On Safari with Mark Continuing from 11 March Ending 14 March 2013

11 March 2013

Route: satara - S37 - tshokwane tar - H10 - eloff - napi - H3 - berg en dal tar

A total of 27 giraffe seen today. 9 different dazzles of zebra with a combination of blue wildebeest. 11 warthog. Kudu and impala till we just drove past (to many to stop for). Magnificent 7 elephant bulls spotted throughout the day. 3 different large herds of female elephants on H10.Very little game viewing on ellof street. 2 male lion's just sleeping on the road 1.1km down marola loop. Many rhino's spotted throughout the day with the largest crash been 5 in total. Just before the H3 & berg en dal tar junction we got 10 wild dog lying in the road. They got up and moved closer to the shade the vehicle gave from the late afternoon sun. 2.1km before berg en dal camp we had mating kudu's on the side of the road. All in a days work. Now we only need a really good leopard sighting.

12 March 2013

Route: Berg en Dal Tar - H3 - little jock - S114 - Doispan - Albaseni - Nkabemeni  - camp

Once again the morning drive was relatively quiet with general game spotted on the way to breakfast at Afsaal. We decided to go to biaymiti causeway as for the past 2 days a pride of lions was in the area and could still possibly be there, No luck though, it looked to me as though they had decided to move on during the evening. While at the causeway we found a female leopard lying in a huge marola tree approximately 60m off the road, after a while she got down and moved off into the thicket. On the S114 we had a couple of buffalo bulls (dagga boys) come across the road and could show the guests how fast a huge animal like this can disappear into the bush, without any sign of them within 2min of the crossing. After lunch we drove up doispan and found a leopard lying in a drainage line 7.4km from river link junction. We watched it for approximately 45min, while it just lay sleeping. As we were about to leave it woke up and moved off  into the bush on its late afternoon walk. Albaseni was relatively quiet, with only a small journey of giraffe heading in the direction of Nkambeni camp. Great to have had 2 leopard sightings for the day and my guests were very pleased with the outcome.

13 March 2013

Route: Numbi tar - napi - H3 - S112 - napi - marola loop - eloff st - watergat - napi

We decided to head out along the Napi in search of a cheetah. This didn't happen and although we searched in the area last spotted both Dean and I couldn't find her. While continuing with our drive, we were informed of 2 male lion's on the S112 lying enjoying the morning sun. As this was the only animal of the big 5 that two of my clients hadn't seen, we drove to go have a look. Not a great sighting as these guys were doing what lions do well and that is sleep. Every now and again, one would look up and this gave the guests opportunity to view these beautiful creatures. After lunch we headed out towards Marola loop to have a look what was in the area. A short sighting of a Honey badger carrying her pup in her mouth, was definitely the sighting of the day for me. After that we travelled around and saw very little other than the general game such as Kudu, Impala, Klipspringer, Zebra, Giraffe, warthog, blue wildebeest, steenbok and grey duikers. We decided to have an earlier afternoon and headed back to camp to enjoy the sunset chatting on the deck overlooking the hippo pool.

14 March 2013

Route: Napi - Watergat - Doispan - Albaseni - Out of the park

Despite leaving camp at 5h30 the early bird doesn't always catch the worm. Napi was relatively quiet until we got to Klipspringer koppies, were a Female leopard was on the rocks but heading north. While at klipspringer koppies a colleague reported a pride of lions in the watergat causeway and we headed in that direction. 2 males, 2 females and 4 cubs were spotted  lying in the riverbed enjoying a rest. Rhino and elephant were spotted throughout the trip and it was a great way to end of the 7 day safari. We had a late breakfast at nkambeni and while busy with it, 3 giraffe came walking across the bush in front of the camp. 2 of them necking, while the other just looked on. This was something special as my client wanted to see this from the start of the safari.