Advertisement
Published: September 23rd 2019
Edit Blog Post
We had a rude awakening this morning with a 5am wake up call. Game drive started at 5.30am after coffee and biscuits on the main deck. Game drives are early morning and late afternoon because that is when the animals are most active. Back into the jeep, just daylight and pretty cold.
We didn't have to go too far before we saw hyenas, and the two lions we had seen yesterday (don't know how, but the driver seems to be able to identify the animals individually). And an amazing African sunrise. Then a couple more elephants, but then we drove around for quite some time, hoping to spot a rhino. No luck, seemed a bit like driving aimlessly around waiting for animals to appear (and sometimes they did), but the driver had a plan, and took us to an African Wild Dog den, and the mother and her puppies were outside playing and eating. Very cute. Also birds trying to steal their food. The dogs are quite rare, so we were very lucky to see them. Time for coffee in the bush (spiked with some Amarula if you liked) with the standard "rusk". Very popular here, bit like a hard rock
cake (and much improved after dunking in tea!).
After coffee, we were taken to see a male leopard. Even though he was hiding in the bushes, we were fairly close. Don't know how they found him. The jeeps are in radio contact with each other so animal sightings can be shared, but limited to only two jeeps at once. Seems to work.
Back to the lodge for a very nice buffet breakfast (And it was only 9 o'clock ?).
Forcast to be 36° again, so it was time to rest ready for our next adventure (lunch!), in the air conditioned room. Was a pretty good break though, in the bush across from our balcony, saw three warthog, and then a zebra!
Then REPEAT!!
Game drive following afternoon tea on the deck and it was very hot. Breeze from being in the open jeep helped a little. And we were again searching for a rhino.
As we turned out of the lodge, driving up the side of the airstrip, there were three giraffe, 1 male And 2 females, just standing there, munching away at the trees. Then drove a little more, still looking for the rhino! But heard over the radio
that someone had spotted a pride of female lions, so headed in that direction. And there they were, lying in the shade, trying to escape the heat. Their tails flicked constantly, apparently swatting flies! Then came across a herd of elephant at a waterhole (including a baby one).
Sundowners were a little late after going to find the lions. But beautiful. More driving in the dark, but we did see a few things - a leopard (female this time) walked across the track in front of the jeep. Also saw a couple of zebra in the dark, but can't shine the spotlight on them, because it can damage their eyes.
Dinner tonight was "under the stars" seemingly in the middle of nowhere! Arrived in the jeep, straight from the game drive, they had lanterns everywhere, welcome towels and drinks, tables set with linen etc, and a bar. Pretty fancy for outside dining. Food was good too.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.068s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 10; qc: 29; dbt: 0.0435s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb