Lifting the veil of secrecy on a SANParks gem
Guest Columnist Helen Crooks
The saying better late than never rings true, especially for me. An ex-pat Brit living in PE for more than quarter of a century, I visited Addo less than a handful of times until the bug bit. Now I simply cannot get enough of the park. The lure of the bush has me returning at least once a month.
There is absolutely nothing that can compare to the thrill of looking an elephant in the eye as the park’s gentle giants pass within centimetres, sometimes millimetres, of my vehicle.
And while I cannot get enough of the many other animals that inhabit the park, it was my lifelong fear of snakes, born of a too close for comfort encounter in the then Yugoslavia in my far-off youth, that prevented me from booking a stay at the Nyathi Rest Camp in the past. I preferred the relative hustle and bustle of main camp where the only snake I saw was a dead one. I was saddened to see what was obviously a juvenile which had been squashed by a car, but that is as close to a snake as I ever want to get. In my opinion, Nyathi was the perfect spot for a snake encounter.
Despite my fear, I was attracted not least of all because Nyathi was something of an enigma to me, there’s not a lot of information out there about what to expect, perhaps because those in the know prefer to maintain a veil of secrecy around this SANParks gem. Certainly, whoever came up with the concept of this 11-unit camp nestled in the foot of the Zuurberg mountains deserves the highest accolade.
I spent my first night there a short while ago and will most definitely be back. While the remoteness of the camp means you are a bit far from the main action in the park, once unpacked you will not easily relinquish your spot on the large deck of your unit, complete with private splash pool, from where a large variety of game can be spotted.
As dusk cast its shadows over the park prior to a magnificent sunset, I was lucky enough to spot one of the more elusive members of the Big Five, prior to which I had spotted Kudu, large tortoises, a blue headed tree Agana (I think) and a host of swallows which had made their home in the rafters of my home for the night.
A solitary elephant was spotted on an earlier stroll to the nearby waterhole, but there had been a great many encounters with herds of ellies en-route to Nyathi so the lack of numbers really didn’t matter. While walks around the fenced-in camp are fine, there are no opportunities to go on game spotting drives at Nyathi, other than along the access road.
One thing there is no shortage of at Nyathi is monkeys – stupidly I left doors open during my stroll to the waterhole, and returned to the leftovers of a monkey party, snacks ripped open and devoured, only empty wrappers bearing testimony to the fact that they had ever been there.
For those not in on the Nyathi secret, check in is at Main Camp from where you drive to the Nyathi turn-off close to Domkrag. After crossing the R342 you pass through a security check point before driving around six kilometres to the camp.
Enjoy this drive at leisure, the scenery is simply stunning and animals can be spotted throughout the drive – Nyathi has its own game, including lions which, unfortunately, I did not see. However, a guest in unit I stayed in had seen one the previous day.
A word of warning - there are six bridges to be crossed en-route to Nyathi’s reception, with the water still flowing strongly after recent rains. In this case my family car handled the water with ease but in some instances I am told that game vehicles have to be used to ferry guests to the camp.
Keys are collected at Nyathi which for me was a real bonus as it meant that I did not have to venture into the Main Camp on departure the following day to return the keys. Instead I headed straight for Gorah loop for some more game spotting. I simply love the thrill of the chase but this time I am the hunter and animals of any description are my prey. I am armed with a harmless camera of course. But before that keenly-anticipated experience that there was the chance to relish a night really away from it all.
As mentioned, there are only 11 units at Nyathi all offering different types of accommodation. My home for the night was a spacious affair designed with the disabled in mind. I am not, but what a bonus for someone confined to a wheelchair or perhaps just being a little frail to know that such an experience is not limited to the able-bodied.
The main part of the accommodation is an air-conditioned rondavel with side-by-side single beds separated from the kitchen area by a wall. There’s a dining table and a seating area, plus a TV with limited DStv channels. There is no internet at Nyathi but with so much else on offer does it really matter? The kitchen itself is well equipped for self-catering – there is no access to a restaurant at Nyathi – and has a two plate stove, large microwave and fridge. There are plenty of pots and pans but an oversight for many would be the lack of a bottle opener. For those preferring al fresco cooking, there’s also a large braai next to the splash pool.
From the rondavel, a small, covered walkway lined with wardrobes leads to the dome shaped bathroom featuring a shower with the best view around. Game spotting in the shower? Brilliant.
The next morning it was time to leave and I was up way earlier than my body is accustomed to so that I could experience the joys of Addo. En-route there were many sightings to take the edge off my sadness at leaving such an incredible place – the inevitable warthogs, buck, baboons, meerkats and zebra to name but a few.
Did I see a snake? No, although the advice I was given: “ If you don’t want to see a snake, visit Nyathi in the winter.”
Will I be back? A very convincing yes.