattray's...is it a house or is it a safari lodge?

http://www.malamala.com/Rattrays.htm

This is not a Simbambili vs. Mala Mala issue, but more of an issue between lodges that seem to match the environment and lodges that do not. Hey, I loved my time at Chichele Presidential Lodge, but I would pick Puku Ridge, its sister tented camp located about one mile away, every time in the future.

napamatt

Mkhonzo
http://www.malamala.tv/LION_eyref.htm

This link has info on the Eyrefield Pride finishing off an adult Rhino in May of this year, it is believed to have been fighting. Since then they have started to have a go at other Rhinos including this week. See the Sightings Diary for week ended 11/17.

napamatt

Rocco

You have seen the rooms, or you have seen one picture?

Now you are talking about how the lodge fits into the environment, which until I can actually see the place I reserve judgement on.

johan_belgium

I had excellent sightings for black rhino this year during daytime at Palmwag Rhino Camp in Namibia. So if someone's interested in black rhino tracking on foot that's the place to be. And Chris Bakkes, is probably the best guide I've ever met in Namibia.

And in my opinion if I am going on safari it's not about how the camp is gonna to look like, it's about the quality of guiding and the game I am gonna see and if the camp is nice it's just a bonus but not more than that. But I can easily understand that other people have other ideas about that.

Roccco

Napamatt,

You are right. I dislike the photos of Rattray's. I will reserve ultimate judgment on Rattray's until I get a couple first hand reports from visitors.

Now, what will you think if your fellow visitors to Rattray's decide that they do not want to walk 500 feet back to their lodge but instead engage the use of the Rattray's golf cart? Does the golf cart lessen your opinion of Rattray's any?

atravelynn

Thanks for the Palmwag Rhino Camp hint Johan Belgium. I certainly share your safari and accommodations philosophy.

napamatt

I imagine if you are older or in poor health the golf cart will be of great value. I for myself would not use it, nor will I use the internet hook up - but I think you would, so what?

My reference was to your original statement, that was unhelpful and ill informed. I dont refer to Simbambili's facilities because I haven't been there and so can't give an informed opinion.

safarinut

mkhonzo:

<<but I feel i need to spell this out for you safnut, because you have some challenges comprehending biological issues>>

<< The White Rhino which is a bulk grazer can subsist on the less nutritious grasses such as, panicum, pennistem, urochloa and digiteria where other species cannot>>

I confess...They didn't teach me this in med school

cary999

Yeah, me neither. They didn't teach this to me in med school. Wait a second, I didn't go to med school!!!! No wonder.
regards - tom