29 April 2014
Today we started off with a white rhino lying in a drainage
line right next to the road. It seemed like he was posing for us, showing off
his horn, so we got some good pictures.
We went down Voortrekker to Afsaal, where the road was pretty quiet for animals. Especially compared to our luck yesterday. But we enjoyed the change in landscape and different trees and vegetation. On the way to our coffee break we did still see some animals though: warthogs, elephants, rhinos and a dark chanting goshawk.
After coffee we finally saw our first impala of the day, and then they came by bucket loads. We had another white rhino sighting of two white rhinos and saw a couple of brown snake eagles and a very nice kudu bull lying in the shade.
We took the S112 and S21 to Lower Sabie, where we spotted our first blue wildebeest and we saw a mother giraffe with her young. As Nelleke loves the birds, we stopped for a lot of them, like a grey lourie, various hornbills and starlings.
On the last stretch to Lower Sabie we saw plenty of elephants going to the river to drink and play with water. We had a herd of about 50 elephants of all ages cross right in front of us and some even behind us as well. This was brilliant to watch! The last stop before lunch was at Sunset Dam where we saw crocodiles on the shore, hippos in the water and impala and giraffe.
After break we drove back on the Sabie tar road, spotting martial eagles, fish eagles and bateleurs all flying over as well as sitting in trees. In the river bed or just on the other side there were also buffalos, lots of elephants, a giraffe, and more crocodiles and hippos. Baboons were on the side of the road making one hell of a noise, so we were watching closely to see why, but calm return after a while. No idea what the racket was about, but they descended from the trees and crossed the road all around us.
We were then tipped off about a leopard in a tree, which we were lucky to spot. He was quite obscured, lying with his back to us in the fork of a large Jackalberry. But we all did see him and even saw an ear twitch!
Furthermore we saw vervet monkeys, loads of impalas, a couple of bushbucks, woolly necked stork and had a brief sighting of some lions deep under cover in the bush.
We headed straight down towards camp, and continuing our afternoon luck we spotted a klipspringer, had 5 giraffes crossing the road in front of us, saw a crash of 6 white rhinos, waterbucks and zebras. Our progress was halted however by two male lions who had decided the middle of the road was the best place for a nap. When we arrived already about twenty other cars were milling around them, so we didn't really get a good visual. Once they got up and walked down the road, a procession of cars following them, we got some glimpses of them and the guests were even lucky to snap some pictures of the causes of the traffic jam.
All in all a long but very good and entertaining day!
We went down Voortrekker to Afsaal, where the road was pretty quiet for animals. Especially compared to our luck yesterday. But we enjoyed the change in landscape and different trees and vegetation. On the way to our coffee break we did still see some animals though: warthogs, elephants, rhinos and a dark chanting goshawk.
After coffee we finally saw our first impala of the day, and then they came by bucket loads. We had another white rhino sighting of two white rhinos and saw a couple of brown snake eagles and a very nice kudu bull lying in the shade.
We took the S112 and S21 to Lower Sabie, where we spotted our first blue wildebeest and we saw a mother giraffe with her young. As Nelleke loves the birds, we stopped for a lot of them, like a grey lourie, various hornbills and starlings.
On the last stretch to Lower Sabie we saw plenty of elephants going to the river to drink and play with water. We had a herd of about 50 elephants of all ages cross right in front of us and some even behind us as well. This was brilliant to watch! The last stop before lunch was at Sunset Dam where we saw crocodiles on the shore, hippos in the water and impala and giraffe.
After break we drove back on the Sabie tar road, spotting martial eagles, fish eagles and bateleurs all flying over as well as sitting in trees. In the river bed or just on the other side there were also buffalos, lots of elephants, a giraffe, and more crocodiles and hippos. Baboons were on the side of the road making one hell of a noise, so we were watching closely to see why, but calm return after a while. No idea what the racket was about, but they descended from the trees and crossed the road all around us.
We were then tipped off about a leopard in a tree, which we were lucky to spot. He was quite obscured, lying with his back to us in the fork of a large Jackalberry. But we all did see him and even saw an ear twitch!
Furthermore we saw vervet monkeys, loads of impalas, a couple of bushbucks, woolly necked stork and had a brief sighting of some lions deep under cover in the bush.
We headed straight down towards camp, and continuing our afternoon luck we spotted a klipspringer, had 5 giraffes crossing the road in front of us, saw a crash of 6 white rhinos, waterbucks and zebras. Our progress was halted however by two male lions who had decided the middle of the road was the best place for a nap. When we arrived already about twenty other cars were milling around them, so we didn't really get a good visual. Once they got up and walked down the road, a procession of cars following them, we got some glimpses of them and the guests were even lucky to snap some pictures of the causes of the traffic jam.
All in all a long but very good and entertaining day!
30 April 2014
This morning we went searching for those two male lions that
we saw walking on the road yesterday, thinking they might have gone up Shabeni.
Before we reached the Koppies they were already seen by Frank and Curtis, so we
had an easy find. Before we reached the lion sighting however we first spotted two
klipspringers on Shabeni Koppies as well. Then we got to the lions, which were
lying on the flat rocks. We sat with them for quite some time, while they got
up and laid down somewhere else a couple of times. We also heard then roaring,
but not at full power. Even though it was a bit half-hearted, it was great to
hear.
We then took a slow drive around Fayi Loop, spotting our first elephants of today. A young baby elephant was drinking from its mother. We also saw a reedbuck twice, had another large elephant herd crossing, and saw a dark chanting goshawk as well as a lizard buzzard.
While we sat at the Boskombuis at Pretoriuskop the vervet monkeys were climbing all over the place, and a cheeky one even stole some leftover food from an empty table. After the break we drove down Napi, spotting even more elephants, kudus and a lot of lilac breasted rollers.
We sat for a while at Transport Dam, enjoying the scenery and the waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, hippos and all the birds that were hanging around at the same Dam. We then went up Watergat, which was fairly quiet with not many other animals than impalas. However we did get a good look of a buffalo in one of the drainage lines as well as a beautiful little bee-eater.
Before we got to the Skukuza Golfclub for lunch we saw a steenbok, had 2 elephant herds on the side of the road and saw a leopard tortoise crossing for which we waited patiently. While having lunch we saw a hippo munching on the grass on the other side, some more hippos in the water and a family of warthogs digging up the golfcourse with their snouts.
On the way back we stopped at Lake Panic where there were crocodiles, a huge terrapin was swimming by and we looked at the birds. Then we continued our drive on Doispane where more elephant herds decided it was time to cross the road when we arrived at the scene, plenty of bateleurs were flying over, we saw a harrier-hawk and a juvenile steppe eagle landed on the road in front of us to clean up some road kill. The last bit of our drive we saw another lot of giraffes that were feeding and we saw our one and only white rhino of today. It was another great day!
We then took a slow drive around Fayi Loop, spotting our first elephants of today. A young baby elephant was drinking from its mother. We also saw a reedbuck twice, had another large elephant herd crossing, and saw a dark chanting goshawk as well as a lizard buzzard.
While we sat at the Boskombuis at Pretoriuskop the vervet monkeys were climbing all over the place, and a cheeky one even stole some leftover food from an empty table. After the break we drove down Napi, spotting even more elephants, kudus and a lot of lilac breasted rollers.
We sat for a while at Transport Dam, enjoying the scenery and the waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, hippos and all the birds that were hanging around at the same Dam. We then went up Watergat, which was fairly quiet with not many other animals than impalas. However we did get a good look of a buffalo in one of the drainage lines as well as a beautiful little bee-eater.
Before we got to the Skukuza Golfclub for lunch we saw a steenbok, had 2 elephant herds on the side of the road and saw a leopard tortoise crossing for which we waited patiently. While having lunch we saw a hippo munching on the grass on the other side, some more hippos in the water and a family of warthogs digging up the golfcourse with their snouts.
On the way back we stopped at Lake Panic where there were crocodiles, a huge terrapin was swimming by and we looked at the birds. Then we continued our drive on Doispane where more elephant herds decided it was time to cross the road when we arrived at the scene, plenty of bateleurs were flying over, we saw a harrier-hawk and a juvenile steppe eagle landed on the road in front of us to clean up some road kill. The last bit of our drive we saw another lot of giraffes that were feeding and we saw our one and only white rhino of today. It was another great day!
1 May 2014
Today was unfortunately our last day on safari. We
packed our bags, loaded up the car and left after breakfast. On camp road we
were welcomed by the impalas that like to hang around and even a duiker came to
say a quick goodbye before running off. We turned onto Albassini which was full
of tracks of buffalo and there was lots of fresh dung, but the herd remained
elusive. At Mestel Dam however we saw some hippos playing in the water and a
baby hippo that kept on popping up next to Mum.
Down Shabeni we saw some lovely African birds and
then took a loop around the Shabeni Koppies. We spotted an elephant not far
away, feeding happily and we saw half a buffalo. Just half, as his under-parts
and head were hidden in the long grass and unfortunately he didn't want to
grant us a good look. Yesterday's lions had moved off the rocks again (or at
least they were lying out of sight, if they were there at all).
We continued on it had been rather quiet so far,
probably the most quiet morning of this tour. But then our luck changed as we
saw 3 white rhinos on the side of the road. One had already gotten up and
started breakfast, but the other two were still lying sleeping in the morning
sun. While watching they decided it was time to get up, but before breakfast
they put in some exercise in the form of pushing (the bigger one) and being
pushed (the smaller one). Even the third one joined in the sparring match, but
there wasn't much strength in it. It was just all bravado, but for us, it just
meant more fun to watch. Once they started having their breakfast we moved off
and decided to have a quick look at Shitlhave Dam before coffee break. Except for
a lone waterbuck, nothing was happening there so we drove to Pretoriuskop to
relieve our bladders and fill them with fresh coffee.
The last stretch of this safari took us around a
loop around Pretoriuskop Koppie. We enjoyed the wide view of the environment
and a nice kudu bull that was browsing close to the road. As a farewell we
spotted a young elephant bull. He was quite far away, but when he spotted us he
came towards us. His swagger was indicating he was out for trouble. While
showing his size and making one hell of a racket he came towards the vehicle,
but after one good look and a shout he decided we were not to be messed with.
Backing off with much bravura, he conceded to leave us alone and we conceded to
the fact it now was really time to leave the Park.
Nelleke and Hubert, thanks for coming with us and I
hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday as much as your safari!
More coming soon!!
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