We’ve just been commenting on the scarcity of giraffe sightings so far into our day at the Pilanesberg National Park when we find ourselves in the middle of a giraffe roadblock on Tlou Drive.
It takes a bit of patient waiting before the giraffes clear the road for us. We turn off into Tshukudu e Ntsho Road to go and see what Makorwane Dam has in store for us. There’s a huge crocodile and a pod of hippos in the water, but a group of very noisy humans in the hide are spoiling the experience for everyone else and we don’t stick around for longer than necessary to use the ablutions. The view from the bridge over the stream feeding the dam is much more serene.
Back on Tlou Drive and then right on the Nare Link, there’s more wildebeest, red hartebeest and giraffes to see, and then…
“There they are! There they are!” Joubert sees the cheetahs first, some distance away from the road but thankfully out in the open and clearly visible despite the pouring rain. A female cheetah known, fittingly, as “Rain” and her three almost fully-grown cubs. We last saw Rain about 5 years ago, when she was still the only adult female cheetah in the Pilanesberg and already raising a litter of cubs. Since then the Park’s cheetah population has grown considerably, in no small part due to Rain’s success as a mother.
As we are watching the distant cheetahs this very wet black-shouldered kite is keeping an eye on us:
Soppy Black-shouldered Kite
If you’d like to follow along as we explore the Pilanesberg, a map may come in handy (for a large format version click here)
Tlou Drive to Nare Link via Makorwane Hide
If you need to catch up on our drive through the Pilanesberg National Park, you can read all the previous posts here.
To be continued tomorrow.
DeWetsWild 
Wonderful to catch up with the Rain the cheetah and her cubs. Her name takes on fresh resonances as the spring rain arrived.
Always lovely meeting up with familiar creatures in the wild. I get that same excitement when we have repeat encounters with Kruger’s big tuskers.
Good spotting by Joubert on the cheetahs! Glad Rain has been so successful at raising young. Nice that the giraffes came right to you when you were driving down the road.
Being in the right place at the right time made all the difference – not that we can take credit for that!
So lucky to get those cheetah cubs, they are so adorable
I’d love to see the really little ones, when they’re still looking like honey badgers with the silver fur on their backs.
I have been very fortunate to spend a lot of time with new cheetah cubs. Must be one of the cutest things to see. Hopefully you get lucky on the next litter
Thanks, Cal. Hold thumbs!
Ongelooflik Dries!!
Was soos n droom, Aletta!
Ek kan dit dink👍
Always interesting to find a roadblock of wild animals. We have returned home from our national park trip. Our road was blocked at various locations by bison, elk, and wild horses.
Those are roadblocks I’d happily endure, John!
Ek sien defnitief meer saam met jou en Joubert as wanneer ons self gaan!
Ons was regtig nog nooit so gelukkig op een dag in die Pilanesberg nie, Una
What a fantastic opportunity to see the cheetahs on what looks like a rainy day!
It really was one of those soaking rains that the farmers and gardeners love so much, Anne. That the cats were out in such numbers was a huge surprise.
A giraffe roadblock is one tall roadblock (or in this case, two). Lovely to see them but I love cheetahs as well. The kite looks a bit bedraggled, but he’s doing a great job as lookout. 🙂 Another excellent day.
janet
The Pilanesberg really is such a diverse destination, Janet – it’s like eating trifle pudding; just when you think you’ve found your favourite piece of it the next comes and tops it!
And they were just making trifle on The Great British Baking Show, so I know just what you mean. 🙂 I made one once myself but not like those.
Inspired to try again now that you’ve seen the English make theirs, Janet?
Maybe. My husband’s been bitten by the cake bug so I’m a bit worried about how much cake he’ll be making. I’m not a huge cake fan. I’d rather eat bread-y things.
Here trifle is traditionally something enjoyed outdoors on Christmas day
The giraffes are so lovely! Seeing Rain sounds like meeting an old friend again. How wonderful that must have been.
We were very excited, Lois, and even more so for seeing her with fully-grown cubs again!
The giraffes are such towering beautiful creatures. The cheetahs are gorgeous cats with athletic bodies. And the poor kite, soaked and heavy with rain water. Not so optimum for hunting. Great post, D. 🙂
Thanks very much, H.J, and nice to have you along for our trip through the Pilanesberg!