Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve

Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve

 We arrived at this local Limpopo Nature Reserve on 16th April. It was a frustratingly slow drive from Punda Maria Gate, much of the route was through the old homelands. Delana had visited this reserve before & was keen to visit again, so here we are for a three night stay!

Our cabin.

We spent quite a bit of our time 

on this wooden decking!

Woodland on either side of the stream.

We had booked a wooden cabin on the banks of a stream at Makutse. After checking in at the entrance gate it was a bit of a surprise to discover that our accommodation was 12kms away! The track was not in good condition & as we drove along it deteriorated into a bone jarring ride. The cabin itself was very basic, a bit like indoor camping. However, it had a nice wooden deck overlooking the stream, was set in woodland & tantalizingly one could see majestic mountains peeking through the canopy. It was in a superb setting. 

On the 17th April we did some birding around camp & down the road we had drove yesterday. The birding was ordinary but the number & variety of species of butterflies was truly staggering! We had to go back to the entrance & register properly as when we arrived the office was closed despite it being 2.30 pm. They obviously knock off early for the weekend in these parts!

Just before the top of the pass.

There is some good upland grassland birding here.

The next day was the 18th April & we started early for the fairly long drive to Orrie Baragwanath Pass. As we gained height the scenery became more & more spectacular. We did a bit of birding here, seeing plenty of Zebra roaming the hills & some decent upland birds like Orange throated Longclaw, Wind-snapping Cisticola & Long billed Pipit.

Typical grassland habitat here.

Beautiful surroundings

We had the place to ourselves yet again!

We enjoyed a hike up to the memorial 

& then to a high point.

This is the area known as "The Downs"

Unfortunately we only had a day up here.

But the entire area is begging for

 further investigation.

We hiked to the top of the brown hill

 (not the peaks in the distance)!

Church Forest, which is a piece of high altitude

 Afro-montane forest.