Sunrise over the rim of the ancient volcanic crater
Last Sunday Joubert and I accompanied my brother Niël to the Pilanesberg National Park for a day visit – as always it was good to get out of the city and into the wilds, even if only for a day. Pilanesberg’s four entrance gates are all within an easy two-hour drive from Pretoria so it wasn’t difficult at all to be at the Park’s Manyane Gate in time for it opening at 05:30. We departed again, through Bakubung Gate, just as dusk was settling over the reserve at around 18:00 that evening.
Lake Mankwe
We spent most of the day exploring the Park along the extensive network of roads and also spent some time in the various photographic hides (two of which was damaged considerably by elephants recently and in need of repair). Here’s a collection of photographs of Pilanesberg’s mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, all taken on Sunday.
Blue wildebeest cow
Blue wildebeest bull
Yellow-billed stork
Barbel (catfish) ambushing small fish in the shallows
Pied kingfisher
Terrapins
Giraffe
White rhinoceros
Kudu cow and calf
Battle scarred zebra stallion
Elephants have right of way
Elephant roadblock
Waterbuck drinking
Grey heron cooling off next to the water
Jacana walking on submerged plants
Juvenile crocodile
Little Egret in breeding plumage
Impala
Springbok, South Africa’s national animal
Ostrich
Curious giraffe
For more on Pilanesberg you can read all about our previous visit there in May 2012.
DeWetsWild 
Beautiful series of photos.
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Thank you for the encouraging comment TSC
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What wonderful images Dries and Marilize. So lovely that you got out of the city. Who wouldn’t want to spend time away in paradise? You got some lovely shots here and I love the shot of the elephant butts as they make their way down the path. Great capture on the barbel catfish so beautifully camouflaged. For just a short outing you sure managed to see and enjoy most of what South Africa has to offer. Great post as always guys.
Enjoy the weekend.
Marks and Joey
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Thank you very much friends! Hope you’re feeling better Joey?
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Stadig Dries. Going to try and walk in the woods today to see if we can loosen this back of mine up. 😉
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Sterkte Joey – Enjoy your walk and we hope the nature therapy does the trick! Groete vir Marks!
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Lovely collection, as always – that Kudu calf is adorable!
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Thanks Lu – His mom was constantly chewing, and with her mouth opening and closing the whole time you’d easily imagine that his ears are so floppy because of all his mom’s moaning…
Enjoy the weekend!
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I did think about that too – she does look like she’s got something to say 😉
Have a great weekend!
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