Share your great sightings in Kruger here

[LizB]

Hi!

I was curious about everyones favourite moments in the Kruger Park! I remember one particular moment that I'm sure I will never forget!

This was quite a few years back. We were driving on the gravel road between Satara and Nwanetsi picnic spot. The sun didn't even say hello properly, when we came accross 2 lions right next to the road . . . but that wasn't the moment! Driving a bit further we came accross 2 cheetahs, walking right past us in the road! Was amazing!!! . . . But the moment that I won't forget . . . a bit further there was a river bed on the left, very lush. We spotted a leopard approximately 60m in the bush. He was standing frozen, just his white tip of his tail was clearly visible! We then realized that he was after a bushbuck! It was a few seconds that he stood there and then the next moment jumped away chasing the antelope . . . and he was gone . . . how dissapointing I thought, such action and I can't see anything! I was looking left and right to see if I can't get a peek at the chase! But right then the bushbuck came running from the river bed, into the road and straight at us! He just just ducked the car and went of in the bushes! The leopard followed short on the antelope's heels, but stopped in the road when he saw our car. He stood there staring at us for a while then took a jog right past our car! Phew!!! Was fantastic!!! Although that it felt that we cost the young leopard his breakfast!

I won't forget that moment!

[Elsa]

Wow, LizB, that does certainly sound like a very special moment for you.
But without sounding blase I really do not think I can single out any one incident that was my absolute favourite, we have had many very special sightings, none more so than during our most recent visit sitting at the fence at Rudy Frankel Cottage in Satara in the dark watching a male Lion drinking not 20 metres from us.

[LizB]

Sjoe Elsa!

That sounds great!!! Yeah, I know you can't really single out the great moments! Too many things happen in the park, you can always be sure that you will be seeing something that you never saw before!

We had an elephant chasing us one time as well!!! And we were'nt even close to him! It was a bull standing next to the road. We watch him a few moments and then wanted to drive on . . . yeah well, he didn't want any car to pass!! He started flopping his ears and making that trumpeting sound and then came running right at us . . . I have never seen my mom put a car in reverse that fast! We had to stand there and wait a while! Kind of the jungle hey!

[Pikkie]

I have so many wonderful memories/sightings in Kruger that makes me a total Kruger fan. These sightings make me go back time and time again!

I was wondering if there are any other forumites that would like to share some of these gr8 memories/sightings that make them stand every morning wishing they were in the Kruger!

I would like to share a few gr8 experiences I had with my family:
1) One Oct we went in at Punda for the day but soon decided that we will sleep over at Shingwedzi for the night in our bakkie.
Early the next morning we drove the Kanniedood road and soon found a pride of lions walking in the dry river bed (3 pride males and several lionesses). They settled down on the opposite bank, and while we were enjoying this early morning sighting an elle popped out in front of us to chase the lions away when a leopard strolled past us!!!!! That was gr8

2) Dec '06 we entered at Punda to sleep over at Satara for 4 nights. We weren't in for 2 min when 2 lionesses stormed out of a bush right next to us. Needless to say we stood there for a while and observed that there were 5 more lionesses and they were attempting to pull down a buffalo. Many more gr8 animal sightings on the downward trip, but just before the Olifants bridge we came across more lions (seven) busy eating a hippo carcass (which ponged tremendously 2 days later). Down to Satara, pitched the tent and drove the S100. to find the resident pride just off the road. The youngsters were chasing Wildebeest and impala while dad and mom(s) were keeping a close watch. 10 lions there and 1 more just as we left that came walking towards us. 25 lions on our first day!!!!!!

I will post more sightings later, but I would love to hear some of your gr8 memories that will always lead you back to the open spaces of Kruger!

Skukuza 02/04/2008 to 09/04/2008 searching for doggies, black *** and cheetah!

[jakoventer]

Way to uch to name all, but here is a few.

1. S28 - Spend 90min with leopard trying to catch breakfast. Only people around.

2. Spend 30min with leopard about 2m from car window cleaning itself, as if we were not even there. Then tried to catch breakfast as well. Close to leeupan on the tar road. We were also the only car.

3. One of our first trips to Kruger, when we were still trying to cover the whole park in one day, we drove from Phalaborwa to Mopani, and about 13h00 in the day, the spotted one decided to cross the road where we stopped for no apparent reason.

4. Matambeni hide around 16h00. Watching some buf waking up and some crocs basking. The next thing.... Spotted one coming to have a drink. Saw croc and was frightened, chased, yes chased the bufs away, and then caught an impala.

5. S100 afternoon drive... Cheetah came from the river, crossed the road in stalking mode as there were waterbuck and impala on the other side. Then after about an hour caught a small waterbuck.

6. Two male lions were enjoying themselfes on a buf about 100m from road. Next to road all the vultures. Everybody that stopped snapped some shots of the vultures and drove off, even when trying to stop them to show them the lions.

7. Wild dog on the H4-1. Killed and finished an impala about 10m from the car. We were the only ones at this sighting

8. Duke and a couple others crossing the road right next to us. If I had to put my hand out of the window, I could have touched the big one. He still had both tusks.

9. White rhinos, 5 in a group on the S114 just pass renosterkoppies. Two picked up a scrap but it did not last long

10. Honey Badger pair crossed the road in front of us. Not far from Mopanie.

11. Having breakfast in Lower Sabie, when lions decided to come and have a drink. Luckily the deck is high.

The list goes on and on and on and on.

[webb]

As a very regular visitor to the park I have been very lucky over the years here a few of mine in no particular order:

On a morning drive from Pretoriuskop we managed to spot the big five before 7am

On the redrocks road we spotted two cheetah and after watching them for about ten minutes they got up and made some strange growling noises and were staring intently into the bush.
Suddenly a leopard came rushing out of the bush chasing them round and round.
This carried on for about two minutes with the cheetah easily out running the leopard.
After a while the cheetah ran off into think bush and out of view when the leopard decided to cross the rd right in front of us and down into the river bed.
It was about 3pm and really hot. We were the only car.

One trip we got up early for a big all day drive.
Leaving from Berg & dal in the early hrs of the morning.
First up a leopard on the main rd just after the Mabalane bridge.
As we reversed to get a better view we spotted two wild dogs running in the veld on the other side of the bridge.
The question was where to look.
We then stopped for Breakfast at Afsaal.
After Afsaal we continued along the Bume rd where we saw another leopard in a tree and just after that a cheetah walking in the rd. then to Skukuza for some lunch.
After lunch we decided we would head north for a bit and do the Maroela loop before heading down to Pretoriuskop for the night.
On the way up another leopard decided to cross the road in front of us.
And then last but not least we had a whole pack of wild dogs sprinting around our car after something which we didn’t see there must have been 12 of them but as quick as they appeared they were gone again leave us wondering if we had really just seen what we saw.
We had a few beers that night to celebrate a long but very rewarding day in the park.

One morning leaving from Biyamiti bushveld camp I came across a pack of wild dogs and their pups.
They were highly excited and the pups were whining and biting at the adults lips.
Then the dogs starting regurgitating large chunks of meat.
We spent an hour watching the whole thing right in the road in front of us.
As it was on the private section of road we were the only car there.
Eventually we drove off leaving the dogs resting up right next to the road and not another car in site!
2km further on we spotted a leopard in the tree with his kill.
Again we watched him on our own for about 30min without another car.
Then on the way to Lower Sabie another lazy leopard sleeping in a tree on the Lower Sabie highway.
On our return to Biymiti that evening we approached the area we left the dogs with much anticipation and caution then a movement across the road. Was it the dogs … nope another leopard.

Another morning leaving Talamiti Bushveld camp.
Not even 50m from the main gate we spotted a cheetah in the road.
Then we spotted her sub adult cubs next to the road.
She was calling them and they all looked very alert.
After some time she led them across the road and right next to the fence of the camp where she had pulled down an impala.
We watched them devour their meal as only cheetahs can do and then we reversed back all of 50m back into the camp for a later breakfast.

The list just goes on and on from following a leopard in the rd on our own for over an hour while he marked his territory as though we were not even there to Lion from the fence of Shingwedzi and Letaba.
Seeing a tiny leopard cub stranded in a small bush right next to the road while his mother was involved in a territorial fight with another leopard.

But between all these sightings lots of hours and days of driving around sometimes not seeing much but that’s all part of it and its the small chance of seeing these special animal interactions that keep us all coming back.

[BunnyHugger]

Pikkie. I think this is a great thread.

Enough to make us all when we read about all the fabulous sightings that have been seen. And then Webb, just reminded us that it has also been very "dry" in the park at times.

Kruger rocks.

Once in 95 we were booked at Letaba for along weekend. I entered at Numbi gate as is my usual practice. ON the way out of the office, I asked the ranger on duty if he knew of anything interesting in the area. (The question was almost an afterthought.)

Yes he said and directed us to the sand road that runs betwwen the Nappi road and the Doispane road. (Closer to Skukuza).

There was a water hole where a giraffe had been killed by lions. When we got there, there was a whole pride (must have been 10 to 15 lions, lionesses and cubs). The adults were just doing what lions do (Sleeping) and the cubs were playing around.

Same day, much further on, there was a group of cars stopped at something we could not see. So we just stopped at the back and decided to wait a short while. Not long afterwards, the passenger in a white Uno had opened the window to take a picture and a large hyena male got very interested in the car. They reversed back up the raod fairly quickly with the hyena following. They cam right past us and the hyena was si close to our carm that his tail was almost right at my window. When we saw the couple later and asked them what them exitement was about, the cahp informed us that he had biltong in his cubby hole and this got the hyena very exited.

If I can think of any others, I'll share them from time to time.

[Pikkie]

Thanks BunnyHugger and Pjw for your gr8 moments, yes and sharing them with us! I luv the Kruger so much and have considered becoming a game ranger, but I guess I am to old now!
I once had the opportunity of seeing lions on the hunt but at the crutial moment another vehicle approached from the front and scared the Impala and that was the end of the hunt. I can remember how I could hardly breath and that I was more on edge than the lions or Impala for that matter.

I also had the opportunity to see 30 Roan antelope together at Boyela waterhole in Oct last year, that was certainly the highlight of that trip.

I have found that not one trip is the same, that every trip is unique and that you can always expect the unexpected!!!!
Kruger is alive and well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[skywalker2251]

Two of my favorite or most memorable sightings are from my first trip to the park in 1996.

On the H2-2 Voortrekker road, about 1/2 way between Pkop and Asfaal, we saw a pack of wild dogs. We had the sighting all to ourselves for about 30 minutes while the dogs came out on the road.

At the end of the day, we were leaving the park on the H1-1. The sun was just about to go down and we saw something lying in the road in front of us. It was a pride of 7 lions. Two males and a bunch of females. They just laid in the road in front of us for awhile. We moved a little closer to them hoping they would move, as we needed to get to the gate. A couple of the females got up and started walking towards us. One of the females proceded towards my side of the car, and stopped right in front of my window, only a foot away. We looked at each other eye to eye. It seemed like forever, as my heart was beating faster than ever, but it was probably only a few seconds.

Finally, the rest of the pride got up and we proceded towards Numbi.

[MASHABA]

last month i experienced one of the most amazing sightings of my life

we were driving along the S118 and right near the waterhole we spotted a lioness all by herself. she then looked up into the tree that she was standing under, and naturally all our eyes looked up, and in the tree was a beautiful leopard with a kill!

the lion lost interest really quicky and soon after she left, the leopard slowly climbed down the tree with its kill, and walked off into the river bed

[gmlsmit]

We were travelling on the H9 from Letaba to Phalaborwa near Nhalanganini discussing our wonderfull trip and all of a sudden we saw a big worm like creature slowly crossing the road from north to south : a Bibron Blind Snake (Typhlops bibronii ) it was approximately 45 cm long and a brownish / golden colour and reasonably thick . This was very special to us as they are very seldomly seen.

[Rusty Justy]

My most Recent 'Best' Sighting, as There are far to many to write down Was on the H10 2 months ago I think it was...............We watched a Brief Stand Off Between a Honey Badger and a Serval, the first time I'd Seen either of these little critters Noe I got to see them same place, same time!! The serval was obviously the first to back of and went on his way....The Badger we watched running around next to the road, and around our car for quite some time afterwards

[Maddie88]

Hi everyone!!

Below is a link to a YouTube video I made a while ago with all our great sightings over the past visits to the Park....

I would love your opinions, comments and/or complaints....

[Meandering Mouse]

Maddie, I can hear that you are very excited
I hope that soon, you will have more tales to tell.

My own "great sighting" was one of those Kruger moments when action explodes when you least expect it.

I had run the Skukuza Half Marathon and booked into the "Hazyview Cabanas" for the night.
I as rather tired, but decided to spend some time at Lake Panic before leaving the Park for Hazyview.

It was one of those balmy, warm days and the ake Panic hide had its usual collection of birders, photographers and casual passers by.

I positioned myself next to a German photographer and sat to enjoy the peace and stillness of the lake.

After watching the smaller and watery things, I started to drowse off...

next thing, there was a strange commotion, sounding as if the bush was being torn apart

I thought, stampede

through the Lake Panic bush, group after group of Hippo rushed and threw themselves into the water.. each hippo created its own spectacular water show.

The noise was astounding, the water show unbelievable.

It happened so quickly that even the photographers were taken by surprise.

Afterwards we spoke in muted voices. Most people felt that there must have been about 30 paniced, spooked hippo.

The cause of their panic, no one knows.

For me, Lake Panic has both a literal and figurative meaning.

[MountainChats]

Hi I have never uploaded photos before, but here goes Leopard 2008