First Impressions of Kambaku River Lodge
Going back to the beginning of our South African safari adventure, after arriving at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, we were picked up by Dennis and driven to Kambaku River Lodge. The journey itself was exciting, knowing that our long-awaited South African safari was finally beginning.
Our rooms at Kambaku River Lodge were huge and beautifully designed, each with a shower overlooking the river. If you were brave enough, you could shower while watching wildlife across the water. I, however, preferred to keep the curtains closed!
We were greeted warmly by Leanne and immediately felt welcome. The lodge had a relaxed family atmosphere, making it easy to settle in after our travels. At lunch on the patio, we met our tour guide Lance from Panthera Photo Safaris before heading down to our first photography hide session.
Wildlife Around the Hide
There had been a lot of recent rain, and the Crocodile River was flowing much higher than usual for that time of year. Unfortunately, this meant that elephants and many other large animals were not visiting the waterhole directly in front of the hide as often as expected.
Even without the larger wildlife, there was still plenty to photograph. Birds were constantly moving around the area, giving me endless photography opportunities. I was also fascinated by the smaller details, especially the insects that appeared around the pond.
One memorable visitor was a large water monitor that slowly circled the waterhole while we watched from the hide. Across the river, hippos rested both in the water and along the muddy riverbanks.
Around the lodge grounds, a water monitor continued making its rounds through the ponds, though thankfully I only encountered it once near the hide. There was also a family of nyalas wandering through the property. We were warned to keep our distance from the male nyala, and more than once I found myself taking the long route back to our room to avoid him.
Safari Drives in Kruger National Park
After a few hide sessions, we decided to add safari drives into Kruger National Park to our itinerary with Elvis as our driver and guide. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of the trip.
The morning safari drive delivered incredible wildlife sightings. We photographed beautiful birds, lions, giraffes, impalas, hyenas, elephants, and so much more. Every turn seemed to reveal another unforgettable moment.
Although it rained during the drive, we stayed dry thanks to the covered safari vehicle. Rather than letting the weather ruin the experience, we used it creatively and attempted some slow exposure photography of an impala standing through the rain.
The combination of the peaceful lodge atmosphere, wildlife hide photography, and exciting game drives made the perfect introduction to our South African safari adventure. Even on the very first days, it was clear this trip was going to be unforgettable.
All the images in this post were taken using my Lumix G9II. If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me through my website, or follow along on Facebook or Instagram.