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This is unlikely to be the longest travel report ever posted on the forum but it covers the first 4 days of a 14 day in which I introduced my family to wonders of South Africa. I’d worked as a student during the building of the Ngodwana paper mill, not far from Nelspruit in the eighties and had visited the Kruger on three separate weekends. On one of those visits I photographed this old gent.



We flew out from the UK on the 28th July arriving in Johannesburg early on Sunday morning before catching the connecting flight to Mpumalanga airport. After a shopping stop off at White River we headed up to Phabeni gate, I’d followed the posts about the road to Numbi on the forum. We finally made the gate just after 1:15pm; the staff on the gate were very pleasant and helpful. Once signed in we headed off down the S1 to Pretoriuskop and the question was asked how long before we made our first sighting? It was not long at all, in fact 2mins before we sight this zebra and foal.



But that was the last sighting until we unloaded the car at Pretoriuskop and sat eating lunch watching the impalas eating their lunch in the camp. It was still early so I dragged my family back into the car just before 4 and headed out on the dirt roads to the west of the camp. There was not much to be seen until we reach the small loop road when spotted these birds.



I cannot work out what they are, I know the picture not the best it was getting dark and I’m hoping one of the mites can help. Another 100m further around the corner we spotted two wild dogs crossing the road and got a quick snap off before they disappeared into the long grass



We also spotted this Lilac breasted roller a bit of colour in all the burnt bush



We were now getting close to gate closing time so headed back towards the camp when the dogs popped out of the bush in front of us and proceeded up the road towards the junction.











Please excuse the pictures I've had to edit them in Photoshop the camera got turn to manual setting. We returned to the camp very pleased with ourselves especially as we'd had the dogs to ourselves

Wow! That must be one of the best starts to à TR ever. Amazing start.seeing doggies twice in à few hours!
can not wait for more

Wow nice start, and doggies on the first days

Wonder what will follow

Welshboy, welcome to trip report world

lovely start.

Welshboy,
Super start to your TR ......with very special sightings

Superb images and stories

Welshboy Stunning photos and TR

Great start and the doggies to welcome you !!

Than you for the kind comments, it was a very good way to end our first day in the park.The next morning was even better though. As soon as the gate opened on the Monday morning we headed for the western leg of the Fayi loop on a very dull morning. There was not much to see a giraffe and a solitary buffalo both hiding in the bush until we came upon a spotted hyena. We then realised it was feeding time for the little ones and that we were surrounded by 10-12 hyenas.













And all before breakfast, it's just a pity it was so dull.

Wow!
That is what is great about Kruger. You have a boring drive, then suddenly have an amazing sighting that you treasure for years
Great share

Lovely pics of Hyenas

They can be vicious but very close to each other

Lovely hyena sighting They are soooo much more nicer animals then what most people say about them. We saw the same clan in late august but we only managed to see 2 adults and 2 pups. Must have been great to see somany of them.

How awesome to have such a special sighting of so many hyenas

They can be so entertaining and very inquisitive.

Thanks for sharing

Wonderful sighting to start your trip

Beautiful dogs and the hyenas too

WOW, Amazing pics, and great stories. Really looking forward to more