3 July 2014
Today we set off for a full day game drive right after
breakfast. We have seen a lot of animals so far, but still there were many to
find! However we weren't quite awake yet as we started our drive. Just before
Shitlhave Dam we drove by seeing a little rock, a big rock, a rock with ears,
little rocks.... Ho! Back up! A rock with ears? No, it was an elephant with a
young. We didn't see the rest of the herd though.
We then continued down Napi where we spotted a lot of general game like kudus, a duiker, impalas and waterbuck. Close to Transport Dam two young hyenas were roaming around their den site, apparently having stolen a rubber cover for a pullhook. The youngsters were having great fun with it. Another younger one, just lay in the sun.
We turned down the H3. We had gotten word there should be lions down there, but no such luck for us. We did see some giraffes in the background, but no lions. We decided to continue down on the H3 anyways, which gave us a nice change of scenery. Down by Biyamiti bridge, a lot of cars were standing around. The word was there were lions, but no one seemed to exactly know where they were lying down now. Somebody even said they were a mating pair. We scouted with binoculars and thought we knew where they would be lying. So we waited. In the meantime all the other cars got impatient and left the sighting. Left all by ourselves we were startled by some weird unfamiliar noises. Then two white-backed vultures came sitting on the tree above the lions. They kind of did a mating dance and then indeed mated, letting us know what the unfamiliar noise was. Those noise little buggers however did show the lions apparently what to do as suddenly the female got up. The male followed suite and they were indeed a mating pair. Good things come to those who wait! We had a great sighting of mating vultures and lions.
We drove down towards Afsaal, but before the coffee we wanted to check out the open area. Normally there are some zebras or other grazers, but this time there were cars as far as we could see. A leopard was crossing in between those cars, unseen by us, but told by others. We scouted around, seeing warthogs, zebras, blue wildebeests and impalas but no leopard. We turned around to go back to Afsaal. While we were scouting around on the right however the leopard had crossed some way behind us, back to the other side! No wonder we didn't see it! We now scouted on the right and caught glimpses of it between the bushes and crossing open areas, before he hid away in the bushes to hide from all the commotion. There must have been at least 60 cars driving around to try to catch a glimpse! So after not seeing for 10min we decided to leave him be and finally go for a toilet break and then some coffee.
We then continued our drive back up the H3, seeing cars at the same lion spot where we had seen them mating, but the lions were lying flat once again. We didn't wait around this time. A little further on we saw 4 ground hornbills at the junction with the S113. They were digging in elephant dung in the open field. As these are very endangered it was a treat to see them.
We also came across a sadle billed stork, a group of five white rhinos, kudu bulls, baboons, bushbucks, warthogs, vervet monkeys and a white rhino mother and her calf. They were snoozing in the shade when the young got up and nudged his mother. Apparently he was thirsty as she rolled to her side and he started suckling!
After lunch at Skukuza, we took Napi road back towards camp. We spotted more general game and one hyena young was still outside its den, just in a different spot to soak up more sun. Just before the end we spotted a elephant in the bush. We stopped and then saw and smelled a large elephant bull in must on our right. The ladies in front were crossing the road and one by one took a sniff of the large bull. But none was really interested as they all continued on their way. The big bull was now left with just us to impress. Which is exactly what he tried to do. He turned around facing us and then came towards us to inspect the car to see if there would be room to join us. But smelling like that and obviously urinating, we told him firmly that he was not allowed to come any closer. However he didn't want to listen so we continued on our way. Looking back from a distance he slowly resumed molesting the marula tree he was feeding off.
Then on carrying on we were surprised by not one but another two herds of elephants crossing the road. Both times we were just on the right spot to enjoy the sighting but not to scare the mothers and their young. They crossed nicely with the youngsters fussing over the cars watching them and protecting the herd. Also two giraffes decided to cross the road. Here was where it all was happening as we saw a white rhino walking in the high grass and we came across two buffalos on camp road before it was the end of a long but very successful day!
We then continued down Napi where we spotted a lot of general game like kudus, a duiker, impalas and waterbuck. Close to Transport Dam two young hyenas were roaming around their den site, apparently having stolen a rubber cover for a pullhook. The youngsters were having great fun with it. Another younger one, just lay in the sun.
We turned down the H3. We had gotten word there should be lions down there, but no such luck for us. We did see some giraffes in the background, but no lions. We decided to continue down on the H3 anyways, which gave us a nice change of scenery. Down by Biyamiti bridge, a lot of cars were standing around. The word was there were lions, but no one seemed to exactly know where they were lying down now. Somebody even said they were a mating pair. We scouted with binoculars and thought we knew where they would be lying. So we waited. In the meantime all the other cars got impatient and left the sighting. Left all by ourselves we were startled by some weird unfamiliar noises. Then two white-backed vultures came sitting on the tree above the lions. They kind of did a mating dance and then indeed mated, letting us know what the unfamiliar noise was. Those noise little buggers however did show the lions apparently what to do as suddenly the female got up. The male followed suite and they were indeed a mating pair. Good things come to those who wait! We had a great sighting of mating vultures and lions.
We drove down towards Afsaal, but before the coffee we wanted to check out the open area. Normally there are some zebras or other grazers, but this time there were cars as far as we could see. A leopard was crossing in between those cars, unseen by us, but told by others. We scouted around, seeing warthogs, zebras, blue wildebeests and impalas but no leopard. We turned around to go back to Afsaal. While we were scouting around on the right however the leopard had crossed some way behind us, back to the other side! No wonder we didn't see it! We now scouted on the right and caught glimpses of it between the bushes and crossing open areas, before he hid away in the bushes to hide from all the commotion. There must have been at least 60 cars driving around to try to catch a glimpse! So after not seeing for 10min we decided to leave him be and finally go for a toilet break and then some coffee.
We then continued our drive back up the H3, seeing cars at the same lion spot where we had seen them mating, but the lions were lying flat once again. We didn't wait around this time. A little further on we saw 4 ground hornbills at the junction with the S113. They were digging in elephant dung in the open field. As these are very endangered it was a treat to see them.
We also came across a sadle billed stork, a group of five white rhinos, kudu bulls, baboons, bushbucks, warthogs, vervet monkeys and a white rhino mother and her calf. They were snoozing in the shade when the young got up and nudged his mother. Apparently he was thirsty as she rolled to her side and he started suckling!
After lunch at Skukuza, we took Napi road back towards camp. We spotted more general game and one hyena young was still outside its den, just in a different spot to soak up more sun. Just before the end we spotted a elephant in the bush. We stopped and then saw and smelled a large elephant bull in must on our right. The ladies in front were crossing the road and one by one took a sniff of the large bull. But none was really interested as they all continued on their way. The big bull was now left with just us to impress. Which is exactly what he tried to do. He turned around facing us and then came towards us to inspect the car to see if there would be room to join us. But smelling like that and obviously urinating, we told him firmly that he was not allowed to come any closer. However he didn't want to listen so we continued on our way. Looking back from a distance he slowly resumed molesting the marula tree he was feeding off.
Then on carrying on we were surprised by not one but another two herds of elephants crossing the road. Both times we were just on the right spot to enjoy the sighting but not to scare the mothers and their young. They crossed nicely with the youngsters fussing over the cars watching them and protecting the herd. Also two giraffes decided to cross the road. Here was where it all was happening as we saw a white rhino walking in the high grass and we came across two buffalos on camp road before it was the end of a long but very successful day!
4 July 2014
Unfortunately today was the last day for Leigh and Rachel.
We started as soon as the gates opened and came across a small group of
buffalos on camp road almost right away. It was still dark so most of them we
couldn't see properly, but a female and her calf were standing in the middle of
the road.
We drove up Numbi tar, towards Shabeni where we saw a lone giraffe. Around Shabeni loop we encountered a herd of elephants feeding right next to the road.
We then got a tip about some lions nearby so we went to Manung koppies. There we found a lot of open vehicles and heard some rustling in the grass. Word was there were indeed two lionesses walking around in the high grass. Unfortunately the rustling had stopped so apparently they lied down and no one saw them anymore. Lions are the same colour as the grass at the moment so difficult to spot when the grass is high. We hang around a bit longer before turning around, when suddenly they crossed the road about 50m in front of us!! We stopped next to them, where both of them stood staring at us. After a few seconds we weren't worth their attention so they walked off into the grass on the other side.
As time was running out we made our way back to Numbi, where we were caught by surprise by a massive herd of buffalo. Probably smelling the lions they were moving away. We counted around 40 buffalos before we found a gap to go through and there were at least the same amount still waiting on the other side to cross.
After transferring down to Nelspruit it was time to say goodbye to Leigh and Rachel. I hope you had a great time and will treasure all the memories of your round the world trip! Maybe we see you again one day!
We drove up Numbi tar, towards Shabeni where we saw a lone giraffe. Around Shabeni loop we encountered a herd of elephants feeding right next to the road.
We then got a tip about some lions nearby so we went to Manung koppies. There we found a lot of open vehicles and heard some rustling in the grass. Word was there were indeed two lionesses walking around in the high grass. Unfortunately the rustling had stopped so apparently they lied down and no one saw them anymore. Lions are the same colour as the grass at the moment so difficult to spot when the grass is high. We hang around a bit longer before turning around, when suddenly they crossed the road about 50m in front of us!! We stopped next to them, where both of them stood staring at us. After a few seconds we weren't worth their attention so they walked off into the grass on the other side.
As time was running out we made our way back to Numbi, where we were caught by surprise by a massive herd of buffalo. Probably smelling the lions they were moving away. We counted around 40 buffalos before we found a gap to go through and there were at least the same amount still waiting on the other side to cross.
After transferring down to Nelspruit it was time to say goodbye to Leigh and Rachel. I hope you had a great time and will treasure all the memories of your round the world trip! Maybe we see you again one day!
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