Africa Wild

19 August, 2013: Lower Sabie

We woke up at sparrows and were out the gates at 6.05am. We were heading down to Croc Bridge so we turned left. Not 5 mins from camp the Brat and I spotted this handsome one strolling along the river! Some cars had overtaken us and didn't even see him.







The rest of the H4-2 was quiet and so was the H5, with just a sighting of a Lappet-faced Vulture. It was an overcast morning so all the pics are very dull.



We got onto the S25 and headed towards Croc Bridge. We turned down towards Hippo Pools and found two lovely big tuskers.



At the Pools we were greeted by Daniel who pointed out some lions lying quite a way off. A terrible pic, but just to show you.



Daniel doing his thing.



We left the Pools and found the ellies again.





Our only Bee-eaters of the trip.



We made a quick stop at Croc Bridge and then headed up the S28. Apart from an ostrich and an ellie in the distance we saw nothing else.

19 August cont.

Our early morning lion.



We were a bit too close to these two bulls for my liking , but they were actually very calm!





We headed back to Lower Sabie on the S28 where we saw nothing, except for one of my school friends!

We headed past Lower Sabie and down the H4-1, and soon came across a few cars parked on the side of the road. There was apparently a leopard in a tree across the river and there were also lions lying on some rocks, also across the river. We scanned the tree for the leopard, but couldn't see anything, so we found a spot where we could see the lions. There were 3 adult lionesses (one had a collar) and the rest were all different aged youngsters. We counted 11 but now when I look at the pics I see there were actually 12!!












One by one they climbed down from the rock and started walking along the river. We followed them for about a kilometre and then they stopped. They were watching a herd of impala, and slowly they started to fan out and move around the herd. Suddenly the impala took off and the hunt was off! They carried on walking and eventually disappeared into the bush! They were a bit far, but it was still a great sighting!!

Here are video's of the two big ellie bulls and the lions.

Ellies

Lions

August 19, 2013: Lower Sabie cont.

After the lion sighting we headed back to camp and after a short rest we headed out again. We couldn't take a very long drive as the Brat and I were doing a Sunset Drive. We headed up the H10 again and did the Muntshe Loop.

This little ellie came over all shy! -O





A young kudu bull.



The roads were all very quiet so we headed back. As we were crossing the bridge these two hippo were having a go at each other and in my rush to get a pic I sat on my sunglasses and broke both arms off!!



I was doing well...green ribbon, beanbag, sunglasses!! I had to balance my glasses on my nose for the rest of the trip!!

We popped in at Sunset Dam, which seemed to be almost surrounded by crocs...I have never seen so many before!! These are just some of them!



Then a small herd of Kudu males came to drink.



He was framed, I tell ya!!





There were also plenty of impies and hippos.



Then it was time for our Sunset Drive. We asked the guide if we could do the H4-1 as there had been lion and leopard sightings there all day. As usual, the Brat was super-excited....what a disappointment!! We didn't do the H4-1, but headed towards Croc Bridge and then came back on the S28. In three hours we saw 1 ellie and the tail of a civet, and nothing else!!! We didn't take one photo!! The Brat said he was over Sunset Drives, which suits me, but I'm sure he'll want to do another one next trip!

Tx vinkie and Pumbaa!

Here are some of my pics of that afternoon.

Really like the pics from that afternoon...especially this one of the ellie, and the ones of the kudu males.











Day 7

Today was our last day and we wanted to go out with a bang so we were ecstatic when we saw this male lion in the road next to Sunset Dam.



We then saw a Giant Eagle Owl (my mom has pics of it) and some Nyala on the H1-2.



Just before the Kruger Tablets we saw two cars stopped on the side of the road. The one drove off before we could ask what they we were looking at and the other car wouldn't open their windows. Just as we were about to drive off Mommo spotted...in the road...

20 August 2013: Lower Sabie

We were up so early this morning that we were out before the gates even opened. Actually the gates opened a 5.50 so we got an extra 10 minutes!! -O My dad said that he thought it was too early to see anything, but as we approached Sunset Dam a lion crossed the road right in front of us!! There were two cars at Sunset Dam and we flashed our lights but they didn't see him.

A bit further on we came across a stopped vehicle with some people we had bumped into a couple times throughout out our trip. They pointed out a Giant Eagle Owl...we heard it before we saw it...a lovely sound. Not a great pic as it was still fairly dark.



We headed towards Skukuza and then crossed the Sabie at the high level bridge and got onto the H1-2. Close to the Kruger Tablets there were two cars parked on the right side of the road. We stopped next to the first car, but their windows were closed and they didn't even look at us...you know the type! The car in front drove off and we moved forward slightly to see if we could find anything. We were about to pull off when my dad shouted "LION! Behind us!" A young male lion was crossing over from the left. He walked between us and the other car and came and sat right next to our car!!!



He was so close that I was battling to photograph him! -O





Just then an adult male crossed the road too and went and sat further into the bushes.



We then realised that the larger male had joined another lion and that's what those 'snooty' people had been looking at. The young male next to us then flopped down in the grass and went to sleep. I had changed lenses but it was still difficult to get him in without getting the car in too!! -O



He would occasionally lift his head and then flop down again...obviously a heavy night! Do you know how tempting it was to yank that little bush out of the way!! -O



As people arrived we would tell them what we were looking at, as it was quite difficult for anyone else to see him, and then point out the other two lions further in. The people behind us just looked down their noses as others tried to work out what was there, and refused to open their windows...people like that really get on my nerves!! It's great to have a sighting to yourself sometimes, but I also love to share sightings. I always think to myself "what if these people have never seen this particular animal". Eventually there was quite a traffic jam and we could see these lions were not going to move so we let someone take our prime position and went on our way.

Here's a video of the lions...you can hear I was bit tense! -O

Lions

Here are some of my pics!

Our H1-2 lions...a pity for the branch in front of his face!













Just to show how close they were - this one was not even the closest one to us, and I still couldn't get a pic of him without the car in on my small lens without leaning out the car and risking severe death!



We carried on to Tshokwane and found a hornbill resting on someone's car and on the way back saw three hyenas...one in a ditch and then these two further along.





More nyala!!



Back on the H4-1 we saw a traffic jam as we drove up to it my mom and I spotted two 'things' walking in the ditch next to the road...

September 20, 2013: Lower Sabie cont.

We left the lions and headed up to Tshokwane and then turned around again. I was almost over the flu but I was feeling totally exhausted, so the Brat and I swapped seats and I lay down on the back seat - unheard of for me in Kruger!! I had a power nap and woke up when we got back to the lions. They still hadn't moved and there was now a serious traffic jam, so we picked our way through the cars, making sure to explain to everyone that we weren't pushing in, just trying to get through.

This little cutie caught my eye. -O



More branches in the way!! I think we need to complain about all those bushes and twigs in Kruger!! -O



More Nyala...we have never seen so many Nyala in Kruger!!





We were back on the H4-1 and came across another traffic jam. We were told that there were lions in the riverbank, but we couldn't see anything. We made our way through the traffic and were about to leave when we heard them. We did a U-turn and saw two lions cross between the cars heading to the river.



We were now at the back of the queue but had luckily ended up in the perfect spot. There was a small gap in the bushes and the lions all settled down close to the reeds and one by one went down to the river to drink.



They were on a kill and we could see some of them chewing on bones. There were lots of youngsters and we counted 9 lions, but we could see tails flicking up against the bank - we were sure they were the same pride we had seen hunting the day before.



This youngster settled in the shade and then didn't take his eyes off us for ages!!

Thanks for the great comments Twigga, JN, Heksie, Amoli, Mel, stf, Pumbaa, BC, Lis! Really appreciate it!

Last epsiode...

After our lions we went back to camp and planned our last afternoon drive. We also went to the deck for some refreshments and found some kudu, bushbucks and this ellie.



Nothing spectacular on our afternoon drive...we did see some vultures and another Giant Eagle Owl, that I could get a pic of!!!







That night we decided to treat ourselves to a dinner at the LS restaurant and were treated to ellies just below the deck, having dinner too!
Mommo at the deck!



The next morning we packed up and reluctantly made our way to the gate. We were hoping to find another lion in the road but instead we found a hyena, and further on another two. We approached Paul Kruger, and just before we left the park we saw a hippo quite close to the road wishing us goodbye! With that we made our way back to JHB!

Hope you enjoyed our TT, and all the Brat's and my pics! But never fear -O , because we have already booked for next year April: 24th and 25th: Satara, 26th and 27th: Skukuza...until next time!!

Conclusions

So, here are some conclusions about our trip:

Best Camp for Sightings: Lower Sabie
Worst Camp for Sightings: Pretoriuskop
Nicest Unit: Olifants
Noisiest Camp: Tamboti
Quietest Camp: Olifants
Best Sighting: Black rhino charging us! -O
Best Roads: H4-1, H1-2 & H11
Worst Roads: H1-1 & H2-2
Best Spotter: Bush Brat

Lion: 24
Leopard: 3
Cheetah: 3
Black Rhino: 1
Porcupine: 1
Honey Badger: 2
Civet: 2
Genet: 1

We have never seen so many nyala, but something we didn't see any of, which is a first for us, was klipspringer!!

New Birds: 6 - Purple-crested Turaco, Bearded Woodpecker, Sombre Greenbul, Yellow-breasted Apalis, White-bellied Sunbird, Marico Sunbird

Items lost/broken: Green ribbon, beanbag, sunglasses, 1 gold earring!! On our last morning I couldn't find one of my earrings... it's somewhere in Lower Sabie Unit 12!

We decided we didn't like the park in August, so next year we are going in April and will try to squeeze a long weekend in somewhere around September/October. And we also decided we definitely did not like Pretoriuskop and will not be back.