Krugertripping this Summer...

[harrys]

Welcome back Heksie

Some great sightings, especially the Leopard

[Dewi]

Wow! Nice kitty sightings. The Leopard does not look too impressed with the screamer in the other car in the last pic of him.

[nan]

wow Leopard, Cheetah
and a magnificent Snake

all the chance

[Lisbeth]

Good to have you back Heksie

Maybe the screaming made the leopard wake up, which wasn't that bad for you Nice also the other spotty

BTW I love your snake

[leachy]

all it took was one encounter with richprins at the april skukuza meet...........



and you emulate his travel tale style....



good to see you again anreksie...

[Bushcraft]

Hey Heksie

I thought we had scared you off after our April meet

Chased off lions by an ellie

Fantastic snake pics

Screaming aunty and then leopard. Maybe she woke him up

Cheetah also

Dinner with leachy to end an awesome day

[Flutterby]

What great sightings heksie!! Lovely pics of the snake and the leppie, and so glad your sis got to see a cheetah!

[Bush Brat]

Yay, heksie is back!
Lion, leopard, cheetah and the snake in one day...very impressive! Great pics of the snake too!

[Heksie]

I'm so sorry about my absence, this year have been a total roller coaster ride...
But I think that it is time to finish my TR before I go on another trip
SO here goes...

[Heksie]

Day 28… a quiet day in the park
7 January
This morning when we got in our car we didn’t have any plans, as we arrived at the exit of Lower Sabie I asked which way they want to drive and it was decided that we should go to Skuks. The road was quiet which we enjoyed a lot and it gave us the chance to appreciate the smaller things, I really just hate it if people drive behind me or speed past me…
We turned on the s79 (Ntwamhiri causeway) and enjoyed a close encounter with a saddle bill stork.





And then it was time for a bathroom break, it took us about 90 minutes to get to Nkuhlu which was only about 25km from Lower Sabie. It was a dead quiet with no one in sight so we had to inspect the grounds, we had a moerse skrik when we past the shop and hear something in the dustbins, but I believe it had a bigger fright as this was all we saw…



It was time to move on as the morning was melting away and in no time we were entertained by the H12 clan… We spent quite a while with them as they were busy with their morning rituals.









And on the bridge we got to see a Giant King fisher



We stayed on the H4-1 and further on the road we got more hyenas, this time some youngsters were playing but they were very shy.



And another surprise sighting this morning was the banded mongoose that crossed the road. They had teeny weenie babies but were too fast for us to take any kiekie of them. But I was fortunate enough to get one kiekie of an adult…



It was 7:00 when we arrived at Skuks and another t-break. Then we went to visit Renosterkoppies and Kwaggaspan.
A lot of general game were seen, and as we drove the S112 we got 3 male lions lazing in the shade. They were too far for any good shots but here is one as proof.



We didn’t stay long as I wasn’t in the mood to fight with other cars over a ‘not-so-great’ sighting. We did stop and watched this chameleon cross the road though, I’m always so scared that someone will drive over them so I wait for them to be safely in the bush again.



Speaking about driving over critters, I had a close shave with the slithering kind, but not to worry he got away unscathed. I believe that this is a striped skaapsteker.





We drove to Kwaggaspan and then turned around, taking the H1-1 back to Skuks and then home via the H1-2 and H4-1. The drive back wasn’t as adventurous. That afternoon we chilled in camp as the early morning were taking their toll. We only planned a drive to the Ntwamhiri causeway and then turn back. It was a quiet drive with some colourful birdies.
Little bee-eater



a juvenile scarlet-chested sunbird (I think so, if it is then it is a lifer for me)



We got to camp and decided that we are going to book a sunset drive for the following night as our time was running out and my mum and sis has never been on a drive at Lower Sabie.
That evening we had a braai at Leach’s and I got some education, I always thought the high-pitch screeching in the trees at Croc Bridge and Lower Sabie were the lesser bushbaby but after some investigating with my torch in the weeping boerbone I saw that it was actually fruitbats making the noises. We kuiered till about ten-ish and then it was time to hit the sack.

To be continued…