Flashback Friday Travel Photo Memories 24 – Honeymoon Safari!

Our next honeymoon stop was a spot of safari!  We had a few days at Isibindi Eco Reserve.  Strangely some might think, I didn’t opt for big 5 safari, instead picking a small reserve where it was going to be more about the experience than what we saw.  It was also en route between our treehouse and our next stop!  As for seeing big 5, well we didn’t but I think we saw something far better (or worse!)

Isibindi is an amazing location!  The views – well, there couldn’t be more unbroken bush really!  Just stunning!  I had expected to see other reserves and accommodation, but it was complete wilderness.  Incredible!  Even better – we were the only people staying so its star rating went sky high with such good service and attention!

Epic view from the pool

Our thatched hut had the most incredible views – perfect for an evening glass of wine or for a morning coffee!  We often saw monkeys just down from our terrace, but they never came close!  We always kept the door shut, I have never seen so many big crickets on the window at night when we had the lights on!  It has to be said, I was more relaxed up at the main house or inside our cottage – I always wondered what might be hiding in the bushes when I was on the terrace…

Loved our balcony!

Early morning coffee and a view was essential!  We were up with the larks on each day to head out to see the animals!  We saw zebra and buck and as this was our first time on safari that was plenty!  There was a giraffe hiding in the trees, but he wouldn’t come out to see us!  The reserve is private and only has a certain amount of stock, i.e. it isn’t over-stocked like many others.  I think this is good – whilst we didn’t see that many animals those we saw were undisturbed in their natural habitat rather than crammed into an area that didn’t match where they would choose naturally!

Dawn coffee with a view

As we were the only people on the reserve we were the only people disturbing the animals!  On one morning just before dawn as we crested a hill there were 20 pairs of eyes staring back at us in the darkness – incredible!

Pretty buck! Very little human disturbance

What I particularly liked about Isisbindi was that it wasn’t just a safari reserve.  It also works closely with the local community.  In fact many of the staff are from the local community.  One night we visited a show-village and were performed to.  We also had a traditional Zulu dinner which, as expected, was incredible!  Our hosts joined us that night for drinks and it felt more like staying with friends, a great evening!  I’m still surprised that they haven’t come to visit us here – I remember Mr P giving them our contact details over whiskies!

Fantastic performance!

On our final morning we were happy guinea pigs in the inaugural bush breakfast!  I chuckle now when I see people writing about this on Trip Advisor!  I want to tell them that it is only there because of us – our hosts were relaxed with such a quiet few days that they wanted to try something new! And hey presto – it worked!

Bush breakfast with fizz!

At the breakfast we were introduced to the ‘scortle’ which is fab.  It is basically a gas powered BBQ and it meant breakfast was easy to prepare!  I’ve never seen them in the UK, but if I did, I would buy one immediately!

Love the scortle!

The Kwa Zulu Natal region is known widely for the Battle of Rorke’s Drift – where the British won a battle.  This magnificent hill is Isandlwana which is related – however the Battle of Isandlwana is where the British had a massive loss, on the very same day!  I’ve just looked at Wikipedia and apparently there was a total eclipse of the sun part way through the battle!  It is just round the corner from where we were staying and we drove right past en route to the final stage of our honeymoon!

A magnificent sight on the horizon

As so many of our trips have a funny story to them, it would be crazy to think this one wouldn’t…. Fortunately it happened at the end of our stay!  For those who plan diligently like me, you will be surprised that somehow in all my planning I didn’t realise that KZN I a hotbed for dangerous snakes… one of the most deadly parts of Africa I believe… Anyhow – fortunately I had no idea!  On or last morning as we were packing up (with the door to our cottage shut) we saw a little green slithery fellow basking in the sun on our decking! Mr P rattled the door and tried to shoo it away (in the UK we are taught that snakes are more scared of us than we are of them…) but all this did was anger the green fellow.  The next moment he was hanging from the light on the decking hissing at the door… I was by this stage locked in the bathroom calling reception to report the reptile issue!  They arrived straight away armed with sticks and cats… The cats did scare the snake and it managed to punch it’s head through the thatch roof in anger and got itself stuck there… (This we now know is their job – one is blind from venom intact!) I’m not entirely sure what happened after that as the moment it got stuck I was on the move up to the main house!  Up at the house there was much excitement, or terror, as the little fella was identified as a green mamba! One of the countries deadliest snakes!  Mr P had taken a photo of the stuck snake that has been banished somewhere I will never come across – and the face shape and markings definitely confirm it is! Quite a way to leave the reserve, but it didn’t for one moment lessen how much we enjoyed it, it might put me off another safari stay though…

Funnily, after this event, the hosts told us that the morning before we had arrived they’d seen an imfezi (spitting Mozambique cobra) trying to  hibernate in the roof of the main house, and then once we were on the road Mr P told me I’d walked right past a tiddler on our first afternoon at the reserve…  I think it is fair to say that being naïve and oblivious was definitely the best way for me to enjoy myself!!