Easter in Kruger

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The Easter break afforded us the opportunity to visit South Africa’s flagship National Park, and one of our favourite destinations, again, spending first three nights at Skukuza Rest Camp in the south of the Kruger National Park, and then four nights around Mopani Rest Camp in the north. After a summer of apparently good rainfall, the Park’s vegetation is lush and green, with water in ample supply. These conditions make searching for wildlife a bit trickier, but it is wonderful to see the Park transformed from the harrowing effects of the recent drought that is still so fresh in our minds.

Leadwood stump
Tsendze pool
Nshawu view
Sunset on the Shongololo Loop
Sunrise over a pan near Mopani
Malelane mountains
Kwaggaspan
Sabie Bridge from Skukuza
Sabie River
Sabie Bridge near Skukuza
Blue Water Lily
White Water Lily in Skukuza
Kruger sunset
Sausage Tree Fruit
Shipandani Hide
Nkumbe View

The Kruger National Park is renowned for its Big-5 sightings. There isn’t very many other places where one can so easily find completely wild lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos from the comfort of your own vehicle, at your own pace and according to your own schedule. And then there’s always a chance that you may cross paths with a magnificent big tusker!

White rhino’s poor attempt at hiding
Lion near Skukuza
Lion with his zebra meal, just outside Satara
Lioness pacing the H4-1 between Skukuza and Lower Sabie
Pride of lions at Kumana Dam
Leopard near Lower Sabie
Leopard in a tree south of Skukuza
Buffalo near Mopani
Buffalo in the rain
Buffalo roadblock
Buffalo roadblock
Trio of buffalo bulls
Elephant near Mopani
Unknown Kruger Tusker (2018/03/21)
Testing their strength
Just a little irritated
Walking along the Ngwenyeni
Elephants on the way to Phalaborwa Gate
Elephant bull enjoying a puddle near Mopani
Young elephant interactions
Crossing the Letaba River
Tiny baby next to mom
Testing the wind
Elephant’s tail
The deep water in the reservoir is much cooler than that in the trough

On the other side of the scale are those less frequently noticed smaller critters (“creepy crawlies” or “goggas” as we call them), that fairly seldom feature on any of the Kruger visitors’ sightings wish-lists. They may be small and unobtrusive, but they are certainly no less fascinating than the glamorous Big-5. We already shared with your the exciting scenes of a Western Stripe-bellied Sand Snake catching and swallowing a skink in Shingwedzi, but there’s plenty more to see if you bend your knees!

Western Stripe-bellied Sand Snake swallowing a skink in Shingwedzi
Common River Frog in Skukuza
Painted Reed Frog in Skukuza
Plain Grass Frog at Twanana
Cricket perfectly imitating a mopane leaf
Rainbow Skink
Serrated Hinged Terrapin
Juvenile Mozambique Tilapia in the Tsendze River
Water Monitor

The Mopani area is well-known for prized sightings of the rarer antelope species, and we weren’t disappointed on that score either, ticking bushbuck, nyala, eland, tsessebe, reedbuck and roan antelope on our list.

Eland near Bowkerskop
Eland at Tinhongonyeni
Roan antelope in the dense mopane near Middelvlei
Southern Reedbuck in the Nshawu Vlei
Tsessebe at Mooiplaas
Tsessebe at Nshawu
Nyala near Skukuza
Bushbuck near Skukuza
Bushbuck mingling with baboons and impala along the Sand River

The lush vegetation made it very challenging to see the smaller antelope species. We managed to photograph steenbok, grey duiker and klipspringer, but unfortunately the grysbok just weren’t willing to pose for a picture this time around.

Grey Duiker
Klipspringer
Steenbok

There’s quite a few herbivore species that you are virtually guaranteed to see when visiting the Kruger National Park. Among these are baboons and vervet monkeys, blue wildebeest, plains zebra, impala, kudu, waterbuck, giraffe, warthog and hippo.

Wet Baboon after a rainstorm
Baboon youngsters at speed!
Blue wildebeest
Giraffe
Hippo eyeing us from the Sabie River
Impala Ram
Kudu Calf
Plains Zebra
Vervet Monkey
Warthog
Waterbuck Bull on the bank of the Sabie
Waterbuck cows and calves

Of course, with such a menu there are many predators in attendance. Apart from lions and leopards, on our latest visit we also encountered spotted hyena, side-striped and black-backed jackal, crocodile and large-spotted genet.

Nile crocodile at Sunset Dam
Nile crocodile at Sunset Dam
Large-spotted Genet patrolling outside our bungalow at Skukuza
Black-backed Jackal
Spotted Hyena cub
Spotted Hyena cub and mother
Spotted Hyena cubs with a bone

The Kruger National Park is regarded as a paradise for bird-watchers, and that is not without reason. During the warmer months especially, when many summer migrants from northern latitudes enjoy our warm weather, the variety and numbers of bird species to be seen is absolutely prolific, but even in winter feathered life abounds in the Lowveld.

European Bee-eaters
Temminck’s Courser
African Mourning Dove on a nest at Satara
Knob-billed Duck
White-faced Whistling Ducks
Black-chested Snake Eagle
Wahlberg’s Eagle
Tawny Eagle
Spotted Flycatcher
Swainson’s Spurfowl
Natal Spurfowl
Green-backed Heron
Grey Heron
Ground Hornbill juvenile
Hamerkop
African Jacana
Pied Kingfisher
Black-winged Kite
Red-crested Korhaan
Black-bellied Bustard
Kori Bustard
Blacksmith Lapwing
Ostrich male
Verreaux’s Eagle Owl
Red-billed Oxpecker
Yellow-billed Oxpecker on a festering wound
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah
European Roller
Common Sandpiper
Double-banded Sandgrouse
Lesser Grey Shrike
Male Red-backed Shrike
Saddle-billed Stork
Black Stork
White-backed Vultures in a tree near a carcass
African Pied wagtail
Greater Painted Snipe
Blue waxbill

The Kruger National Park is an addictive place. You only need to visit once for it to get under your skin, and stay there. The more you experience of Kruger’s wonders, the more you pine for it. We’ll be back again and again, no question about it.

 

47 thoughts on “Easter in Kruger”

  1. Joanne Sisco

    So many of these photos reminded me of my trip to the Serengeti – almost 10 years ago now. Sigh.

    … but the picture that stands out most for me was the sausage tree. It stills makes me laugh 😁

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
  3. dunelight

    What awesome shots you were able to get!
    Neither here nor there but I saw one of those Sausage Fruit Trees in Disney World in Orlando. It was so..odd that it’s stuck in my mind 10 years later.

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. kim blades, writer

    Another fantastic post about my favourite place. I am pleased to say that I have seen all the animals, birds and goggas in the Park on my dozen visits there, but unfortunately don’t have such magnificent photos of them. Well done guys. This post was a real pleasure to savour!

    Like

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      2. de Wets Wild Post author

        Wat n pragtige kerel, Dina!
        Hy lyk in baie goeie toestand, en met die tande reeds so dik, glo ek sy ivoor gaan beslis nog verder groei. Hy moet net sy humeur beteuel dat hy nou nie sy tande skade doen teen n voertuig nie!

        Liked by 1 person

  13. JANE

    You never cease to amaze! Very happy to have another tag along with you at Kruger. Did you get any sleep!? Looks like you spent a lot of time from dawn to dusk/dark.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Truth be told, Jane, I am a bit of an insomniac when we are out exploring the wild places of our country. Two or three hours sleep at most per night – I think it is because I am sooooo scared I miss something going on outside!

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      Reply ↓
  14. allentimphotos2

    Thank you for your wonderful images. They are special and I can see how Kruger can get under your skin.
    I’m not sure I’d want to confront the water buffalo on the road. It looked determined to have its way. A dented car or two might be the end result.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Thanks very much for the kind comment, Tim!
      The old buffalo was terribly frustrated with the falling rain; I just parked the car to the side of the road and he trudged slowly past without even a sideways glance…

      Liked by 1 person

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      5. allentimphotos2

        My single visit to Africa was a month in Arusha, Tanzania. We did get in two safaris with a total of 6 days. It was exciting but the density of animals in Kruger Park is remarkable. Thank you again.

        Liked by 1 person

  17. John

    Wow!!! Everyone of the pictures are amazing!😊 It is a nature photographer’s dream to shoot such beautiful motifs. You’ve really spent a lot of time and work behind those photos.

    Liked by 1 person

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