In Search of Some Good "Spots"

[Flutterby]

BC, do you use Latest Sightings to monitor all these leopards?

[Ratel]

Thanks for the nice words Flutterby, Lisbeth, Alf, Richprins, Mel and Bushcraft Regardless of exactly what we see it will be a fantastic trip for us. I hope I can put together a suitably enjoyable TT afterwards.

Where the f is Alice?

I would suggest making all 3 the first nights at Olifants or Satara...a bit laborious moving around once you start relaxing?

That's an old song RP. But since you asked, the best way to find Alice Springs is to put a map of Australia on a dart board and start chucking darts at it. When you score a bullseye you have found Alice!

Agree about moving around, but couldn't get into Satara on the third night. Also, SO is still toying with the idea of a morning walk at Olifants to look for Pel's Fishing Owl (she is an avid birder!) so I have not bothered to pursue a change.

Thanks for the info, especially about Serval.

Enjoy Ratel

You are in the prime area for leopard and serval. Sunset and night drives from Satara and Lower Sabie are producing plenty leopard and serval fairly often.

At the moment there’s a resident leopard just outside Satara camp (1.5km south is his main area) and he’s causing massive traffic jams there 3 times a week.

Like RP, I think Lower Sabie is in the main area and if your timing is correct you will find leopard in any direction from camp, including the H10 which is producing a leopard fairly often in the 1st 6km from Lower Sabie and 2 seem to be hanging around the Nkumbe area, but the H4-1/S79/H4-2/S130 are better options.

Thanks also BC for this great info (and all the stuff in your TTs!). A couple of those leopards were on my radar already, but you obviously have some sources which are unknown to me. Also following one on the H1-3 around the baobab/Kumana Dam (an old friend of yours possibly?) and another on the H1-4 near the H8 turn-off. Good to know that a few Serval have being seen lately.

[Flutterby]

Ratel, if you decide you want to look for the Pel's you must book the river walk, not the morning walk, and you must tell them when you book that you want to look for the Pel's as they plan their routes beforehand and have to get clearance from the section rangers before each walk.

[Ratel]

Ratel, if you decide you want to look for the Pel's you must book the river walk, not the morning walk, and you must tell them when you book that you want to look for the Pel's as they plan their routes beforehand and have to get clearance from the section rangers before each walk.

Thanks for the advice Flutterby. Is it ok to just arrange it the day before or do they need more notice than this?

[Flutterby]

I'm sure the day before is fine.

[Richprins]

Hey, Alice!

One can always constantly change bookings, I still suggest moving all to olifants then...a much more orgasmic camp, especially if the SO hasn't been there yet?

And Flutts is right, but one can book the walks well in advance, so better safe than sorry, will get you the email addresses...best to use 3.

Are you Afrikaans?

[Ratel]

Thanks Flutts and RP. We will get the river walk booked to avoid disappointment! If we can find a Pel's then that will keep me in the good books for days.

And we are gonna leave the accommodation as is for the time being since we can't get into Satara for the third night and don't want to switch everything to Olifants. Night drives out of Satara are a key attraction for us (Serval, SSJ, etc).

Are you Afrikaans?

Nope. I am 100% Aussie convict stock!

[Richprins]

Ok, Alice!

Good to know that a few Serval have being seen lately.

This is a normal Afrikaner error...

[Ratel]

Aha! No such excuse RP. Just poor proof-reading!

[Richprins]

Ratel and SO were at the crowned eagles here yesterday, I hear!

Many thanks to Garth Batchelor, the local expert, for taking them!


Thanks, Garth!