3 November 2014
A new tour
started yesterday and after a quick check-in at Nkambeni Safari Camp the guests
went on their first game drive. This was the sundowner game drive. They were
taken down to Mashawu Dam for their sundowner drinks, which is a lovely dam
full of hippos. But before they got there they had also enjoyed sightings of
elephants close by the vehicle, zebras, impala, kudu and waterbuck. So much so
they almost missed the sunset! Then again, the clouds were kind of obscuring
the prettiness of the sunset. On the way back they also had a great sighting of
a hyena. All in all, this first drive was thoroughly enjoyed!
4 November 2014
Then this
morning we set off after breakfast. It wasn't cold as yet, but the clouds were
looking as if they were going to spit on us (which they did a little bit later
on the drive). We drove up Numbi tar and then Napi. It all started quiet and
then suddenly, the animals started appearing. First we got a small herd of
female and young male kudus all lying down. Then a couple of waterbuck grazing
and a lone impala running from ... Well we didn't see anything running after it
so we assume a ghost.
Then we had a
lot of fun when the guys on the truck thought they saw a rhino. Us girls were
scouting around with and without binoculars, but we did see no such thing. Then
out from behind a bush comes... a warthog. With a bit of imagination it looks
like a small rhino, but no. However, after some more kilometers we spotted our
first real white rhino, and there were more to follow. We also saw a few elephants
bulls and some buffalo bulls not far from our first white rhino bull. As if
there had been a general bull meeting.
We also saw a
family of vervet monkeys, with a tiny little baby being protected by all. And a
hyena babysitter with what looked like at least three different aged litters to
babysit. The youngest of the lot got the most freedom and was happily joining
in a game of tag as well as 'bite the ear' or 'bite the tail'. Unfortunately
for one pup though, the 'bite the tail' game was rather popular and it was his
tail they were using.
Before we got
to Skukuza for our break we saw some zebras in the distance, ground hornbills
off the ground and in a tree, white-fronted bee eaters, and a dung beetle
rolling a big dung ball. It wasn't our only dung beetle encounter as one being
tired of flying hitched a ride in the car. Careful not to squash him (or
altogether touch him) a frenzy emerged in the back of the truck as this little
bugger kept walking around between the rows of seats from the front to the
back. Until Allan was the bravest of them all and picked him up and tossed him
in the grass.
During break time
at Skukuza we took a look at a large hippo that was lying in the river, but
nicely visible. When it was time to continue our drive we followed up on a tip
about lions down the H3. We did see some buffalo on the way, but the lions at
Kwaggapan were lying flat as the grass somewhere in the distance unseen.
However we were rewarded for our trip down south as we spotted a leopard
walking through the grass. Well, mostly just its white tuft of the tail that
was sticking out. Anticipating its movements we drove past and waited at an
open area, where we could see a bit more of it. Dreamily we said it should jump
in the tree for a better view. We were in luck, as the one tree in line with
our perfect vision, about 25m from the road, suddenly had a leopard it in. It
posed for us and some other cars for about 5min. And that was it, show time
over. She jumped down and while we followed the white tuft of the tail, that's
all we got to see of her after the show.
So far no lion
luck though, but we had gotten another tip while the leopard walked away. So we
set off again, seeing our first giraffes of this trip and had a great sighting
of some elephants feeding close to the road. A youngster was with the family
but kept hiding behind a termite mount. There were definitely more elephants
around as we herd grass being pulled, branches broken, but all unseen. But
alas, also the second tip didn't pay off. Here we had a sighting of 5 kudu
bulls though. Not as great as the leopard, but still impressive.
Third time is
a charm they say and we were hoping to prove it right. Upon our third possible
lion tip, we already thought we would see something different again, but this
time it was indeed lions. We didn't spot as many as they said there were, but
still, we got lions! That even completed our big five for today, so we felt
really chuffed. And even on the way back to Skukuza we saw more lions! And that
wasn't the only sighting: leopard tortoise, wildebeests, yellow - billed
hornbills, steenboks and a very big leopard tortoise. Not to mention the vervet
monkeys raiding the parking lot at Skukuza itself.
After a spot
of lunch it was time to head back to camp as it started to get really hot. We
drove down Napi again seeing a very small leopard tortoise, a secretary bird, a
dung beetle that had got himself a girlfriend on the ball, a herd of buffalos,
more giraffes in the distance and a large group of reedbucks.
The last
stretch on Numbi tar gave us some more elephants, waterbuck, zebras and a last
new animal: dwarf mongoose. Upon return it was time for a dive in the pool at
the lodge and a drink in the bar to celebrate this excellent safari day!
5 November 2014
This morning
we set off again after a hearty breakfast for our morning safari. The weather
forecasted was much better than yesterday and this morning we left with our
sunglasses already on our noses! We were greeted by some impalas and waterbucks
hanging out on camp road, before we spotted two young bull elephants hanging
out together. These guys came closer and closer to the road and two buffalo
bulls that were relaxing a little further on. In the end the buffalos decided
to get out of the way of those two boisterous males.
We then turned
onto Fayi Loop where we had a great sighting of a herd of elephants. At first
they were a bit far into the bush, but good things come to those who wait.
Slowly they came closer and closer and then they all stood on the side of the
road. As they had some little ones, the mothers waited for the protection of
the aunties as well before they crossed. As one big elephant group they crossed
in front and a few stragglers behind us. Then they completely disappeared into
the bush, completely out of sight.
A little
further on there were even more elephants. We followed at the pace of one of
them walking in the middle of the road, who brought us to another heard of
elephants. Some had crossed, others seemed to go the other way. Some elephants
weren't happy the car split the herd and let us know by the elephant speak
which sounds like a big tummy rumble. So we parked out of the way, as they
might get crazy ideas. There was one tiny little elephant that was trying to
figure out what that ting in front of its face was for. An hilarious sight, as
it couldn't really use its trunk yet at all.
In between the
taller trees we then encountered some lovely giraffes. Some got a fright and
ran away, others were curious to see what was happening. Then two decided to
cross in front of us. Not a bad deal, but their modeling coach really needs to
work with them. As the first one crossed, he looked our way but stopped in the
middle of the road for not even a second to take a good picture. The second one
didn't even stop at all and looked the other way!! Tsssss.
Down the loop
we also found a steenbok couple, a dark chanting goshawk, two Dung-beetles
having a race in "roll the ball" almost having a head on collision
with a car, a juvenile bateleur, a common grey duiker (our new animal of this
tour), a warthog with two piglets, more waterbuck, a gracious kudu bull, vervet
monkeys, helmeted guineafowls making a racket and a big herd of buffalos. While
watching the buffalos they suddenly started running. The buffalo stampede ran
across a drainage line where then they resumed grazing as if nothing happened.
We waited around for quite some time to see if something scared them was maybe
a lion, but nothing showed up. All we could see in the distance they were
running from was a kudu bull hanging out with some impalas.
But our best
sighting this morning was another herd of elephants. They came from the dense
bush just as we stopped at a little drainage line. The waterhole was just in
front of us and slowly but steadily this herd of elephants moved towards it,
chasing out two reedbucks. Well, if I saw this big herd coming towards me, I
would make a run for it! But we actually stayed put next to the waterhole and the
entire herd lined up to have a drink from it. The little ones well protected in
their midst, they all drank until they had their fill. Then the matriarch
called that it was time to move and off they went. They formed a line and
crossed the road behind off into the field.
Meanwhile
Allan and Claire were enjoying their bushwalk. They enjoyed the silence of the
bush and learning all about the tracks and signs that animals leave behind.
They also came across animals like a leopard tortoise, impalas, and a warthog
in a hiding hole.
After a quick
relaxing break, unfortunately it was time for Allan and Claire as well as Chloe
and Bruce to leave our safari as they continued on their travels. I hope you
had a wonderful time on this safari.
In the
afternoon we set off again for an afternoon drive with Eulee and Nick, while
newcomers Max and Laura were taken on their sundowner safari. First the
afternoon drive, where we took a drive all the way down to Napi Boulders and
back. It started of with a sighting of zebras, and then a 100m on another group
of zebras. A couple of hundred meters later there was a group with zebras and
giraffes. It must have been a zebra afternoon, because during the drive we
passed several more lots. And while we are comparing it to the morning, where
we saw lots of elephants, this entire afternoon drive we saw only 1 and he was
far in the distance too.
We did come
across another herd of buffalos, that was resting in the shade of the trees, a
tawny eagle being severely mobbed by two fork-tailed drongos, another tawny
eagle sitting silently in a tree, a lovely white rhino bull and two warthogs.
On Napi Boulders itself we came across a male lion doing what lions do best:
lying. We almost drove past him as a flat lying lion looks just like the grass,
but the flick of his tail caught our attention. Then we saw the blink of an eye
and an ear wiggle, some more tail flicks and the top bit of the mane so we were
sure it was a male lion. And we waited, and waited, and waited a bit more, but
he was point blank refusing to lift his head. The most movement we got was when
he rolled on his belly (funnily enough no one wanted to get out and give him a
belly rub) and then slowly keeled over the other way. So all bits considered we
have seen the entire lion...
On the way
back from the Boulders on the tar we came across a tsessebe. A rare sighting
(and believe it or not, my first ever sighting of a tsessebe in the Kruger
NP!). Unfortunately the tsessebe did not want to stay around to celebrate as
the moment he was spotted he actually moved off, retreating further and further
into the trees. And we got to see a glimpse of a leopard. The people at the
sighting thought they needed to inform us it just crossed the road, but we
caught the tail end of it, so it still counts as seeing another leopard!
Meanwhile Max
and Laura had a great time on their sundowner drive. Not only did they get to
see the sunset, they were also treated to sightings of buffalos, elephants, a
leopard and a honey badger and more! A great start of their safari!
More coming
soon!!
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