Utopia

Chrisel's family has a little bush retreat, just over an hour's drive out from Joburg, near the Magaliesberg Mountains.  It really did live up to its name and I loved my time here.

Highlights of the overnight stay included:

• Stopping off at The Hartbeespoort Dam on the way.
• Buying some delicious cheese from a local farm.
• Stopping at a huge African market and a distillery to get Chrisèl's family a thank you gift.
• Buying delicious berry jam at a quaint little farm stall on the way - maybe the best jam I've ever tasted.
• Feeling immediately relaxed as soon as we arrived. Such a gorgeous, tranquil setting right in the bush veld with the constant sound of birds calling.
• The view from the deck of the house, out onto a far away lake.
• Going for a walk along the river and stopping off to photograph white-fronted bee-eaters on the way back - one of my favourite birds.
• Making a delicious lamb potjie. We did one at The Amphitheatre, but this time I knew what I was doing and it was a considerably more relaxed experience!
• A stunning walk in the reserve next door along a dry river gorge, gazing in awe at some of the reddest and most ancient rocks I've ever seen. It certainly gives Australia's Red Centre a go for its money!

The houses in Utopia - built to meld into the landscape.

A big deck to admire the view out onto the bush.

A walk along the river.

The local white-fronted bee-eaters, the iconic symbol of Utopia.

Making a delicious lamb potjie.

Exploring a river gorge.  Aren't those rocks amazing!

Lots of wind and water sculptured rock formations.

A cute Vervet monkey along the way.

Birds of the Kruger National Park

European Bee-Eater

Lilac Breasted Roller

Lilac Breasted Roller

Lilac Breasted Roller

White Crowned  Plover

White Crowned Plover

Jacana

Grey Heron

Grey Heron

Goliath Heron

Pied Kingfisher

Pied Kingfisher

Giant Kingfisher

Giant Kingfisher

Brownhooded Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher

Ground Hornbill

Ground Hornbill

Ground Hornbill

Long Tailed Shrike

Helmeted Guineafowl

Crested Guineafowl

Three banded Plover

  

Wood Sandpiper

Ruff

Knot

Giant Eagle Own

Bateleur

Bateleur

Tawny Eagle

Martial Eagle

Brown Snake Eagle

African Fish Eagle

African Fish Eagle

Hawk Eagle

Steppe Eagle

Tawny Eagle

Kite

White Faced Vulture

Whitebacked Vulture

Raptors in flight

Hamerkop

Yellow Billed Hornbill

Yellowbilled Hornbill

Redbilled Hornbill

Stilt

Stilt

Blackbellied Korhaan

Blackbellied Kornhaan

Kori Bustard

Redbilled Oxpecker

Rednecked Francolin

Rednecked Francolin

Crested Francolin

Doublebanded Sandgrouse

Orange Breasted Bush Shrike

Bennetts Woodpecker

Darter

Whitebreasted Cormorant

Egyptian Goose

Masked Weaver

Saddlebilled Stork

Storks

Various

Various

A Redbilled Oxpecker searches for yummy ticks...

Birds seen during my stay

• Whitebreasted Cormorant
• Darter
• Goliath Heron
• Grey Heron
• Greenbacked Heron
• Yellowbilled Stork
• Marabou Stork
• Woolynecked Stork
• Openbilled Stork
• Saddlebilled Stork
• African Spoonbill
• Hamerkop
• Hadeda Ibis
• Egyptian Goose
• Knobbilled Duck
• Lappetfaced Vulture
• Whiteheaded Vulture
• Whitebacked Vulture
• African Fish Eagle
• Bateleur
• Brown Snake Eagle
• Tawny Eagle
• Martial Eagle
• African Hawk Eagle
• Yellowbilled Kite
• Lizard Buzzard
• Rednecked Francolin
• Crested Francolin
• Helmeted Guineafowl
• Crested Guineafowl
• Ground Hornbill
• Ostrich
• Black Crake
• Kori Bustard
• Black Bellied Korhaan
• Three Banded plover
• Whitecrowned Plover
• Blacksmith Plover
• Dikkop
• Doublebanded Sandgrouse
• Laughing Dove
• Grey Lourie
• Striped Cuckoo
• Diederik Cuckoo
• Burchell's Cuckoo
• Red Chested Cuckoo
• Giant Eagle Owl
• Black Swift
• Giant Kingfisher
• Pied Kingfisher
• Malachite Kingfisher
• Brownhooded Kingfisher
• European Bee-Eater
• White Faced Bee-Eater
• Lilac Breasted Roller
• Grey Hornbill
• Yellowbilled Hornbill
• Redbilled Hornbill
• Masked Weaver
• Blue Waxbill
• Blackeyed Bulbul
• Whitethroated Robin
• Purple Crested Lourie
• Orange Breasted Bushshrike
• Bennett's Woodpecker