Sunrise at the Earth Lodge Sabi Sabi Game Reserve. Game drives start bright and early with coffee and danishes at 5:00 a.m. Departures at 5:30 a.m.

The tree seen silhouetted is The Marula Tree and has a history as a source of nutrition dating back to 10,000 years B.C. and it is certainly one of Africa's botanical treasures.
The multiple uses of the tree, it's bark, leaves, fruit, nut and kernels are legendary. My favorite is when the fruit ripens and drops to the ground and lightly ferments ... the elephants, giraffes, warthogs, and other animals get wasted and the party gets started safari style !
http://youtu.be/D5E5TjkDvU0

The fruits are a good food source and high in vitamin C.
The skin can be boiled to make a drink or burnt to be used as a substitute for coffee.
The wood is soft for carving
The inner bark can be used to make rope and for making dye
They produce small tasty nuts which are rich in protein.
The Oil is used as a skin cosmetic.
Their green leaves are eaten to relieve heartburn.
The bark contains antihistamines

The fruit can also be cooked to produce jam, juices and alcoholic beverages like "Amarula" a delicious South African Cream Liqueur that substrates just fine for coffee creamer any time of the day as far as I'm concerned. It also is used to brew a very tasty, potent South African moonshine known locally as "Mampoer" after a local Chief who favored it. It is said to make grown men weep.

the Venda people of Southern Africa maintain that bark infusions can be used to determine the gender of an unborn child. If a woman wants a son the male tree is used, and for a daughter, the female tree. If the child of the opposite gender is born, the child is said to be very special as it was able to defy the spirits.

Oh, and did I mention it sacred.

#treetrove #goldenhour

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Our top choices for Mala Mala Game Reserve 4-star hotels

Kruger Gate Hotel

Skukuza

Kabelo

AED 1,244 total

includes taxes & fees

7 Apr - 8 Apr

3 outdoor pools, open 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, sun loungers

Kruger Shalati - Train on the Bridge and Garden Suites

Skukuza

Jason

AED 2,898 total

includes taxes & fees

9 Mar - 10 Mar

Elephant Point

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Amy

Elephant Plains Game Lodge

Bushbuckridge

Craig

AED 3,614 total

includes taxes & fees

17 Mar - 18 Mar

Inyati Game Lodge

Sabi Sand Reserve

Richard

Rhino Walking Safaris

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Eric

Hamiltons Tented Camp

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

Breakfast, lunch, dinner served; garden views

Mananga Private Bush Retreat

Bushbuckridge

"This was far the most exciting and the most anxiously anticipated stay by our family ever. We were worried that we dared (way to adventurously) to stay at the private accommodations in the middle of bushes/savannah in S. Africa (near Kruger Park). This was something very exotic and a bit scary to book on line without ever seeing it, but we really did hit the jack pot. Pictures and reviews were awesome on the site ,but you never know if this will be a reality once you get there. Mananga Private...

Igor

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aha Skukuza Safari Lodge

Skukuza Rd Mbombela Mpumalanga

AED 550

AED 848 total

8 Mar - 9 Mar

includes taxes & fees

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