Africa Wild

After the February flood trip we traded in the trusty Bus that had been used for the last 5 years trips with and without the rugrats . We had changed it for a new Everest 4X4 both downsizing our main vehicle as we have less passengers and also the start of gearing up for traveling to further afield .So we decided on a trip at end May beginning June to stretch its legs... any excuse to go to kruger .

After an uneventful trip through Swaziland we arrived in Komatiport at about 13:00 on a payday Saturday .SO decided to stay in the vehicle while I was sent in to purchase the meals and final supplies that we could not travel through the borders with . We then drove to Croc bridge to enter and drive across to Malelane .Unfortunately we arrived after loadshedding had kicked in and Crocodile bridge was offline so it was a frustrating wait for about 45 minutes while staff ran around getting forms and started processing the queue again .

Driving the River road in the middle of the day we did not see much at all .

At the Biyamiti river bridge we found a Kingfisher





A bit further a Birchels



and a Bee eater




We got to the gate and checked into camp and then drove to camp .We unpacked the car after the long drive and settled in for the night .Later we walked arroud camp then we starting the Braai.

A spider was busy on the fence . For RP a food pic. It was good to be in Kruger again.

Great start, Roger,

with all the birdies - Love the giant kingfisher and the burchall's and a yummy braai - Sigh

Nice to see you back, Rog!

Ja, the generator at Croc was busted a long time...

Nice birdies and yummy food indeed!

That was a long drive The S25 is IMO long and boring; I have never seen anything interesting

Nice pic of the Burchell's coucal and the other birds

At least you had a nice deserved braai

Pumbaa wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 7:31 pm Great start, Roger,

with all the birdies - Love the giant kingfisher and the burchall's and a yummy braai - Sigh

Pumba - nothing like a braai in Kruger

Richprins wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2023 5:56 pm Nice to see you back, Rog!

Ja, the generator at Croc was busted a long time...

Nice birdies and yummy food indeed!

tried to take special food pics for someone on the forum

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Mon Sep 18, 2023 6:25 pm That was a long drive The S25 is IMO long and boring; I have never seen anything interesting

Nice pic of the Burchell's coucal and the other birds\O

At least you had a nice deserved braai

SO and I had long chat about the road its good on both ends just the middle seems to have fewer sighting

The following morning we had an exceptional sighting Pics posted elsewhere on the forum today .

We then drove down the S25 heading to Gardenia hide

We met up with a not so happy Hippo




A Maribu was waking up


Some LBJ's


And a crested barbet that seemed to have had a rough night


We then pulled up a way behind another car that was experiencing some road block issues .




Eventually they left the road to join the herd and we could carry on


Going up the road by Gardenia we got the back of a Batleur one of my favourite raptors


and some new growth from the rain

WoW Roger,

what giant hippo and once again nice collection of birdies and ellies

A bush hippo

Some birds look very miserable in the rain

Luckily the two ellies were only greeting and not fighting

Great rhino sighting It's getting a rarity

Nice, Rog!

Hippo out of water and lots of preciouses!

Gardenia road always good.

Pumbaa wrote: ↑Sat Sep 23, 2023 1:29 pm WoW Roger,

what giant hippo and once again nice collection of birdies and ellies

Thanks Pumba not sure who got the biggest shock us or the hippo

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Sat Sep 23, 2023 2:36 pm A bush hippo

Some birds look very miserable in the rain

Luckily the two ellies were only greeting and not fighting

Great rhino sighting It's getting a rarity

the usual Argy bargy with the Ellies but still don't like to be in their way even playing they can cause allot of damage

Richprins wrote: ↑Wed Sep 27, 2023 5:50 pm Nice, Rog!

Hippo out of water and lots of preciouses!

Gardenia road always good.

the S118 gardenia road is one of our favourite drives