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Published: June 17th 2017
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01 Birds & Buck
Sacred Ibis and Waterbuck at Kudu Dam. Geo: -25.2174, 27.0071
This morning we packed up the car for a short camping trip. We were going to Pilanesberg National Park for two nights. This is one of my favourite national parks, it is between Johannesburg and our work, I love that we can self drive and get out to stretch our legs at the hides. It was about a two hour drive to Sun Village. Here we went to the supermarket and brought food and other supplies for our stay. It was about a ten minute drive from here to the park.
At about half past twelve we entered the park through the Bakubung Gate which is on the southern side of the park. We spent the next two and a half hours driving towards Manyane Camp. Our first stop was at Kudu Dam. Here we saw – waterbuck, impalas and hippos. As well as some interesting birds - Sacred Ibis, Great White Egret and Yellow Billed Stork.
About half an hour later we arrived at my favourite place in the park - Mankwe Dam. This is a very busy hide, as it located in the middle of the park and easily accessible from all the lodges. At the end of
02 Trio
Here there is a Saddle Billed Stork, Sacred Ibis and a Cattle Egret. the walkway is a large wooden hide. We spent a lot of time here. The birds are very active and not shy. They perch on the dead branches that are just centimetres away from the hide. This gave me a chance to take many close photos of Pied Kingfishers, Red Bishops, Southern Masked Wavers building their nests, African Fish Eagle, Red Billed Quelea, White Throated Swallows and African Jacana. We also saw impalas and springboks drinking on the other side of the dam and many terrapins that came to the top of the water just below the hide.
An hour later we left the hide. As we drove along the dam we spotted a family of hippos out of the water and a family of warthogs eating grass. It was a mother hippo and two little ones- very cute!
Back on the main road we stopped to watch some giraffes, zebras and impalas. The young giraffe then walked across the road in front of us and slowly stretched its front legs out to the side, lowered his neck and drank water from a puddle on the road. It is interesting to watch how their front legs bend. The giraffe would then
03 Kudu Dam
The warning sign at the dam. stand up, swallow the water and then drink some more. Then we stopped to watch a family of warthogs, zebra and blue wildebeest with a young one.
At about half past three we arrived at the Manyane Camp Site which is just outside the Manyane gate. We had not booked a site, but as there are many sites and this was not a busy time we were able to stay. Although the campground was pretty full as it was a Saturday.
We had a light late lunch at the restaurant and then left the camp ground just before 5pm for the park to go on a short afternoon game drive. It was going to be a short game drive as the park is very strict with gate closing times. This time of the year, all guests must leave the park by 7pm. If anyone is later than this, they will be charged a few for the gate staff to allow them out. It is also a measure against animal poaching.
This afternoon we saw kudu, zebras with young ones, terrapin and a water monitor near a dam, hippos both in the dam and out and springbok. We then drove out the gate
04 Other Side
On the other side of the dam there is a herd of impala. and went back to camp. Here we made a fire and ate a delicious meal under the stars.
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