September 2023
This post is a reproduction of my quick daily log composed at the end of each day. Click on the link below or any of the images to see the entire Kruger Gallery.
Click here to view entire gallery or click on any of the images below
Day 1
- Drove from Johannesburg to Biyamiti via Malelane. Got scammed with 2 lakhs plus on credit card at petrol station. A good welcome to South Africa
- Bought Provisions at spar and lunched at Galitos
- Ready for our 1st game drive through Kruger. Hope to see something to make up for the terrible start.
- What a fantastic drive!! The Trip just started looking up
- We’re running terribly low on fuel. It’s late and we’re hoping to get to Biyamiti Bush camp before we become part of the game drives.
- A lone Giraffe standing sentinel at the gates. A sign board that says “Get out of the car and open the gates yourself”
- Cottage in the woods serene and silent. Only the calls of wildlife and the crackling of Braais around to break the silence.
- Forgot water and had to melt ice as the only product sold at the camp.
- A yum simple dinner of spaghetti, with ham, boiled eggs and toasted buns made by Sumita. E & I boiled the ice.
- Antelope
- Warthog
- Hippopotamus
- Banded Mongoose – a whole pack
- Lions – 1 male and 2 Females with cubs
- Black Rhino – 1
- Wild dogs – pack of juveniles attacking a lone Hyena
- Hyena – 1 followed by 3 more to the rescue
- African Buffalo – a herd
- Giraffe – 1
- Monkeys
Day 2
- Driving with a prayer to get gas.
- Another car stopped not 1/2 a km from our camp. Stopped behind him and kept looking for the bird sighting till we saw the Lion staring at us out of the bushes not 6ft from us at the edge of the road camouflaged by the grass.
- Was reminded of the sign at the camp where we had to get out of the car to open the gates by ourselves.
- Coasting at optimum RPM for fuel economy, pulled up by a ranger for excessive speed on the gravel roads.
- Reached the Petrol station at Croc Bridge – the most welcome sighting on this drive.
- Second morning drive of the day with a full gas tank via the S28 from Croc Bridge to Lower Sabie
- An hour at sunset dam watching hippos, crocs and birds while our room was being made ready
- Checked into Lower Sabie. Beautiful river facing cottage.
- A good afternoon siesta followed by a smoky Braai with venison and beef steaks followed by some toasted marshmallows.
Part 1 to Biyamiti to Croc bridge.
- Giraffes-2
- Lion in the bush
- Antelope
- Wildebeest
- Warthogs
Part 2 to Lower Sabie via S28 gravel road
- Elephants crossing the road
- African Buffalo
- Hippos
- Crocodiles
- Kingfisher and other birds (TBC)
Night spotting by the cottage inside the camp.
- Bush buck
- Bush baby
Day 3
Bush walk.
- Early start at 4:45 AM. 2 rifle toting Rangers leading 6 of us through the bush on foot searching for game.
- Elephants
- Hippos
- Warthogs
- Buffalo
- Impala
- Steinbokke
- Zebra
- Abandoned utensils and tools by early settlers and displaced indigenous people including graves
- Back home. Breakfast at Mugg & Bean and then watching Elephants and Hippos by the river in front of the cottage.
- Afternoon nap and a short and cold but welcome swim.
- Guided sunset drive on an OSV on the way to dinner in the bush.
- Mock charged by a baby elephant learning the art of intimidation.
- Delicious Braai dinner in the bush. Mashed tapioca with a tomato stew, beef steak, roasted chicken, sausage, potato salad, Malva pudding and custard.
- A thousand stars and two thieving, mocking Hyenas in a standoff who wanted the food from our Braai.
- Elephants
- Zebra
- Hippo
- Crocodiles
- Steinbok
- Impala
- Water bokke
- Jackal
- Shrub Hare
- Giraffes
- Hyenas
- White faced owl
Day 4
- Drove along the Lower Sabie Skukuza tar road
- Searching for the last of the Big 5 – The Leopard and the elusive cheetah.
- A glimpse of a leopard tantalised us as it walked among the shrub near the banks of the Sabie.
- A hazy photograph at 750mm Equivalent the only evidence that we had actually seen it.
- No Cheetah!!
- Back at camp, brunch at the riverside restaurant watching baby and mother elephants enjoying a mud bath.
- A Tequila sunrise for Sumita signalled her sunset as she slept and I was unceremoniously dragged out to the pool by E.
- Braai and beer in the evening to celebrate our last evening at Kruger.
- Giraffe
- Baboons
- Hippo
- Elephant
- Impala
- Steinbok
- Roan Antelope
- Warthog
- Blu Wildebeest
- Eagles nest with babies
- Buzzard
- Leopard
Day 5
- A last minute check on the sighting board confirmed cheetah sightings on the S28 towards Croc bridge
- Last drive today on our way out to Muldersdrift.
- Cheetah!!! Quick glimpse in the distance
- Cheetah!! Another one. It’s brother. And what a show it had on for us. Catcalls (literally) and a ramp walk for almost 30 minutes.
- Time to leave finally. Escorted out by an elephant that stalked us and walked us out quite firmly.
- Long drive broken by delicious Trout at Millys on the way to Muldersdrift
- Checked in to the Kloofzicht Lodge and spa. What a treat. Cottage with a meadow and a lake full of fishing out in front. Baboons, Wildebeest and Warthogs roaming free in front of our cottage
- Antelope
- Buzzard
- Hyena
- Cheetah-2 brothers of a coalition of 3
- Stalking elephant
- Blu Wildebeest
- Ducks and other miscellaneous water birds
Day 6 and Day 7
- Two very relaxed days at the KloofZicht lodge and Spa at Muldersdrift.
- Cottage overlooking the lake. Warthogs, Blue Wildebeest roaming freely in front of our patio
- Horse riding, fishing and birding by the lake.
- A hot air balloon ride and safari spotted us some White Rhino, Ostrich, Zebra, Giraffe and various deer.
- Now it’s back to the city.
- A flight tomorrow to Cape Town for some beaches, shopping, sharks, seals and Penguins.
- White Rhino
- Ostrich
- Zebra
- Giraffe
- Antelope
- Multitude of birds
Category: Birding, Photography, Travel, Wildlife
Tags: Big 5, Black rhino, Cheetah, Kruger, Leopard, Lion, Photography, Safari, South africa, Travel, Wild Animals