Hello, Bonjour and Sawubona from Kruger National Park, South Africa where I am on my way towards the southern part of the park. I started my personal hunt to find some cats.
But so far all I found was mostly beautiful elephants, wildebeests, kudus, lots of impalas, giraffes, southern ground hornbills eating a snake, jackals, hyenas, ostriches and even 2 big owls sitting in a tree. No cats so far. Once I arrived at Satara Camp I chose to follow the dirt road directing towards N‘wanetsi and made a big loop. Some beautiful sceneries with zebras and waterbucks came into sight. At one point lots of cars stopped and I asked what they are looking at: lions at distance! Here they are, but very far away I could barely see them but still lions were out there.
A curious femal waterbuck
Impalas well blending in with their surroundings
A lonesome bull strolling through the bush
First time spotted: lions in the bush at far distance
I decided to drive on to see more game close by and others far away, until I arrived back on tared road. Another flock of cars and again: lions! But now very close by just next to the road, about 16 lionesses with their cubs. They were some lazy companions, just sleeping and only occasionally lifting their head or waggling their tails and ears. Nothing else happened here for quite a long time before I started the engine again.
Being lazy in the afternoon heat
Finally someone was moving here, just to lay down again
As I drove I spotted a little jackal just sleeping close by the lions. Such a cutie! During the next hours towards Tamboti tent Camp, I spotted some more elephants drinking at a waterhole, giraffes eating leaves, kudus and impalas enjoying the last sun rays and then again! I glimpsed two tails walking away from the tar road, down towards the river bed: 2 lionesses strolling around; probably on the hunt. No one else had spotted them, they must have just crossed the streets one minute before I came. Such a special moment shortly before I reached my camp spot.
A little jackal being all chilled close to the lions
Giraffes walking in the riverbed
A younger Kudu bull enjoying the afternoon light
What a lovely day this has been! Ending with a gorgeous tent allowing a view on the Tamboti river bed where just four elephants where trompeting and greeting me with their best effort. I am happy to stay here 3 nights!
View from my tent over the riverbed of the Tamboti
During the night I heard plenty of hyena callings and was eager to start the next day early, which I was rewarded with a male lion sighting close by the camp, he was laying in the short grass, facing away, not willing to move. After a while I decided to drive on with the destination: lion spotting.
Hard to spot this guy
I saw some elephants on my way, along with kudus, wildebeests, impalas, lilac-breasted roller, yellow hornbills, giraffes, dik-diks and a herd of buffaloes walking along with some zebras tempting to cross the roads. After 2 hours I arrived at the spot that was full of cars, lions must still be here. And they had just managed to cross the roads and were laying lazily now on the other road side. Unfortunately the grass and bushes are higher and thicker here making it hard to see them properly. I observed them for quite a long time before I started driving again. Now, with no destination in my mind.
Run, run, run – far away
Snacking time for this elli
Such a lucky moment to spot a baby calf of the buffalo herd
Another lazy companion: a spotted hyena
I just drove along and made my way towards the N‘wanetsi campsite for lunch and then towards the N‘wane river to find some giraffes, zebras and an old elephant trying to drink. From there I took the main road back to my camp and found a big herd of elephants drinking at a waterhole, watched by a hippo and a crocodile in the water.
Heading off for the thicker bushes: zebras and buffaloes
An old bull with troubles of drinking
Ellies at the waterhole being watched by a yawning hippo
Back at the main camp I booked my night drive and then I enjoyed some more elephants and buffaloes drinking at the waterhole by my campsite. A few hours later I got picked up to start shining my spotlight into the darkness. We spotted some impalas, wildebeests, hyenas, elephants, kudus, bushbabies and even a genet and 2 wild cats. Unfortunately no big cat for me. The drive was ok but not so very spectacular.
One of my sightings during the night drive: ellies eating some leaves
Next morning I tried some dirt roads where leopards and lions were apparently spotted according to the mapping point. The roads along the Timbavati river were quiet for hours, not many cars but also not so many animal sightings, a few giraffes, zebras, wildebeests and of course elephants and impalas.
A wildebeest resting in the shade
Giraffes overlooking the bushes and trees to find some food
Hello there – quite a rare picture with a zebra finally looking into the camera
Once I hit the tar road again I could already see 7 and more cars lining up, there must be something! And yes, a pride of lionesses with their cubs. However, they were seeking the shades behind trees and bushes so it was very hard to actually see them. That’s why I decided to try my luck on the sweni river road, again here, it was very quiet, nothing much going on in the afternoon heat. So I drove back to the lion spot and I spotted a male lion this time (finally spotted the iconic king of the animals), he was chilling in the shade of a bush, not too close but I could see him! What a nice ending of this long day of driving around the western part of Kruger National Park.
A lazy male Lion sleeping in the shadey bushes
My new lessons learned during my game drives in Kruger National Park:
- Tamboti camp has a nice little water place – tents 1 up to 6 enjoy a close by walk to it with views on the river bed;
- Spotlights need to work – a good battery helps a lot during a night drive;
- You can find some less busy roads in the park – but they might also lack of game!
Cheers to wandering the world and the wonders of our lives – bye bye, salut and sala kahle ∞