Bayala Safari - finally

We were due to go on safari to The Bayala Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal three years ago but covid put an end to that and then again later the following year when travel was not advised we still didn’t make it. 2022 however was different so on the 10th of October, Sam Tom and I found ourselves on a flight to Africa. Excited was an understatement.

We decided on Bayala as Tom had a close connection with the people who own and run the reserve. It was our first visit as a family to Africa and while we had an idea of what to expect we were soon to have our expectations surpassed.

After a transfer from Jo’berg to Durban and then a three hour drive to Bayala; we arrived in the dark, down the long dirt track to the lodge - seeing a large black snake slithering across the road which was difficult to identify as it was in the headlights. It was black so must have been a black mamba !

We woke early and prepared for our first game drive. Up at 5am and ready in the lobby at 5.50am where we met our guide Garrick, who was to be with us for the whole trip - four full days and so eight game drives.

Our first encounter was one of the big five “Cape Buffalo”

And my first proper bird sighting Birchall’s Coucal, typically noisy.

It wasn’t long before we encountered the animals Sam most wanted to see, a group of Giraffes on a distant ridge.

We were confident of closer views and headed in their general direction, stopping to look at a group of Gazelles pristine in the early morning sun.

Garrick manoeuvred us into position.......

Sam's target sorted, just mine for Cheetah and Leopard to go, and well, we were not sure what Tom's target animal was, though we were soon to find out!

Driving the tracks; Garrick suddenly stopped the truck to avoid running over a Crowned Lapwing which was nesting either side of the tyre tracks. Three eggs in a small hollow right in the middle of the road. She held her nerve to the last minute and then flew off from the road into the nearby scrub. Garrick marked the spot with stones at the side of the track to alert other trucks.

An immature Fiscal Shrike posed nicely by the side of the track and then the crowd pleaser - Warthog, which quickly became Tom’s favourite animal of the trip.

while watching them drinking at a small water hole another movement caught my attention and we saw a Leopard Tortoise swimming. With surprising speed it left the water, with an ant on it’s back and headed back to the bush.

Another water hole and another of the big five - Rhino. Odd to see it in the company of Egyptian Geese. Bayala play a big part in the de horning Rhino programme which has helped protect these fabulous animals for poaching.

The three hours seemed to whiz past and we headed back for breakfast. I was counting the hours to the afternoon game drive and decided to try and familiarise myself with the birds in the camp grounds.

White-browed Scrub Robins common around the grounds

single Pale Flycatcher

Mocking Chat

Not to mention the local Warthogs ! Tom missed these as he was still having his second breakfast, sussing out the towel situation for the pool and ordering just a little more food.

Having got to grips with a few of the birds in the grounds it was time for lunch. Then more bird familiarisation and suddenly it was nearing 3.30pm and time to prepare for the second game drive. We were all very excited as we boarded Garrick's trusted Land Cruiser.

the afternoon game drive write up to follow shortly, which included a new and much wanted (not a Cheetah or a Leopard) animal for me - it was now my turn......................