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FIND INSPIRATION FROM A SELECTION OF OUR PREVIOUS TRIPS
Kruger Safari Expedition 2019
13th to 21st August 2019
This trip was arranged for two couples who were looking for a short break from work. We composed a restful and luxurious trip to fulfil their requests, while ensuring they experienced the true wilderness South Africa has to offer.
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Our guests stayed in a spacious home on a private wildlife estate where they saw zebra and nyala literally on their doorstep, and even had a giraffe drinking from their swimming pool one morning!
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In terms of game sightings, this was also a very exciting trip for me personally, highlighted with my first wild honey badger sighting! We were rewarded with fourteen lion sightings, including three cubs studiously watching their mother stalk a zebra.
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Aside from going on safari, our guests thoroughly enjoyed meeting active wildlife conservationists and having in-depth discussions on the impacts of human activity on the local ecosystem, including poaching.
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If you are also searching for a short break from work and would like to see South Africa specifically, I would recommend a trip of a similar style.
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Rhody
Photo Journal
Our safari commenced in Central Kruger with a drive along the Timbavati River, which was as dry as a bone. During the South African winter, water is a scarce commodity, meaning animals need to become more resourceful to survive.
With a fail-proof memory and an ability to smell water up to five kilometres away, an elephant locates a spot to access water. Its trunk contains 100,000 muscles in different orientations, and anterior and posterior finger projections on the tip of the trunk, making it the perfect tool to create a well.
Elephants enlarge their wells into waterholes for other animals to drink and bathe, making this a pivotal contribution they make to the ecosystem, especially during extended droughts.
While watching the elephants take their shifts in creating wells, we received information of lion cubs near Girivana Dam so continued our journey.
These three handsome cubs were attentively and aspirationally watching their mother stalk two zebra.
It was a gusty day, and an increased windspeed usually makes it harder for prey to detect predators, but this lioness was not having much luck today. We had glimpses of her passing through the bushes, trying to encroach on the zebra. However, being solitary, she didn't have the support of a pride to help her make the kill.
As time passed, the once-patient cubs began to tired as they dropped to the ground one at a time.
As the cubs disappeared into the towering savannah grass for their siesta, we continued down the track.
As we coursed along the N'wanetsi River, which hadn't completely dried, we saw an increasing number of croc slides along the banks. We found a wet croc slide, indicating recent croc movement, so took a short detour to access the water's edge. And there we go! A stunning 10-foot Nile crocodile who still had more growing to do! Notice the croc slide to the far side of the croc's head, which, in the absence of a crocodile, can give a useful indication of the size of the crocodile that made it.
With a conservation status of endangered, southern ground hornbills made for a spectacular, rare sighting. These carnivorous birds were foraging, and they eat rodents, frogs and even snakes! With a lifespan of 60 years, they outlive many of their fellow residents of the savannah.
The southern ground hornbills swiftly moved out of sight, so we continued to some tall, crane-like structures emerging from the tree canopies ahead.
One can tell that this Southern giraffe is a female not by the impressive eyelashes, but by the long tufts of hair covering her 'horns', which are correctly called ossicones. Male ossicones are bald as they are used for fighting other male giraffes.
While exploring the savannah to the north of Satara, we were fortunate enough to find a honey badger. These predominantly nocturnal animals are rare to see during the night, let alone during the day. They are the true Kings of the Bush as they are fearless, powerful predators that even intimidate lions!
This very busy honey badger was scurrying around, digging the earth, and tumbling over branches while foraging for food, making it frustratingly difficult to get a clear shot of its face; I soon filled up my memory card with plenty of beautiful, sharp photos of grass as you see below!
The honey badger eventually decided to look down my lens long enough for a clear shot. What an innocent-looking face!
While viewing a dazzle of zebra, we noticed an individual that had survived a traumatising encounter with a predator. Enlarge the photo to see the bright red wound on the right foreleg. Regarding the wound on the ventrum, the lack of healing by granulation tissue and fibrous scar, and the presence of loose skin flaps, indicate a relatively recent attack; I would imagine the encounter took place earlier in the day or the previous day. The long wound you can see on the left flank was also present on the other side, indicating a lion had jumped on its back, latched its claws on either side, but the zebra was able to kick it off with its powerful hind legs.
The zebra instinctively licked its wounds continually to prevent infection and to aid blood clotting.
My favourite time of day for wildlife photography is when the sun has just about completed its descent toward the horizon, and the vibrant sunset colours emerge. At this time on our final day of safari, we fortunately intercepted a herd of elephants arriving at a waterhole.
The following photograph rightfully competes for the position of my favourite photograph of this expedition.
During the excitement of watching the elephants drinking, we had initially missed a resting spotted hyaena!
Our eventful safaris concluded with rewarding, peaceful sundowners. Thank you for taking the time to view my photo journal from the very memorable Kruger Safari Expedition 2019. If you would like to be a part of our next expedition, you can start designing your expedition online or contact us directly.