Pumba Game Reserve lodges

I absolutely love visiting private game reserves, who wouldn't? Luxury accommodation, excellent food, personal service, sipping drinks around a camp fire under the stars and, my ultimate favorite about game reserves, going on game drives in the late afternoon and early morning. I've discovered photos I haven't posted before and here are three from the magnificent Pumba Game Reserve between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown showing some of their accommodation.  I got to visit Pumba while showing some media around in the middle of 2012.

 

Pumba has two excellent lodges.  I got to stay at Msenge Bush Lodge with a site inspection at Pumba Water Lodge on my visit.  My room was stunning with glass doors that open all around.  Makes the room feel even bigger than it really was, and it was big.  The bathroom also has big windows so you can enjoy the view while soaking in the bath.

Each of the suites at Msenge has its own private deck and plunge pool which means its possible to sit out there and watch nature (and some game) go by in peace.  I did try out the plunge pool very quickly, but the water was a bit chilly at that stage what with it being the end of winter at the time.

Pumba Water Lodge... Now there is a stunning place and here's to hoping that somebody in their marketing department invites me to spend a night there one day.  The lodge overlooks a big dam with the bush and mountains beyond making it a very beautiful setting.

Waiter - "Would you like a drink, sir?"

Me - "Oh yes please, don't mind if I do.  I'll be spending the rest of the day, until its time for the game drive, right on that middle chair." 

White Lions at Pumba

There are about 500 white lions left in the world, most of them in captivity.  Pumba Game Reserve is one of only a few game reserves in South Africa that has free range white lions on its property.  Pumba's white lions is right at the top of what visitors to the reserve wants to see and it was no different when I got to visit for a night.  On the evening game drive we spotted a female with two cubs in the distance, but struck it lucky on the morning game drive with the other female and her juvenile cub.  

Mommy surveying the area from a little hillock

Pumba elephant

After a quick visit we were driving out of Pumba Game Reserve and passing Water Lodge when we found an elephant approaching across a field towards us.  Unfortunately for me the sun was behind him so I couldn't really get a great picture, but that doesn't matter.  He came lumbering along, looked at as pass him and then proceeded down the track towards the lodge.  Probably for breakfast.

Looking back at him moseying along towards the lodge  as we were driving away

A face only a mother can love

Its amazing how you get to interact with the animals at game reserves not just from on top of a 4x4 but somethings also face to face.  At a recent visit to Pumba Game Reserve I was walking along the walkway to the rooms at Pumba Water Lodge when I passed this warthog grazing about 2 meters away.  He looked up at me, snorted (as if to let me know I'm in his space and not vice versa) and watched me carefully shuffle past and speed up just in case he decided to come after me.  I didn't want to turn and throw him an ugly insult at the time, but that's really a face only a mother can love.

Elephant silhouette

I would never ever say no to an opportunity to go on a game drive.  Although I worked as a tourist guide for many years I never worked as a game ranger.  It never really crossed my mind back when I started working, but perhaps if I could do it all over again I may just have gone into that direction.  I still love being out in nature, watching the animals, the sun going down or coming up and most importantly I always have my camera on hand in case a nice picture presents itself.  Watching a herd of elephants on a game drive at Pumba Game Reserve recently I looked back behind the vehicle just to spot an lone elephant feedings on a tree while silhouetted against the setting sun.  Need I say more?

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

On a game drive at Pumba Game Reserve near Port Elizabeth our ranger pointed out a Brown-hooded Kingfisher sitting in a tree next to the game drive vehicle.  The next thing he said kinda got our attention.  He asked us to look around and see if we could see any body of water.  There was none.  The Brown-hooded Kingfisher doesn't necessarily feed on fish but also on insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten.  This means that it doesn't have to live near water like all his other Kingfisher cousins.