Big 5 & Predator Safari in KNP Nov. 2014

[Wild Dogger]

The South African part of our 2014 Safari trip
For Botswana part here

 

We arrive a little late at the passport control in Maun International Airport due to our chat with Cassie.

The flight to Joburg is smooth.

As I pick up my luggage I realize, that somebody had opened my bag. Luckily nothing is stolen.

We get to the O.R. Tambo Garden Court hotel, where we pick up our stored luggage. That worked fine!

After dinner we go to bed.

Next morning we pick up our rental car for the ride to Kruger National Park.

We will be staying 2 nights in Berg En Dal restcamp and 4 nights in Satara restcamp before we fly to Cape Town.

On our drive to KNP we realize that there are lots of radar controls on the way. Luckily they are not hidden, so we were not caught.

 

We arrive 4pm in Berg En Dal, we don´t go out for a game drive. It was a long drive and we decide to rest.

 

To our enjoyment a family of mongoose stays just outside our hut.

 

 

20.11.2014

we go out at time.

It´s gonna be rhino day!

 

 

Unfortunately we also see a dead rhino close to Biyamati. The horn is cut. I really feel bad, thinking of poaching. But it seems it has not been poached. Talking to a guide later he says, that more likely the rangers have found the animal dead and cut of the horn to prevent it be taken by poachers.

 

We also see the usual suspects. Also a pride of lions have taken down a buffalo. We can only see them from far away.

 

Back in camp, we decide not to go out in the afternoon.

 

Mercats are visiting us

 

 

 

 

while the mongoose must have moved to another house.

 

21.11.2014

Time to leave Berg En Dal.

 

We again see rhino.

 

 

All in all on our days in KNP I counted 39 sightings.

 

On the way to Satara we see elephants, buffalo, Kudu, secretary bird and the ever present impala.
Close to Skukuza we see a pack of Wild Dogs. They are just lying in the shadow doing the lion thing.

 

Satara: I just love Satara. In the camp you always get to see good birds.

Some years ago there was a honey badger raiding the bins. I hope he´s still there.

There´s good predators around as well.

 

In the evening we have our first sighting: a Leopard in the bushes. Not good for photography, but my wife says, it counts!

 

22.11.2014

We decide to go west, looking for that leopard.

First thing we see is a cheetah.

 

 

Moving on we see Giraffes and Wildebeests.

 

 

We come to the Timbavati Road crossing. Time for another decision.

While Claudia want to go South, I vow for North. North we´ve seen a pride of lions some years ago, so let´s go north along the Timbavati.

First 30 minutes are a bit boring: nothing. I begin to regret we went that way.

Then we see a nice bateleur eagle

 

 

 

followed by some giraffes.

All of a sudden I see spots: Leopard in the tree!

 

 

A huge male alone for us. No cars around! Happiness!

 

 

It´s just a 2 minute sighting, than he´s gone down to the river.

 

After the coffee break we head back slowly to camp.

 

We find some vultures on a carcass.

 

 

Close to camp a proud Waterbuck.

 

 

In camp we are visited by a

 

 

Crested Barbet,

 

African Hoopoe and a Redbilled Hoopoe.

 

In the afternoon we decide to do a short drive east.

We just see

Impala

 

 

and a Hippo outside the water.

We turn around after a while and go west again.

Maybe there´s another leopard again.

We don´t get far. On the Nsemani Dam there´s lots of animals. Rhino in the distance, Giraffes,

 

 

Crocs and Elephants.

 

 

 

We call it a day and go back to camp.

[pault]

A beefy-looking leopard.

 

Beautiful pictures as always.Love the first rhino.

 

Don't you lock your bag? Glad that nothing was taken, but perhaps you had nothing of obvious value?

[Hads]

Great Reading so far. That Male Leopard is fantastic. Well Dome for Hearing North

[MR1980]

Great trip report so far @@Wild Dogger!! Love your photography and I'm looking forward to seeing more so keep up the good work!!

 

Cheers,

 

Michel

[ice]

@@Wild Dogger

 

that resident honeybadger is most likely sill around in Satara Camp, we saw last saw him next to our chalet in october

[Super LEEDS]

Good stuff! What's a mercat?