The Game Lodge Index: 2010-12-26

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Lodge of the Week - Sibuya Tented Camp

An African Eden

Arriving to a welcoming reception in the little coastal town of Kenton-on-Sea, guests are led down to the small marina to board an open boat. A gentle cruise up the Kariega River takes you to a cosy tented camp (either Forest or River Camp) tucked away in the riverine vegetation on the banks of the river. On route you will pass an array of stunning birdlife. The camps are rustic yet comfortable and the tents offer complete privacy. Most of the furniture has been crafted from wood and adds an authentic touch to your forested environment. There is no electricity in camp but there are enough solar powered lights and lanterns for guests to find their way around the walkways to their tents. The food is satisfying and your personal guide will share his bush experiences and knowledge with you around a camp fire or while dining. River Camp is a family orientated and caters for children of all ages whereas Forest Camp is adults only.

The Sibuya Game Reserve covers over 3000 hectares of absolutely stunning river frontage, flood plains, hills and lusciously green valleys. Guests depart from camp for game drives and walks via a short boat ride to various hop-off points where they transfer to a vehicle. The reserve hosts substantial numbers of general game typical of the African bush as well as a healthy white rhino population and a small herd of elephants. Sibuya is also home to a cheetah breeding project and guests can view these cats from an elevated position overlooking the cheetah area. Lions and buffalo are kept in separate quarantined areas on the property and are not free roaming. The reserve is a birding hotspot and those who are interested in spending time with creatures outside of the Big 5 will fall in love with Sibuya. It is a nature lover’s paradise. The guides are very experienced and take their time to entertain you with all facets of this pristine ecosystem. There are exemplary lookout points where guests can enjoy traditional sun downer drinks or mid morning tea and coffee breaks during the course of a game drive.

Sibuya is an ideal getaway for couples and small groups looking for something different. It’s comfortably rustic and soothingly intimate. The river around which the camps are situated is quiet for most of the year but can be busy from Mid December to early January when many South Africans spend there summer holidays in the Kenton-on-Sea area and more boats head upstream on the Kariega.

RATINGS BREAKDOWN

Core Ratings:	Sun Rays
Lodge and Camp	6.7
Safari Experience	6.8
Service	8.2
Facilities	2.8
Unique Rating	4.3
Conservation	4.1
Social involvement	3.8

OVERALL RATING:	7.3

For more information on this property or to find your ideal destination, please visit

The Game Lodge Index

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The Sequence of the Roller - Guest Post by Grant Marcus

Image by Grant Marcus

This is a guest post by Grant Marcus. You can view the original post as well as photos by Grant Marcus on his website, www.grantmarcus.com

THE SEQUENCE OF THE ROLLER

On one of our morning drives we didn’t see much so it was over to the birds and smaller things in life

We stopped at a big old Marula tree to watch two Lilac breasted rollers took turns in feeding the youngsters. These birds can get extremely a gressive when it comes to protecting the nest and chicks. We probably sat there for more then 20min. The female didn’t even let a lone glossy starling fly past the tree without her unleashing her fury on the poor starling. The glossy chap thought he was going on a slow Sunday morning drive when all of a sudden a blue missile chased after him.