10 DAYS IN KRUGER PARK

In early Octobter 2013, we spent 10 days travelling through Kruger Park, with Mr. O's brother and his wife. We had a wonderful time together and were blessed to see so many animals. We even experienced "Walking with Rhinos"! We did not see the elusive male lion or leopards, but we were mesmerised with the wildlife that we did encounter and the experiences that we shared. We drove in from Malelane and drove north through Lower Sabie, Skukuza, Olifants, Mopani and Shinwingzig. What an experience!

I find it hard to cull the photos. Flick through and enjoy the safari with me!

Map of Kruger Park

We did a two walking safari in Kruger. We were literally within metres
of these two. Downwind, thankfully! What a heart racing buzz!

AARRRGGGHHHH! They are soooo close!!!

Up close and personal with a herd of water buffalo!!

5:30am departure on our "Walking with Rhinos" safari.

Tracking the "spoor" (footprints and poo droppings) with our ranger, Bernard.
Bernard was showing us the  lion spoor, amongst others, around the waterhole.

Look where we got to sleep! In a treehouse!
Up high so that we were safe from lions, leopards, elephants, hyenas and
nocturnal animals!

And this was my bed!

South Africans love barbecues, just like Australians.
They call it a "braai" (br-eye). They love meat, too! Lots of it!
We love it, too!

A baby hippo on a rock beside it's mother in the water.
Hippos are very interesting. They spend the day from sunrise to sunset in the water.
When the sun goes down, they come out in search of food.
They graze all night long on grasses, only to return to the water in the morning as the sun rises.
They are territorial and are known to kill people who get in the way of their path or territory !

Baboons are everywhere in Kruger! I am not a fan of them,
with their sharp test and red bums, but they are very sociable and can be funny to watch!

This is the "Greater Hornbill". They are endangered birds.
This was a rare sighting! This one was alone and just scratching around for food.
They are quite big, being about a metre tall! 

This lioness was taking a "kill" back to her pride.

Turtle Island! Or maybe it is s a turtle meeting.

I love the elephants!
This is a mummy with her baby (calf).

Can you spot the cheetah under the bush?

A glorious African sunset over a "rondaval". (thatched hut)

Visiting a Elephant Museum in Kruger Park.

Those tusks are so big! It is a crime that poachers kill elephants for their tusks!!!

Uh oh! Roadblock!

One of my favourite moments! Near Mopani, we witnessed 20 male elephants coming from all directions to
a waterhole, which was actually a big reservoir. We watched, transfixed for almost half an hour as they
came in, greeted each other, drank and drank and drank, and then sprayed themselves all over!!!
GLORIOUS!

Elephants are very social creatures. They are known to communicate through sending messages via
"foot-stampings", tummy rumblings and trumpettings. Fascinating to watch and read about!

Leaving the park at dawn, we saw a mother hyena with two cubs. The male hyena behind her,
wanted some love and attention!She chased him away, as her priority was her cubs. 

Later we went to the  Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre
to see leopards. Leopards are the fastest animal on earth.
They hunt in pairs or threes called a "coalition".

This is a "King Leopard". He has an extra chromosome and that is why he is different.
This one is cared for in captivity. If born in the wild, he would be prey to others
as he stands out and is smaller and not as strong as his brothers.

 Leopard release

This is a Western Cape Wild Dog. They are endangered animals.

Wild Dogs of Africa

Some children in a village, dancing for donations!
They were cute, but needed more practise!

Me and my newest best friends, some Nbelele women renown for their beading .

Postscript  12/12/13- I did not get to finish this at the time of writing as we were evacuated on a precautionary measure from Mozambique. I will tell you more in the next post.