On Safari With Gert 12 April 2016

12 April 2016

Setting out early this morning, we witnessed yet another spectacular African sunrise painting the sky red!

The first animal we saw was a large Buffalo bull, wandering down the road, glancing back at us over his shoulder every now and then, in no mood to be hurried along!

We then received word of Cheetah spotted further along in our intended direction of travel, however, they had apparently moved into the bush. Since we haven't found any Cheetah on this Safari yet, we decided to check it out anyway. Arriving at the site where they were last seen, we stopped and scanned the area far a while with no luck. We then decided to turn back for about a kilometer and do a slow drive back to the same area. Very shortly after turning back again in the original direction, the 3 Cheetah brothers came walking out of the long grass right next to us! The one jumped straight up into the fork of a Marula tree to survey the surroundings while the other 2 carried on down the road. He then jumped down again to join them and we followed them down the road for a few hundred meters as they scent marked the bushes and road signs along the way, at one point 2 of them lay down in the road in shady spots while the 3rd got on top of a road sign for a vantage point and more scent marking! A brilliant sighting and great experience to watch them for as long as we did!

About 10 km further down the road we found a Leopard sleeping in a shady spot in a large drainage line. We then stopped off for breakfast at a nearby camp and had a visit from a large Nile Monitor below the deck we were on. After breakfast, heading back along a different road, we found our 2nd Leopard for the morning! This one had just killed an Impala and was lying with its kill at the base of a thick tree! The Impala was still intact as the Leopard was still catching its breath and contemplating what to do with the carcass; i.e take it up a tree or feed right there... We watched for a while as it lay there licking the Impala, but then decided to make our way back to camp, as by that time the vehicles had started building up significantly - what a great morning for the spotted cats!

After some siesta time back at camp, we headed back out for a short afternoon drive during which we found a large Kudu bull with an impressive set of horns, browsing very close to the vehicle as well as 2 adult bull Elephants leisurely grazing in tall grassland under a huge Fig tree.

A brilliant sunset signaled the end to another memorable day on Safari!

On Safari With Amanda From 11 April 2016

11 April 2016

Today I received 8 new guests a family of 4 from the USA, a honeymoon couple also from the USA and 2 guests from the UK. 

After a lunch at pretoriouskop we headed for home for the next 3 nights, skukuza. A beautiful afternoon ahead of us with the golden hour approaching.

First animals we saw was a lovely herd of Elephants crossing the road with a few young ones in the herd! Zebras and lots of impalas and there by the side of the road were 2 bull rhinos, always an absolute pleasure to see in these times.. not more than 200m on the road were another 2 so incredibly lucky.

On arrival at camp we checked in and had a lovely supper and an early night for tomorrow's drive.

12 April 2016

Early departure for us from camp and not long along the road and we came across 2 lions, a male and a female, they were resting very well camouflaged on the sand bank. More elephants and some beautiful giraffe crossing the road too.

Driving along towards lower sabie walking in the road came 2 female lions we managed to get pictures before they went off into the bush out of sight. Not more than 300m from the lions, lying on the side of the road was a huge male leopard, we saw him for literally minutes before he too headed off out of sight!

Other animals seen were hyenas, nyala antelope and kudu.

A fantastic morning drive...my guests are on a sunset drive tonight so hopefully they will experience the nocturnal world!

On Safari With Gert From 8 April 2016

8 April 2016

Today we started a private Safari with Glen and Rosie from Australia. We entered the park around noon and after a short lunch break continued to our camp for the next 3 nights. We stopped at a large waterhole along the way and found a large crocodile on the far bank, looking to soak up whatever sunshine it could through the cloud cover. Here we also found our first of 3 Giraffe, a large, old bull feeding close to the road. He was quite battle-scarred and moved off quickly, not very happy with the attention! We did find an adult female quite relaxed and feeding next to the road, as well as a youngster which crossed the road in front of us. One of the highlights of the afternoon was finding a small Elephant breeding herd, digging in the dry bed of a small river to find fresh drinking water. It was amazing to watch how the adult females would identify the spots by smell, dig a hole for the water to seep through and then let the younger individuals in to drink too. Some of the youngsters also got quite playful around the holes, even trying to get in and have their mud baths in the small holes. This type of behavior comes in handy for all other animals in the dry season by providing them with fresh drinking water!

Then came the true highlight of the day and something that is not seen very often; upon rounding a bend in the road we saw a couple of vehicles parked, with a large Black Rhino bull standing in the road. He was busy crossing the road, but decided to take a moment to have a good look around in the process. He crossed, then turned and came back towards the road, before heading off in the original direction and eventually disappearing in the thicket... A brilliant sighting and a great way to end the first afternoon on Safari!

9 April 2016

We set off early this morning, heading to a nearby camp for breakfast. The majority of the morning was spent driving along the river and early on, as well as at regular intervals throughout the drive, we found some Hippos grazing along the banks and in the reedbeds. We also found a hippo carcass with a variety of vultures and a large crocodile feeding on it!

It turned out to be a very good morning for the predators, as we found quite a few more very large Crocodiles basking in the morning sun along the riverbanks as well as a Spotted Hyena running down the road towards us, but then heading off into the bush...

Shortly before our breakfast stop, upon rounding a bend, we suddenly found a Lion pride of about ten, consisting of females and Cubs of approximately 6 months old, in the road in front of us! The lionesses were leading the way across the road with the youngsters following close behind. We watched them make their way into the riverbed until where they found a comfortable spot between some reeds, constantly sniffing the breeze and looking upstream to where an old Buffalo bull was grazing.

We lost sight of them in the reeds and decided to move on for breakfast!

The highlight of the morning came along a small dirt road, where we found a young male leopard lying under a small Acacia Tree right next to the road! It stared back at us motionlessly for a few moments before deciding that it can't handle the attention, then got up, crossed the road behind us and headed off into the bush! A quick, but quality sighting just long enough for the guests to get some very decent pics!

After a couple of hours siesta time back at camp we went out again for a relaxing late afternoon drive during which we encountered a very active troop of Baboons with one large male aggressively chasing around some of the younger ones; evidently it is mating season as we had baboons mating in the road twice today!

10 April 2016

Leaving early this morning, we headed south towards a different camp for breakfast.

The morning started off very well, when we got 2 Spotted Hyena running along the road towards us! They ran straight past us and we followed them down the road until they took a pathway that led them into the bush.

We headed back in the intended direction and a few kilometers further on found a pride of Lion, 3 females and 2 males, basking in the morning sun in a clearing. We had a brilliant sighting as they were lying quite close to the road and completely in the open! As more vehicles eventually arrived, one of the males got up and walked over to the females, 2 of whom also got up and they started moving into the bush, looking for some shade. The remaining female walked over to the other male and with some stretching and grooming convinced him to get up and they followed the rest. It appeared as though this female was going into estrus as the male regularly tested her with flehmen behavior. However, they moved out of sight and we moved on.

Shortly before our breakfast stop, we had a couple of White Rhino sightings, one large bull crossing the road ahead of us and grazing next to the vehicle, as well as 2 younger bulls grazing not far from the road.

After breakfast it was the Elephants' turn as we encountered a large breeding herd all over the road and on both sides. Some were having mud baths in the pools next to the road and there was a few adult males with the herd as well. On approach we clearly got the distinctive scent of bulls in musth and one very large bull, in full musth crossed the road in front of us. A younger bull, also in musth tried to stand up to the older one but quickly turned and ran as the large bull walked straight towards it, shook his head and started charging! This led to a fair amount of trumpeting and the sound of branches breaking as the older male chased off the younger one with elephants scattering in all directions! We decided to move on and head back to camp for some relaxing afternoon time.

In the late afternoon we went out to a nearby hide where we saw a variety of birds including African Fish-Eagle, Pied Kingfisher and mating African Jacana. The highlight though, was a Crocodile catching a Terrapin in the water!

11 April 2016

Today we moved on to a new camp for the next 3 nights. After loading our luggage early on, we left on our morning drive accompanied by a wonderful African sunrise!

It was a good morning for Elephants as we found a large male in musth feeding close to the road and sat watching him for a while. He might have been on the trail of some females as we found a large breeding herd with many adult females and youngsters of various ages not much further on. They were feeding, but also moving quite quickly and crossed the road in front of us.

A bit further on we found a lone male Lion on a distant granite outcrop, fast asleep!

After our breakfast stop we visited a waterhole on route to our new camp. Here we found a large White Rhino cooling down in the mud on the edge of the water, herds of Waterbuck and Zebra coming down for a drink and a very large crocodile halfway out of the water, basking in the midday sun!

After checking in at the new camp and a couple of hours relaxing time, we went out on a short afternoon drive, going around a few notorious Leopard hiding spots... We found plenty of fresh leopard tracks, but the animals themselves were avoiding us!

We did find a few more large Elephant bulls and the drive was topped off by a spectacular African sunset!

On Safari With Amanda From 2 April 2016

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. 

Another fantastic day in the Kruger Park.

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.