10 April 2014
Upon arrival in the park we instantly spotted some lone maleimpalas. As breeding season is starting soon, more and more males will be
excluded from the herds by stronger ones and they will start forming bachelor
groups. These males were still too young to breed, so now they are on their
own. Furthermore we saw a small dung beetle rolling its ball of dung, pushing
it through the wet sand and up the side of the road. It really took some effort
as the dung ball kept on rolling of course with dung beetle and all.
This first day the guests went on their sundowner safari, so there was some time to relax before the drive left. The guests were very lucky on their first drive. They saw buffalos, an elephant crossing the road, kudu, a chameleon, a martial eagle and lions twice!
This first day the guests went on their sundowner safari, so there was some time to relax before the drive left. The guests were very lucky on their first drive. They saw buffalos, an elephant crossing the road, kudu, a chameleon, a martial eagle and lions twice!
11 April 2014
We left after breakfast, just when a downpour started.
Within a couple of seconds we were drenched, but the impalas didn't seem to
mind. We also saw a white rhino lying in a drainage line and the rain water was
pooling all around him.
We drove down Napi and luckily the rain started to lessen. We saw a waterbuck cross the road just before Shitlhave Dam and a little further on was a harem of zebra. The youngsters were quite skittish, but the adults didn't mind their picture taken.
On the way to Skukuza we also spotted kudu, black chested snake eagle, bateleur, klipspringer and more zebras.
After our coffee break we were surprised by a large herd of buffalo just past Skukuza. We hoped they would cross the road, but no such luck.
We then drove down Doispane and Albassini back to our lodge. Doispane was very good for viewing leopard tortoises as we saw many in different sizes. We also were surprised by a black mamba that suddenly crossed the road in front of the car. He sped up as soon as he felt us coming but we all got a glimpse.
Ground hornbills are the most endangered birds in the Kruger National Park and today was the first time this year we spotted them on safari. A little group of five walked through the high grass, their heads just visible. We stayed with them for a bit until they were completely engulfed in the vegetation.
Furthermore we spotted blue wildebeest, lilac breasted roller, warthog, hippos, terrapin, two kudu bulls and more waterbuck on our morning drive.
In the afternoon we started with the already pretty common impalas and then a little group of kudu females. Down Napi towards Shitlhave Dam we spotted a mother elephant with two young generations. It is not usual to see them by themselves in such a small group, but there was no herd in sight. At Shitlhave Dam two hippos were playing in the water. On the way back we took a little loop at Pretoriuskop as people had told us they just saw a leopard there, but alas it had disappeared. We did however see a couple of vervet monkeys in the trees.
We drove down Napi and luckily the rain started to lessen. We saw a waterbuck cross the road just before Shitlhave Dam and a little further on was a harem of zebra. The youngsters were quite skittish, but the adults didn't mind their picture taken.
On the way to Skukuza we also spotted kudu, black chested snake eagle, bateleur, klipspringer and more zebras.
After our coffee break we were surprised by a large herd of buffalo just past Skukuza. We hoped they would cross the road, but no such luck.
We then drove down Doispane and Albassini back to our lodge. Doispane was very good for viewing leopard tortoises as we saw many in different sizes. We also were surprised by a black mamba that suddenly crossed the road in front of the car. He sped up as soon as he felt us coming but we all got a glimpse.
Ground hornbills are the most endangered birds in the Kruger National Park and today was the first time this year we spotted them on safari. A little group of five walked through the high grass, their heads just visible. We stayed with them for a bit until they were completely engulfed in the vegetation.
Furthermore we spotted blue wildebeest, lilac breasted roller, warthog, hippos, terrapin, two kudu bulls and more waterbuck on our morning drive.
In the afternoon we started with the already pretty common impalas and then a little group of kudu females. Down Napi towards Shitlhave Dam we spotted a mother elephant with two young generations. It is not usual to see them by themselves in such a small group, but there was no herd in sight. At Shitlhave Dam two hippos were playing in the water. On the way back we took a little loop at Pretoriuskop as people had told us they just saw a leopard there, but alas it had disappeared. We did however see a couple of vervet monkeys in the trees.
12 April 2014
This morning we drove past the impalas on camp road and
turned onto Albassini. It was pretty quiet. We spotted tracks and signs of
zebra, buffalo, elephant and hyena but the only animal we actually saw were
three elephants far in the bush.
Just before we reached Doispane we saw vervet monkeys in the trees next to the road playing in the morning sun. We watched for a while and then continued towards Nyamundwa Dam where the hippos were playing noisily. Upon return towards Albassini we saw a small herd of wildebeest, three giraffes, and a slender mongoose crossing the road.
Back on Albassini we had a lovely sighting of a family of dwarf mongoose. Then suddenly all the mongoose scurried away and we wondered why until a big elephant came walking around the corner. He was followed by another one and we watched those two bulls feeding for quite some time. One was quite grumpy and even had a teaser fight with the younger elephant.
After a break at Pretoriuskop we also spotted a black headed oriole, black collared barbet, African hoopoe, a large group of banded mongoose, some more dwarf mongoose and two kudu bulls.
In the afternoon we started again with the impalas on camp road. We drove around Shabeni Loop spotting a klipspringer standing guard on the rock and had a buffalo take a run at us through a drainage line and the high grass to stop in front of us and start feeding. Further on we saw two more.
On the way to Circle Road we were lucky in spotting a sable antelope. He got surprised by our stop and swiftly crossed the road behind us and disappeared into the bush. It was a short but special sighting as sables are really secretive and rare to see.
The highlight of the day however was the next sighting. On Circle road we spotted a cat walking in front of us, and with the help of binoculars it was identified as a leopard. Upon seeing us though, he jumped into the grass and disappeared from view. We parked up where we saw him last and waited... It paid off! After a longish wait we heard a rustle and then the leopard came back on to the road in front of us! He looked back a couple of times and assured of our distance and non threat he laid down in the middle of the road and had a little play with a branch and a roll. He then got up and kept on walking. We followed at a distances, keeping him in view while he sniffed around and jumped around the puddles in the road. It was a brilliant sighting and we all loved the ending of this day!!
Just before we reached Doispane we saw vervet monkeys in the trees next to the road playing in the morning sun. We watched for a while and then continued towards Nyamundwa Dam where the hippos were playing noisily. Upon return towards Albassini we saw a small herd of wildebeest, three giraffes, and a slender mongoose crossing the road.
Back on Albassini we had a lovely sighting of a family of dwarf mongoose. Then suddenly all the mongoose scurried away and we wondered why until a big elephant came walking around the corner. He was followed by another one and we watched those two bulls feeding for quite some time. One was quite grumpy and even had a teaser fight with the younger elephant.
After a break at Pretoriuskop we also spotted a black headed oriole, black collared barbet, African hoopoe, a large group of banded mongoose, some more dwarf mongoose and two kudu bulls.
In the afternoon we started again with the impalas on camp road. We drove around Shabeni Loop spotting a klipspringer standing guard on the rock and had a buffalo take a run at us through a drainage line and the high grass to stop in front of us and start feeding. Further on we saw two more.
On the way to Circle Road we were lucky in spotting a sable antelope. He got surprised by our stop and swiftly crossed the road behind us and disappeared into the bush. It was a short but special sighting as sables are really secretive and rare to see.
The highlight of the day however was the next sighting. On Circle road we spotted a cat walking in front of us, and with the help of binoculars it was identified as a leopard. Upon seeing us though, he jumped into the grass and disappeared from view. We parked up where we saw him last and waited... It paid off! After a longish wait we heard a rustle and then the leopard came back on to the road in front of us! He looked back a couple of times and assured of our distance and non threat he laid down in the middle of the road and had a little play with a branch and a roll. He then got up and kept on walking. We followed at a distances, keeping him in view while he sniffed around and jumped around the puddles in the road. It was a brilliant sighting and we all loved the ending of this day!!
13 April 2014
This morning we set out right after an early breakfast for
our morning safari. When we turned into Albassini we spotted a nice flock of
guineafowls lying on the road. Once they all had gotten up they kept on running
in front of the car for about 500m before going into the bush on the side of
the road. Eish, talk about morning gymnastics! We also saw a herd of impalas
and some lone buffalo bulls, both in the middle of the road as well, but they
moved off a bit quicker than the guineafowls.
At Mestel Dam we saw an island of hippos, a fish eagle in a tree and a herd of waterbuck. One of the waterbuck was leucist, so he stood out against the others.
We stopped for what initially were two rhinos in the high grass on the side of the road, until a third one joined them. Judging by their reactions it was a mother with a youngster that got checked out by the bull of the area. On Shabeni rocks we saw a large troop of baboons.
Towards Pretoriuskop a warthog played model for us, showing off all his good sides. Basically he showed every side of him though. On the little loop we encounter some dwarf mongoose, that got a little curious about us when we stopped to watch them warm up in the morning sun. And just in the end of the loop we saw a mother giraffe with a very little baby, approximately only a week old. The little one was still working on her coordination as it walked straight into a branch as it tried to follow the mother quickly when she walked off. We had a little chuckle, but mostly she was plain cute!
We then had to say goodbye to Chris and Bruce, who had joined us on a 3-day safari, as well as to the Hulsen family who spend 4 days on safari with us. Sad to see you go, but hopefully you'll be back someday!
In the afternoon we went out for a short bumble on the savannah with the remaining guests. We drove to Shitlhave Dam and back, with a loop around Shabeni just in case. Mostly we talked about the conservation and management of a vast natural area like the Kruger NP, but we also stopped for a buffalo on the side of the road, vervet monkeys displaying why it is called a blue monkey in Afrikaans and some nice kudus. At Shitlhave Dam we saw some young waterbucks, a terrapin, a crocodile on the rock on the side, and the nostrils of a hippo. The loop around Shabeni gave us no new animals this time, just the family of three klipspringers on top, more vervet monkeys and a herd of impalas.
All in all still a good day!
At Mestel Dam we saw an island of hippos, a fish eagle in a tree and a herd of waterbuck. One of the waterbuck was leucist, so he stood out against the others.
We stopped for what initially were two rhinos in the high grass on the side of the road, until a third one joined them. Judging by their reactions it was a mother with a youngster that got checked out by the bull of the area. On Shabeni rocks we saw a large troop of baboons.
Towards Pretoriuskop a warthog played model for us, showing off all his good sides. Basically he showed every side of him though. On the little loop we encounter some dwarf mongoose, that got a little curious about us when we stopped to watch them warm up in the morning sun. And just in the end of the loop we saw a mother giraffe with a very little baby, approximately only a week old. The little one was still working on her coordination as it walked straight into a branch as it tried to follow the mother quickly when she walked off. We had a little chuckle, but mostly she was plain cute!
We then had to say goodbye to Chris and Bruce, who had joined us on a 3-day safari, as well as to the Hulsen family who spend 4 days on safari with us. Sad to see you go, but hopefully you'll be back someday!
In the afternoon we went out for a short bumble on the savannah with the remaining guests. We drove to Shitlhave Dam and back, with a loop around Shabeni just in case. Mostly we talked about the conservation and management of a vast natural area like the Kruger NP, but we also stopped for a buffalo on the side of the road, vervet monkeys displaying why it is called a blue monkey in Afrikaans and some nice kudus. At Shitlhave Dam we saw some young waterbucks, a terrapin, a crocodile on the rock on the side, and the nostrils of a hippo. The loop around Shabeni gave us no new animals this time, just the family of three klipspringers on top, more vervet monkeys and a herd of impalas.
All in all still a good day!
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