Featured post

Some of Nhongo Safaris Fleet of Open Safari Vehicles

The photo shows some of our fleet of Open Safari Vehicles used while on safari in the Kruger National and Hwange National Parks. These ve...

Monday 4 January 2016

On Safari With Curtis From 29 December 2015

29 December 2015

Today all the guests jumped on the truck for an early start and we had a great start with two leopards up in a Marula tree within the first ten minutes.

We had plenty of white rhino sightings the best being a huge territorial male which crossed over the road in front us.

But I think the guests favorite sighting was the lion sighting. We initially found a big male lying in the riverbed taking cover from the increasingly hot sun. With a lot of trees and bush making visibility difficult we moved forward to a much clearer opening and there we spotted another male with two females also in the shade.

As we watched we noticed a herd of elephants which walked right past the bushes and the lions down to the water. They had walked just ten meters from the lions but had missed them, although it certainty got the lions attention. As the elephants drank a second herd did exactly the same, walking past the lions without noticing.

We spent fifteen minutes watching the elephants drinking and splashing about before they moved.

The lions, following the elephants departure, then settled down and relaxed a little bit easier.

Throughout the day we also saw cape buffalo,  Impala, steenbok, giraffe, warthogs, waterbuck, kudu, zebra, wildebeest, klipspringer, hippo, bushbuck, nyala, vervet monkey and baboons.


Birds included goliath heron, fish eagle, woodlands kingfishers, yellow-billed hornbill, marabou storks,  blue waxbill.

30 December 2015

On the final morning of this tour we again split into two groups, a couple of us went for a drive where we saw plenty of elephants including a few very small calves.

We also saw lots of Cape buffalo, zebra, giraffe, kudu, waterbuck, warthog, common duiker, Impala and vervet monkey.

Meanwhile the two girls went out on a bushwalk where they enjoyed learning about the smaller stuff of the Kruger National Park.

They also enjoyed a 200 strong herd of buffalo stampeding, luckily not in their direction, a brief glimpse of hyena and they had a go at tracking leopard!!!

Unfortunately although one of the rangers saw the leopard the guests didn't. But they had great fun!!!

Then farewell time as we said goodbye to Gemma, Hannah and Fabricio who are all exploring more of South Africa.

1 January 2016

The first day of a brand new year and a brand new tour. Joining us today were Barbara and David.

On arriving at Numbi Gate we had time for a drive before heading to the lodge. The drive consisted of a missed leopard and a very nice elephant sighting.

The family herd of about twenty had just enjoyed a nice drink and maybe a swim for a couple of them and now as they walked away from the stream a couple enjoyed a nice dust bath!!!

We also saw zebra, Impala, kudu, waterbuck and warthog for a good start to this safari.

2 January 2016

An early start and a early highlight as, after a tip from Amanda, we found African wild dog!!!

We found just one initially but then spotted a second,  they had caught a baby Impala and although a bit in the bush we could see and hear as their small snack was devoured all within five minutes.

They then decided to walk back onto the road allowing for a much better look. We followed them for a couple of minutes before they sharp turned back into the bush.

Second highlight was a herd of elephants busying destroying a tree in the name of food. We sat watching for about ten minutes when we noticed two more walking towards the herd.

We then looked on the other side of the vehicle and were surprised to not only see a large bull elephant but a white rhino standing watching us and the elephants.

Our attention turned to the rhino and we hoped he would come closer to cross the road but he kept his distance. Nevertheless lovely to see!!!

Also seen were Impala, waterbuck, kudu, crocodile, Vervet monkey, baboon, giraffe, warthogs, common duiker, sable antelope, dwarf mongoose, common reedbuck,  klipspringer, buffalo and hippo.

Birds included the woodlands kingfishers,  lilac breasted roller, tawny eagle, grey heron, cape glossy starling, blacksmith lapwings and goliath heron.

3 January 2016

The highlight of todays drives was the lion sighting. Four lionesses had killed an wildebeest and we arrived to find them lying in the shade digesting their meal.

As is very often with lion sightings you don't get much action but they did occasionally move back to the carcass to eat some more.

Later on we returned to the sighting and found three of them lying next to each other, only awaken by the appearance of a kudu. But they were too full to attempt anything.
When we got bored off looking at the lions we also had two white rhino relaxing on the other side of the road.

As the day warmed up we visited a couple of waterholes. At one we found a small group of buffalo, a small bachelor group of elephant playing in the water, a slightly annoyed hippo, two giraffe, waterbuck and Impala making for a great sighting.

New species also included hyena and steenbok.


Birds seen today included yellow-billed hornbill,  lilac breasted roller, hadeda ibis, egyptian geese and african fish eagle.

No comments:

Post a Comment