· The Big 5Nelspruit, South Africa · 3rd Jul 2008 · Posted by Sanjay
Thursday morning started with a 5.30am game drive. It was a 3hour drive, and it was also dark when we started. The ranger had heard there were some lions by the malelane gate so we went straight there.
We got there around 6am, and there were 3 Lionesses right on the side of the road. The only unfortunate aspect of seeing my Lions was that in the dark we weren’t able to get good photos or video, and we didn’t stay too long because the Lions were on the move. I think it was a combination of having strangers on the drive with us, and it was breakfast time. The Lions had spotted some good meat for breakfast and were hunting. Unfortunately the food was further from the road, so they went hunting away from us.
It was now absolutely freezing cold. We had polyprops on, jackets, gloves and used blankets provided to try and stay warm. Not an enjoyable experience on an open vehicle in the middle of winter!
Although we saw some great animals, they came quite far apart, and after 2 hours I was busting. In the middle of a game park you can’t go anywhere, so the final hour was not a lot of fun!
We arrived back at 8.30am, packed up our things and had to make our way to Olifants rest camp, towards the north. It was some 160km away.
We started off by trying to maintain a speed of around 40-50. Once we got to a big lineup of cars we stopped to ask what they were looking at. It was now around 10.00am, and apparently there was a Leopard there, who had been there since 8am. We were off to the side of the main group of vehicles and there were some impala there which the Leopard was supposedly keen on. (McDonalds is very popular amongst predators…Impala total over 100 000 in the park, and they have a distinctive black M pattern on their rump…hence the term McDonalds)
We couldn’t see anything and after a few mins were getting ready to move on when all of a sudden the Leopard came into the open some 20m from us. Because it was a section of burnt grass (they do that in areas to ensure fires can’t spread if they ever do happen). He was after the Impala but they could obviously sense they were being hunted, they were snorting and moving on. Leopard like to get right up close before they go for the kill. The Leopard walked around right in front of us, and then crossed the road, trying to follow the Impala. We ended up trying to follow him around (with about 20 other cars), and at one stage he walked in front of some other cars, but then he disappeared into the long grass again. He was obviously hungry as he was after more Impala, but after 40 minutes we couldn’t wait any more to see if he would reappear, so we had to be on our merry way.
We got to Skukuza, had a quick stop and left again. The area around Skukuza is based around the Sabie river, and is prime viewing. We followed the river and people were looking at Lions on the other side of the river. Being far away we are not sure if what we saw was actually Lions, we will look at the video! But again we had to leave due to time (We were way behind where we needed to be!)
Then as we crossed one bridge there were a group of cars just off on a dirt road. Rheanna told me not to bother as we didn’t have time. But I suggested we just have a look and see what was so interesting. A guy driving out told us there was a Leopard. I asked if it was hard to spot and he said “no”.
Now this was a dirt road, that really only fitted 1 vehicle in either direction. There were cars coming out, and 2 rows of cars side by side going forward (ie three cars across)
We were in the second lane, furthest from the side with the Leopard. People were stopping for a minute or so, and then moving forward and turning around and exiting. When we got close enough, we saw it. There was a Leopard literally 2m from the left side of the cars, just lying down. We stopped a couple of minutes and tried to take as many photos as we could, but the car closer to us blocked us a bit.
Then we moved forward ready to turn around and leave. A Landrover was turning around so I drover past him and turned also. Now I was 3-4m behind the Landrover. We were still trying to get a good view of the Leopard on the way out, which provided a better view of its face. Rheanna had jumped into the right side of the back seat. Suddenly I see the reverse lights on the Landrover. No big deal but why is he in reverse? Next he starts moving back…quickly! Rheanna screams and lurches forward to toot our horn. Too late, there is quite a thud, and boy are we mad!
Now being in the Kruger park, you can’t get out and check the damage. Not with a Leopard 5m away. Now the Leopard gets up, and then walks away into the bush. Shame, there are 20 cars waiting to see it. It must’ve got scared from us tooting the horn. The Landrover motions us forward and hands us his business card through the windows. He says it’s just a small ding in the number plate. Phew, this is a rental car after all.
So now we are way behind schedule, pissed off about the car and the Leopard is gone.
Also there seem to be plenty Lions and Leopard around but we have to continue on to Satara camp.
At Satara we assess the damage to the car. Uh oh…just a ding! It’s smashed a hole in the number plate and gone through to the bumper. Now we are fuming.
We are on a tight schedule, so quickly look through the shop and go to the bathrooms.
I have stayed at Satara once before. It has plenty of bok around, and this is one of the reasons plenty of Lions are found here. It is the “lion camp”. Because of time however we can’t explore around the area.
On the way to Olifants we see a Buffalo carcas. And then finally right next to us are a group of Buffalo.
We make it to Olifants by 4.45pm. 15 mins to our sunset drive. We rush to go to the bathrooms, put warm clothes on and check in. we are standing outside for our game drive with a minute to spare. Where is the game drive vehicle though? And the other people?
Ok…at a few mins past we go to check with reception. Rheanna sees the sign…sunset drive, 4pm. Uh oh…we were 45 mins late. It’s gone. Why didn’t they tell us when we were frantically trying to check in!
They can book us on the night drive but we will have to pay to do it, as because they couldn’t book our places on the sunset drive we cannot simply transfer it. So we had a quiet dinner and an earlier night instead.
It had been an eventful day. We had gone out early. Saw the Big 5 (including 2 Leopards) on one day. Now not many people can ever achieve that…And had an accident, and missed our game drive…No wonder we were knackered!
So in all, in the Kruger National Park, we saw the following animals:
Buffalo
Elephant
Kudu
Impala
Giraffe
Warthog
Zebra
Mongoose
Spotted Hyena
White Rhino
Black Rhino? (TBC)
Steenbok
Bushbuck
Dassie
Squirel
Lion
Wildebeest
Leopard
Baboon
Hippo
Vervet Monkey
Waterbuck
Duiker
Also of less interest - many birds including:
Lilac breasted roller
Vulture
Fish Eagle
We got there around 6am, and there were 3 Lionesses right on the side of the road. The only unfortunate aspect of seeing my Lions was that in the dark we weren’t able to get good photos or video, and we didn’t stay too long because the Lions were on the move. I think it was a combination of having strangers on the drive with us, and it was breakfast time. The Lions had spotted some good meat for breakfast and were hunting. Unfortunately the food was further from the road, so they went hunting away from us.
It was now absolutely freezing cold. We had polyprops on, jackets, gloves and used blankets provided to try and stay warm. Not an enjoyable experience on an open vehicle in the middle of winter!
Although we saw some great animals, they came quite far apart, and after 2 hours I was busting. In the middle of a game park you can’t go anywhere, so the final hour was not a lot of fun!
We arrived back at 8.30am, packed up our things and had to make our way to Olifants rest camp, towards the north. It was some 160km away.
We started off by trying to maintain a speed of around 40-50. Once we got to a big lineup of cars we stopped to ask what they were looking at. It was now around 10.00am, and apparently there was a Leopard there, who had been there since 8am. We were off to the side of the main group of vehicles and there were some impala there which the Leopard was supposedly keen on. (McDonalds is very popular amongst predators…Impala total over 100 000 in the park, and they have a distinctive black M pattern on their rump…hence the term McDonalds)
We couldn’t see anything and after a few mins were getting ready to move on when all of a sudden the Leopard came into the open some 20m from us. Because it was a section of burnt grass (they do that in areas to ensure fires can’t spread if they ever do happen). He was after the Impala but they could obviously sense they were being hunted, they were snorting and moving on. Leopard like to get right up close before they go for the kill. The Leopard walked around right in front of us, and then crossed the road, trying to follow the Impala. We ended up trying to follow him around (with about 20 other cars), and at one stage he walked in front of some other cars, but then he disappeared into the long grass again. He was obviously hungry as he was after more Impala, but after 40 minutes we couldn’t wait any more to see if he would reappear, so we had to be on our merry way.
We got to Skukuza, had a quick stop and left again. The area around Skukuza is based around the Sabie river, and is prime viewing. We followed the river and people were looking at Lions on the other side of the river. Being far away we are not sure if what we saw was actually Lions, we will look at the video! But again we had to leave due to time (We were way behind where we needed to be!)
Then as we crossed one bridge there were a group of cars just off on a dirt road. Rheanna told me not to bother as we didn’t have time. But I suggested we just have a look and see what was so interesting. A guy driving out told us there was a Leopard. I asked if it was hard to spot and he said “no”.
Now this was a dirt road, that really only fitted 1 vehicle in either direction. There were cars coming out, and 2 rows of cars side by side going forward (ie three cars across)
We were in the second lane, furthest from the side with the Leopard. People were stopping for a minute or so, and then moving forward and turning around and exiting. When we got close enough, we saw it. There was a Leopard literally 2m from the left side of the cars, just lying down. We stopped a couple of minutes and tried to take as many photos as we could, but the car closer to us blocked us a bit.
Then we moved forward ready to turn around and leave. A Landrover was turning around so I drover past him and turned also. Now I was 3-4m behind the Landrover. We were still trying to get a good view of the Leopard on the way out, which provided a better view of its face. Rheanna had jumped into the right side of the back seat. Suddenly I see the reverse lights on the Landrover. No big deal but why is he in reverse? Next he starts moving back…quickly! Rheanna screams and lurches forward to toot our horn. Too late, there is quite a thud, and boy are we mad!
Now being in the Kruger park, you can’t get out and check the damage. Not with a Leopard 5m away. Now the Leopard gets up, and then walks away into the bush. Shame, there are 20 cars waiting to see it. It must’ve got scared from us tooting the horn. The Landrover motions us forward and hands us his business card through the windows. He says it’s just a small ding in the number plate. Phew, this is a rental car after all.
So now we are way behind schedule, pissed off about the car and the Leopard is gone.
Also there seem to be plenty Lions and Leopard around but we have to continue on to Satara camp.
At Satara we assess the damage to the car. Uh oh…just a ding! It’s smashed a hole in the number plate and gone through to the bumper. Now we are fuming.
We are on a tight schedule, so quickly look through the shop and go to the bathrooms.
I have stayed at Satara once before. It has plenty of bok around, and this is one of the reasons plenty of Lions are found here. It is the “lion camp”. Because of time however we can’t explore around the area.
On the way to Olifants we see a Buffalo carcas. And then finally right next to us are a group of Buffalo.
We make it to Olifants by 4.45pm. 15 mins to our sunset drive. We rush to go to the bathrooms, put warm clothes on and check in. we are standing outside for our game drive with a minute to spare. Where is the game drive vehicle though? And the other people?
Ok…at a few mins past we go to check with reception. Rheanna sees the sign…sunset drive, 4pm. Uh oh…we were 45 mins late. It’s gone. Why didn’t they tell us when we were frantically trying to check in!
They can book us on the night drive but we will have to pay to do it, as because they couldn’t book our places on the sunset drive we cannot simply transfer it. So we had a quiet dinner and an earlier night instead.
It had been an eventful day. We had gone out early. Saw the Big 5 (including 2 Leopards) on one day. Now not many people can ever achieve that…And had an accident, and missed our game drive…No wonder we were knackered!
So in all, in the Kruger National Park, we saw the following animals:
Buffalo
Elephant
Kudu
Impala
Giraffe
Warthog
Zebra
Mongoose
Spotted Hyena
White Rhino
Black Rhino? (TBC)
Steenbok
Bushbuck
Dassie
Squirel
Lion
Wildebeest
Leopard
Baboon
Hippo
Vervet Monkey
Waterbuck
Duiker
Also of less interest - many birds including:
Lilac breasted roller
Vulture
Fish Eagle
