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Published: December 8th 2006
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Gentle Giant
This guy just popped out of the bush next to us. Sweet! Kat writes: Having got another little car and a few camping supplies we were on our way to
Kruger National Park and a big reason for coming to South Africa.
Arriving around midday the first thing we did was get to the nearest bush camp to try and book some accommodation, only to be told that practically everything was already taken. Ek! But with a little bit of brain power and an 8hr journey tomorrow. It was doable. We were ‘in’ for the next 6 nights, which later turned to 8, moving to a different camp everyday to see just as much of Wales as we could. Sorry, Kruger, but it is the size of Wales!
Well, bar a few days, the routine pretty much went like this - up and out for around 5am to start searching for the animals. A quick picnic at one of the areas you can get out of your car (not sure why as there is no protection that we could see). Then off on the dirt tracks again, on the spot for wildlife, before heading back to our campsite before 6.30pm. This is when they close the gates and everyone must be
Gentle Giant 2
We stumble across a breeding herd. locked in! Now we would spend our evenings having a few drinks, making a tasty braai (bbq) and chatting before hitting the hay to do it all again the next day!!
No sooner had we driven into the park we were confronted with a whole host of antelopes and grazing giraffes. Awesome. It wasn't long before we were seeing huge white rhinos, herds of 25 elephants, prides of lions, vultures circling a hyena's kill (which later came by us to grab it again and run off), wildebeest, warthogs, cape buffalo, baboons, and even 3 spottings of leopards! The leopard spottings were totally great because there aren't many in the park and it can be quite rare to see. But we also saw a black rhino. That was even more unexpected as there are just a handful of these in the park. So generally just brilliant. I mean the animals aren't just there on display waiting to be viewed, you do have to travel, look all over and be patient but when you get a glimpse of these animals, which all look so huge from your car, it is fab. I think its because you never know what you might
Kudu
These are big Antelope but totally on the menu for Lions. see or where you might see it, so when something does turn up, it just genuinely is, really exciting.
We stayed all over the park in all kinds of accommodation but one night we did push the budget a little and stayed in a bushveld camp. Not fancy or anything but it is more exclusive because it is just a very small camp with only a handful of huts, really out in the wilderness of the park. Here we were told there were no keys but we would need to use a stick for the baboons.
OK
, I said and walked away thinking
what is this guy going on about
. Anyway, it wasn't long before we found out.
The stick was to hold the door shut when you leave the hut to stop the baboons getting in (good one) but we were in the hut, so no stick necessary we thought. We were wrong. I heard a glass break in the kitchen and we ran in only to find two huge baboons making a grab for our shopping on the counter. One took if off the side, on to the floor and out the door. We were not having that, so we gave chase
Gentle Giant 3
Splashing around in the water, it was roasting that day. and managed to get the bag back. Not before one baboon helped itself to raw pasta and the other a bag of sugar. Not the healthiest of meals for them im sure but if you have ever had two male baboons in your kitchen with canines which can be bigger than a male lions, you might let them decide!
At this same camp they had a bird hide that we looked out of around dusk to see a big herd of elephants come to the waterhole. They then walked around our parameter and made their bed for the night. Sitting out, with the natter of the insects, and strange animal noises whilst elephants are a few yards away, as your braai coals are glowing under your dinner with a glass of wine in your hand. How can you not love the Kruger National Park? Everyone should visit! Just brilliant.
After extending for as long as we could allow ourselves we left the Kruger, headed out of South Africa in to Swaziland and then back in to South Africa again quickly, on a mission you see to reach St Lucia and the Wetlands. A few nights here seeing hippos
Spotted Hyaena
We were watching Vultures finish off a small Impala, when this guy turned up next to our car and then stole the kill from the birds. and spending our evenings at the bar with the staff; a local guy and his Zulu friend plus a close brush with security thanks to a rather nibble Aussie who had a bright idea of climbing someone's thatched roof. Opps! Then we were on the road again to Durban.
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Sarah Jagra
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amazing.......
This place clearly beats Woburn Safari park hands down! How exciting! Mind you I would not want to meet those baboons after they had consumed all that sugar, ahhhhh! Hate to say it guys..... are you still planning on heading back before Chistmas?