17 April 2014
This morning we left for a full day game drive. We drove up
Albassini where we spotted impalas, kudus and zebras as well as an elephant in
the background before we reached Mestel Dam. At the dam the hippos were playing
in the water and we saw a nice fish eagle. Continuing on Albassini a member of
the public told us about a cheetah further up the road and we were in luck. At
a little waterhole named Cheetah Pan, a cheetah was resting on a mount of dirt
next to it. For a while we were the only car there and watched him stretch,
yawn and turn over. Even when other cars showed up, he had no interest in
getting up, so after watching him for about 45min we decided to leave.
Down on Doispane we spotted impala rams that were going after the ladies, a couple of wildebeest, leopard tortoises, giant plated lizard and some smaller cousins, more zebras and a lone buffalo walking down staff village road.
After a break at Skukuza we decided to follow the river to hopefully see some herds of elephants. We were not disappointed. We drove down to Lower Sabie seeing many elephants drinking from, swimming in and crossing the water of the Sabie river. We also saw some buffalo bulls, hippos, terrapins and crocodiles along the way, especially at Sunset Dam.
After a nice lunch we drove back along the river, again spotting herds of elephants, elephant bulls, giraffes, hippos. We heard about lions and leopards possibly down the S114 so we took a little detour. We didn't see either but got surprised by three cheetahs that suddenly walked in front of us onto the road. We stopped for pictures and a video and shortly they were back off the road in the high grass! We were so lucky!! Furthermore we saw a dwarf mongoose chasing a slender mongoose across the road, a steenbok, and many yellow billed hornbills, red billed hornbills and grey louries.
It was nearing the end of the day so we drove home via Napi. Luck hadn't run out yet as we passed the hyena den near Transport Dam and saw 5 young hyenas playing outside the den! Wondering where their babysitter was we continued spotting a buffalo herd in the distance, a lovely waterbuck male, and some more elephant bulls. One of those was in heavy must, so we smelled him before we even saw him.
Down on Doispane we spotted impala rams that were going after the ladies, a couple of wildebeest, leopard tortoises, giant plated lizard and some smaller cousins, more zebras and a lone buffalo walking down staff village road.
After a break at Skukuza we decided to follow the river to hopefully see some herds of elephants. We were not disappointed. We drove down to Lower Sabie seeing many elephants drinking from, swimming in and crossing the water of the Sabie river. We also saw some buffalo bulls, hippos, terrapins and crocodiles along the way, especially at Sunset Dam.
After a nice lunch we drove back along the river, again spotting herds of elephants, elephant bulls, giraffes, hippos. We heard about lions and leopards possibly down the S114 so we took a little detour. We didn't see either but got surprised by three cheetahs that suddenly walked in front of us onto the road. We stopped for pictures and a video and shortly they were back off the road in the high grass! We were so lucky!! Furthermore we saw a dwarf mongoose chasing a slender mongoose across the road, a steenbok, and many yellow billed hornbills, red billed hornbills and grey louries.
It was nearing the end of the day so we drove home via Napi. Luck hadn't run out yet as we passed the hyena den near Transport Dam and saw 5 young hyenas playing outside the den! Wondering where their babysitter was we continued spotting a buffalo herd in the distance, a lovely waterbuck male, and some more elephant bulls. One of those was in heavy must, so we smelled him before we even saw him.
18 April 2014
This morning we escaped the busy Easter Kruger traffic by
leaving a little later than normal. It was a pretty quiet morning drive up
Albassini, down Shabeni and then the tar road to Shithave Dam. We had stopped
at Mestel Dam and saw the hippos play and a pied kingfisher fish. We had seen
some impalas and waterbuck along the way. At Shithave Dam we saw a crocodile
sunning themselves and lots of waterbuck. A lone strong male kept watch on the dam
wall while a herd of females and two youngsters lay down in the grass and a
herd of bachelor males were trying out each other's strength. We felt sorry for
one of the males as one of his horns had grown downwards and by the looks of it
back into his skull at the rotation point of the lower jaw. But it seemed it
didn't stop him sparring with the other males.
We had a quick break at Pretoriuskop and then drove back to Nkambeni Lodge via Circle Road. We came across some dwarf mongoose, two giraffes, lots of butterflies and just before the end of the tar road we had the tail end of a herd of buffalo cross in front of us. On the way back to camp we spooked a nice water monitor that was sunning himself so much he fell from his sunning spot into the water... Oops, sorry!
In the afternoon we went out again after the heat of the day had subsided. Now joined by three new guests our first sighting was a snake on camp road. Still on camp road we also came across some more waterbuck. On the way down the Numbi tar road a lone buffalo walked in the middle of the road towards us, spotted us and dashed into the high grass out of sight. We turned onto Napi spotting our first impalas of the afternoon. As we got word it was all quiet on Napi, we turned onto Fayi Loop. Along with stretches of quiet we saw an elephant bull, more waterbuck, pretty waterlillies and a nice sighting of 4 giraffes.
Around Shabeni and Albassini it was void of animals. However the hippos at Mestel Dam were waking up, showing us 3/4 of their bodies, and the fish eagle had returned. We then saw a herd of female impala having a moment of jumping madness, which was great fun to watch.
We had a quick break at Pretoriuskop and then drove back to Nkambeni Lodge via Circle Road. We came across some dwarf mongoose, two giraffes, lots of butterflies and just before the end of the tar road we had the tail end of a herd of buffalo cross in front of us. On the way back to camp we spooked a nice water monitor that was sunning himself so much he fell from his sunning spot into the water... Oops, sorry!
In the afternoon we went out again after the heat of the day had subsided. Now joined by three new guests our first sighting was a snake on camp road. Still on camp road we also came across some more waterbuck. On the way down the Numbi tar road a lone buffalo walked in the middle of the road towards us, spotted us and dashed into the high grass out of sight. We turned onto Napi spotting our first impalas of the afternoon. As we got word it was all quiet on Napi, we turned onto Fayi Loop. Along with stretches of quiet we saw an elephant bull, more waterbuck, pretty waterlillies and a nice sighting of 4 giraffes.
Around Shabeni and Albassini it was void of animals. However the hippos at Mestel Dam were waking up, showing us 3/4 of their bodies, and the fish eagle had returned. We then saw a herd of female impala having a moment of jumping madness, which was great fun to watch.
19 April 2014
Today was our last day of the five-day safari of Alex and
Owen as well as the end if the quickie safari of Joe, Michael and Werner. We
started off with a nice giraffe, silhouetted against the sunrise. We also saw a
white rhino close to the road which hung around for a bit so we could take some
nice photos.
We then drove down Napi which was fairly quiet. We did come across a large dazzle of zebras on Napi Boulders, most likely two groups that met along the way. We then encountered two other white rhino sightings on our travels.
Following the very fresh signs of elephant (dung and chewed branches left in the middle of the road) we saw a glimpse of the culprit. A klipspringer stood like a statue on Klipsrpinger Koppies, just before we turned onto a quiet H3.
We then drove down Napi which was fairly quiet. We did come across a large dazzle of zebras on Napi Boulders, most likely two groups that met along the way. We then encountered two other white rhino sightings on our travels.
Following the very fresh signs of elephant (dung and chewed branches left in the middle of the road) we saw a glimpse of the culprit. A klipspringer stood like a statue on Klipsrpinger Koppies, just before we turned onto a quiet H3.
Continuing on we then saw a nice family of white rhino, Mum,
possibly Dad and a very young rhino. This got us some cute pictures! We heard
on the radio about a cheetah and we were in luck. At Renoster Koppies Waterhole
a cheetah was indeed lying in the shade. We did see her while she had her head
up, but mostly she was lying down flat. Continuing up the S114 we got another
tip about some wild dogs, at Stevenson Hamilton Memorial. We turned into the
road and immediately knew where as it was quite a build-up of cars. We decided
to follow the stream past the sighting and then turn around and join the line
on the other side. Trying not to impede others and manoeuvring around the cars
stationary on the best viewing points, we were in luck that just when we got
close one of the wild dogs stood up in plain view! He wiggled around a bit and
then dropped down again in the shade. We decided to leave the wild dog sighting
to have a short break at Skukuza.
After the break it had become a boiling hot day. We made our way back to Phabeni Gate via Doispane spotting impala males misbehaving, a very pretty kudubull, buffalo bulls lounging in the water, more zebras, a bateleur and a tawny eagle, lilac breasted rollers, a display of two yellow-billed hornbills and some more giraffes. Then it was time to say goodbye to the KNP. To all my guests, it was great having you on my truck this week! Maybe we'll meet again one day!!
After the break it had become a boiling hot day. We made our way back to Phabeni Gate via Doispane spotting impala males misbehaving, a very pretty kudubull, buffalo bulls lounging in the water, more zebras, a bateleur and a tawny eagle, lilac breasted rollers, a display of two yellow-billed hornbills and some more giraffes. Then it was time to say goodbye to the KNP. To all my guests, it was great having you on my truck this week! Maybe we'll meet again one day!!
Keep watching for more!!
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