Impala in the Kruger National Park

Impala

                         For more information on the Impala, Please go to Interesting facts About the Impala

When is Close too Close

                                                            When is Close too close

                                                                Nhongo Safaris                                 

2 Day Bushveld Southern Kruger Safari

Spend a memorable two days in South Africa's wildlife haven, the Kruger park. Price: R5700.00 per person. Follow the link to view the complete package https://nhongosafaris.com/2-day-bushveld-southern-kruger-safari

On Safari With Gert From 2 July 2016

2 July 2016

After an early breakfast, we set out for our morning game drive in cold and windy conditions, not the best game viewing weather.

However, a pleasant surprise lay in store as we were lucky very early on, spotting a lioness on the slope of a rocky outcrop, making herself comfortable in a sunny spot and enjoying a grooming session. She looked like she might have been in a fight as she had an injured left eye. We watched until she decided to move further up the rocks and disappeared in the tall grass, a great start!

We then had 2 separate Spotted Hyena sightings, both on the move close to their den-sites.

We also had 2 great Elephant sightings; the first a small breeding herd on the move crossing the road close to us, the second an almost fully grown male leisurely feeding next to the road!

We were also lucky enough to find a beautiful herd of Sable Antelope with an adult bull and about 15 females and young, very relaxed and close to the road - great to get such a quality sighting of these rare and magnificent creatures!

One of the highlights of the morning was a large female White Rhino with a young calf of about 4 weeks old! This was a fairly quick sighting as they were a bit nervous and decided to keep to the thicket, but always good to see!

We ended the day with a very large Buffalo herd, at least 200 strong, shortly before retuning to camp - a very successful day considering the conditions!

3 July 2016

After an early breakfast and loading luggage, we set off on our final morning drive. It was still very cold, windy and overcast, hence everything we found were hiding in the thickets. About halfway through our drive the sun started coming through, something we were looking forward to as that could lead to more animal activity after the cold days.

We were not disappointed as we encountered a large male White Rhino on the move and he trotted across the road in front of us!

A little further on we found a small pride of 6 lions, with 2 adult females, a sub-adult male and 3 cubs of about 6 months old. At first we could only see them vaguely, under a bush in tall grass, but starting to move around. Eventually they were all up and on the move, looking like they might be on the hunt. The 2 adults crossed the road, but eventually crossed back as the youngsters were a bit nervous because of the vehicles building up. They kept calling each other to keep track of their movements and we got some very nice views as they then walked parallel to the road for a while.

We left them in peace as it was time to get out of the park - a very special sighting to end the tour on a high note!

On safari With Robbie From 28 November 2015

28 November 2015

Our safari started in the most bizarre weather ever with temperatures not going above 11 degrees!!

This however did not deter any enthusiasm amongst our 3 Indian couples and we saw some superb general game sightings as well as magnificent Buffalo and Elephant herds!!

29 November 2015

Today was special in many ways as the weather worsened but before we knew it we had ticked off the big 5 with ease!!

However agreed and concurrently decided on a 3 way tie as follows were our highlights!!! ...:

... A Nyala bull with huge horns walks casually passed us and the hide entrance at Lake Panic !

... A clan of 9 Spotted Hyena came sprinting at us after being disturbed by a Leopard!

... A herd of Sable meandering through dense Terminalia thickets with good visual on occasions!!

.... Our bird sightings also reached 50 and generally it was a fantastic day ( excepting the weather ..)

The : 3 couples are on a night safari as we speak so will update tomorrow...

Signing off from a rather chilly Pretoriouskop camp

On Safari With Karen 11 November 2015

11 November 2015

Today it was a unique day of rare animal sightings!!!

We started of with a black rhino, our first animal seen this morning when we started the drive. Then we caught up with wild dogs which had just made a kill down in the riverbed and came walking up to show us their bloody faces. A rare saddle-billed stork was seen in the riverbed. And then we got rattled at by a honeybadger! Which then fled when we didn't feel threatened, but were really excited. Five sables were drinking in the river. And to top it all off we then saw my first ever PANGOLIN!!! It just ambled along, and we even managed to take pictures (although mine are a bit shaky from excitement...). I am lost for words, absolutely speechless...

Other interesting sightings: 3 lionesses with 4 youngsters, lots of elephant herds with little babies, hyenas, a hippo out of the water, bushbucks, waterbucks, impalas, nyalas, warthogs, zebras, lots of giraffes, beautiful kudu bulls, our first crocodile sighting of this safari, vervet monkeys, baboons, leopard tortoise and marsh terrapin. 

New birds included kori bustards, arrow marked babblers, grey and goliath herons, great white egret, crowned lapwings, white faces ducks, red-faced mousebirds and swainson's spurfowl. 

On Safari With Gert From 6 November 2015

6 November 2015

Today was another one filled with special and some new sightings.

On our morning drive we started off along the river and had our first encounter with a troop of baboons, including many youngsters, never failing to entertain with their antics!

After breakfast we stopped at a nearby waterhole, where we watched a herd of Impala cautiously approaching the crocodile infested water. There was a few nervous moments, but eventually all the Impala had their drink and wandered off unscathed.

After many more amazing sightings, including the half-eaten Impala remains of a leopard-kill in a tree and dozing lions, we stopped back at camp for lunch and an afternoon break.

Our late-afternoon drive truly was one to remember as we had our first sighting of Wild dogs and although they were mostly sleeping, every now and then one would lift a head and some did get up to move to a more comfortable spot. The highlight of the day, however was when a young Spotted hyena came out from their den under the road! I was pleasantly surprised to see that den active. 2 Adult females came walking out of the bush and 5 more young, 3-4 months old came out the den! We watched them playing, scent marking and suckling until it was time for us to go - leaving them to their nocturnal adventures...

7 November 2015

Rising bright and early on our final morning on safari, we loaded up and set off on the last drive.

Early morning is when the birds are at their most vocal and we watched (and heard) a Red-crested Korhaan making his very loud call right next to our vehicle.

We then stopped at a waterhole with a congregation of several herds of Impala coming to drink simultaneously together with Waterbuck, Zebra and White Rhino.

Shortly before breakfast, we encountered a lone Spotted hyena on the side of the road, sniffing the air and looking around very excitedly, looking unsure about where it needed to go but eventually choosing a direction and setting off into the bush.

A leisurely breakfast spent recapping a memorable week concluded our Safari.

On Safari With Robbie 3 November 2015

3 November 2015

Today we said our goodbyes to our Spanish guests who had a magnificent time spotting the big 5 as well sad Spotted Hyena!!

The rest of the crew literally rein acted the previous afternoons epic diggings with an additional 3 Leopard sightings!!

The 2 close encounters we had with the leopards interaction with the species 〰 Impala were tied first on our top sighting of the day list!!!

The other was when we came across 7 Wild dogs on an attempted Southern Reedbuck kill!!

Luckily today all the Antelope got away but tomorrow awaits!!