18 March 2014
After picking up the guests at the airport we drove to the
Kruger Park through all the plantations. We decided to first check in at
Nkambeni and got our first animal sighting on the way to the camp: a herd of
impalas. After a quick look around at Nkambeni we went straight on safari. On
camp road we encountered those same impalas.
We went up the tar road spotting some nice birds like white fronted bee eaters and fighting fork tail drongos. We saw two white rhinoceros grazing, paying little notice of us watching them. A little further on was where all the action was. We saw a warthog close to the road and a mixed herd of impala and kudu. When we drove closer we noticed that four of the kudus were intently watching and listening in the same direction. We took our binos and stared into the same direction not seeing anything. But when we were about to continue one of the impalas barked an alarm call and all of them moved back and closer together and then started to watch intently again. Almost certain there must be something there, we reversed to higher ground and scouted in the direction it must be. The warthog didn't pay much attention and kept on munching and walking into that direction. We were watching the warthog when suddenly a shape walked onto an open spot having a quick overall look, spooking the kudus and then turning into a crouch and it went behind the bush. It was there, we all saw it. But trying to find it back in the high grass in between the bushes, that turned out to be impossible. We stared and stared and waited for about 30min. Nothing. Even the impalas and kudus started to relax again. So finally we decided to continue...
On the loop we also spotted a family of dwarf mongoose playing out in the street and 2 buffalo relaxing. We drove around a loop near Pretoriuskop without seeing anything but a lonely impala. Then we decided to have a quick look again there where the action was, but no luck. The impalas, kudus and warthog as well as their stalker all gone. We did see the two white rhinos again though and they were much more visible this time around.
We then returned to Nkambeni as it was nearing closing time. On camp road we spotted a brilliant kudu bull, 3 more buffalo in the high grass and we got stuck behind a herd of impala. They had not a care in the world that we actually wanted to pass and they walked in front of us for almost a kilometre! Then one by one they finally went off the road and we enter the camp just in time for closing. It was a good start!
We went up the tar road spotting some nice birds like white fronted bee eaters and fighting fork tail drongos. We saw two white rhinoceros grazing, paying little notice of us watching them. A little further on was where all the action was. We saw a warthog close to the road and a mixed herd of impala and kudu. When we drove closer we noticed that four of the kudus were intently watching and listening in the same direction. We took our binos and stared into the same direction not seeing anything. But when we were about to continue one of the impalas barked an alarm call and all of them moved back and closer together and then started to watch intently again. Almost certain there must be something there, we reversed to higher ground and scouted in the direction it must be. The warthog didn't pay much attention and kept on munching and walking into that direction. We were watching the warthog when suddenly a shape walked onto an open spot having a quick overall look, spooking the kudus and then turning into a crouch and it went behind the bush. It was there, we all saw it. But trying to find it back in the high grass in between the bushes, that turned out to be impossible. We stared and stared and waited for about 30min. Nothing. Even the impalas and kudus started to relax again. So finally we decided to continue...
On the loop we also spotted a family of dwarf mongoose playing out in the street and 2 buffalo relaxing. We drove around a loop near Pretoriuskop without seeing anything but a lonely impala. Then we decided to have a quick look again there where the action was, but no luck. The impalas, kudus and warthog as well as their stalker all gone. We did see the two white rhinos again though and they were much more visible this time around.
We then returned to Nkambeni as it was nearing closing time. On camp road we spotted a brilliant kudu bull, 3 more buffalo in the high grass and we got stuck behind a herd of impala. They had not a care in the world that we actually wanted to pass and they walked in front of us for almost a kilometre! Then one by one they finally went off the road and we enter the camp just in time for closing. It was a good start!
19 March 2014
This morning Alex and Kelly went on the bushwalk, which was
a great success. Apart from all kinds of tracks, a sable skull, various
interesting spiders and the not so welcome ticks, they were also lucky enough
to come across a large herd of buffalo, white rhino and impalas.
While they were walking around the bush, I took Will and Melanie, who had been doing their safari with Curtis, out for a short drive before having to go to Nelspruit for their transfer. It was really misty and a bit cold when we left just before 6am. Just outside the gate we spotted a herd of impalas and a little further on a common grey duiker. When we got to the tar road after a couple of kilometres we saw a buffalo grazing right next to the road.
We then turned onto Napi and spotted a herd of zebra with two youngsters close to Shitlhave Dam. We drove Napi until the Boulders where we had to turn around as we were running out of time. The mist had cleared a bit so we could see a bit more of the bush but it stayed rather quiet unfortunately. On the last stretch we managed to see a slender mongoose and just before the gate some dwarf mongoose as well. But then it was time to say goodbye to the Kruger Park and hit the road. I hope even though it was a slow morning Melanie and Will had a great safari with us!
Before the sundowner was happening for Kelly and Alex this afternoon, we decided to go on a little bumble around the park to see if we could find some more animals. On camp road we drove into the middle of quite a large troop if baboons, which were shy and disappeared in the thick bush when they spotted the car. Also we spotted the ever present impalas.
On the tar road we saw kudus. We went down the dirt road towards Fayi Loop, taking a loop around Pretoriuskop. We spotted vervet monkeys lazying around in a tree just after the turn off and a waterbuck well hidden in the bush. Then on the way back to the tar road we spotted an elephant that most likely just had crossed the road. We watched him feeding for a while before we continued. We then came across a family of dwarf mongoose on the side of the road. Some were adventures and stared back at us and one even came close to the car to investigate.
Back on Napi we drove towards Shitlhave Dam. We had found fresh buffalo tracks back where we came from leading out of the loop, and after about a 100m on the tar we spotter three dagga boys together near the stream. While watching the buffalos with the red-billed oxpeckers hanging at the ears, we saw a leopard tortoise cross the road up ahead.
At Shitlhave Dam it was quiet, even the crocodile that was lying on the little sandy beach that is left after the high water level didn't move an inch.
We returned towards Numbi gate for the start of the sundowner. On the way seeing more kudus, the same buffalos, pretty European rollers, white fronted bee eater so close it almost flew into the car, one of the last woodlands kingfishers, Cape glossy starlings.
While they were walking around the bush, I took Will and Melanie, who had been doing their safari with Curtis, out for a short drive before having to go to Nelspruit for their transfer. It was really misty and a bit cold when we left just before 6am. Just outside the gate we spotted a herd of impalas and a little further on a common grey duiker. When we got to the tar road after a couple of kilometres we saw a buffalo grazing right next to the road.
We then turned onto Napi and spotted a herd of zebra with two youngsters close to Shitlhave Dam. We drove Napi until the Boulders where we had to turn around as we were running out of time. The mist had cleared a bit so we could see a bit more of the bush but it stayed rather quiet unfortunately. On the last stretch we managed to see a slender mongoose and just before the gate some dwarf mongoose as well. But then it was time to say goodbye to the Kruger Park and hit the road. I hope even though it was a slow morning Melanie and Will had a great safari with us!
Before the sundowner was happening for Kelly and Alex this afternoon, we decided to go on a little bumble around the park to see if we could find some more animals. On camp road we drove into the middle of quite a large troop if baboons, which were shy and disappeared in the thick bush when they spotted the car. Also we spotted the ever present impalas.
On the tar road we saw kudus. We went down the dirt road towards Fayi Loop, taking a loop around Pretoriuskop. We spotted vervet monkeys lazying around in a tree just after the turn off and a waterbuck well hidden in the bush. Then on the way back to the tar road we spotted an elephant that most likely just had crossed the road. We watched him feeding for a while before we continued. We then came across a family of dwarf mongoose on the side of the road. Some were adventures and stared back at us and one even came close to the car to investigate.
Back on Napi we drove towards Shitlhave Dam. We had found fresh buffalo tracks back where we came from leading out of the loop, and after about a 100m on the tar we spotter three dagga boys together near the stream. While watching the buffalos with the red-billed oxpeckers hanging at the ears, we saw a leopard tortoise cross the road up ahead.
At Shitlhave Dam it was quiet, even the crocodile that was lying on the little sandy beach that is left after the high water level didn't move an inch.
We returned towards Numbi gate for the start of the sundowner. On the way seeing more kudus, the same buffalos, pretty European rollers, white fronted bee eater so close it almost flew into the car, one of the last woodlands kingfishers, Cape glossy starlings.
