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Hi
Just want to let everybody know the my friend and I had got an idea about half an hour ago that we wanted to go the Kruger for the weekend. Booking just confirmed. We are of at 2 'o clock today for 2 nights at Tamboti. Can hardly consentrate on work. Will do the trip report as soon as we are back. Will take some pic's of the veld and the dams. Can't wait to see all the baby's. Any special request just let me know.

Just wanted to let you guys know. We are back save and sound. Very tired after such a full weekend in the park. Was very hot but won't trade it for anything. The park is nice and green but still needs a lot of rain. Will be starting the trip report soon.

Day 1

The trip started off at round about 2 'o clock when we left Polokwane. Bought everything needed and we wre of. We arrived at the new Orpen gate at 4:30 pm. Had to get use to the new way of entering the gate. After we proceeded through the gate we kept on driving to Rabelais to have a short drive before the camp gate closes. On the rabelais we came accross some impies with babies and zebra's and giraffe. We saw a white rhino but it was to fast for us to take a picture. We started off to camp. When we arrived at Tambotie we could not believe our eye's. We were booked at tent no7 and had a nice view. The best thing was that the river in front (timbivati) was full of water.


We enjoyed the view and had a sundowner. After that we had a braai and retired to bed early to have a fresh start the next morning.

Need a page turn to start day 2.

It really is somthing to see the Timbavati river full of water. The park is really green but some places still need a lot of water.

Day 2

We started of at 4:30 am. It was still very dark to see but we drove really slow just in case we might spot something in the dark. We stoped at bobejaanskrans to see how it look from up there and it was beautiful.



We turned on the tar road again a came across a troop of baboon enjoying the heat off the tar road. They lay all over the road a we enjoued them very much.



We drove towards Satara. The dam on our left hand side was full of water. We saw so many raptors in the trees and always in pairs. I stopped counting at 50.



We turned towards Thokwane. On our way there we only spotted some impies. But to see the veld soon green was something else. Kumano waterhole only had a small puddle of water in it. The Mazitsi dam just before Thokwane very dry and only had a puddle of mud left. My hart broke in two. The residents hippo was gone as well as the was no water for him. The Siloweni dam after Thokwane was full of water.

We stoped at Thokwane and made some brunch. It was really hot so we wetted our t-shirt and small towel to put around ou necks. We took the gravel road on your left as you leave thokwane. Every were we looked we saw small puddles of water so it seems the veld does have some water.
We saw some impies on the road and some ellies. As we turned on the tar road we only saw sume buffs in the mud just before the sweni road. We didn't mind not seeing anything. We enjouyed seeing everthing green as we only visit the park mostly in the winter.


Day 2 to continue:

Day 2 continue:

We stopped at Satara to wet our towels and shirts again and to buy some ice-cream. We turned on the road towards olifants and turned off at the first timbivati road. There we spotted 4 huge kudu bulls just luying around.



At Timbavati picnic spot river was also overflowing its bancks.
We drove then towards Girivani waterhole were we came apon round about 100 storks grazing in the veld.

As we turned on the tar road towards Orpen we stopped at the dam. And what a site. There were round about 50 ellies injoying themselfs in the water. We sat there for about an hour. The matriarc started chaching the small ones in the water out as she wanted to leave again. That was such fun to watch.

Day 2 continue:

I completly forgot to post the pic of day to. This was just as we left the picnic spot.





After leaving the ellies we got back at camp just in time. We had our sundowner again and had a braai and went to bed very tired and sunburned. But we enjoyed ourselfs.

Day 3 to follow.

Day 3

We packed the car and were out of the camp at 4:30 am for our last day. We first drove towards orpen to lokk for the cheetah mom and babies but no luck. People has been seeing them every day exept us. We decided to turn on the rabelais road as the people were getting good sightings of the wild dogs on the road. But again wrong time wrong place.

About 10 km into rabalais luck was on our side. It was raining like a mist rain and in the road we came apon this beautiful lion. We sat with him for about 1 hour before a car came past.





We stopped at to Satara and then were of to the S90. Just outside Satara the was giraffe, zebras, genoe and a lonesome hyena. We turned on the S90 and about 4 km into the drive we came apon 2 lionesses that just crossed the road.



The rest of the way we didn't see anything. But it was raining so we think everything was hideing. The Gudzani dam was very dy as well. You can see in that area that they need rain as the grass isn't green yet and there is still dry patches.

We turned on the S100. We came across a prado standing in the road and the guy flaged us down. Behide his car there we 2 young male lions. They were listening as there was roaring sound from every were. The one male got up and walk into the veld. There we saw a huge male lion and female coming towards them. They all greated each uther a laid down.





We were really happy with our sightings for the weekend. We left the park brokrn hearted as we had to leave. We can't wait for april.