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Coming back via the S39 we had a quiet drive, although as we always say, we will never know what may have been hidden in the grass along the road that we missed.

Another enjoyable road block

IMG_5756 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

Didn’t see this one coming up the rear, he nearly came in the car window

IMG_5760 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

Then a rather odd sight, not sure if this is unusual or not

There was a lactating hyeana on the side of the road. She was licking up her own milk then disappeared back into the bushes. We just hoped there were some cubs hidden in there and she had not lost them to a predator.

IMG_5764 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

IMG_5765 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

And of course there has to be a final road block for the day

IMG_5774 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

This morning we took a drive to the to Orpen Gate, another area of the Park we had not yet seen. It was a nice spot so we had a bit of breakfast there, did a little shop and then bumped into another lovely forumite... Luislang.

Hi Luislang if you see this.

More roadblocks

IMG_5784 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


kruger12-1 085 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

It had been a quiet drive so when we saw a couple of cars pulled over on the side of the road we stopped in anticipation to check out what was there to see.

‘’a buck in a tree’’

Ok this is good, so we pulled over with the others and sat looking at the dead bushbuck dangling in the fork of a tree close to the road, in the vain hope that the leopard who had obviously left it there would return for a feed.

So we waited, and waited, and waited, determined to sight this elusive cat that was in fact probably laying in the long grass nearby looking at us and watching and waiting for us to leave. We waited so long that we lost count of the cars that came and left, in fact I won’t admit just how long we sat there, will say we made lunch and had a cuppa. Were we crazy??, have others sat like this ? and then repeating the same words to each and every car that drove up alongside us until every time we heard a car we would just robotically turn our heads and say ‘’a buck in a tree’’

Other cars would arrive and wait a while with us [right Luislang ] then eventually drive off, but oh no not us, we could not bring ourselves to leave, in fear that the second we drove away the leopard would appear and we would miss out.
Eventually the aches and pains got too much and we left, later when talking to Luislang again he said he had been there at 5pm and the leopard still had not returned, but yes of course the buck was gone the next morning.

So not having seen very much today we stopped again at our new ‘discovery’, Girivana waterhole.


kruger12-1 087 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

Lovely... there were six or seven giraffes hanging around the waterhole. Now I said earlier on we had never before seen a giraffe do the drinking bendover, well today there were three at once.


IMG_5794 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


IMG_5795 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

Driving back to camp feeling a bit desperate to give our legs a badly needed stretch and use the bathroom, we noticed a few cars pulled over at the ever popular Nsemani dam. This is not unusual except that they were parked down a bit past the actual water.

As we approached a car very kindly waved us in to the front so we could see what everyone was looking at. Lions !!! Several females, two sub adults and two cubs.

Unfortunately they were a little way from the road and just laying around in the long grass but every so often one would get up and have a slow stretch of the legs to give us a peek.

These were our first cubs

IMG_5837 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


IMG_5821 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


IMG_5848 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


IMG_5862 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

Photos are not that clear due to angles and distance but hopefully you can see the little cuties.


IMG_5869 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

a kiss for mum

IMG_5872 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

don't you just love seeing them smooch

IMG_5878 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

We got to watch them for quite some time before the catjam built up.

By then nature was calling rather badly so we just had to get out and get back to camp, as you can imagine this meant quite a bit of backwards and forwards to get out and let others in, lucky this time everyone was pretty well behaved.
The bad behaviour exhibited by some people is often discussed on this forum but I must admit it must be pretty frustrating to drive up to a sight like this then finding out there are lions there and quite possibly not getting to see them.
Guess it all comes down to how quickly people move on.


IMG_5882 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

Today we would leave Satara for Olifants camp, we felt as bit sad to leave this very productive area, we were just as excited to be staying somewhere new to us.

We went for one quick drive down the H6 just in case the lions were in the area again but no such luck. However we did enjoy a lovely sighting



IMG_5885 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

This hyena was walking alongside the road and heading for a drainage pipe so we stopped and waited just in case something popped out of the drain...and it did


IMG_5887 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

Pretty curious for a little one

IMG_5891 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

Then another two, four all together


IMG_5895 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

What a priviledge to enjoy this, we had never before seen young hyenas.


kruger12-1 096 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


IMG_5900 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

So after sitting with the young family for quite a while all on our own, thought we better start the drive north.

Of course could not resist one last look at Nsemani, maybe the lion pride were still there

Instead we got the bigget dazzle of zebbies we had ever seen

IMG_5905 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

In a hurry to get cool


IMG_5916 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

seemed to be something of great interest here


IMG_5922 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

Heading north along the main road we soon came across cars spread along the road watching a massive herd of buffalo grazing and slowly making their way across the road to the Ngotso Dam.

The herd was massive, we think at least 600, probably the big herd we had heard about at camp, so the process of crossing the road took about 2 hours

But there was more, a small pride of lions was watching the buffs from the shade of a tree.

It was really interesting to see this, we did not realise till then that lions would simply lay there watching from the open while the buffs grazed contentedly nearby. Of course we soon realised that the lions were not going to take on a herd of this size, no doubt they would end up the worse off. We did notice that a couple of the huge buff kept an eye on the pride all the time.

Watching from a distance, we found this fascinating


IMG_5925 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


IMG_5930 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

One young male kept acting brave and edging closer, it was so funny to watch, I am sure the ones remaining under the tree were telling him ''too many dont even bother''


IMG_5931 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

The buffs would turn to him and give him the look then back he would go under the tree

IMG_5933 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

The buffs started arriving at Ngotso and it was a really great sight because there were several elephants around the water, making it a very special scene, plus of course we knew the lions were just across the road.

Not only that but there was another pride just along the road opposite the dam, I sure there would have one or two buffalo that did not make it through that night.


kruger12-1 119 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

At the other end of the water we found three eles having a great old time playing and cooling off.


IMG_5941 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

I think we all never tire of these magnificent and playful beasts.


IMG_5944 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


IMG_5947 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr

We finally arrived at Olifants and simply fell in love with the place and of our room with a view

We did not want to leave again so sat with ice creams for lunch and just took it all in.


Now we have stayed in some nice places..... we have stayed in rooms with views of the Grand Canyon, the Great Pyramid, and the Burj Al Arab, but you know what, it just does not get any better than this



kruger12-1 132 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


IMG_5951 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr


IMG_5950 by thesandmans2012, on Flickr