Krugertripping this Summer...

[nan]

and why not KP (Kruger Park)
thank you Mel

[Lisbeth]

Kruger Park Appetizer, Nan

[nan]

Kruger Park Appetizer, Nan

[JustN@ture]

Heksie, your photo's are amazing, love the TT and stunning sightings
the leopard is my favorite

[Heksie]

Heksie

You had some cool cat sightings and the bush looks lush green

Love the Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, very nice find

HI Toko

The park was green and dense with trees and bushes, it was hard to see anything further than 2m from the road but the park is sooooo beautiful so I can't complain

Sounds like a very relaxed day!

Ya it was, but with the heat it was a bit bad, I saw a pic that I took with my phone of myself... looked like I was molting

The cats were missing, which happens often in KNP, but still a great relaxing day with a mixture of sightings

A potential morning nap at your age You and RP will get on well, although he may still be sleeping when you return to camp

Remember BC I sleep about 5-6 hours every night in the park so a snooze every now and then is necessary

[Heksie]

The francolin chicks are so cute!

And generally a great variety - even without the cats.

(My last visit was in October 2009 - been going to KTP mainly ever since. Mostly twice a year. )

Eish you need to check out this park again... even for just a little boost, not that I don't think KTP is great, still have to find that out but just a little trip Mel

LIS and NAN

Glad to see you guys know now what a KPA is, so now the Q is if you guys enjoy one every now and then?
And not to worry, it is any apple cider so Hunters, Redds etc falls under the Krugernational KPA trademark

Heksie, your photo's are amazing, love the TT and stunning sightings
the leopard is my favorite

Thanks JN I still need to learn so much, still don't know what aperture and ISO means

[Heksie]

Day 6… a good morning becomes a fantastic day

16 December

Wendy decided to have a sleep in this morning so I was the lone musketeer today, it was our last full day at Lower Sabie so I wanted to get as much of the South in today, it was a total day drive plan coming into my mind… starting this morning with the S21 on my way to Skuks and then the H1-2 back to camp, from there the H10->S29 and the S128 back to camp and then just for good measure the H4-1 for an afternoon drive and take the S79 back to camp. Many kilometres had to be covered but the 14 hour days of summer allowed as many as 200km a day which was in my favour…
I was first at the gate and driving in front this morning, the other cars behaving themselves and following me at a distance and it was quiet in the dark with only a few hippos grazing next to the road. After about 10km I saw something in the distance and after eyeing it with my binocs I started jumping up and down again in my car… I was so excited but couldn’t rush towards what was moving into my direction…



So number 2 on my wishlist was ticked. Strange behaviour, they did it with the bakkie and this car behind me…



I followed these two for 2km towards Lower Sabie but decided it was time to get a move on to Skuks and turned around.



And then I saw this meneertjie strolling my way, the morning is blossoming with sightings, I don’t mind a slow morning if this is what happens…



Then I go a baby tortie in the road



Now I don’t know if I have shared enough how BIG a snake fan I am, if I see them I’m always stoked but bummed out as well because they normally move too fast for any kiekies, I have been very fortunate this trip as all I wanted to see the last few trips was a puffie and guess who was waiting in the road for me…



After a while he moved into the bushes, I have a very gagga video of it, and then it chilled next to the road… what more can I ask for?



A car stopped next me and asked what I was looking at, I reversed and showed them, it was three okes and we had a short chat, nothing was on the road from Skuks to the S21 which I was glad about as I really wanted to do the S21 this morning and there was no need to deviate now. I left them with the puffie and turned on the dirt road. The road was strangely very quiet for my taste and only got this Mr Majestic



And a few chameleons



I did drive into another non-forum friend of mine, this was the third trip we would see each other this year, his name is Thokozani and he was in the Park with the boys… I was informed that the S21 was dead, uhm, I knew that as I already drove 18km of the road and he told me that the previous day the lions was again 5km from the S114 and 100m from them a leopard… WHAT!?! Oh well, that is the unpredictability of Kruger for you… We waved goodbye and on I drove again, I took the S114 and then came out on the H1-1 from there I was informed about lions at the S112 entrance so I turned to the H3, and oh how glad I was that I did it instead of turning back and taking the dirt to the S112. I got there and there was only one uno as well as a bakkie that stopped on the right side of the uno so I took my 4x4 and went a bit offroad to the left of the uno, we were 3 cars on my side but the opposite side of the lions were a traffic jam which I don’t want to be part of. There were 2 sub-adults, 6 cubs and 3 female lions. This sighting lasted for 10 minutes maybe but it was the best cub sighting I’ve ever had in the Park.





















Afterwards one female passed my car with a sub-adult male and it is one of those whoops moments as she basically brushed my car as she passed and my car was switched off, I just froze in my car as my windows couldn’t wind up… The people in the uno looked at me with wide eyes and I just shrugged and then turned around as I wanted other people to enjoy the sighting as well. I stopped at Skuks for a bathroom break and something cold to drink, I got a message from Wendy that she is doing the H5 then S26 to Mpondo, on my way to LS I got a message from her that she saw a serval and I was SO JEALOUS, something that I so want to see but I was so happy about my sightings this morning, don’t know if I would trade? Here is the sightings of my drive…

Buffalo



Grey duiker



Beautiful bushbuck



And at sunset dam I stayed a while with this amazing specimen having a mudbath



I stayed at camp for a while, read maybe a chapter when the road was calling me again so I had to listen. On the bridge there was a giant kingfisher posing so beautifully



And what makes the H10 such a beautiful road is the open spaces and you can see animals in the distance.



Another great sighting for me was this hornbill snacking a bit, he decided that he doesn’t want spectators and moved further in the bushes…



And I believe that this is a black shouldered kite? What say the specialists?



Then I got the a surprise I didn’t expect. I stopped on the low water bridge and like every time I do hope to see something special, something you don’t see everyday, something you can only see near water. And I see this car in front of me looking to my left and as I look towards the pools I see something sliding in the water, it happened so fast but I got a few pics, I have proof of my second Cape clawless Otter in KNP!!!!! How amazing is this day?



I was jumping out of my skin by now, I had 90 minutes to go before gate closing time so just a short drive was in order. I got a small roadblock just before the S79 E entrance and check this cutie pie. Wendy came from the front and we shared a few words an left for the camp.





Just after this there were another roadblock, people dressed in army clothes checked the cars which was great! A thumbs-up to SANPArks!!!! They were checking the entry permits and searched cars. I think these unplanned searches is a great initiative for the rhino war.
I turned on the S79 and 300m in look what was waiting in the distance…



I didn’t know what to do, must I drive on or stop or speed? Then she disappeared. I kept on driving and as guesstimated where she was I looked to my left and behind the bushes I had this horrible view.



A car came from the front as I got to her and I asked them did they see her. Nothing! At least the car behind me, my neighbour saw her. I told them to move next to me so they can look through the bushes and I drove forward for if she would move, and she did after a minute.



At least all three of us saw her and then it was time to move on as the clock was ticking. I thought to myself I have seen everything except a rhino today and around the next corner this popped up…



Now it was cherry on my koek as we Afrikaners would say. The big 5, wild dog, puffie and a CCO… we could ask for nothing better. I got to camp just with a minute to spare and it was time to fill up my car as we were to meet Sparrow and co in Phala and stay at Sable Hide tomorrow so a long road lay ahead. Now came blunder #3 for the trip: I ask the attendant to fill it up, he tells me the amount I need to pay and after I gave him the money quickly go in his office to get change. He hands me the change and then walk to another car. I start my car and drive away….KA-KLONK… and as I look back the petrol hose is still in my car and stretched to its max. So I reverse and he takes it out and then walks off again. I drive to camp and tell the story to Wendy and I decide to inspect the spot and see this…



I pretty negative now and go back to reception to report this, I’m sorry but have any one of you experienced this? I have never in my life checked if they take out the petrol hose and close my petrol cap… I didn’t know that we should check it out. I see the camp manager and tell her the story, she takes a pic and inform met that she must communicate with regional office and will come back to me. I did get a sms from her the following day and that was it, it has been more than a month now and still nothing from SANPArks, how bad is that?

Back to my TR, we had our last braai and after a few KPA’s we went to bed as tomorrow an early morning of packing awaits us.

To be continued…

[nan]

Wild Dogs asking for something
cute little Boon, at this age they are still cute
magnificent Antelopes
and the Lions... Ho ! the Lions... a regal
Magnificent Puff Adder too

what episodes

[flying cheetah]

Really an unbelievable day It seems you saw eveything except cheetah.
Good to see that the Puffie left the road, they so often get killed by drivers who only look into the bush but never on the road. I had to witness this 3 times
I'm very jealous about the CCO and I love the pic of the Hornbill with the Scorpion. Very rare and nice sighting
Sorry about the experience at the petrol station. Usually I alwaysleave the car when I get petrol in Kruger, just to stretch my legs. But I don't know if I would have noticed if the petrol hose was still in the car. In future I will be more attentive!

[flying cheetah]

Outstanding leopard sighting Very unusual that this cat stays for so long on the road when there are a few cars around. In my experience they vanish into the bush after 35 minutes..
And of course your lions are very impressive as well. It seems that all these cats wanted to make it into yout TR so they decided to pose for you

Well 35 minutes is a good time, I normally get at the most 5 minutes as there are too many cars and I have to move or the vanish into thin air


SORRY!! I didn't want to say 35 minutes, but 3 - 5 minutes