On Safari With Mark 15 -17 May 2015

15 May 2015

It was decided to do a similar run as yesterday, towards Satara for breakfast and return to olifants mid morning as Bill and Nancy were on the sundown safari and wanted to enjoy the scenery on the edge of the Olifants River before leaving the camp for skukuza.

Our highlight for the drive was the 4 lioness lying watching a small herd of blue wildebeest and Impala. As we approached the snorting of the lion presence gave their location away.

Just down the road, I heard Nancy say "Stop - Cat in Tree" and their it lay approximately 5m from the road, one beautiful leopardess. Great to have spotted and while we spent time with her, she eventually got up, jumped out the tree and moved into the tall grass.

Other annals included: Impala, common duiker, steenbok, sharps grysbok, kudu, waterbuck, blue wildebeest, warthog, black backed jackal, giraffe, buffalo, elephant, hippos and crocs  

16 May 2015

Off to skukuza, as our next camp for the safari.

Our highlight had to be the elephant bull on the road to Jones Dam. He just stood in the shade of a tall jacket berry just not budging a Meter. We obviously couldn't go any further and just spent some time photographing this magnificent animal before turning around and heading further down south. Animals always have right of way and we did not want to bother him anymore by trying to get past.

In the afternoon we popped down the river and found another leopardess lying in the river. A baboon came down to have a drink and only realized she was lying there when he walked into her and saw her with less than 5m to go. As he jumped and barked and ran in one direction so she did similar and ran in the opposite direction.

Great viewing this comedy show.

Other animals include: hippos, crocs, buffalo, elephant, zebra, waterbuck, Impala, steenbok, warthog, blue wildebeest and many bird species

17 May 2015

As we couldn't get into Jones dam yesterday we decided to be first car out of skukuza this morning and head north to see what's happening up there.

We decided to go onto Marola loop and drove ourselves straight into a pride of 10 lions all lying around enjoying each other's company.

We also did a bit to a river run and came across many cars that had reported a leopard but had moved off as there was too much traffic.

We sat around a while and as sure as nuts, once everyone had left and it was only us there out Pops this massive male and sits there watching us watch him. He then moved deeper into the thicket and all visual was lost.

Other animals were: Impala, warthog, kudu, waterbuck, giraffe, hippos and crocs.