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Thank you Bundi

I don't know why game viewing is such a disaster this year. I've been visiting the same places this same time of year for the last few years.

The last two years especially I was fortunate enough to experience many many leopard and lion sightings among other really special sightings. So much so that friends of mine insisted on coming along this year. I agreed and thus far it's been a disaster.

I just don't know why though....

what you call a desaster
to be in the park, is already a chance, a joy, a pleasure
not seing the "big five"... is not important, so many other small critters and other big ones

Jy is reg

Pantoffel... no disaster... you just needed to fall in love with other kinds of beauty. With a bit of luck mice will be next on your list

You're absolutely right. I don't mind the current situation myself too much. I usually do my January trip alone and enjoy it no matter what I see.

The disaster part is actually the fact that this year I brought friends along and based on my previous experiences, there are a whole lot of expectations from them. (which at the moment, I'm failing LoL!)

All in all, I'm still enjoying it though!

Nice to see you are a more mature Kruger visitor PS, not one of those one dimentionals that race around 'leeuverskrik' (lion besotted).

I do not see a lot of the 'secret critters', but one can increase one's chances by doing things as have been stated already.

Others are;
night ride from Talamati for serval, civet & AWC,
night ride south to the Duke waterhole area from LS for serval & ss jackal
night ride from Satara along the S100 for serval & AWC

Serval are regularly seen in the daytime on the H10 north of LS between the low water bridge and Munche.
Honey badger sightings are common in Kgalagadi, but that is another story.....

As has already been said, no disaster Pantoffelslippers! I think it is because of the rain this season. The Lions, Leopard, etc., don't need to go to the waterholes or riverbanks to catch their prey. There is enough water everywhere in the Park, they catch wherever they are.

Good luck though, and we have also seen Honey Badgers in camp at Satara in September last year, and the AWC sat on our stoep! Clearly waiting for food, which he didn't get.

Thanks!!

Hmmm. Have mixed thoughts (on relative scarcity of sightings).

We were in Kruger towards the end of Dec, mainly the B & D area.
General Game was quite scare. But if you read any guide book, it will tell you that due to the nature of the veld type of this area, game is not as common here as say the veld around Satara.
On the other hand, we saw plenty of the Big 5, which more than made up for it.

I also think it is just a matter of luck, as most people know.
I did the H3 quite a few times - from B & D up to Afsaal.
There were drives, when all I saw were literaly Impalas. And other drives we saw lots. (Saw all the Big 5 on the H3).

It can be frustrating, but that's the nature of where you are.

Pantofel, I know what you mean about having other people's expectations adding more pressure. Its one of the reasons why I love taking the occasional trip alone. Luckily my own children enjoy the smaller things as much as I do.

Luckily the rain cleared up a little bit. Hopefully we'll a decent chance at game viewing for remainder of today and tomorrow. Going home on saturday

More luck, we had a good lion sighting this morning. Takes a bit of pressure off.

But next year, I'll come alone again

MM,
I try and show my kids the smaller stuff.
But in a way, I can't blame them (a 7 & a 5 year old) for wanting to see the bigger animals.

My son (7) is like me. He can sit and watch elephants for hours.
My daughter (5)....her best sighting was the lions