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Hi Heksie! It really was AMAZING! I still get a little smile on my face every time I think about it!

Hi Manicwalker! Thanks for your kind comments. It really was a very special thing to see - that's the beauty of Kruger, you just never know what you are going to come across!

Thanks for your kind comments MM! It really was a special sighting - one not to be forgotten!

Hi LindaS! Thanks for your comments. Yes, we were very lucky getting to see the little brand new baby ellie! The way he was so wobbly on his little legs was so cute, as was the way he kept swinging his trunk around as if to say "what on earth is this thing for???!!!"

Hi Trrp-trrrrrrrr! Thanks for your comments. It really was an awesome sighting and I'm so glad I could share it with my forum friends who really appreciate it!

By this time it was nearly 5pm and we were a couple of hundred metres north of Lower Sabie … no time for a loo break; it was going to be straight down the H4-2 to Croc Bridge.

We stopped VERY briefly at Sunset, just enough for a quick peek to see what was going on. Yellow Billed storks were added to the sightings list as well as a Yellow Ribbon! It was Bert; unfortunately we only had time for a very quick chat – good to meet you Bert!

Bert did tell us about the wonderful sightings he’d had – lions, leopards, etc, etc, etc …

“But I bet they never got to see a brand new baby elephant like we just did” was all my Mum kept saying!!!

Just before the south entrance to the S28 we saw spots!

“Leopard!” I said, then saw it a bit better … “No, it’s a cheetah!”

You may have noticed in the photos taken earlier during the day that it had been really overcast. Well by this time it was coming down in buckets … this is the shot I got of the cheetah!



!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our last sighting for the day was a HUGE herd of buffalo at Vurhani – though for some reason I haven’t got a shot of them … maybe after seeing the cheetah pic you’ll understand why!

We got to Croc Bridge with just a couple of minutes to spare, checked in and added another animal to our sightings for the day – a little wartie was wandering around the petrol pumps!

We sat on the stoep of safari tent number 7 listening to the night sounds and reminiscing about our day. I can’t find words to describe my Mum that night – Kruger was all she imagined AND MORE!

“If we don’t see another animal for the next two days, I won’t mind,” she said; “seeing that newborn baby elephant is something I will NEVER forget!”

The rain had eased off and we did chicken kebabs and wors on the braai, accompanied by different salads that I’d brought along.

The little lesser bushbaby was the icing on the cake for us when he hopped on to the rail around our stoep to have a good look at us and what was on our plates before hopping off again!

What a brilliant day in paradise!

Ya just a wonderful and fulfilling day in paradise-can't we just pack up and stay there for maybe like a year? Follow in Mgoddards footsteps?
I can't believe that you saw a cheetah i can' still see the spots though the rain
And a bushbaby on the railing at your tent Lucky lucky indeed

A pity that you saw that cheetah only behind a carpet of rain, Wendy

but as your mom said you saw that tiny babyfant and I also would not mind in seeing anything else for the rest of my drives

Bushbaby visit by night as well - I so much want to take a picture from one - Up to now I only got a glimpse of one also in Croc Bridge - Believe me I will spent my nights next February by wandering through camp on the search for a decent picture of them

That is some bucketso f rain coming down But yay you got to see a cheetah I think there nothing better than sitting on th stoep listening to all the night sounds, and even better when the bush baby comes and visits

holy moly wendy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a lotsadronka africana !!!!!!!


that is a really special sighting indeed and worth all the cats in the kruger..


i love your artistic rendition of the spotted one

Playing catch-up again

WOW!!! on the ellie sighting. That must have been fantastic! And then a cheetah
Anyone would be thrilled with all the great sightings that you had on your first day. Your mum must have been over the moon

Thanks for sharing.

What a stunning sighting to experience the birth of a little ellie . The cheetah is a cheetah, no matter the weather . Thanks for sharing

Pshew, those days happen... especially when there are cheetah around.

Finally managed to catch up on your trip report WendyA! What a wonderful lot of sightings you had! I wish I could see your mom's face throughout this drive!

Wonderful sighting of the birth of the baby Ellie! That doesn't happen everyday! I'm so glad your mom could experience it with you!

What an amazing experience for you and your mum - A truly special sighting that will remain with you forever.