Africa Wild

August 2009

I have always loved the outdoors, fishing, etc, but never dreamed of going to KNP because one can’t catch fish there, but in 2004 our oldest daughter, who was 3 at the time, was diagnosed with leukaemia. The shock and 3 years of chemo and chaos changes ones outlook on life.

My brother and family, who helped us through the chemo years, have been going to KNP for many years and suggested that we joined them on a trip in 2007. The wife was very keen, but I moaned for weeks that I was going to get bored and there’s no fish to catch, etc. Well, we joined my brother and family in 2007 for 4 days and I found myself begging for another day and almost refused to go home.

We have all gone back twice a year since (it would be more if leave and finances allowed it) and I personally wish that we could live there.

I have been threatening to write this trip report for many months now, but having never posted before, let alone up loaded pictures, I never got around to it. Our last trip each year has been in August and this is last year’s trip, which I need to complete in a week as we are about to leave for our first 2010 trip on the 9th of June.

Just to give you a brief family description, my brother Garth and his wife Mel have 3 daughters, 18, 9 and 4 and my wife and I have 3 daughters, 9, 6 and 4, so KNP accommodation, in the same camp, has always been a challenge, but we have been lucky so far.

August 21 Home –Talamati

A quick stop at Orpen toilets then down the H7 and S36.

Shimangwaneni dam produced the first of the big 5, buffalo and elephants cooling off. The remains of a black rhino carcass can be seen on the edge of the dam, which I believe was killed by another rhino. Last year we were lucky to have a lion pride in the road for more than an hour at the dam, but no lions today.







Arriving at Talamati late, after a long drive with the kids and work pressure withdrawal systems, we decided to relax in camp for the late afternoon and evening.




We were greeted by the locals at the water hole.




The resident sable made an appearance later. The male acts as if he owns the place.







The camp has x2 beautiful hides, which are a special place to be in the dark after a braai.




The accommodation is also awesome.




After the first KNP braai it was early to bed as we wanted a first light start to Skukuza.

August 22 Talamati – Skukuza

Morning Drive: S145, S36, S125, H1-3, H1-2

The S145 and S36 had the usual suspects, impala, zebra, etc, but generally quiet. At the intersection of the S36 and S125 we decided to take the S125 as we had never done this road before and wanted to take the tar to Tshokwane. The road was very quiet until the last 1km where an awesome sight waited around the last bend.







The mom seemed to be enjoying her peace









A second car arrived later and their expressions showed that they were as surprised as everyone else. We spent about 20 minutes with the leopards which then moved off in the direction of the southernmost Baobab.

A few kilometres from Tshokwane 3 lions were hiding in thick bush. We now had 4 of the big 5. If one counts the dead rhino from the day before we had the big 5, but that would have been cheating.




A sable in the thick bush at the Kruger tablets.




Some giraffe, warthogs, zebra, wildebeest, etc on the way in to Skukuza.







Booking in at Skukuza has always been painless for us and I’m rather excited to be staying in a chalet with a view for 1st time. Previously we stayed in the safari tents and visited my brother and family in the units with the view, but this time I decided to splash out and we have units with great views next to each other for the next 5 nights.






Skukuza, although very busy, is the coolest camp for kids. They love touring the museum, Selati train, dog cemetery and if hot enough can swim.

Afternoon Drive: H11, H4-1 to Sunset Dam and back again.

We set off at about 14:00 to drive down the H11 as we heard that a giraffe had been killed by lions the night before and the rangers had to move it off the road to allow vehicles to pass and this had chased the lions off, but they may come back. Unfortunately no lions or any scavengers at the moment.




We turned around and headed to the H4-1 and sunset dam. I decided to take the very 1st dirt road loop as we entered the H4-1 and my wife said “that tree looks prefect for a leopard”, 2 seconds later I shouted leopard. Now my brother has two small radios which allow communications between vehicles, so it’s easy to relay where to look, etc, but much to my wife’s frustration, she could not see the leopard and I was shouting at her to film (the wives use the video cameras), as I could not get a shot with my camera as her head was in the way. Luckily my brother saved the day and got some photos before the leopard moved off.







Half way to Sunset dam we had some elephants crossing.




The normal hippo clan at the dam and just passed Lower Sabie a relaxed baboon in a tree.






We turned around 2km further where the king was relaxing next to the Sabie River.




It was quiet most of the way back to Skukuza except for this elephant that refused to get off the road and idiots that lose their minds in this situation.




This little fellow visited us outside our unit just before dark. I think it may be from the Goshawk family, but I’m not very good with birds.




It was now time for the men to sit by the fire and discuss the next day’s route and the women to bath the kids, which proved interesting as the unit had no bath, but Mel made a plan and the small ones took turns in the make shift bath.




Later, the usual hyena fence visitor showed himself a few times, which gave the kids some excitement in the dark.

At last the kids were asleep and it was time to sit quietly in the dark, with Amarula in hand, and listen to the sounds of the bush.

August 23 Skukuza

Morning Drive: H4-1 – Nkuhlu - Lower Sabie and back

We had morning coffee at 6 and loaded kids, blankets, etc into the cars at about 6:30. Our first sighting for the day was a kudu just outside camp.




It was rather quiet, except for the usual suspects, until a few km before Nkuhlu where we found the lazy lions relaxing already and it was only 7:20. I played with the idea of going back to the S30 Salitje road where we may have a better view of them, but the kids were already wailing for a toilet break, so it was off to Nkuhlu for a pit stop.




Getting 5 kids aged 9 and under out the car, to the loo, and back in the car, can be a challenge, but after 10 minutes we were back on the road. A small elephant, what I think is an eagle owl and a bushbuck were waiting just around the corner.








A few minutes later I saw what looked from distance like an impala in the road and then the white tail flicked in the air, leopard about 150m away. By the time both vehicles arrived where it had entered the bush there was only time to take 2 blurry photos that are not worth posting, but we had seen our leopard for the morning anyway.

Next stop Lower Sabie for hot chips on the deck, which has turned into a ritual for the kids. A look at the sighting board and back on the road to the H10 bridge where these guys were waiting there for us. The hawk had caught its self a snake.







On the way back to Skukuza a Nyala family were hiding in the bush just before Nkuhlu. They seem to love this area as we often see them here, but always in thick bush. The lazy lions were still sun tanning on the rocks just past Nkuhlu. They had hardly moved in 2 and a half hours, but by now every tom, dick and harry was trying to get a photo, so we moved on. Just before Skukuza these guys seemed to be hunting in the river bed.




Bacon, eggs, and relax till the afternoon, but we had visitors at lunch time.

Afternoon Drive: Lake Panic, Renosterkoppies,
S112, H3, H1-1 and back.

We left Skukuza at about 15:00 for a stop at Lake Panic, but soon realized that it’s not a place for small kids that battle at the best of times to keep quiet, so a few quick photos and back on the road to Renosterkoppies.




The usual suspects on the way down to Renosterkoppies, but no rhino yet to complete our big 5. The first klipspringer made an appearance at Renosterkoppies and another large Kudu.




Then, just as the S112 joined the H3, our first rhino showed up to complete the big 5 and a rather old large bull elephant stuck his head out the bush.







A few km later driving slowly past the H3/H1-1 intersection my wife Chantal suddenly screamed leopard and after the leopard in tree incident I believed her and stopped. There he was, sitting in the grass just off the road. Now it’s rather difficult to keep small excited kids quiet in a situation like this and the soft quiet instructions turned to shut up as the leopard become uneasy and started to move off.







He lay down deeper in the bush; we spent another 10 minutes watching him and decided as it was getting late to shoot back to Skukuza for a beer and braai. We were getting a leopard overdose at the moment, in June for 4 days we only saw 2 leopards, but over 40 lion, now the tables had turned, but I wasn’t complaining as the leopard is my favourite animal.

Morning Drive: H4-1 – S30 – S29- Mlondozi – H10 – S30 – Skukuza

The day started at 6:30 and the plan was to head to Mlondozi for breakfast via the S30, which I personally had never driven before. The start of the H4-1 was rather quiet until the wife spotted a rather large owl and a few minutes later a large herd of elephant made an appearance.





At the start of the S30 the usual crowd appeared, giraffes, zebra, etc.




After the initial 2km there was a long stretch with nothing at all and I thought here we go again one of those long boring roads. Then coming round a corner I saw my brother, who was about 50m ahead of me, stop and start photographing a mother elephant and baby next to the road. I remained fairly far behind as my wife is rather afraid of elephants that close to the road. (Just to backtrack: in 2007 on our first trip to Kruger we were stuck in the middle of a large herd of elephants with a very upset matriarch who charged our car. The wife dropped the video camera, started crying and has never recovered as far as elephants are concerned). 2 seconds later, looking down the road, I saw a head pop out the bush 20m in front of my brother. It took me a few seconds to realize what it was and I couldn’t help shouting “wild dog”. (Both families have never seen wild dog in Kruger and had almost given up on it). I suddenly forgot about the elephant and without thinking pulled up rather rapidly next to my brother, who seemed surprised at our sudden approach (They had not seen the 2 dogs yet, which were now in the road.) A second later my brother and wife looked ahead and Mel said “ah look at the hyena”, and then the penny dropped in both cars and the video camera panic set in. Mel had misplaced her camera and my wife’s hand was shaking so badly that she was battling to video.







Everyone had forgotten about the elephant and calf who now also saw the dogs and started charging and trumpeting and a second later my wife also started trumpeting.
By now both cars were in full reverse with the wild dogs, kids were shrieking with excitement, wife was trumpeting and fortunately this put the brakes on mother elephant and she did a u-turn and charged off into the bush with her calf.




2 minutes later the dogs picked up on something and took off into the bush.








Another vehicle arrived at this point and I think, because of the expressions on our faces, that they must have wondered what the hell we had just seen. It just goes to show that timing in the park is everything.

The rest of the drive to Mlondozi was quiet except for 2 wildebeest that were having a fight next to the road.




Mlondozi is my favourite panic site and today after the wild dogs it seemed even better. The normal waterbuck gang were also at the dam. Bacon, some strange looking eggs and then back on the road.








Just as we joined the H3/S29 intersections another couple of firsts for me, a secretary bird and a reedbuck.

Afternoon Drive: Nkuhlu and back

We left camp a little later this afternoon because of the long morning and decided to do a quick trip to Nkuhlu and back. The first sighting, although not my cup of tea, was my wife’s favourite bird (Lilac breasted roller I think). We have to stop every time she sees one and if I don’t post at least one picture I will never hear the end of it.




Just before Nkuhlu my brother, who was just ahead of me suddenly braked and reverse lights came on, so I stopped and tried to use the 2 way radio to find out what they had seen, but as I keyed the talk button, my 9 year old daughter screamed “leopard” and my head bounced off the top of the car in fright. The leopard was standing 2m from my wife’s open window. I have left the window frame in the photo to show how close it was and we hadn’t seen it till then.




The leopard waited a while and keeping a close eye on us, who were still in shock, crossed the road and disappeared into the thick bush on the other side.










It was now getting late quickly and the Garmin was telling us to head back to make gate closing, so a very quick toilet stop at Nkuhlu, which can be a little eerie when no else is around, and back to Skukuza for a braai. We did stop however for a few photos of an eagle that had caught something and a male Nyala.







The night time braai at Kruger is always good, but this one, because of a couple first time sightings, was even better.




SUPERNOVA Quote..
If I may relate the Wild dog (Hyena) from the other car…

We orderly pull up next to the Elephant and calf, just to hear Bushcraft slam brakes and slide to a stop on the dirt, “ what’s he doing…...probably not watching us in front”

Look in the rear view mirror and see him taking photo’s of something else, about to grab the walki talki, and tell him that he's missing the elephant and calf right next to him when the “Hyena” call came.

Then all hell broke loose in the car, where was the video camera!! kids were being trampled (squealing) , blankets and pillows flying. Eventually camera was found and Melly managed a 10 second shot.

All the while the wild dog merrily trotted down the road, right up next to the cars. The kids say one even smiled at the chaos in the cars.




Bushcraft being very well behaved as the wild dogs approached

August 25 Skukuza

Morning Drive: H11/S1/S4/S3/H11

This morning’s drive started a little later than normal, as our braai the previous night lasted longer than normal. (That’s my excuse anyway) We first drove out to the giraffe kill to look for any scavengers. We hadn’t gone back since the 22nd as all the reports showed that the lions still hadn’t returned. It’s sad in a way that the carcass had to be moved, as it has definitely affected the lions.







We sat and watched the vultures for about 15 minutes. It was quite entertaining the way that they squabbled and fought for position. There were a few rhino, elephants and buffalo on the S1, but mainly in thick bush. The morning was rather quiet overall.
After breakfast Garth and I took the kids on a tour of the museum, dog cemetery, shop, train, etc, which tired me out more than the kids. We also had a visitor that kept showing up in front of our units.

Afternoon Drive: H4-1 to Nkuhlu and back

The first sighting besides the usual impala was a small steenbok and a herd of waterbuck







A few km before Nkuhlu a lone fairly young male lion sat sunning himself. He seemed rather confident which surprised me as I know that there’s larger males the run the show in this area.







On the way back to camp a herd of buffalo and what I’m sure is a Martial eagle (but I’m useless at indentifying birds). The confusing part is that if you look carefully you will see that the eagle has caught a fish.






Then, just before Skukuza a large traffic jam. We had just missed a female lion and cubs crossing the road on their way down to the river bed. We managed to position ourselves further up from the crowd, who were now chasing ghosts, and look down the river bed. The family, including dad, were resting a long way down the river bed and in the fading light it was impossible to get a good photo, but I will post it anyway.




We had our usual visitors at braai time, hyenas at the fence and bushbabies in the trees.