Brown's in Kruger June 2009 *

[Bushcraft]

June 2009 - The Lion trip

11th and , 12th June 2009


Our June 2009 trip was again a bit of a booking problem as we woke up a bit late Bushcraft had booked and we were still snoozing. Luckily the Elsie Clarke cottage opened up for the weekend of the 12th to 14th June 2009. Because of this our trip started a little later than that of the Bushcraft clan.

Bushcraft entered the park on the 11th June and we were to follow on the evening of the 12th June, it is a long trip from Toti to Kruger so they only entered the park at Crocodile Bridge after lunch and the first sighting was of this tortoise:




On reaching Lower Sabie they found this dead hippo at Sunset Dam and the Crocs were having a real feast.



They settled in for the night in the EH5 at LS, while I was still in Johannesburg preparing for still another days work. That night Bushcraft and I had a long conversation of the phone and all the while you could actually even hear the Hyena’s on the Hippo carcass over the phone. They were so loud they sounded like they were in the camp, and with Bushcraft’s pervious experiences with snoring neighbors in Skukuza, this was at least a good reason to be kept awake. I was so jealous listening to the hyena noise over the phone, but we would join them the next day.

The next morning of the 12th, they were up early and straight out to catch the noise making scallywags in the act



Then it was off to Mlondozi for breakfast. Their first 3 sightings were of this Owl :



Followed by this Eagle



And another Saddle Bill



And then of the S29 on the way to Mlondozi this Lioness walked out of the long grass and




Then down the middle of the road.





While this is going on Bushcraft is kindly taking pictures on his cell phone and MMSing them to me sitting on the office, now this is very kind of him, but by this stage my staff have decided to run for cover each time the phone beeps, they have figured out that I am not in a good mood and would definitely rather be elsewhere, I start dreaming of wide open spaces and no more cubicles, then I remember an extract from Scott Adams book “The Joy of Work”

Maybe you’ve heard of something called the “open plan” office design. It’s getting a lot of attention lately. Under the open plan, employees have no offices or cubicles, just desks in a large open area. Storage areas are virtually eliminated. This is not a good trend. After your boss has taken away your door, your walls, and your storage areas, there aren’t many options left for the next revolution in office design. One of the following things is likely to go next:
• The floor
• The ceiling
• Your happiness


The last pic that was sent for the day was were Bushcraft was on the way back after breakfast



I left work while I still had a job, collected the kids from school and drove as fast as possible for Malelane camp; we have book a late entry as we will only get there by 20h00. We were met at the gate and escorted to Malelane camp; it was too late to book in so we would have to return the next morning to book in.

Malelane was very dark and the gate was still open, this resulted in the girls making a quick dash for the hut, leaving me to unpack.

We all got an early night, but not before calling Bushcraft, who delighted in holding the phone up for us to hear the hyenas still at the dead hippo.. We would meet up with then the next day.

[Bushcraft]

13th June 2009

I was up early and off to Malelane Gate to book in for the night before, then back to camp to collect the family. The plan was to do the S25 to Crocodile Bridge and there to meet up with Bushcraft, who would drive down from Lower Sabie.

Packing the car was a mission as monkeys kept jumping in the back of the Land Rover and trying to steal whatever they could get hold of.

Two quick Pictures of the camp.







And the car was loaded and I was summoned to leave.




Along the S25 it was extremely quiet, this looks to be such a good road with so much potential, but we have never been lucky on it. We did see the odd elephant.




And this little owl.




We then get a call from Bushcraft, they have hit the jackpot on the way down to Crocodile Bridge with a Honey Badger, moving so fast the a picture was almost impossible but they got evidence …




We continue on our quiet drive when the call comes again from Bushcraft, another jackpot, a leopard on the H4-2. It walks straight out in front of their car, poses, waiting for a photograph, then silently slips into the bush, disappearing almost immediately.






Now we speed up, we seriously need to join up with Bushcraft and family; we need a bit of their luck.

We all meet up at Crocodile Bridge, and as always, it’s an extended greeting, we usually only get together on the holidays because of the distance between Toti and Johannesburg. The route is planned and we are on our way directly back up to Skukuza. We were back on the road at 09h30.

And our luck changes immediately, just as we cross bridge next to Gezantombi water hole, the Cow shouts Lion over the walki talki, we look left and right but see nothing , but she is insistent there was a lion. As we reverse back over the bridge we seen the lioness, coming out the bushes.




She stops in the dry river bed and watches us




The flies seem to be bothering her so she rolls over in the sand to scratch, this had us all laughing as she looked so much like a domestic cat.







But she did not take too kindly to our laughing and we received a threatening stare





What we had not noticed was the rest of her family had come out and were playing in the road.






This was a large and very healthy looking pride. They stayed with us for about 10 minutes and then the gathering cars became too much for them and they moved off into the bush.




Well our luck had changed, well done to the Cow for this great sighting

After the lions we continued on our way up to Skukuza, stopping at the Lower Sabie Bridge to take a picture of this Crocodile




And noticed these Tiger fish on the down side of the Dam (Kids ask - are there are Tigers in Kruger !! )




And just before camp this Marshall Eagle




We reached Skukuza and booked in to our cottages, Bushcraft was in a GC4V and we were in the Elsie Clarke cottage and few houses away. These river front family units are our favorite and we book them whenever we can and there is always game coming down to the river to drink in front of them.

LuckyCharm relaxing at a GC4V with elephants in the background




And here is Bushcraft taking the clan for a tour of the Museum, we try to pick a time when it will be empty, as it is really difficult to keep this clan quiet in a Museum and as always we look at the Dog graveyard.




Then it’s off for the afternoon drive, we were both tired after the long morning drive, so we agreed to do the loop to the high water bridge over the Sabie, again. When we got to the bridge a crowd of cars were leaving, we had just missed a Leopard sighting. It was said that a mother and cub had been hanging around the island in the middle of the river.

It took quite a while before Bushcraft spotted the mother on the Skukuza side of the bridge. She was so well camouflaged






We kept looking for the cub and there was a lot of focus down river, I took some photos and tried to zoom in to find something. Again it took quite a while and what looked like nothing




Was a small Leopard cub lying just under a bush, it looked very nervous, and was probably scared by all the commotion on the bridge above it, and its mother being isolated on the other side of the bridge. It was getting late by them and everyone started heading back to camp, leaving mother and cub in peace for the night.




Our last sighting before reaching camp was a few old buffaloe that always seem to hand around just before Skukuza.




This was our first full day and we already had lion and leopard, (bushcraft has 2 of each) what was still to come? We had the braai at the Elsie Clarke cottage as it is at the end of the row of cottages and gives the kids more room to play without disturbing anyone.

[Bushcraft]

14th June 2009


The next day was time for the Mlondozi breakfast, so we were up early and took the drive down the H4-2 to lower Sabie and on to the H10 up to Mlondozi. The H4-2 was unusually quiet and after the stops at Nkulu and Lower Sabie (kids bathroom stops) we turned on to the H10.

This Bateleur was busy cleaning it’s self in the morning sun.




A few kilometers on the H10 we can across the huge buffalo herd.




And on the turn off from the H10 onto the S29 we found this Hyena jogging alongside the road, he kept stopping and looking back. We tried to find what he was looking at but no luck.




Mlondozi breakfasts involve bacon, eggs, mushrooms, fried onions and toast on the rented skottel. There was a cold wind blowing that day, so after breakfast we relaxed in the sun to warm up.




And luckyCharm scanned the dams shore line for animals




The route from there was to continue up the H10 to Tshokwane and then back down to Skukuza. With our cheetah sightings in previous years we had high hopes for more cheetah, but none today. We did spot a Rhino and a few buffalo




After another bathroom stop at Tshokwane we were back on the road to Skukuza. A small herd of elephant were waiting a few kilometres down the road.



One of the babies was having a rest in the shade



At Elephant waterhole we were surprised by some lions also resting in the shade. We waited a while for them to show more of themselves, but they were not moving.




As we neared Skukuza, we passed a car that stopped and told us that there were lions on one of the loops close to camp.

We were ready to brave the traffic and crowds to get to the sighting, as it had already been a long drive with few sightings.



We entered the sand loop off the H4-2 between Skukuza and the High Water Bridge (S12), and immediately saw a line of cars from both directions. We slowly crept forward as each car politely had their viewing and moved on.

Then it was our turn and we saw the family for the first time.




There were a couple of Lionesses and a few juvenile males.




They were very relaxed, even with all the cars that were passing in front of them




One lioness stood up, stretched and headed in our direction. She gave us a good looking over as she passed.




And we got a nice close up of her out the window




The male was still missing but as we progresses a little further along the line we saw him off in the distance, hiding behind a small bush.




We were all so impressed at everyone’s behaviour in the line. Each car would pull up next to the sighting, take their photos then move off and allow the next car into the sighting.

Then it all went wrong, a TOUR Operator in a mini bus came down the wrong side of the road and tried to push in to the front of the line. This now caused a traffic jam and his mini bus was sitting sideways across the sand road, blocking traffic in both directions. Bushcraft tried to ask him to move so that we could move on, but he swore at Bushcraft, closed his window and remained blocking the road. We eventually had to make a detour into the bush, scratching both our cars, and leave the scene for others to sort out.


Luckily as we drew alongside the male lion, he sat up and gave us a minute to photograph him




Later that evening the little ones had their own braai evening around the table in the Elsie Clarke cottage.




And then it was time for them to gang up on Punkaloo and give an extreme makeover. (I will not show the post makeover pictures; else my eldest daughter will not speak to me again)

[Bushcraft]

15th June 2009

On Monday the 15th we planned to drive down the H2-1 and on to the H5 with a loop past Stevenson-Hamilton Rock then link back onto the H2-1, then off to Transport dam. The road was reasonably quiet until we got to the S22 turn off, with us sighting elephant, giraffe and a few Kudu bulls. We passed a Tour operator in a Game vehicle, Bushcraft stopped him and explained where to find the elephants, etc.. for which he was thankful as his guest had not seen much that morning.

We continued up to the Stevenson-Hamilton Rock, we had planned to get out at the top and take the walk around the pathway. But on reaching the top we realized how silent and bushy it was, Bushcraft and I mutually decided that it was not a good idea (do people actually get out here ? ) On the way back down the S22 the tour guide we had spoken to earlier pulled along side us. He explained that he had heard over the radio that there were lions on the S65 and would we like to follow him.

Off we all went in convoy, by the time we had reached half way along the S65 there was still nothing, the tour guide stopped and as on the radio again (I think he was now panicking, as he created expectations with his guests and us).

Just then while stopped, this lioness stood up out the grass and started sharpening claws on a tree.




This only lasted a minute or so then she disappeared, was that why we drove so far ?

NO, as on the top of the koppie on the opposite side of the road another lioness appeared




And something else showed alongside her






And then a second family member




A close up portrait of the little family




They sat there for 15 minutes playing in the sun, before all disappearing of the other side of the rock face




We thanked the tour operator and he thanked us, we had spotted the lions for him, else he would have had some very unhappy guests. Sometimes it pays to be friendly to tour operators, well done Bushcraft

We were already on the S65, so we decided not to go back to Transport Dam but to rather continue on the S65 and return to Skukuza for breakfast.

This was a great idea, as just 3 kilometers up the road we came across this lot.




So we were on the S65, just seen the cubs and now we had run into another lion family unit. They were initially heading away from the road and we just drove slowly next to them, but luckily for us they turned and came onto the road.




We then noticed that these were also cubs, but a lot bigger than the ones we had just seen




The mother lioness kept walking up the road then having to turn back and fetch the cubs




The cubs would walk a few steps then hide in the long grass on the side of the road or behind a bush




This would again cause the mother to have to turn back and look for them. She looked like an old Lioness and her eyes were sunken, it looked as if these young male “cubs” had been quite a handful to bring up. This made me happy what we only have girls, boys look like far more of a handful and seem far more active, although I realize that as the girls get older there will be other problems




We followed the lions for about 5 kilometres down the road driving slowly with them, when they turned off into the bush, it was then a dash up the S65 to Kruger Gate, if I remember correctly Bushcraft left us far behind, I’ll let him explain why

When we reached Kruger Gate, it was time for a loo break and a leg stretch. Bushcraft had never been in Kruger Gate, so we had a photo of Chantal with the girls




On the way back to Skukuza we stopped past Lake Panic, there were Hippo’s, Crocodiles and bushbuck and many birds.




We relaxed over the midday period on the balcony of the Skukuza cottage overlooking the river, watching ellies and bushbuck and listening to the hippos. This kind of relaxing can make one lazy so the afternoon drive was a small loop down the H4-2, across the bridge onto the S12 and back along the H1-2 to Skukuza.

When we crossed the bridge we saw something other than lions and it made quite a nice change, we had been spoilt and were becoming complacent




But as soon as we came up to the Sand River on the H1-2 Melly shouted “Lion”, this was becoming quite a regular event by now.



And there another pride was coming up from the river.




They did not just cross the road but wandered around and between the cars. It was quite dark by this stage so some of the photos are a bit blurred,






Well by now we had seen more LIONS than general game, but no one was complaining, this was turning into a real lion trip

[Bushcraft]

16th June 2009


The 16th was our last day in the park, actually our last early morning as Bushcraft had to make it back to Toti and us to Johannesburg, so it was just a drive down the H3 and out Malelane gate.

We usually take a short drive on the way out, usually from Lower Sabie or Biyamiti, but this quite a long drive down the H3.

And in keeping in line with the trip so far, what was the first sighting - LIONS.

This time two male lions were walking off into the bush on the side of the road.




I love this picture of where he lay down in the grass next to the road, and just disappeared into the grass. The picture shows how well camouflaged he is in the long grass.




When he moved you could see him else he just blended into the grass



A few hundred meters along was a bridge and we noticed blood and remains on the rocks




It looked like a kill had taken place earlier that morning.




We initially thought it was the males that had made the kill, and then we noticed a lioness in the bushes off to the side of the river bank. She was on the left behind the small palm trees



She was still on the kill, whatever it was? there was no much left





That was the last lion of the trip…. We had a fantastic trip with a great many lion sightings, Bushcraft estimated something like 40+ lions in 4 days

This rhino was our last sighting for the trip, just before Malelane Gate.




Thanks to all who followed for the support and great comments