Our 2024 Kruger trip: A tale of mishaps and magical sightings

[FinMari]

I'm so happy you found a new job so quickly We wait here patiently

Sunrise sleepy giraffe

I love buffalos on morning light photos

Excellent birding

Ellie shock moment

Thank you for sharing Carla + Tony

[Cape of Storms]

Carla + Tony, your updates are like opening a new chapter in a well-loved book—each time I’m instantly hooked!

The morning giraffe—just a gentle soul greeting the sunrise! The birds too, from the cheeky kingfisher to the “I’m too fancy for you” LBR—what a delight.

Oh, but that ellie encounter! My pulse was racing just reading about it. I’d have been white as a sheet and probably speaking in tongues—“Go, go, go!”

[Pumbaa]

Thanks so much, Carla + Tony,

congrats to your new job - Take your time we are not in a hurry

Love the different amazing bird shots and simply love the giraffe sunrise - Those sunrises and sunsets at Satara are always something very special - Sigh

[Ollie]

Thanks for all the great photos and sharing your experiences. It happens fairly often that you come around a corner and end up face to face with Elephants (and others) I can relate to the loss of a job and finding a new job and the energy it takes to power through. I am glad it worked out and you found a new job.

[Carla + Tony]

There’s something very special about the early morning light in the Kruger . Your photos capture it perfectly

A great variety of birds with correct ids . Your list is growing

at the ellie experience.
Now you’re leaving us all in suspense………..

Our bird list is indeed growing The ID-part is still quite a challenge at times

[Carla + Tony]

Early morning colours as the sun starts its day and the giraffe was enjoying it also

Plains animals

Lots of bird sightings- do like your snooty LBR pic

Thanks

In my opinion, there is nothing as beautiful as an African sunrise or sunset for that matter. Such beautiful colours.

[Carla + Tony]

I am glad you found a new job so quickly and am sure the days will get easier soon!
Absolutely stunning sunrise.. WOW!
Fantastic bird photos. I really like that Marabou pic.

Definitely one of the best sunrise photos I ever took

[Carla + Tony]

I'm so happy you found a new job so quickly We wait here patiently

Sunrise sleepy giraffe

I love buffalos on morning light photos

Excellent birding

Ellie shock moment

Thank you for sharing Carla + Tony

We actually had quite a few mornings with beautiful golden light and there were no animals around to photograph. Or they were on the wrong side

[Carla + Tony]

Carla + Tony, your updates are like opening a new chapter in a well-loved book—each time I’m instantly hooked!

The morning giraffe—just a gentle soul greeting the sunrise! The birds too, from the cheeky kingfisher to the “I’m too fancy for you” LBR—what a delight.

Oh, but that ellie encounter! My pulse was racing just reading about it. I’d have been white as a sheet and probably speaking in tongues—“Go, go, go!”

Hope you recovered enough to read all about our next ellie encounter

[Carla + Tony]

Thanks so much, Carla + Tony,

congrats to your new job - Take your time we are not in a hurry

Love the different amazing bird shots and simply love the giraffe sunrise - Those sunrises and sunsets at Satara are always something very special - Sigh

I know what you mean...Sigh... I would love to be there right now

[Carla + Tony]

Thanks for all the great photos and sharing your experiences. It happens fairly often that you come around a corner and end up face to face with Elephants (and others) I can relate to the loss of a job and finding a new job and the energy it takes to power through. I am glad it worked out and you found a new job.

I am not fussed if a lion or giraffe would stand around the corner. But ellies .....now that is a completely different story!

[Carla + Tony]

Hi everyone. Once again thank you for your patience. We ere off visiting family in the UK, hence another delay

Let's quickly continue with the rest of the day.

After this ellie encounter, my notes are rather hit and miss and I have no idea what we saw where anymore. So I will just continue going by the time the photographs were taken.
Somewhere along the way we encountered a honeymoon couple. They were only interested in eachother



and decided rather quickly they wanted more privacy (who could blame them) So they disappeared into the bushes



It was obviously birding day today so we also tried our luck again at birds in flight. A few came out not too bad.
A fish eagle



And this raptor (if anybody can ID, yes please!)



A very reluctant white crowned shrike sitting in the bushes

[Carla + Tony]

a cute baby zebra being was guarded very well



and a lioness who was trying hard not to be seen as she was very well hidden in the bushes. So we just took a picture as proof of sighting and drove on



Somewhere along the trip we had a quick stop at Timbavati picnic spot, after which we made our way to the S147.

I don’t know if you are familiar with this road. At some point, it is really narrow and twists and turns right by the side of the river bank, with bushes on the other side.
It was here somewhere, our path was blocked by a biiiiig elephant I was trying to keep my cool but my pulse instantly started racing. This ellie had absolutely no intention of moving out of the way . In fact, it kept coming towards us
Tony kept backing up until he could go no further. And the ellie still kept coming. By now, I was in panic mode. Tony pushed the car as far into the bushes as he could. Here we had to just sit it out.

My pulse was racing like mad and I can tell you, I was not a happy bunny. As the ellie came closer and closer to the car, I just closed my eyes.
Next I heard Tony say; ‘o, f#$! (it sounds like clucking bell, leave you to fill it in ), there is another big ellie behind us now.”
At that moment I put my arms around my head and adapted the 'we are going to crash position' in a plane. Eyes still closed I braced myself for impact....

But impact didn't happen (thank you Lord!!).
As the ellie behind us turned up, the one in front moved away into the bushes. The one behind us obviously told the other one to stop being a bully and let us through.
The relief I felt….. no pen can ever describe!
As soon as we could, we moved on and I decided we were not going to drive that road again this holiday! And I voiced that quite clearly

After this, I hardly wrote down anything anymore.
Judging by the photos, we drove as far as Olifants, stopping at the bridge along the way where we watched a croc coming on to land to warm up



While anotther croc just kept swimming along



You could even see the fish from the bridge



And mummy and baby hippo were out the water

[Carla + Tony]

At the Olifants deck this vervet was showing us her baby (or was she waiting for any scraps of food )



A vista shot of a rather dry looking river. Certainly the driest we had ever seen it.



On the way back, a lone lioness



Who was rather sleepy



And had trouble keeping her eyes open



So we left her to it

[Carla + Tony]

Happy looking ostrich



Some clouds appeared. Tried to catch the rays coming through (being artistic again )





Sightings wise it had been a reasonably quiet day. But excitement wise, it had been off the charts! It wa s definitely time to head back to camp and try to relax with a cold one (or two or three )

Tomorrow was moving day. Next stop Shingwedzi. But we would not be taking the S147, no way!

t.b.c.