On Safari with Dean from 31 July 2013

31 July 2013

Guests were picked up at  OR Tambo International Airport at 10:00am after loading the vehicle we left Johannesburg and made our way through to Nelspruit and then onto Nkambeni Tented Camp, we did not do a drive the this day due to guests getting into Johannesburg from Cape Town mid morning and us only reached the Kruger National Park late in the afternoon. Guests enjoyed the late afternoon/evening in the camp getting geared up for the next early morning.

1 August 2013

We left Nkambeni Tented Camp early and made our way down the Numbi gate tar and onto Napi Road down to Skukuza for a break.

Animals seen on this drive were:

Elephant, buffalo, impala, kudu, hyena, giraffe, baboon and hippo.

After our break we took a drive around the Sabie River, going along Elloff street and over the high water bridge, down Tshokwane road and then back to Skukuza for a good lunch.

Animals seen were:

Waterbuck, hippo, elephant, rhino, buffalo, as well as ten lions close to the high water bridge, as well as more about two kilometres further on. Down the Tshokwane tar, we came across a lot of bird species, as well as elephant and buffalo. We then returned to Nkambeni Tented Camp for the evening.

2 August 2013

Today after enjoying a good breakfast, we went out on the road early again to see what we could find.

We made our way down Napi Road and managed to find more good sightings of elephant, rhino, buffalo, as well as a great cheetah sighting of a very pregnant cheetah walking down the fire break looking for a place to give birth to her cubs. After spending quite a time with her rolling in the dung next to our open vehicle as well as sniffing around, she was off just a quick as she had come.

We continued onto Skukuza camp for a break, getting more baboons, giraffe, impala, kudu, common duiker, as well as some good bird species such as the Ground Hornbills. After our break, it was out on the road again going down Doispane road and then up Albasini and back to camp so guests could go on their night drive. On the drive back numerous impala, kudu, wildebeest, elephant and rhino sightings were enjoyed.

3 August 2013

Another early morning  again to see what this new day in Africa will bring us as it was the clients last day. We went all out to find a leopard. After travelling around the area, we made our way down Napi Road and into Shithave dam, the dam was quiet with little to no activity, as this has been the case this winter with a lot of the dams in the area.

Our transfer vehicle arrived with more guests from Johannesburg starting their safari and other guests returning to Johannesburg leaving their safari with us to get on their flight back to the Cayman Islands.

After transferring guests to the transfer vehicle and then receiving new ones, we went to the camp of Pretoriuskop for lunch and then it was out on the drive to see what we could find.

We took a drive down  Napi road to the Watergat junction, before turning around and returning to the Nkambeni Safari Camp for the night.
 
Animals seen were:

Elephant, rhino, impala, kudu, waterbuck and giraffe.

4 August 2013

It was up early to enjoy breakfast, and then it was out onto the road to see what today brings.

We drove down to the camp of Skukuza for a break before proceeding back to the Numbi gate to receive more guests taking them through to the camp for lunch and a break, before proceeding out on another drive.

Animals seen were:

Elephant, rhino, buffalo, impala, kudu, waterbuck, giraffe, baboon, common duiker and vervet monkeys.

On the way back to camp, we came across a great honey badger crossing the road, he proceeded to play next to the open vehicle, before going up and sitting on a termite mound for a while, a real busy body as he went along.

The afternoon drive was slow as it was a colder day so fewer animals were seen but we still managed to enjoy sightings of impala, kudu, waterbuck, elephant, rhino ( at a distance ) as well as giraffe.

Everybody was glad to get back to camp and have a warm room with some good food.

5 August 2013

After a good night with a good breakfast, it was out again onto the road, and it was not long before we got our first sighting of elephant as well as buffalo close to the gate. We went on and found more elephant, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, warthog, hyena ( twice ), giraffe, baboons, as well as a leopard on the S114, close to Steenbok Plains. After a great sighting, it was off t the camp of Skukuza for a break, before leaving again on another game drive, this time going around the triangle close to skukuza.

Out on drive, we managed to find elephant, rhino, buffalo, ground hornbills, vervet monkeys, baboon as well as another leopard off the high water bridge.

We then made our way back to Skukuza for lunch, before returning to the camp via Doispane and  Albasini road.

We managed to get good sightings of rhino, buffalo, impala, kudu, lions in the Sabie River line, wildebeest as well as baboon on the way back.

Some guests were going on their game drive, so everyone asked to have an early afternoon back at the camp.

6 August 2013

Everybody was up early today, well rested and ready for the day. After breakfast it was out to see what we could find as it was some of the guests last morning with us, we went around the inner circle close to the camp of Pretoriuskop as well as Fayi loop, getting elephant, rhino, waterbuck and baboons.

We then made our way down to Shithave dam and onto boulders loop, getting elephant, impala and kudu.

After dropping guests off to return to Johannesburg, we made our way down to the camp of Skukuza for a break.

Animals seen were:

Elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard. We then returned to Napi Road and back to camp.

Guests went on a night safari, and got another leopard.

7 August 2013

After getting up to a warmer morning, it was out early again and soon after getting onto the road, we came across our first sighting of impala and kudu.

We made our way down Napi Road and got a great sighting of sable antelope. We then managed to find rhino close to the road for the guests as well as elephant, giraffe, impala,
kudu, baboon and klipspringer. We then went into camp for a break.

After our break, we went back on napi road and found plus minus 250 buffalo crossing the road at klipspringer koppies as well as a lioness lying about three kilometres down the H3.

After this we returned to camp for lunch.

After lunch, guests were back on the open safari vehicle to see what they could find.
Afternoon drive consisted of rhino, waterbuck, kudu, impala, warthog, buffalo and giraffe. We then proceeded to Camp as guests were leaving in the morning for the Panorama Route then Johannesburg.

8 August 2013

Dean returns from the Kruger National Park today going via the Panorama Route before saying goodbye to the guests at their destination of choice in Johannesburg.