On Safari With Kara From 17 October 2016

17 October 2016

This 1 day safari was not only a new one for my guests but it was the first time for me to see this area of the park and to have such a big group of fun Netherlanders and got to conduct my game drive in both Dutch and English.

We started our safari from Phalaborwa gate after I picked them up at their lodge.

Our highlights of this day was starting out with some wild dogs on a mission next to the road hoping to make a early morning kill...

Later we spent time with Journeys and Journeys of giraffes. Focusing on the raptors we saw a few from a Whalbergs eagles to a Tawny eagle, Martial eagle and a Yellow billed kites scavenging. And the best and very rare to see 2 Secretary birds.

18 October 2016

The following day I was happy to take the same group of enthusiastic guests on a drive heading from phalaborwa to letaba camp.

Patiently waiting in the road after we spotted a big herd of buffalos in the distance, we could see them crossing the road by the hundreds. Counting close to a thousand.

Finally we came across a lioness lying on a sand bank only to discover her teenage cubs eating the last of a buffalo they caught.

Our last animal as we exited the park was a few dassies climbing trees on a hill getting to the fruit.

On Safari With Gert From 15 October 2016

15 October 2016

This afternoon we started a new Safari with 4 guests, 2 of whom will only be with us for 1 night, hence the first priority was to maximize game drive time in the hope of finding some good sightings.

After checking in and a quick lunch we headed out for a very lucrative afternoon drive.

First up we found a large buffalo herd, probably about a hundred strong, resting in the reeds along the banks of a large waterhole.

We then came across a Leopard kill in a tree, at first all we saw was the kill - a baby buffalo - hanging in a tree, but no sign of the Leopard! We decided to drive a bit further on, as there had also been talk of lions in the area.

We were lucky enough to find said lions, one male and 2 females. The females were lying flat in the shade of a tree, while the male was lying close to the road guarding the leftovers of what also appeared to be a buffalo carcass! We had a great view of the male, lying with his head up looking around, with a few hooded vultures patiently waiting their turn.

On the way back to our camp we also found a large male Elephant enjoying a mud bath in the late afternoon sun, a great afternoon and brilliant start to the safari!

16 October 2016

We left on morning drive after an early breakfast. From early on it was evident that it would be a hot day, as the Impala were already congregating in the shade!

It was a very good morning for the large herbivores and we had good close-up Sightings of several old Buffalo bulls as well as Zebra and Giraffe in the road!

One of the highlights was a crash of White Rhino; a large female with 2 calves, the youngest about 2 years old. We watched them graze close to the road until they got comfortable in some good shade under a tree.

We then returned to drop off 2 of our guests leaving today. On the way back we found a few large adult Elephant bulls with some very impressive tusks between them, all feeding close to the road. One of the bulls was not very happy with the passing vehicles and decided to stand in the road to feed and not let anyone pass for a while!

We eventually got around them and returned to camp for lunch and pool time.

During the late afternoon drive we found a very large crocodile on the bank of a waterhole, a beautiful herd of Elephant feeding in a drainage line and another very large buffalo herd. A spectacular sunset signaled the end to another successful day on Safari!

On Safari With Amanda From 11 October 2016

11 October 2016

Today I collect my guests, Jim and Marty, celebrating a 20 year anniversary and Jim’s 50th.

Incredibly hot as we headed to our first stop, berg en dal for 2 nights so we really weren't expecting to see much.

Instead we were greeted by zebras, kudus, warthogs, giraffes and elephants.

A stop at afsaal for refreshments and we checked into our accommodation.

After supper Jim and Marty decided to walk to their room.. but ended up at the gate entrance where they heard the lions calling close by!!! They quickly retreated to the safety of their room...eventually! 

12 October 2016 

An early start and after hearing the lions last night we decided we had to find them.

We were doing a morning drive so we could take a slow amble around the area.

Lovely Elephants and rhinos along with impalas and zebras but still no lions. We headed on the 114 and lovely sighting of a tawny eagle as well as lilac breasted rollers and blue waxbill.  

Turning onto the 119 we saw a few cars and there in the tree were at least 6 spots...of a well hidden leopard! always good to wait, so we did and very slowly a huge male leopard climbed down and walked along side of the vehicle, an absolutely stunning sighting.

After breakfast we headed back to camp where Jim and Marty were doing a sunset drive at 4:30.

I greeted 2 very excited guests showing me photos of a handsome male lion and a beautiful lioness about 2 meters from the road. Marty was also luck to spot a honey badger.

Supper and then we were off tomorrow for a night at skukuza. 

13 October 2016

We left berg en dal and headed to skukuza at 6am. Always good to start early. We decided to make a day of it and had lovely Elephants and lots of general game.

We made a stop at skukuza as we were too early to check in so decided to drive to high level bridge. Along the way we came across some very well hidden wild dogs!

At high level itself to the right of the bridge we saw 2 lionesses lying on a sand bank. Quite far but still impressive. Heading back to camp along the river lots of elephants, hippos and buffalos. 

14 October 2016

We decided on an early drive and then to head back for breakfast at skukuza for a delicious buffet. Driving down the 114 to renosterkoppies we came across a duiker just staring at a termite mound, we watched and she would move every now and then a couple of steps back, something had her attention. .. to our surprise we saw a huge, at least 3.5 m long African rock python moving slowly over the termite mound, so fascinating to witness and something I've never seen. Marty also saw a honey badger!!! 

After breakfast we were heading to our next stop, nkambeni and we heard of a leopard kill not far away so we headed off. We came across a female impala wedged into a marula tree and to the left we saw a tail and 1 leg! So we decided to sit and wait...every now and then she appeared and would relax and just stare at us. Lovely. 

Checked in at nkambeni and time for a siesta and an early supper.

15 October 2016 

Leaving camp we headed off to skukuza for a full day drive. We went via watergat and to the right we came across an old male lion and 2 lionesses, all full after feasting on a young buffalo. We sat for a while and drove off, just at the junction something caught our eyes. .more lions with another buffalo kill!!! We wanted to go and check to see if the leopard was still at the same spot so took a drive and she was on the opposite side of the road lying incredibly well camouflaged in a bush!

After lunch we drove along the Doispan road. Lots of general game and then just before nyamundwa dam we saw something hanging in the tree, it was a young buffalo that had been killed by a leopard, the leopard was on the opposite side cooling down in the shade. A fantastic day!

16 October 216

Our last day together and a short drive around shabeni and pk koppies. Lots of elephants and some beautiful sable antelope. Perched on top of manung koppies were 2 klipspringers. 

We grabbed a coffee and then went to shitlave dam where there were lots of elephants and giraffes. Listening carefully I heard the impala alarm calling and we drove to see what was bothering them, we'd just missed the leopard and it was resting in the drainage line!! Oh well it was still interesting to witness the impalas calling and literally showing us where the leopard was!

So another safari is over, Marty and Jim heading off on their next adventure...Cairo! 

On Safari With Kara

My first 6 day Safari adventure was a very fun filled experience accompanied by my two guests from Hong Kong China.

Day 1

We started off from hazyview and headed to phabeni gate Kruger to start our first game drive making our way to Skukuza camp. We were greeted by quite a hand full of animals. The two sightings which was our highlights was a elephant bull swimming and playing in a dam which we got to watch for a long time then later we came across a sleeping rhino.

Day 2

We had early start and headed towards Lower sabie. The surprise of 6 ground hornbills walking in the road and a youngster complaining for food made my day.

From there it only got better when we got a herd of giraffes browsing along the road for a while then giving us the African salute and moving away.

Day 3

Today we had a nice route from Skukuza to our new camp which was Berg en Dal. The best thing about this route was the female leopard we got that was having a early morning sip of water before the heat kicked in. Following her we noticed another male leopard and there after they started mating which is a rare find here in Kruger. Along this route we noticed the environment change on the animals seeing a lot of red elephants, warthogs and rhinos after they rolled in the red soil.

Day 4

Starting early again we had a moment with a big herd of elephants, while the adults were eating the babies were sleeping and so happy dreaming in the moms shade. My guests had really hoped for wild dogs and this was the day we found 18 wild dogs sleeping right next to the road a few pups and adults. Faces smeared with blood after a successful morning hunt.

Day 5

Being a girl who loves birds and having guests who also appreciated every type of bird, we founds loads of different species. From a tawny eagle fighting off a white backed vulture while eating insides from a wild dog kill to a goliath heron catching fish in the crocodile river and my first broad billed roller for the season resting in a dead tree next to the sabie river.

Before heading back we got 3 female lionesses trying to hunt impalas in a open clearing which gave us a good view.

Day 6

Having had so many good sighting everything from here was a bonus as we could not expect anything else but nature kept on giving.

One spot there was on both sides of the road just spotted hyenas wherever you looked. Moms with babies suckling and cleaning themselves. A few fighting over ranking in the clan and other digging a hole to lay in.

Ending our safari with a zebra crossing just before the gate.