Africa Wild

Saturday, 13. February 2021 – Malelane – Berg en Dal

Roads we drove: H3 – S110 – S110 – H3 – H2-2 – S114 – H2-2 – H3 – S110

Luckily we slept very well that night as it was not that hot besides a couple of rain showers and also shortly before we left after the obligatory coffee once again a rain shower came down but when we packed everything together it was dry again. In no minute we stood again on the bridge at the Malelane gate across the Crocodile river and a short stop there is always a must also to let all the other cars pass as well. It was still a bit dark but a goliath heron could easily be spotted



as well as a saddle billed stork in flight



who presented its impressive wingspan whilst overflowing our heads.



Although it was a Saturday morning and a couple of people already waited to check in the procedure itself was done surprisingly fast as I already filled in all obligatory paperwork at home and also the taking of temperature prior to the paperwork had been done fast and then we could not believe it we definitely made it to Kruger this year as soon as the barrier closed again behind us.

Lots of European swallows much more than during the previous visits joined us throughout the whole park and so these had to be captured as first animal inside the park



followed by the obligatory impalas in the high and green grass



and also the zebras were around as well.



Then it was a bit quiet but that did not bother us at all as we simply were happy to be in the park itself and after a short comfort break at Berg en Dal we turned into the direction of Matjulu and along the way we met a very drenched African hawk eagle



with the mountains in the background.



The vegetation was still extreme wet because of the previous rain showers but we had luck that very first day as besides a couple of rain drops here and there we somehow escaped the rain that day. For sure many yellow billed hornbills were around as well



followed by European rollers which were plentiful in the park this year as last year they were somehow nearly not existing during our visit.



Matjulu itself was also deserted so we did not stay that long there and continued via the S110 and we discovered a long billed combrec, one of those birds who are not easy to photograph,



another fluffy European roller



and more still resting impalas



which were extreme wet.



We were successful in photographing an African hoopoe



and whilst the yellow breasted bunting only flew by without stopping another European roller was willing to do so.

Another lovely sighting was then a younger red billed hornbill on branch again with that impressive verdant background



and soon another one arrived with a gift in form of a fruit



which had been expected immediately.





and finally also been eaten.



Then Timon braked and mentioned: “Is that a leopard there?”



and it was in fact one a beautiful lady leopard on top of a dead tree still a bit tired.



Again we could not believe our luck in spotting right within the first hour in the park already a leopard and not only a glimpse of one it turned out to one of the best leopard sightings we ever had



as she was not at all in a hurry and obviously escaped the wet grass on top of this branch and needless to say that the happy snapping of our camera button in our car started again.



After a short stretching and watching around her eyes fell again back into sleeping mode



but from time to time she took a cheeky look around.



It was simply amazing and besides us it was only one other car present at that sighting although it was a Saturday.





to be continued……….

Wow! what great luck to see a leopard right out in the open like that and even moving from time to time

It must have been great to get away from home after all the various limitations

Did you fly from Berlin or Frankfurt or is there a direct flight from Hamburg ? and with which company? Was the flight full or did they stick to the security rules? Did you have to stay in quarantine when you returned? Have you had the Coronavirus or were you vaccinated? Sorry for the many questions, but not much has changed from February travel-wise and it is good to know

Great birds all around, but the drenched hawk gave me the giggles. Does not look happy at all

You must be kidding! A leo so soon in the trip and what a fabulous sighting!!!

Tell me, do you do your homework about leopard sightings and plan your roads accordingly like other members are know to do it?

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 11:29 am Wow! what great luck to see a leopard right out in the open like that and even moving from time to time

It must have been great to get away from home after all the various limitations

Did you fly from Berlin or Frankfurt or is there a direct flight from Hamburg ? and with which company? Was the flight full or did they stick to the security rules? Did you have to stay in quarantine when you returned? Have you had the Coronavirus or were you vaccinated? Sorry for the many questions, but not much has changed from February travel-wise and it is good to know

Yes the break was indeed extremely needed

We flew with Lufthansa from Hamburg via Frankfurt to Johannesburg for sure you needed a negative PCR covid test and must say that I never saw either the airport in Hamburg or Frankfurt that empty which was indeed very sad to see and when we left we noticed that JNB did not look better at least there half of the shops were open whereas in Germany nearly all shops at the airports were still closed - It looked like a ghost airport and even terminals were closed completely.

For sure they stick to all the rules and the planes was only filled half way I would say. You had to wear the mask the whole time during the flight as well as on the airports only when eating or drinking you could remove same for a short time. We so far did not had the corona virus so far nor we are vaccinated so far as we only stick to the priority group 3 which will obviously be the next one to be vaccinated. At the stage we returned we had to got in quarantine for 10 days which could be shortened after the 5th day with a negative covid test which we did. So only 5 days quarantine now they prolongated that to 14 days due to the corona variation

In Kruger itself all staff were happy to welcome guests and they were very friendly for sure you had to stick to the normal rules there too besides that they often took temperature which was different to the rules here in Germany - The other rules are the same. For sure it was extreme quiet inside the park and also the camps were only filled up half way and on the southern part of the park they even did not service the bungalows inside whilst we stayed there only outside which was indeed no problem for us as we only stayed 2 nights in one afterwards the bungalow had to be santized completely and that they also did with our rental car.

In case you would love to hear more simply ask.

Mel wrote: ↑Tue May 11, 2021 5:05 pm Great birds all around, but the drenched hawk gave me the giggles. Does not look happy at all

You must be kidding! A leo so soon in the trip and what a fabulous sighting!!!

Tell me, do you do your homework about leopard sightings and plan your roads accordingly like other members are know to do it?

We normally did not plan any roads which was this year on top a bit difficult as we had days were all gravel roads were closed - This was simply pure luck that day. We normally drive all roads on which we had lovely sightings

To lay on this small branch / tree must have been a bit uncomfortable







but we meanwhile had made ourselves comfortable in our car and for sure we decided that we will only leave this sighting when our leopard lady might leave the scene



and so we drank the rest of our coffee and simply enjoyed that amazing beauty.



She still must have been a bit tired as from time to time her eyes fell back into the sleeping mode



or she needed a great yawn



we did not bother at all as she was simply magnificent.



Meanwhile a bit more activity came into our spotted beauty and after more yawnings she needed a scratch as well







and also an extensive stretching with claws for a better support not to fell from the tree.

Obviously she meanwhile got a bit more alert



as she looked around a bit more interested







but from time to time she simply needed to yawn again.



Obviously the branch now got a bit inconvenient and she turned around





and we already thought that she might jump down and had enough from resting





but luckily she still stayed with us and still continued to pose like hell for us.



Unfortunately still after a while she must have had enough from everything and jumped down and disappeared in the high grass and we already though that this was the end of that sighting.





WoW – What an incredible sighting and we still were chatting together whilst having a look onto the pictures Timon took when he realized a movement in the rear-view mirror…….

to be continued…….

Thank you, Pumbaa In any case, if I am going to SA, I'll probably wait until Jan/Feb

That was not a leopard sighting, it was a leopard study

Such a awesome sighting of my favourite animal