On Safari With Karen 15/16 July 2015

15 July 2015

Last night all guests, including the new arrivals went on a sundowner. It had been overcast all day, but it looked like it was opening up a bit before they left. However, no luck on the actual sunset. It didn't spoil their drinks though. On the way back the also came across a lazy leopard. It was lying on a termite mound and it looked like it was having a lie-in. In the end it rolled over, yawned, and then got up and stalked off.

They also had two different sightings of a genet and saw some nightjars. 

Today we encountered many different animals. As some of our guests just joined us, we paid extra attention to the omni-present impalas. On one of our first sightings we were treated to a show as impalas showing us their white underbellies. As if to say we wouldn't catch them anyways as they are very quick and fit. Well, we weren't going to chase them, but all the jumping around was cool to watch. Some of the males were fighting it out on the sidelines too. 

Other interesting sightings: dwarf mongooses, white and black rhino, buffalo bulls, kudus, waterboks, common grey duiker, impalas, twice a lion(ess), elephants, giraffes, zebras, crocodile, hippos, slender mongoose and 

And don't forget our feathered friends: ground hornbills, lilac breasted roller, African hoopoe, malachite kingfisher, brown hooded kingfisher, Egyptian goose mother with goslings, grey heron, fish eagle and brown headed parrots.

16 July 2015 

This morning we sure had a buffalo morning! First we came across a large herd of buffalo. Upon arriving at the sighting half the herd had crossed and we waited for quite some time for the rest of them to do the same! Then along the way we encountered another five different groups of bulls as well as another small herd. 

Then we also saw three reedbucks. One female and two males. The males were definitely interested in the female and were walking behind her everywhere she went. They even locked horns at one stage to see who was strongest and to impress her, but she walked on without looking back. 

Other interesting sightings: zebras, hippos, crocodiles, elephants, baboons, common grey duiker, impalas, kudus including a nice bull, and waterbucks. 

Birds we saw today included a sadle-billed stork, woolly-necked stork, a pair of fish eagles fishing, white-breasted cormorants, bateleurs and black-collared barbet. 

On Safari With Curtis 15/16 July 2015

15 July 2015

This morning was another cold overcast start but the sun did appear at least giving us a lovely warm day.

Our first highlight was an amazing lion sighting. After being told about lions we were disappointed to arrive at the location to find they had gone. As we drove around the area looking for the slightest sign of them we stopped at a large bull kudu.

We sat at this sighting for a couple of minutes when I heard what sounded like a lion roaring. It took a second roar for me to be certain what I had heard... And the kudu heard it as well!!!

We started to search again in vain for about ten minutes, up and down the road when, just as we had given up hope, suddenly a massive male lion walked out of the bush right next to our vehicle. He moved onto the road and walked down the road for a kilometer or so constantly roaring.

An incredible sighting, reward for a bit off patience and a massive chunk of lucky timing.

Our second highlight was later in the day at transport dam. As we approached the dam we spotted a herd of 100 buffalo down at the waters edge taking a drink.

As we got into the clearly not only were the Buffalos drinking a herd of elephants were also drinking, four giraffe took turns to come and get a drink, the resident hippos were around and we also had zebra and waterbuck and impala as well as numerous bird species. A truly wonderful sighting which if time had permitted myself and the guests would have been there for hours.

Also seen slender mongoose, vervets , baboons, a very brief leopard, warthog, rhino and common duiker.

Birds included the very rare southern ground hornbills and saddle billed storks as well as a lot more.

16 July 2015

This morning was the final morning for some of our guests and we took a nice drive around the local roads.

Our first highlight was a fabulous buffalo herd, we had seen signs of their presence scattered all over the road and then found them around the corner. Plenty of the herd had crossed the road already but we had plenty left to watch and so we spent a good thirty minutes watching as the herd slowly crossed over in front of us.

Our second highlight was right at the end of the drive when two white rhino popped up out of nowhere, we again gave them space and in there own unhurried time crossed the road in front giving us another great sighting to add to the list.

Other species seen were: reedbuck, bushbuck, duiker, a family of elephants and a couple of males, shy dwarf mongoose, Impala, zebra, kudu, hippo , vervets and waterbuck.

Then time to say farewell to Allyson, Brian, Jonathan, Luke and Sam.

Great having you on tour, been an absolute pleasure having you and enjoy the rest of your travels here in South Africa.

On safari With Karen 14 July 2015

14 July 2015

We split the day in two and on the morning drive our highlight was coming across a cheetah. We didn't expect to see one, but a nice couple on a self-drive safari told us about it on the way.

When we got to the sighting it luckily was still there. The cheetah was lying on a termite mound, which isn't very unusual. However this cat had made herself comfortable in a way that looked very uncomfortable. Have you ever seen Ice Age? Remember Sid the sloth getting comfortable when going to sleep? Well, exactly like that!! It was lying upside down and hanging downwards with her head! And she was definitely not dead as we saw her look up a couple of times (and plop back down on her back). 

As new guests were arriving today it was a highlight to see their first animal roaming around the fence-line of the camp: a small family of elephants was walking by and got the guests attention. Good start of a safari, especially when the actual safari hasn't even started yet. 

Other interesting sightings: common grey duikers, steenboks, blue wildebeests, a lioness, klipspringers, elephant bulls, kudus, waterbucks, white rhinos, a family of nyala including a young fawn, vervet monkeys, zebras and of course impalas. 

And some new birds: guineafowls, crested and natal francolins, red-crested korhaan and an African harrier hawk. 

On Safari With Curtis

13 July 2015

A new tour and after entering the park we had time for a short drive before checking in at Nkambeni.

On the drive we saw plenty such as Cape buffalo, Impala, Zebra, kudu, waterbuck, hippo, crocodile and vervet monkey.

Our highlight was a trio of elephant which were busy browsing close to the road. We watched for as long as possible as they ate and ate before time forces us to leave.

14 July 2015

A rather cold overcast morning, in fact the whole day was cold and overcast.

Our first highlight was a massive territorial male white rhino we found walking down the road. We followed him down for a few hundred meters until he came to one of his middens, went toilet and proceeded to scrape his back feet in his own business. Then he took his freshly acquired smells and proceeded to walk around his territory.

Our second highlight was the many zebra sighting we had, eventually the sightings got better and better until we had seen plenty of zebras right next to the vehicle.

Also seen were elephants, Cape buffalo, lion, cheetah, Impala, common duiker, kudu, waterbuck, warthog, giraffes, wildebeest, hippo , Vervets and dwarf mongoose.

Birds included African fish eagle, lilac breasted rollers, red created korhaan, grey headed hornbills, created barbets, red billed oxpecker and cape glossy starlings

On Safari With Karen 13 July 2015

13 July 2015

The day started cold and rather quiet, but after breakfast our sightings started picking up. We came across a pride of lions warming themselves on the rocks. And it was an entire family. We saw five females, one male and four cubs that were 2-3 months old! The cubs were adorable, especially two that greeted the male lion (who ignored them pretty much) and then tried to climb on top of the rock to two of the females. However they were too small. But it was sooooo cute to see them try with their stubby little legs. Ultimately they gave up and went to lie with their uncle instead. The two cubs on the rocks were obviously smart enough to have followed their mother who had walked up the rock from the other side. 

We also saw a large herd of elephants, as if it came straight from Jungle Book (the elephant patrol). First they were all playing down in the river, drinking their fill. Soon we lost sight but could still here the sloshing if elephants walking through water and throwing it over themselves. But then they came up the bank through the bushes. And in perfect single file they crossed the road. We even got a trumpet sound out of one of then when already in the bush (and of course we wondered if one had stopped and others had walked into her). Only downside is that the rest of the day we couldn't get that song out of our heads... Tarra ra tata tatahhh, tarra ra ta ta ta tah....

Other interesting sightings: many warthogs, vervet monkeys, hippos in and out of the water, crocodiles sunning themselves on the shore, kudus including pretty bulls, bushbucks, impalas, giraffes, zebras, steenboks, white rhinos, a herd of buffalo coming down to river to drink and leaving in a cloud if dust and a cute little tree squirrel. 

And new birds of today: forktailed drongos, lilac breasted rollers, grey louries, red-billed hornbills, the rare and endangered ground hornbills, hooded as well as white-backed vultures, marabou storks, twice an endangered sadle-billed stork, yellow-billed storks, blacksmith lapwings, african jacanas, bateleur, chinspot batisses and a fish eagle catching his breakfast.