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Hi there Gwendolen. We're staying at Shingwedzi for 4 nights from the 12th-15th Nov, then Letaba on the 16th, Satara the 17th and 18th, Skukuza the 19th and Pretoriuskop on the 20th. I can't wait!! What are your plans? Have you been to the park in November before? Is it as hot as in December/Jan?!

After many run-ins with Kruger eles, it is quite uncanny the way that Addo eles will walk right past your car without and reaction. It happens regularly, and even with babies in tow.

If one looks at it mathematically, the chances of getting whacked are unlikely, to say the least!

However, I am a lover, not a fighter, and don't wnt to be a statistic.

I often even turn around and don't waste time when faced by a "joker" bull on the road, taking an alternative route...

All the advice on this thread is very good.

It must be stressed, though, that when encountering ellies, quickly scan the bush on either side, especially with breeding herds.

We have been chased a few times, but only 3 times seriously..

As a general rule, I try to get 'next' to them, so that I dont have to reverse.. Secondly, there's no way I'll swith my engine off if they are close.

The most scary 'chase' was on the tar road to B&D, whole group of little ones + angry mothers. We were on our way back home with our Venter......all we could do is stop and see!!
Luckly they passed, and Im not scared of animals easily, but this...

This male was just 'playing', he kept us busy for 45 minutes!

I've just returned from the ParK and it happed again

I was on the s114 just below Skakuza and before the Steve Hamilton turn off when i rounded a bend and a bull Elephant was walking towards me in the road on his way to ( I'M SURE ) Skakuza.
He was so big and formidable i didn't hesitate to engage reverse.

I knew to look for signs of Must? but the only way to do that was in reverse. With kids saying he's too close and my reverse sensors screeching with grass setting them off, i didnt know if I muscht? or Muschent? i kid you not i reversed for 1km.

Eventually i backed up 10 cars behind and 5 cars in front all stressing which i think i caused by my initial insubordination to the BRUTE.

Eventually i backed up with my followers in reverse, we then passed a hardened Landrover owner, he stood his ground while we all cowered behind him. The bull left the road 1 meter in front of the rover and we all made a dash for it, he wasnt in Must.

What is the sensible thing to do? i'm an expierienced Kruger Visitor but cant rely on a Malboura men in land rovers to help me out, i also cant afford the Elly to be 1 meter in front of my car, my kids will disown me.
What can we do?

I strongly believe that an elephants sex organs are in their feet... If they step on you, you are screwed...

hey Wacktazz

When i saw you were logged on I knew i would get a cool reponce are you telling me it's all in the cosanas

Whacktazz

Or maybe in the make of car, afterall the Elephant doesn't know who's driving, i could be...the Malboura man.

You right alleycat ... how would he know

We once got pushed back 3 kms by a unhappy ellie Was also told afterwards that an ellie would stay on the road, walking towards you as long as you kept reversing. I don't know if I could take on an elephant I love elephants but always treat them with a lot of respect and give them loads of space.

A few years back, we were forced to reverse for about 3/4 km by a bull that was walking down the road, I finally was forced to stop when the cars behind were too slow at retreating. I pulled as far to the edge of the road as I could and let him pass - my wife kept repeating the mantra "this is a rental car, this is a rental car" and stated I pulled over so that her side was closest to him on purpose. He walked past close enough we could have reached out and touched him. We both held our breath and didn't make a peep, and he walked by like we weren't there. That is when everyone behind us decided to start backing up again!

Normana53
Its exactly that, once you show fear its like they know, not only for this trip but the next one as well.
they say Elephants never forget, i'm sure, its the same one thats messing with me from Malelane to Satara,

they communicate through their feat one herd to another, maybe my numberplate or my SO description, but as sure as eggs i meet an elly with an attitude.

I need help, a new car, look, attitude diesal Petrol, SO any advice will help.
My son asked me how fast can you drive in reverse, i lied, more impotantly i was looking at who was likely to have the best insurance.

Last trip without SO I did all the driving with two gun ho young men (sons) with me! Ever the cautious one, I kept getting a lot of stick for pulling up 'a hundred metres away' every time I saw an elephant! Huge exaggeration
Then we bought a copy of one of those books from the camp shop relating lots of short stories from game rangers in Kruger over the years. After reading a couple of the stories about naughty ellies both sons shut up about my ellie strategy! Some bulls seem to have that very self assured, non-chalant type of air that is very hard to read - are they gonna get antsy or stay cool and pass on by? It takes sterner stuff than I'm made of to sit tight and wait and see - after all if the mood changes when they are just metres away it's hard to beat a retreat! We were charged by a huge bull in must in Etosha - it is a very unsettling experience to say the least!

I learned a trick from our ranger few years back. I was so sacred of them as well. Would stop 100m plus from them. Untill i was in the car with said ranger and got surrounded by ellies. And naturally nothing happened. I am talking about them sniffing and touching the car.
The trick for me is to read their body language. One on mast is almost always a no-no. Very short tempered and moody. Also never get in between a mother and calve. Unless your mother in law is with you. But in general, read their body language. I cant tell you exactly what to look for but I can tell you that we have one big bull frequently at our house in skukuza and I have stood next to this monster of 3m plus many times. Once as close as 2m, without me knowing it at that time

Alleycat I rather do not want to encounter a bull elephant advancing on me. We had a few encounters with grumpy bulls on the Mahonie Loop at Punda Maria but I would rather not be stepped on by any of them with the consequences as Wacktazz put it