Africa Wild

*** Travel Tales ***
Trip to Kruger NP 2015 (October – November) New series of Stories

01 - He is BIGGGGG

Hi all,
Elly and I are just back from a 3 weeks trip to Kruger NP

After travelling from Bruxelles to Dubai , from Dubai to J’burg and from J’burg to Skukuza we got our car, a wonderful Toyota RAV we went to Skukuza for our 1st night. Tired we got to bed early since we wanted to leave the south for 8 nights Mopani.

Mopani starting point for search for Tuskers and many other species.

In general: Kruger is dry…dry…dry…. Many waterholes without a drop of water, places like Tihongonyeni (Mopani area) completely dry, like a moon-landscape.
North of Shingwedzi much more green.

Sightings: Very very interesting, un-expected and breathtaking sightings we had at all places but some special ones in the north.
Most spectaculair sighting we had in the south but I will keep that one as one for later (grinzzzzz)

Enough talking… let’s start with story 01…..

We are in Mopani and decided to go to Shingwedzi / Babalala to search for Tuskers.
Not seen one so far so let’s hope to see one today.

Just a bit north of Babalala ….yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Not just a tusker but one of the biggest ones in kruger …. It’s MAVATSANI

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1st time I see him and you can imagine , he was on top of my wishlist.
A very big bull and his tusks…. At a distance of about 25 meters …wowww….

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I remember I was dancing in my car , tango, cha-cha-cha, quickstep …all together.
But… has to make photos…so calm down and look…watch…enjoy

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He was walking towrds a “pit’ with water and mud.
Impressed by his tusks and his size.

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Questions came up…. Is this Mavatsani the biggest tusker in kruger ? Are his tusks longer then Masthulele’s …. I don’t know … I am sure Mavatsani is much bigger bull in body size

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He is busy with water and mud before climbing up…. What a tusker… and in my thoughts, “this makes my day, this makes my trip”

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Feeling happy, very very happy with seeing him. Before he disappaers in the bush , some last great moments….

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Don’t walk away my friend… please…! But he does… a last shot and leaving me behind with a big big smile …..

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On the way back to Mopani I had to think about Mavatsani and Masthulele…
Thoughts like…. Masthulele is a smaller bull , tusks about same distance to the surface

My opinion…. Mavatsani is the king , not based on research, measuring, science but based on my feeling and having seen both in real.
No competion so let’s say both share Nr 1 position


Thanks for joining this first story…. And yes… no surprise it was a story about Tuskers…smile


Aat & Elly

Glad you saw him, aat!

Now if you say you saw something amazing, given your past trips....you must have seen a brown hyena mating with an oribi!


Good some natural water north of Babalala, a very good stream that!

indeed a magnificent bull

Aat

What a magnificent Ellie

Looking forward to the rest of the trip

Glad you are back home safely

Wow you told me about this tusker but never realized he is that big

Now we want to see the rest that you told me about

aat

Impressive bull and you got quite close to him

MAVATSANI and a great sighting

Great sighting of a magnificent tusker!

Well done Aat,..that's quite a significant sighting!!!
It seems Kruger has embarked on a ellie mission,
all fresh legs,...Mastulele and Mavatsani still
juvenile in a sense,.....call them young "menere"

And an aerial pic from aat's illegal drone!