SANParks.org Forums

Hello Fellow Forumites,
We've just returned from another wonderful holiday in South Africa visiting Mapungubwe, Kruger and Golden Gate National Parks. Our 3 week trip started in northern South Africa in Mapungubwe but because of tight scheduling only one night was spent there and one night in Golden Gate.
This trip was the best as far as sightings were concerned and the good fortune in meeting many wonderful people just added to the enjoyment.
After a 15 hour flight to Joberg and 6 hour drive north we checked in at the Leokwe Camp in Mapungubwe to be greeted by a smiling face behind the desk.
After unpacking, I wasn't about to waste time sitting around so we went for a drive to Schroda Dam seeing a surprising amount of wildlife along the way. As enjoyable as the drive was, I think the highlight of Mapungubwe is Maloutswa Bird Hide which we visited the following morning.
Since there was no one at the hide, upon entering we disturbed the Baboons that had been lounging around inside. They all scattered except for this one that tried its hardest to be cute to keep our attention. I'm sure it was hoping for a handout!



In the short period of time at the Hide, Warthogs, Vervet Monkeys, Waterbucks and this Giraffe came to drink.



Shortly after, the Elephants started arriving. Two years ago there was a herd at the waterhole but this time only three. Mom with two youngsters.



Interestingly, the closer they got to the waterhole, the faster the two young ones moved. She had a hard time keeping up the pace. Probably the equivalent to our taking the children to an amusement park.





Next stop: Kruger NP starting at Pafuri.

Hi Magic Guarri,
Thank You. Hopefully you won't be disappointed.


Hi Forumites,
One last photo from Mapungubwe before we continue our journey. A beautiful Brown-Hooded Kingfisher close to the Tree Top Walk.



From Mapungubwe to the Pafuri Gate, Kruger NP takes about 3 hours. The drive was uneventful if you consider that along the way the roadway was littered with hundreds of tomatoes and in the middle of this sea of red there were blackbirds pecking away at them (why didn't I take a photo?).
Finally arriving at the Gate, we quickly filled out the necessary paperwork and were on the way. After crossing the bridge over the Luvuvhu River, I spotted this Impala carcass in a tree to the left of the road. The Leopard couldn't be too far off could it?



That was a great spot if I say so myself so when we arrived at the Pafuri Picnic area I excitedly told Frank about it. His reply "It's been there for about 4 months". Thanks for bursting my bubble Frank. (If there is anyone out there that doesn't know Frank...he's a mainstay at Pafuri and the person you want to ask about the local birds.)
The original holiday scheduling plan was to spend a night at a well known Lodge in Pafuri. Given the location we were looking forward to our stay there. But the amount of paperwork (including travel insurance) needed to spend one night there turned me off so we started looking elsewhere. That's when arks came to our rescue and PMed me about a nearby camp. It's located within shouting distance of the Pafuri Border Post to Mozambique. Matter of fact, SANParks is negotiating to purchase the property so I wasn't assured of getting the booking until a month before the October date. It was a wonderful stay and the advantage was that when the gate opened at 5:30am the following morning, Pafuri was all mine.
Anyway, I won't bother describing the Pafuri area since Crested Val did it so beautifully in her TR.
Here's a photo taken at Crooks Corner of an Abdim's Stork (I think). Come to think of it I saw a pair in Mapungubwe.



Viewing the Flora and Fauna is why everyone goes there but once in a while another story appears out of nowhere. After checking out of Camp, we went for another drive heading west on the gravel S63. Coming from the opposite direction an auto flagged us down and the fellow mentioned a male Lion on the road just before the H1-9 intersection. Off we went. Just after the Pafuri Picnic area turnoff we stopped to admire some Crested Guinea Fowl then continued on. A short distance later another auto flagged us down and the people warned us about a man in a red jacket??? that was in the middle of the road looking for a handout. They were avid birders (is there any other kind?) so we told them about the Crested Guinea Fowl and off we all went in opposite directions. I think I got the better of the information exchange. Now this was getting very interesting--heading toward a male Lion and in the same area a fellow in a red jacket. I expected to find that Lion and somewhere in the vicinity, a red jacket and a shoe or two. I didn't find the Lion and thank goodness no red jacket either.

Thank You for reading. Next stop is one of my favorite Camps--Shingwedzi.

Hi Vlakvarkvrou,
Thank You for the Chit Chat lead. I'll go to it right now.

Hi Wild about cats,
Thank You. In Shingwedzi I enjoy the loop roads to the river. My only objection is the overgrowth at some loops obstructing the view of the river. I've never seen a predator there but the birdlife is amazing.

Hello Everyone,
We enjoyed Pafuri so much that we got a late start to Shingwedzi, stopping at Punda Maria for lunch and of course we had to do the Mahonie Loop before leaving. It wasn't prime time for sightings but a few critters were spotted and the scenery can't be beat. I always take the S58 (Dzundzwini Loop) to the H1-7. Last time there was an abundance of wildlife at the spring but it seemed dry and was lifeless.
Our home for two nights:



As you can see in the photo the thatch is somewhat low and if not careful can present a problem. If you're leaving the room the bristles slide with the head. Entering is a painfully different matter and if one doesn't duck low enough the thatch becomes embedded in the scalp (I did it twice). Oh yes, check out the yellow shoelaces on the Hilux. What are the odds on finding yellow shoelaces before a yellow ribbon?
Before I forget, the dinner meal was enjoyable and the manager came by to see if everything was fine.
After dinner we were invited to another Forumite for drinks. Puppy (Helen), Heather, Carole and Earl were staying a few doors down from us. Lovely and interesting people and before we knew it it was 9pm, way past our bedtime.
A few of the day's sightings:


Tsessebe

It was a herd of around six but one was trailing behind with an injured leg. Looked like the bone was showing so I hope it will be okay.


Yellow-Billed Oxpeckers


Red-Billed Oxpeckers

On the S50, Kanniedood Dam portion of that road, we came across our first kill...


Yellow-Billed Kite

A Yellow-Billed Kite feasting on a Turtle. That's something I've never seen before. I spotted it from a distance and took a few long-range photos then kept moving closer taking more photos. The Eagle was so intent on feeding that I got to within 6 feet until it flew off. I'm sure it came right back as I left.
In case there's doubt to ID, here's another photo.




African Spoonbill

Thank You for reading. Next is Shingwedzi to Mopani and beyond.

Hello Everyone,
The following photos are still in the Shingwedzi area. I've never seen that many Buffalo lying down before so I found it interesting--just another part of the Kruger experience.




Baboons warming up early in the morning on the H1-6.

Leaving Shingwedzi to Mopani we took the R52 loop going to the Red Rocks.



We came upon these Saddle-Billed Storks looking for a meal. A short while later they took off onto the Red Rocks.



If you've never stayed at the Mopani Rest Camp this a photo of Bungalow #13 (the model, Colette, was hired at great expense to pose for this photo). The complete kitchen is outside the building and takes a little getting used to but I liked it.



The only problem with the layout was that the following morning we had this visitor joining us for breakfast. It first announced its presence at the roadway with a loud squawk, walked over like it owned the place and then hopped onto the back a chair to await its rightful share of the food. You'd almost think it was fed by others before.



After checking out we went on a drive on the S49 to the S50 were we met lowveldboy. Let me tell you that I was impressed. He was dressed perfectly for game viewing with the only thing missing was a knife clenched in his teeth. He mentioned a Lion with Cubs on the S49 but obviously we just missed them. Not only that, he'd already seen the Big Five. Great spotting.
Making our way toward Olifants I saw this Red-Crested Korhaan backing out of the grass in a very deliberate manner. Never taking its eyes off an object in the dried grass with my first thought being that it was a snake.



We watched the action for a few minutes and then he made his way into the grass so we moved forward. And only then did we spot what he was looking at.



Isn't she gorgeous. He obviously was trying to get into her, ah, feathers. The Secretary Bird has always been my favorite but now I'm leaning toward the Red-Crested Korhaan. (We'll see more of the same later in my TR.)

Thank You for reading.

Hello Everyone,
I'm having problems downloading the next installment so until I figure it out here's something for your amusement. I don't dare--but feel free to add a caption.
"Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places" is already taken.

Hi CuriousCanadian,
Thank You. When I took those photos I had no idea they would be so comical.

Hi Everyone,
I was on a mission today to see if those unique flowers from recycled cans were still available at the Makhadzi Picnic area off the H15. Mission accomplished. With that many to choose from, which do I choose?



We stopped to eat at Letaba Rest Camp then continued south to Olifants where we checked in and booked what turned out to be a rewarding night drive with John as our knowledgeable guide.
The photo below was taken on the bridge over the Olifants River. There were two owls at first--one on the railing and the other on the roadway and as we approached the one on the railing took off. We went a little further and the one on the roadway luckily flew up onto the railing where I got this photo.


Verreaux's Eagle Owl

Below, taken on the same drive.







It was now time to continue heading south to Satara with a few interesting sightings along the way. A Goliath Heron and African Spoonbill sharing a pool of water. Then a White Rhino--I liked the way the light was shining on it.





In Satara we checked in and booked a Sunset Drive for that afternoon and a Morning Drive for the next day. Both turned out to be great decisions.
Regrettably I didn't jot down the name of the guide for the Sunset Drive. We saw the quite a few animals but the highlight was seeing another Red-Crested Korhaan. Not just another Red-Crested Korhaan but a Korhaan super star. This fellow had all the moves. He was a mixture of Michael Jackson and Fred Astaire. Up and down the roadway, his courting dance had us in stitches for five minutes.





Thank You for reading. Next up is the Morning Drive.

Hello Everyone,
Getting up at 3:45 AM to go on a Morning Drive is a bit difficult but as it turned out, it was well worth the effort. The obvious advantage is being out the gate before anyone else. Our guide this morning was Martin. Before first light we turned onto the S100 and found this Owl and if you look under the tree limb it had a firm grasp on its breakfast. I noticed its catch only after it started to fly off. Not sure of what kind of Owl or what it caught (I'm a well of information aren't I)



Almost to the end of the S100 we came across these Cubs waiting patiently for mom to come back. Really, really cute.







The drive continued to the S41 then a left onto the S90. Oh yes, before I forget, SANParks offers an economy class ticket for game drives with the only difference being you have to push the vehicle. Joking aside, the starter motor gave out so we had to wait for help to arrive.



Below is a photo of Martin trying to get a signal to call for help. Signal? Lots of luck to that.



Eventually a replacement vehicle came and we did push the original vehicle to start so now both vehicles were on the way. Just another segment to our adventure.
After breakfast we went for a drive following the same route as this morning stopping at Gudzani Dam. There we met another Forumite (again I couldn't catch the name). Continuing to the S90 we stopped at the very active Shibotwana Water Hole.
Why should a Giraffe go into all kinds of contortions to drink at ground level when it can do this?



At the water hole itself we came across this dazzle of Zebras. A Hyena came for a drink but the Zebras wouldn't let it and it left thirsty. Poor thing had a limp--hope it will be all right.



And finally after an eventful day, this Pearl-Spotted Owl.



Thank You for reading. Next is the Violent portion to the title of my TR.

. Verreaux's (Giant) Eagle Owl... with a Guineafowl
nice sunset walk/drive
cute little Lions on the road

Hi Junkie,
The Guide mentioned that there were about 16 cubs. We saw a little more than half of them.

Hi Morkel777,
You've come at an opportune time. The nasty action is starting.

Hello Everyone,
It was time to leave Satara and head south. As is everyone's dilemma--which road to take? We started on the H1-3 and along the way my wife pointed out that we have seen as much on the paved roads as on gravel so why not continue on the same road in comfort. Good plan. Along the way we saw Lions near the S126 (Sweni Road), then took the S86 (N'waswitsontso Road) and saw Vultures feeding. Because of the tall grass we couldn't see what they were feeding on so I took my usual Vulture photos and left. On our way, there was a stopped car so we asked what he was looking at but also mentioned the Vultures that we just left. He had been there and asked if we saw the rare White-Headed Vultures? Rare? I like rare. So I doubled back and took another two dozen photos of them. (The bird guide says that it's an uncommon resident.) Why am I mentioning any of this? It all took extra time and contributed to our being at a certain spot at a certain time.
Back on the H1-3 we stopped at the Mazithi Dam to look at a few Buffaloes, Impala and mostly to photograph the four Hammerkopfs flying low over the water and skimming the surface.



There were a few cars on either side of the roadway and then as a person started leaving to head north she stopped by me and pointed to the herd of Buffalo that were behind me moving to cross the road. I looked back and took a few photos of the herd and as they started going down a ravine I went back to photographing the tranquil scene at the Dam.





All of a sudden there was this commotion to my right. I turned to see a Pride of Lions attacking the Buffaloes.
As I set up my camera the herd was running back to our side of the road and past our vehicle with one of the Lions in pursuit. I couldn't follow what was happening because of my position so I focused on the drama enfolding to my right.
Here is part of the sequence that followed...











Thank You for reading. To be continued.

What an incredible sighting.

This is the Mazithi pride 18 strong, so I guess they need big prey to survive, they are wonderful to photograph totally unfazed by vehicles and the chaos that humans bring.

What a privilege to see them at a kill.

Thank you for sharing.

Bornfree

Hello Everyone,
I read in Maddie88's TR Lion Kill - 400M From Skukuza Gate that some people were cheering. How sick can a person get? Anyway, there was none of that here.
I was so busy taking photos that I have no idea how many cars were around me but I'm sure it was getting crowded. I was on the opposite side of the road and nobody pulled in and blocked my view. There was one car that passed through my line of sight to get a better view but he went a little further as not to obstruct me.
Here are more photos:













After all of that, would you believe this Buffalo escaped!
In the next installment I'll show you why.
Thank You for reading.

Hello Everyone,
...to continue. The Buffalo was not giving up and as much as the Lions tried, they couldn't bring it down. Actually, they might have if not for another drama being played out. To the left of this action there was another Buffalo that was just brought down to the ground and the Lions that were attacking the first Buffalo got distracted.



It seems that they saw an easier meal and most of them left to join in the feast leaving just a few Lions to continue the battle. The Buffalo then took advantage of the opportunity and ran off across the road to rejoin the herd.
Moving on to the less fortunate Buffalo...



It turned out to be a Calf. Apparently the mother had been trying to protect her Calf but while she was fighting off some of the Lions the others managed to bring the Calf down.



Interesting to note the amount of juvenile Lions that participated in the hunt.







Thank You for reading. To be continued...

Hello Everyone,
One last chapter of this story is left. To repeat, the herd of Buffalo ran seeking safety to the other side of the road followed by one Lion. The herd stopped and formed a tight group with the Lion running back and forth looking for an advantage.



Every so often a Buffalo would charge out of the group and the Lion would retreat.
Let me back up a bit. When the Buffaloes ran to the other side of the road, a lone Buffalo with a calf also crossed the road but separated from the herd, running to the right towards the waterhole. I forgot about them until they doubled back past our vehicle trying to rejoin the herd. They were heading right for the herd and, of course, a Lion that was looking for an easy meal. Fortunately for them the Lion was being distracted by a few charging Buffaloes--they made it back safely.
Having been repeatedly repulsed by the Buffalo, the Lion then gave up the hunt and headed back across the road and to the Pride.





From the beginning of the Lions attacking the herd to the lone Lion going back to the Pride took a total of 16 minutes. It felt like an hour.
Now it was time to leave and give other people a chance to view the Lions feeding.

Thank You for reading. To be continued...

Hello Everyone,
Leaving the feeding Lions behind we drove south on the H1-3 and made a left onto the Orpen Dam Loop seeing a flock of European Bee-Eaters just up from the north and other wildlife. We met people at Orpen Dam and told them about the Lion kill at Mazithi Dam and they mentioned an LIT on the H1-2--we scattered in opposite directions.
Along the way we stopped for this juvenile Ground Hornbill that was crossing the road. Everyone takes photos of Mom and Pop so it was its turn in the limelight. Take a bow Junior.



Driving on the H1-2, shortly after the junction with the H10, were a few stopped cars and there it was, in a tree on the left of the road. It was the easiest photo I've ever taken of a Leopard as it was lying on a limb almost overhanging the road.



Getting closer to Lower Sabie was this White Rhino and Calf. Not a bad photo at all.



Which brings me to my worst photo of a White Rhino. If there is a Thread on the Forum for the lousiest most uncomplimentary photos, I'll enter this one. You've got to admit it's pretty bad.



I wonder what that little Ellie is thinking?



There was another Lion kill along the way--a Wildebeest. The Lions weren't feeding on it but were close by protecting their meal. When I was here two years ago, Lions killed a Giraffe in the same area.
Reading other Forumite's TRs, I found the Herons using Hippos as fishing platforms at Sunset Dam really interesting. So once I got to Lower Sabie the first thing I did was go to the Dam--here are my contributions.

Coming in for a landing...




Next was a quick check-in at Lower Sabie and I booked a Sunset Drive at the same time. When we arrived for the Drive there were two vehicles going out with about a dozen people in ours and twice as many in the other (I think Martie was the guide for the other vehicle). But when it was time to leave it was decided that everyone could fit into our vehicle so they all piled into ours and left the other guide (Martie?) behind. It was an enjoyable drive until the driver stopped for a cigarette break.
A note to that driver: I had no problem with stopping for a break but why did you spend that rediculous amount of time chatting with and trying to impress the young ladies with tales of your exploits? We paid for a game drive so drive! Okay, I'm finished venting. Overall it was an enjoyable experience. Here are a few of the animals seen on the drive...




Serval

We stayed at Lower Sabie for only one night and so it was time to move on. Part of my itinerary was two nights west of Kruger and then reentering to go to Berg-en-Dal.
On the way out we had to wait for this road block to pass.





I couldn't make up my mind which photo to use so I used both.



Thank You for reading. To be continued...