On Safari With Robbie 15 October 2015

15 October 2015

The down south journey to central head quarters ( Satara ) was phenomenal!!!

Firstly we encountered rain. wind and sun in all its extremities!!!!

We saw 2 great prides of Lion and one had only 5 huge males in it!!!

The 1 Leopard sighting was a classic timing scenario as we arrived to see a beautiful male climbing a rocky outcrop which is always great!

We came across so many Elephant herds with cute little babies and as always Buffalo were in their element all over the place!

However as it may be... A raptor in the form of a Martial Eagle takes first place!

With its prey ( a monitor lizard ) and perched extremely close to the road with excellent vocals .. This was a marvelous sighting in the 10/10 mold!!!

There were some close sightings like the 12 Kudu bulls we saw together and the 31 Crocodiles we saw together at Kanidood dam!!!

The epicness continues!!!

On Safari With Gert 13 October 2015

13 October 2015

Setting out on a short morning drive as we had to drop off some of our group members this morning, we started off on a good note when we came across a young hyena lying not too far from the road. Another one approached it from the bush and we watched them prowling around, before crossing the road in front of us and disappearing in the tall grass. Soon after we had one of the highlights of the day as we encountered a journey of 11 giraffe of various ages. We watched them browse while slowly on the move. There were also 2 males engaged in necking, but more testing their strength than actual fighting as they seemed more interested in the vehicles observing them.

Thanks to Karen, who alerted us to its presence, we also saw a cheetah! It was lying in the shade of a tree, about 70 m off the road, but in the open. As the shade moved it got up and we saw ‎that it had a fully rounded belly. It had evidently eaten a very large meal shortly before and continued to have a siesta. We decided to follow suit and went back to camp for a well deserved lunch and a break over the warmest part of the day.‎ 

Heading back out in the late ‎afternoon, we went to look for the same Cheetah again, but it had moved off and we didn't find it. Instead, we found a mother Warthog with her 3 brand new babies, my first for the season! They never fail to entertain with their antics, but I couldn't help wondering if that was what the cheetah was after and indeed full of earlier in the day...

On Safari With Mark 8 - 13 October 2015

8 – 13 October 2015

So with no sable from the previous day, we decided to head back to Pretoriuskop area to try locate the herds in the area. We were in luck as Curtis knew we were looking for them and called us with a location for them. This was on our road that we decided to travel but now knowing they were there decided to keep going so that we could reach them in decent time. We found them and although they were a distance away we could get great photos of them just as they settled in to rest.

After breakfast, we were driving along when we bumped into another Loan Bull watching us pass. As this animal was closer to our road, it still provided for good photos as they were out in the open.

Down to berg en dal to check in and take the test of the afternoon.

Next morning we were first out of camp and headed up to a popular route for leopard. Didn't happen though but what we did get was a spotted hyena lying in a mud bath 2m from the road.

This turned out to be the highlight of the day and time was spent with them on the early morning drive.

Our drive in the afternoon was rather quiet producing good elephant sightings.

We left camp after the big rush of cars leaving as the gates opened and as it would be all of a sudden while approaching the camp gates out jumped the impala and running across the road, with wild dogs chasing them. This was short lived as the dogs gave up and turned around and headed for the bush were we lost sight of them.

Continued on our drive we saw many great sightings of general game and birds.

Late afternoon and as we returned towards camp we found a beautiful Male leopard 15m in the bush. Although initial sighting was poor it improved as the animal started to move parallel with the road.

This was our last night at the camp and as we were getting use to the fact of having breakfast at 11:40 in the morning, we decided to head to lower sabi and have breakfast there.

This we did and during our drive we came across many different general animal sightings with a phenomenal wild dog sighting of 12 dogs in the pack.

After lunch and an afternoon rest we drove to sunset dam and spent the entire time watching the hippos and bird life crocodile and every now and then a fish that cleared the water surface.

Down the S28 on our morning drive we found 3 cheetah lying on the side of the road and as no one was around we spent 30min before the first car arrived. Down the road was a massive herd of buffalo and past that a male lion was sent marking his territory. With mind blowing sightings like this we returned to camp feeling satisfied with our achievements

Our last morning we were graced with the presence of a civet. Great to see this little guy busy with his last activities before retiring before the heat of the day.

We headed down to skukuza airport and on the side of the road we were yet again graced with more lions lying in the shade. As we had some time to spare we headed down the last road slowly when informed by one of my colleagues that wild dogs were in the area. We responded as this would definitely be the "high" I wanted to send my clients off with. We found them, all 19 lying in the shade.

This was an unbelievable safari with so many great sightings that these tour updates I write just don't do them justice.

With Hugh and Cathy having had a brilliant time, we said goodbye for now.

Ps. With People that Love the bush so much, it was a safari made so easy and confirmation of their Love for it was made by confirming that next September they will both be returning for a .............4 WEEK............ Safari.

On Safari With Robbie 13-14 October 2015

13 October 2015

“Astronomical???

Is this day going to be beaten and we didn’t even see 1 predator?????”

I like these type of statements as I then know true friends and dedicated, experienced safari people are on board!!

So the process of a day of note went like this and even this is a summary ...

1) We come across a Black Crake ( a wading bird with striking colours ) that has 2 chicks probably a day old....

2) Wendy and Gary tick off Roan Antelope for the first time in their lives!! The large herd of Roan are in amongst a sighting of the fastest antelope in Africa .. The Tsessebe!! Zebra are all around them too!!

3) Not too further on a Tawny eagle massive in size devours unidentified prey

4) The temperature alone was a highlight as it reached 32 degrees by 9am and peaked at 47 at 15:34 pm!!!!!

5)We saw a) The Worlds largest bird ... Ostrich!

                  B) The Worlds largest Heron ... Goliath heron!

                   C) The worlds largest flying bird ... The Kori bustard! ( this is the 5th sighting of this bird this safari)

6) We witness a Large Adult Fish Eagle on a Steenbok carcass .. Ripping it to shreds..

7) 12 Elephant herds are observed .. Each sighting with its own unique noises, colour, movement and beauty!!

8)All on the vehicle witness in concurrence the smallest Elephant calf of our lives crossing the road step by step underneath its beloved Mom.

9) A group of Nile Crocodile are spotted late afternoon on the banks of the great Shingwedzi river ....... Not one of them is less than 4m long!!!

I write this in absolute awe and respect for an extra ordinary place found in the greatest place on Planet Earth ...... Ie "the Shingwedzi area of Kruger National Park!"

14 October 2015

The epic journey to touch base with the Northern border of Kruger was basically the highlight of today!!

At 23 degrees at 5-45 from Shingwedzi myself, Wendy and Gary set off on a journey few visitors to Kruger experience!!

Comments like " it feels like one is on top of the world" and " this seems like a different Country" were heard and its true!!

Breakfast was at Punda Maria the beautiful camp with a fantastic atmosphere!

On the way there we saw numerous Buffalo herds, kudu, Tsessebe, Giraffe and Zebra drinking which was probably the most perfect photographic opportunity I have ever experienced!!

The bird list grew and the sudden awareness of most trees being gigantic was evident!!!

At pafuri we were entertained by Elephants rolling in mud whilst Buffalo waited patiently to come forth and quench the 43 degree heat thirst!

Nyala, Bushbuck and Vervets were everywhere as were Yellow and Grey billed hornbills!!

At Crookes corner each of us chose a stone ( my colleague Marks great tradition!) which we will carry on our journey until we reach Croc river .. The far most southern Kruger border!!