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Last night my night drive became bush braai security again (drive was not booked for some reason). It was a quiet evening with only something crashing about in the bush on the north of the site for a while before guests came. We never saw what it was - possibly elephant.

On my way back to camp afterwards I saw a large bull ellie near our camp turning, but nothing else.

Tonight Raymond has told me the drive is already booked.....and I am to do it.

EJ tonight you had better put your long johns and thermal vest on .. You also need a balaclava... in other words keep warm.

I have a nice fleece beanie, and a good long jacket and fingerless gloves. It helps that in the front of the vehicle there is heating......even though the cab is open it does help a little!

Cold and quiet drive! Not a single rhino or hippo! Duikers, bushbabies, impalas, scrub hares, ellies, buffs, genet, and a couple of nightjars. Also a leopard's dinner in a tree at Matjulu bridge.....folk on the sunset drive saw the leopard take the kill up into the tree, but it had gone away by the time we got there.

What an amazing drive you had on Sunday night.

Interaction between the species is so interesting, you see behaviours you would never have thought of.

Better drive tonight, and not quite as cold. Saw buffalo herd on the way to BnD but no sign of them on the drive itself. The cats also stayed hidden......although we were told of another leopard with kill near Matjulu bridge, and drove there, but saw absolutely nothing - not even the carcass. Had impalas, scrub hares, bushbuck, klipspringer, ellie, hippo, several genets, crocs fishing, and a wonderfully relaxed civet which let us sit right next to it as it tried to eat the road!!!!! Seems there had been something killed there, and it was trying to get up every last little tasty morsel. We could hear its teeth scraping on the tar! On my way home more genets and a hyena raced across the road too.

It is feeling much colder now though for some reason...

Last night I was manipulated into having a night off - long story!

Tonight I had a family group for a sunset drive from the gate. They had 4 youngsters with them, and so the trip was actually shorter than usual. I had driven them last year, and knew they may want a 'special arrangement' so discussed it before we started and chose a route that could be shortened easily.

We had impalas and scrub hares, hippos, ellies (including 'my' ellie Thandamamba which I had seen earlier today too), duikers and bushbaby in the distance. Enjoyed the crocs at the end too.

Tomorrow I will drive at the gate again.

Sunset drive for a party of Danish guests tonight. Took a route I have not driven for a while..... Fairly quiet, but some good sightings - both white and black rhinos (2 blackies together looking amorous!), ellies, huge herd of buffs, impalas, scrub hares, giraffe, civet, bushbaby, duikers, waterbuck, hyenas, hippos, crocs, and a few ??????s. Patrick did radio me towards the end of the trip to say he had seen 3 lions on the road, but even though I got to the spot just 5mins later they had disappeared.

Nothing scheduled for tomorrow yet......

Sounds like a very good drive EJ..........especially the civet and 2 blackies.

Night off tonight. Although had to deal with late-arriving guests.....who turned out to be only on a day visitor permit from yesterday, although booking form they produced did show they had a booking.....for Berg-en-Dal!!!!! Reported to management and they must go to the gate in the morning to sort it all out.

Ellies growling around camp at the moment....

EJ those folk must have spent last night somewhere ?? well this time they were caught by SuperEcojunkie. I wonder how much they will have to fork up .. and how often folk manage to do this .. gate security will have to be stepped up .Plus day permit ... alcohol... naughty naughty peeps

Some nice drives you had lately EJ. Thanks for sharing them with us

I see your drives are lacking in cats.
Feel free to offer me residence at Malalane so I can show you where they are

Well Cheetah you need to do the KNP Orientation course and then come to do some practical experience.......!

Always enjoy your column, EJ. I would bet, though, that if you can't find the cats, the Cheetah would need that orientation course even more.