2 April 2016
Today I got 4
new lovely guests 2 from the USA and 2 from the UK.
After pick up
and check in my guests relaxed around the pool before they headed off on a
sunset drive. On the drive they saw hyenas and buffalo along with zebras and of
course impalas.
A filling supper
and an early night so we can be refreshed for tomorrow's safari.
3 April 2016
We departed
from camp at 6 am, the morning was cool and overcast, prefect conditions for my
guests, it's beginning to feel like autumn now at last.
Our first
sighting was a young giraffe all alone but ever curious it gave away the
whereabouts of its mother eating further away out of our sight.
We drove a few
more kilometers admiring the view and saw nice Elephants, quite far away but
always nice to see. A lone klipspringer watched us as we drove slowly around
manung koppies admiring the rock formations, a dwarf mongoose showed a quick
appearance running across the road. Further down on our left hand side, in a
small marula tree sat, looking rather uncomfortably, a handsome male leopard
not more than 2 meters from the road, I drove past, did a quick U turn and we
sat and watched as he fidgeted around trying to get comfortable after an hour
or so he'd had enough and jumped down to lie close to us in the long turpentine
grass, completely camouflaged! If you didn't know he was there you'd be
forgiven for driving right past him!
We drove to
mestle dam and saw very fresh leopard tracks and followed them until they vanished.
At the dam we saw Waterbuck relaxing along with hippos lying in the
water.
We drove along
the Albesini road and came across a fascinating sight of an African Harrier
Hawk literally hanging from a tree pecking at the trunk and ripping off bark rather
frantically. We couldn't quite see what he was feasting on but could only
assume it was the chick of possibly a barbeton. Incredible to watch.
Lunch time and
we were off out for our afternoon drive.
Incredible luck
this afternoon not more than 3kms from the gate hanging in a tree was a female
leopard, a fantastic way to start! Again we enjoyed our time with this beauty
before heading off.
Black clouds
looming above us giving a dramatic backdrop and photo opportunity of the
koppies we drove slowly taking in the view, a colourful bee eater in a tree for
a quick photo then it flew away.
Elephants in
the distance unaware of our presence browsing and then a lucky spot by my one
guest 2 male Sable antelope, breathtakingly beautiful. We watched as they lay
down in the long grass before we headed off to catch the gate closing.. there
alone in the road stood the young giraffe again. ..this time accompanied by his
mother, totally unfazed by us he stood and groomed himself in the road rather
awkwardly.
4 April 2016
For 2 of my
guests it was their last day before heading off to Cape Town and Namibia.
The mornings
are definitely cooling down and bringing some much needed relief from the
summers heat.
After breakfast
we headed straight to shitlave dam a lovely bird watching spot.
As we drove
down we spotted a large flock of birds flying above the dam...I couldn't see
without my binoculars and when I did see to my amazement I realized it was
Flamingos! ! I drove further hoping they would land at the water but
unfortunately they continued flying in an easterly direction. I checked with my
colleagues and it's incredibly rare to see flamingos this far south.. even for
years they haven't been seen so we were so lucky!
An afternoon
drive gave lovely Elephants on manung koppies eating away lots of impalas and
again our little Giraffe made an appearance!
After saying
goodbye to our UK guests my two remaining guests headed out the next day on
their last drive.
5 April 2016
An incredible
sunrise this morning bright orange with some small clouds covering the sun.
We decided to
stick to the tar road and came across 2 hyenas at their usual sunning spot
relaxed around us barely glancing at us!
Approximately
3kms on the road lying very flat lay 3 Cheetahs, so we'll camouflaged! We sat
and watched as they raised their heads every now and then until 2 of them
eventually decided for a change of scenery and walked 3 meters to flop down
under a tree!
Always great to
see Cheetahs and my guests were extremely happy as it was a wish for them to
see cheetahs in the wild since childhood!
Another great
drive in the Kruger
6 April 2016
Today I
welcomed my 2 new guests, Leonie and Patrick from Germany to a cold and wet
Kruger Park, this didn't dampen our excitement though!
After checking
in to our camp for the next 3 nights despite the rain we headed of on a drive.
Waterbuck, Zebras and impalas stood nervously in the road listening to every
rustle in the grass the wind and rain made, we could sense their nervousness as
the wandered cautiously to the water.
A drive around
circle road gave us some elephants in the distance.
We decided to
return to camp for supper and a hot chocolate to warm us up!
7 April 2016
Early departure
from camp rewarded us with 3 sleeping rhinos, I switched off the engine and we
watched them as the lay there peacefully until they decided to wander into the
bush...beautiful.
We headed
towards Skukuza for our breakfast and saw lovely Elephants giraffes as well as
zebras along the road. An update of 2 leopards feeding in a tree were received
with much excitement and we drove to the location, a few cars ahead gave us an
indication of something.. and there under a bush were at least 10 lions
relaxing.. great to see and unexpected! Just past the lions warming up in an
old termite mound were some dwarf mongoose totally adorable!
We arrived at
the leopard sighting with the male leopard eating the remains of a duiker
hanging in the tree, the female was lying under the tree until the male called
her and she joined him. Always great to see. After lunch another drive where we
found nice hyenas and hippos at mestle dam mating!! Tomorrow is another day in
the best place on earth.
