Kruger 2016: new park, new birds, new friends

[xelas]

Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden / 6.11.2016

 

 

One last post, for this trip and for this year. Our flight back to Europe was late evening so again, @@Peter Connan was kind enough to invite us to go birding with him. This time he chose Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden http://www.sanbi.org/gardens/walter-sisulu , a beautiful place about 45 min away from where he lives. It opens at 8 am so we did get the chance to sleep an hour longer then in previous days.

 

Looks like a plastic toy

 

Southern Masked-Weaver

 

Waterfall in Sisulu

 

Feisty geese

 

Out of this world

 

Up close and personal

 

Brrrrr, the water is so cold ...

 

 

Not only that Walter Sisulu is a great place for birding, it is also a very liked place for midday picnic, and Peter organised a perfect surprise for us. He has invited both his brother and his mom and we all have enjoyed a sunny afternoon, chatting and having great time. Thank You, Peter and all the Connan's, you are such lovely people, and Zvezda and me are so lucky to have found you all!

 

Photo assistant watching the gear

 

Someone else picnic party

 

Here comes our picnic party

 

 

That's all, folks! Zvezda and me are thanking all of you that have taken your valuable time and followed this trip report, and special thanks for all the likes, and all the comments (and corrections). For us this was a very special year; twice on a safari in one year, who would imagine such could ever happen?!

 

 

We wish all of Safaritalk members a positive New Year 2017, filled with all the excitement and trips and laughs and good time. We wish you a year of Pura Vida!

 

Alex & Zvezda

 

[PeterHG]

As before, it has been a real pleasure to follow you on your travels and see the beautiful photos of you and Zvezda! I wish you both a wonderful 2017 and join you in your wishes for all Safartalk members!

[michael-ibk]

Excellent timing once again, you managed to finish this before heading off - again! Have a wonderful 2017, both of you, and thank you for another winner of a Trip Report. I´m sure you have put Kruger North on many people´s radar now.

[xyz99]

It's been a wonderful read, full of great stories and amazing photos. Thank you!

As with Namibia and Kgalagadi, it opened my eyes on other places and regions I have to visit (as if that list needed any more entries, ha-ha). Happy New Year to both of you, health and prosperity so you (and all of us through your eyes) can enjoy similar trips, and all the best. Maybe we'll meet someday somewhere

[Peter Connan]

Some great final chapters!

 

It was wonderful to host the two of you. Hopefully we can do it again, many times.

[xelas]

Some great final chapters!

It was wonderful to host the two of you. Hopefully we can do it again, many times.

@@Peter Connan , we will surely come back for more!

[Ladouce]

Thank you you @@xelas for this wonderful trip report (again). It started convincing me that we will have to visit Kruger one day. Even though my DH still has to be convinced as he loved Etosha and has some objections against the tarred roads, crowds and organized drives in Kruger.

[Peter Connan]

@@Ladouce, there are many dirt roads in Kruger as well. And organised drives are the exception rather than the rule.

 

As for the crowds, the northern section is not bad in this regard.

 

I am not saying it is better or worse than Etosha, I just think it is completely different and needs to be experienced.

[Ladouce]

@@Peter Connan Thanks for the info. That will help. First we will go to the Kgalagadi this year so hopefully next year Kruger

Edited January 1, 2017 by Ladouce

[Peter Connan]

@@Peter Connan Thanks for the info. That will help. First we will go to the Kgalagadi this year so hopefully next year Kruger

 

Bad choice.

 

After the Kgalagadi, everywhere else seems like second place!

 

Hope you enjoy your trip immensely!

[PeterHG]

@@Peter Connan Thanks for the info. That will help. First we will go to the Kgalagadi this year so hopefully next year Kruger

 

Have a great time in the Kgalagadi! We are going there, too, for the first time, in February. I fully agree that the Kruger is very special and the Northern parts not crowded at all.

[xyz99]

 

@@Peter Connan Thanks for the info. That will help. First we will go to the Kgalagadi this year so hopefully next year Kruger

 

Bad choice.

 

After the Kgalagadi, everywhere else seems like second place!

 

Hope you enjoy your trip immensely!

 

 

Hmmm, this sounds good to me then - we did Kruger first, and Kgalagadi will be next (although I have no idea when this "next" will happen)

[TonyQ]

@@xelas

Thank you for a really enjoyable report - it has been a pleasure to follow.

[Ladouce]

 

@@Peter Connan Thanks for the info. That will help. First we will go to the Kgalagadi this year so hopefully next year Kruger

 

Bad choice.

 

After the Kgalagadi, everywhere else seems like second place!

 

Hope you enjoy your trip immensely!

I think @@xelas did it also in the same order

[dlo]

Only about half way through @@xelas but it looks like another great safari for you. Those muddy lions really are worthy of a best sighting on trip and the elephants are fantastic. Great photography as usual. thanks for taking me to Kruger with you.

[xelas]

Thank you you @@xelas for this wonderful trip report (again). It started convincing me that we will have to visit Kruger one day. Even though my DH still has to be convinced as he loved Etosha and has some objections against the tarred roads, crowds and organized drives in Kruger.

@@Ladouce

Kruger is surely different to Etosha but beautiful in its own right. Northern part was almost as uncrowded as Etosha, and surely in line with Kgalagadi. One can stay majority of its driving time on gravel roads, and organized drives ... well, I can't talk about them as we have done only one, and were the only guests in the car. Yet one can skip it completely.

[xelas]

@@xelas

Thank you for a really enjoyable report - it has been a pleasure to follow.

You are most welcomed, @@TonyQ ! You guys who are reading our TR are half the reason we are doing them!

[xelas]

Only about half way through @@xelas but it looks like another great safari for you. Those muddy lions really are worthy of a best sighting on trip and the elephants are fantastic. Great photography as usual. thanks for taking me to Kruger with you.

@@dlo nice to have you on board. Lions were surely the sighting of the trip for Zvezda. See you in about 5 months with a new TR!

[deano]

@@xelas - very late to this fantastic trip report but I just read it all in one lazy holiday morning. So many great images from you both (as usual) with too many really good ones for me to pick a favourite......but the LBR sequence in #157 really caught my attention as did that odd wedge shaped bright lemon colored thing with a fluffy pearly white crown in post #158; that thing looked good enough to eat! Are they rare? (Glad to see someone else appreciates good cake as much as I do....part and parcel of any good trip).

 

Your love for all animals and especially birds is really evident and your descriptions of the self driving aspect have peaked my interest although I would need to learn to cook or live on MREs as Mrs deano is not a fan of self catering. Maybe I could come with you on your next one and act as driver, lens swapper, lens cleaner, memory card arranger, washer upper etc.?

 

A great report. Thank you very much.

 

kind regards

 

deano.

[optig]

@@xelas I appreciate the fact that you're giving me ideas for safaris in the future. I particularly love your photos of birds which are improving my limited knowledge.

[xelas]

@@xelas - very late to this fantastic trip report but I just read it all in one lazy holiday morning. So many great images from you both (as usual) with too many really good ones for me to pick a favourite......but the LBR sequence in #157 really caught my attention as did that odd wedge shaped bright lemon colored thing with a fluffy pearly white crown in post #158; that thing looked good enough to eat! Are they rare? (Glad to see someone else appreciates good cake as much as I do....part and parcel of any good trip).

 

Your love for all animals and especially birds is really evident and your descriptions of the self driving aspect have peaked my interest although I would need to learn to cook or live on MREs as Mrs deano is not a fan of self catering. Maybe I could come with you on your next one and act as driver, lens swapper, lens cleaner, memory card arranger, washer upper etc.?

 

A great report. Thank you very much.

 

kind regards

 

deano.

Much appreciated @@deano ! You are most welcomed to join us on our next trip to Kruger, yet unfortunately the job position of driver, lens swapper, lens cleane, memory card arrange, washer upper (wharever that is) is already taken by yours trully. But we will always appreciate a good companion, a person with a great sense of humour.

[xelas]

@@xelas I appreciate the fact that you're giving me ideas for safaris in the future. I particularly love your photos of birds which are improving my limited knowledge.

@@optig , your appreciation of our efforts is an honour to us both. "My limited knowledge" is an understatement ... I know how vast your knowledge about all things Africa is.

[dlo]

All caught up @@xelas and more great photos especially those hyenas and elephant. So I take it you have another trip coming if the report is due in 5 months. I should be starting my Kenyan report soon so hopefully we will see you there!

[Zim Girl]

Just finished this @@xelas, always a joy to read your reports, so well written and funny and Zvezda's photographs are a pleasure to look at.

Looking forward to the next one!

[xelas]

@@Zim Girl

Thanks for your attention and your kind words.

 

@@dlo

Six months, to be exact, and there will surely be more interesting stories shared!