South Africa - Kruger
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South Africa - Kruger Naturetrek Tour Report 18 - 26 October 2019 Lion African Bush Elephants and African Buffalo Baby African Bush Elephant Spotted Hyaena Report & images by Gavin Sims Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report South Africa - Kruger Tour participants: Gavin Sims and Dave Lovell (Leaders) with 12 Naturetrek clients Summary “Africa changes you forever, like nowhere on earth. Once you have been there, you will never be the same. But how do you begin to describe its magic to someone who has never felt it? How can you explain the fascination of this vast, dusty continent, whose oldest roads are elephant paths?” Brian Jackman Twelve nature lovers and two safari guides decided to explore these paths in one of the few remaining bastions of large (and small ) mammals visited the Kruger National Park to search for many species, iconic and not so iconic, large and small, in conditions ranging from cold to hot, dry to wet. Temperatures ranged from 18 deg C to 42 deg C, which did have an effect on sightings, although mainly positive with a good number of sightings when we expected far fewer. We had cats, many herbivores and amazing birds and reptiles. We did look at some plants and geology too, and the way they affect mammal distribution and did our best to complete the picture of this wonderful environment called Africa. Day 1 Friday 18th October Members of the group had either already arrived in Johannesburg or arrived on overnight flights to O R Tambo International Airport from London Heathrow. Day 2 Saturday 19th October Dullstroom The group were collected from O R Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg and surrounding hotels for the start of the Mammals Tour. Due to flight arrival times we were unable to proceed to Rietvlei Nature Reserve, so travelled on to Alzu Rest Stop for a welcome lunch break, with the benefit of seeing the residents of the attached game farm i.e. Cape Buffalo, White Rhinoceros, Sable, Blesbok, Cape Eland, Oryx (Gemsbok), Plains Zebra, Ostriches and a few exotic Emus. The weather was forecast to be warm (31 degrees Celcius) cloudy to partly cloudy with a 7% chance of rain and the approaching highveld thunderstorms, so characteristic at this time of year, followed us down on our route to Dullstroom. We were able to stop to appreciate some waterfowl on a large dam too. We had hoped to see some wildlife on the way but the inclement weather and storm potential seemed to thwart us, with a total of just four mammals! We arrived in Dullstroom late afternoon, allowing for some relaxation time after checking into the Old Transvaal Inn, before a 7pm dinner and a much needed good night’s rest. Mammals for the day: Four plus seven in an open captive situation at Alzu Rest Stop Day 3 Sunday 20th October Satara, Kruger Park We awoke in Dullstroom to a beautiful clear and warm morning... a reminder of the much warmer temperatures we were heading to en route for Satara. We left the Old Transvaal Inn after breakfast, and headed for the Abel © Naturetrek November 19 1 South Africa - Kruger Tour Report Erasmus Pass, making a brief, but productive stop just before the Strydom Tunnel. The cliff faces are the only accessible South African site to view the very rare Taita Falcon (less than 500 breeding pairs globally!). We didn’t see one...but two! One falcon (ably assisted by a Yellow-billed Kite), was also seen mobbing a Crowned Eagle - a highlight for the morning, even for our mammal enthusiasts! We arrived at Orpen gate around 13.30, where we boarded our Open Safari vehicles and were shortly treated to the highlight of the day...a pack of African Hunting Dogs, Africa’s second rarest carnivore, right in front of Orpen Camp. The afternoon was hot, 40 degrees C, when we arrived, yet the “dry” bed of the Tinbavati River, next to our route, came up trumps with many elephants digging for water, Zebras, Cape Buffaloes and Giraffe. We ended up with a tally of 19 mammals, one of which was seen outside the Kruger National Park, on a private game farm. A hot but productive day was had by all, and once at Satara Rest Camp, we enjoyed an al fresco dinner and headed for a well earned night’s sleep. Mammals for the day: 14 Day 4 Monday 21st October Satara, Kruger Park We awoke at Satara to a clear day which the weather forecast had assured us would turn into a scorcher! We left on our first game drive of the day, heading for the Sweni water point and were rewarded with a classic “African tableau” of Wildebeest, Zebras and Cape Buffalo drinking. They were shortly joined by several herds of Elephants and a pair of Kori Bustards. The drama continued with the arrival of some Lions on the other side of the river, attempting, unsuccessfully, to catch a Giraffe. They settled down under a tree...hardly surprising as the temperature had already climbed to 33 degrees Celsius by 09.00! After a delicious brunch, we drove to the famous “Lion Road” of the Kruger, the S100. We were not disappointed, coming across a group of Lionesses and six cubs. The sun was the winner, and by 12.30 we returned to camp with temperatures in the low 40’s! With some trepidation as regards animal sightings in the afternoon heat, we left camp at 3pm with a temperature of 45degC, travelling north... and we were all pleasantly surprised to see an abundance of plains game, Elephants (including one of the “emerging tuskers”), Hyena and cubs, a brief Leopard sighting, along with many vultures and, once again, Kori Bustards and Ostriches. The hot weather brought in a cold front, and our al fresco dinner was enjoyed with an accompanying meteorological orchestra of thunder and lightning...and a few drops of rain. Some of us went on a night drive and were lucky enough to see White Rhinoceros, Civet, and both species of genet. (The guides, not on the night drive, were visited by an African Wild Cat (well known in Satara), close to their chalet.) Mammals for the day: 23 2 © Naturetrek November 19 South Africa - Kruger Tour Report Day 5 Tuesday 22nd October Lower Sabie, Kruger Park This morning the promised cold front had arrived! It was colder, cloudy and drizzly with an early morning temperature of 20 deg C, which plummeted to 18 deg C and remained there for the duration of our long drive down to Lower Sabie. Such days are not the best for game viewing...but were we in for a surprise! Our pre- breakfast drive was spent with three Lions and their Buffalo kill, accompanying vultures and a couple of Black- backed Jackals. After loading our luggage...and ourselves...we proceeded to Lower Sabie via Tshokwane picnic site. Our drive down yielded a further four Lion sightings and a memorable Leopard very close to the vehicle. We saw Elephants, Rhinos, plains game, Buffaloes...in fact a total of 24 mammal species on a cold and dreary day. Africa is always full of surprises. We arrived at Lower Sabie Camp in the late afternoon, hoping for the promised higher temperatures and dryer weather tomorrow. Mammals for the day: 24 Day 6 Wednesday 23rd October Lower Sabie, Kruger Park The cold weather stayed with us this morning with a promise of clearer and warmer weather later in the day. We enjoyed early morning coffee/tea and decided to go and see which fauna had also decided to brave the chilly temperatures. Despite the drizzle, we managed to see 13 mammal species, but no predators, before breakfast, after which we had a long and welcome break after yesterday’s long journey down. Sunset dam was the highlight of the morning, with many Hippos and birdlife. The afternoon drive was in much better, though windy, weather. We were however rewarded with a Honey Badger and a couple of Leopards. Mammals for the day: 23 Day 7 Thursday 24th October Pretoriuskop, Kruger Park The weather forecast promised us a much warmer day with clear skies...sadly the weather forecasters were wrong (again!) and the morning was again cloudy. Our morning drive was mainly graced with herbivores but the highlight of the morning was not a mammalian predator, but a bird...a Martial Eagle with its most unusual prey...a Barn Owl! We packed up the trailer with luggage, had a good breakfast and headed up to Skukuza. The day started to warm up and we were rewarded with several Lion sightings and a Leopard. Elephants were abundant too, as were Buffalo along the Sabie River. We continued, after lunch, for Pretoriuskop Camp for the final two nights of the trip. © Naturetrek November 19 3 South Africa - Kruger Tour Report The afternoon drive was fairly quiet sightings wise, but we did get to see several Sable Antelope and had a further Lion sighting at Shithlave Dam. Taking the unpredictable spring weather into account, and its effect on animal sightings, we were pleasantly surprised to see the number of species we did. Mammals for the day: 25 Day 8 Friday 25th October Pretoriuskop, Kruger Park Once again the morning began with cool temperatures and cloud...with a promise of much hotter temperatures later in the day. We opted for a long morning drive so as to avoid the heat later and paid a visit to Transport Dam, where we enjoyed interactions between a White Rhino, Wildebeest, Impalas and Hippos.