Well, according to the calendar it should have been spring. But judging by the temperatures we experienced, it seemed the Lowveld had skipped that season all together. It was only late September, but daytime temperatures rose to the upper thirties. The land was parched and animals were congregating in numbers at the last remaining water sources. It made for thrilling game viewing and just reminded us again that every season holds its own special appeal in the Kruger National Park.
Over the last couple of weeks, we already shared with you some of our most memorable sightings of the trip. Finding five cheetahs moving along the Shingwedzi River was exciting in the extreme, we were enthralled watching the interactions of different species of game at marvelous Mooiplaas waterhole, we laughed for joy at the playful antics of baby baboons, our encounters with the elephants of northern Kruger kept us on our toes and we empathised with thirsty, tired buffaloes along the Mphongolo. Time to wrap up now, and what better way than with a gallery of images taken during our four night stay – one night in the Shipandani Hide (near Mopani), and three nights at special Shingwedzi Rest Camp.
Ready to get underway; sunrise at Phalaborwa Gate
No visit to Northern Kruger would be complete without visiting the Elephant Hall at Letaba
Impala lily and aloe thorns
Lifeblood
Tsessebe
Ostrich near Tinhongonyeni, Kruger Park
Shipandani Hide
The neighbours at Shipandani
The neighbours at Shipandani
Just before sunrise, from Shipandani Hide
The cleaners can be a nuisance
Kori bustard close-up
Playful at Bowkerskop
Playful at Bowkerskop
A pool in the Shingwedzi
Verreaux’s eagle-owl near Shingwedzi
Verreaux’s eagle-owl near Shingwedzi
Taking it slow at Shingwedzi
Sharpe’s Grysbok
Baby baboon missing out on attention
Sunrise along the Shingwedzi
Egyptian goose
Alert impala
Grey duiker
Vervet monkeys
Oh, you are so beautiful…
… I could kiss you!
Waterbuck
Epauletted Fruit Bats roosting in a palm near our accommodation at Shingwedzi
Feathered friends visiting our cottage at Shingwedzi: blue waxbills and a green-winged Pytilia
Feathered friends visiting our cottage at Shingwedzi: Blue waxbills
Feathered friends visiting our cottage at Shingwedzi: Mourning Dove
Feathered friends visiting our cottage at Shingwedzi: Crested Francolin
Feathered friends visiting our cottage at Shingwedzi: Arrow-marked babbler
The dry Shingwedzi
Striped Skink hiding in a hollow tree trunk
Nyala and buddies
One of several large buffalo herds we encountered
One of several large buffalo herds we encountered
One of several large buffalo herds we encountered
Giraffe
Hi!
Tiny sandgrouse chick trying to hide on a gravel road
Steenbok
Peaceful scene next to the Shingwedzi
Heading for camp in the late afternoon
DeWetsWild 
Oehoe – jy trek my hart se kitaarspiere omtrent vanoggend met hierdie fotos.! Die eerste foto waar die bome ‘n Arch vorm, ongelooflik. Die aksie wat die diere uitbeeld. Asemrowendeheid van die bos. Ag Dries – alles is eenvoudig net pragtig! Jy het my gebles vanoggend. Dankie.
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Vreeslik baie dankie vir die gawe woorde Spokie! Hoe wonderlik dat ons ons liefde vir hierdie mooi plekke hier kan deel met mense wie net so groot waardereing het daarvoor as ons.
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Die sandpatryskuikentjie is vir my werklik besonders.Natuurlik is ou Kees wat so sit my gunsteling.Dankie vir die lekker natuurtoer.Dis altyd besonders hier op jul blog!
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Baie dankie dat jy so getrou by ons kom kuier Dina!
Die ou sandpatrysie het in die middel van die grondpad probeer wegkruip. Gelukkig kon ek hom betyds sien en uitdraai. Ons het eers dwars in die pad gestop om die verkeer te blokkeer in die hoop dat hy self sou beweeg na die padskouer toe, waar die haan, hen en ander kuikens vir hom gewag het, maar toe hy na 10 minute nie aanstaltes wou maak nie het ons hom maar met n potlood aangepor (wou hom nie optel nie, netnou gooi sy ma hom weg oor die mensereuk). As mens gedink het hulle is goed gekamoefleer tussen die klippies moet jy hulle (probeer) sien tussen n lot dooie mopanieblare!
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Dries ek begin wonder oor die mensreuk aan ‘n klein voëltjie en verwerping agterna.Ek het gedurig voëltjies wat uit hul neste val.Ek sit hulle altyd terug en my waarneming is dat die ouers nie ‘n probleem daarmee het nie.Ek het in Januarie 2013 ‘n hele reeks geblog oor ‘n koekoek wat deur Janfrederikke grootgemaak is.Ek moes hom verskeie kere hanteer en daardie tweetjies het hom onvoorwaardelik aanvaar.As jy wil,kan jy in my argief van Januarie,Februarie en Maart 2013 gaan lees.
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Baie dankie Dina, ek gaan beslis bietjie nalees oor jou ondervindinge met die koekoek, dit klink fassinerend!
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Dries ek het ongelukkig van die foto’s uitgevee,want ek het nog by LitNet geblog.Ons het daar gesukkel met die hoeveelheid foto’s wat ons kon laai en moes gedurig uitvee om weer te laai.Ek het nou gaan kyk en gesien ek het heelwat uitgevee,maar jy kan darem die storie volg.Dit begin vroeg in Januarie 2013.
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Ek was die week in Phalaborwa en het dit nog nooit so droog gesien nie. ‘n Groot deel is afgebrand en dit breek my hart. Dit het egter so halfagt behoorlik hier begin reën dalk is dit daar ook nie
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Dit sal wonderlik wees as die laeveld nou ordentlik begin reen kry Tina. En ek is bly om te hoor dat die reenweer wat hier oor Pretoria getrek het julle ook die slag bereik het. Lekker naweek verder!
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Dit het net vir so uur lekker gereën… het nog nie gekyk hoeveel maar dis beslis nog nie genoeg nie Die water moet spoel anders word die damme nie vol nie Het egter gehoor Alldays het meer as 60mm gehad
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Elke bietjie help darem, ne Tina? Hoe was julle weer vandag?
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Dit het weer so bietjie gereen en dit is nou erg koud
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A brilliant recap of your trip De Wets! The landscape looks very dry indeed – this could be outback WA, especially with those bats.
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Thanks Maurice! Yes, very dry indeed. And hot. But it may just change this weekend, with lots of rain falling all over the country.
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Stunning collection of all these beauties De Wet! You do know that the Vervets and Baboons are my most favourite of all. 😛
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Thanks very much Sonel! Yep, we know how fond you are of the “family”! We are too 😉
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Always wonderful to see great animal lovers like you De Wet and especially when there are so many great photos to see. You really take the most amazing shots! 😀
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Thanks for the very kind compliment Sonel! It’s easy to take good enough photos when the subjects are so beautiful and charismatic 😀
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You are very welcome and yes, that is so true. 😀
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Wonder waar kom naam gompou vandaan? Ai dis n mooi versameling!
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Baie dankie Ineke!
As ek dit nie mis het nie, het hulle hul naam gekry omdat hulle die gom van doringbome sal eet. Self het ek dit egter nog nooit gesien nie.
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Was nogal interessant toe ek die foto sien. Toe wonder ek maar net.
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I love that baboon taking a break under the tree.
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Thank you Milka! Nice to see you around here again!
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Things have been a little hectic but I hope to be around on a regular basis from now on.
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Totally Awesome! In the last few pictures there are some birds on a bird bath, do you know what they are called, I find their Turquoise feathers so beautiful! All these other amazing animals and I pick a little bird, lol…
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They are blue waxbills, and they’re lovely little birds that just never seem to sit still! When it comes to nature, it doesn’t always have to be hairy and scary to be fascinating 😉
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I had the same question – thanks for answering below…
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The cleaners… great capture! 🙂 Love this gallery, all are so special!
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Thank you very much Amy, kind as always!
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Thanks for nice virtual tour 🙂 ! We have been there before couple of years…spent only 1day there….you have much better photos! Bye. Kamila
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Thanks for visiting with us Kamila! We hope we’ll see you around at de Wets Wild often and perhaps one day we’ll run into each other in Kruger when you visit there again 😉
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My children enjoyed your photos.
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That’s wonderful to hear Imelda, thank you so much!
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The cleaners can be a nuisance…oh my goodness! What a great photo!
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Thank you Lois! We have another photo of these two – of the oxpecker inside the buffalo’s nostril! – that we’ll share on another occasion 😉
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I will so look forward to that one!
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