The Animals of Kruger

Where do I start. Naturally there were impala, but once again we spent lots of time photographing the elephants. What is it about them, no doubt its their size. We visited the elephant house at Letaba and this was really worth a look.

And some more

The smallest one we saw

These had no trouble drinking from this tank

Saw plenty of wilderbeasts

They ran a lot with the zebras

This one just made its getaway, nasty gash

Just like at Chobe, lots of buffalo

Kudu were here in great numbers too, just like Chobe

Sadly a Kudu was the only kill we saw and it was being eaten by lions. This spotted hyena had been eating through the night. ( Note the blood on the neck). We only saw the one hyena but at night at both camps we could hear them.

Monkeys always win our hearts

Giraffes again, this one must be getting on in years, see how dark his colouring is

When your this big, naturally they give you right of way

Now we were a fair way away, and needed binoculars, but this is a leopard in the tree, sorry not a good photo

A long drive back to Johannesburg, another night and more time to spend with “family” ,seeing more sights in that very large city on Friday and it was to the airport and a very comfortable ride home on the flying kangaroo. Thanks kids for taking us with you and giving us a wonderful taste for Africa.

Kruger National Park

We had an early start for our six hour drive to the Park. We entered the park and drove then to our first camp called Letaba. Great place to start our four days in this park. Accomodation was in great little huts . Satara Camp was the other camp we stayed in at the other end of the park. I didn’t realize the size of this park. Its huge. I think about 400 or more klms long. And quite wide.

These huts were all self-contained with frig, stove, bar-b-que, crockery. So we were able to cook all our own meals. The camps were all made saf e with electric fences so no dangerous animals could enter but this little honey badger was in and having a ball.

And the scenery was great

Hippos at the rivers here too

Many beautiful birds, but so hard to photograph

The Real World in Zimbabwe

We left Chobe and drove back over the Botswana border into Zimbabwe. Within five klms of being in this corrupt country we saw it first hand. We were stopped on the side of the road by a police officer and his offsider with AK47 in hand. He declared our driver’s licence wasn’t up to date (which it was) and wanted money. Our driver called his bluff, and started to load our luggage into the next bus that came along and told him he was leaving him with his vehicle and we would all be going on and he then would have to explain to his superiors why there was a vehicle sitting on the side of the road. Once he realized he wasn’t getting his money he gave back the licence and let us go. Seeing the four of us he no doubt saw a chance of us paying up just to get on our way to the airport. They tell us the corruption starts at the top and goes all the way down.

Anyway we arrived at Victoria Falls airport in time to catch our plane back to Johannesburg. Lucky too, they changed the route and flew to Livingstone in Zambia,so enroute we got another great view of the falls from the air.Back in Johannesburg we picked up our rental vehicle from the airport and spent another enjoyable evening with Graham’s family.

Sorry no photo, would you be game to point a camera at a guy with an AK47? Not in that country!

Too Many to Mention

Just no time to show all the animals we’ve seen in the last few days. Could probably say Impala have the most numbers here in Chobe

Hippos everywhere up and down the river

Worthogs, so ugly, only their mother could luv them

Plenty of buffalo

Crocodiles all up the river

And this little one really won our hearts. How’s this for the perfect family

Every game drive ended each night at a spot by the river for sunset drinks and savouries

Last picture of the night

Can’t Get Much Higher Than This

Giraffes have always been one of my favourite animals . So cute