Category Archives: Kruger National Park

Snaps on Tour: The Loneliest Elephant

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In October 2024 I had the immense pleasure of hosting long-time blogging friend John Steiner (of Journeys with Johnbo), his wife Lynn, John’s niece Patricia Broesder and her husband Gary on a tour of Cape Town and the Kruger National Park. In Kruger we were joined by colleagues Hannes Rossouw and Irving Knight, both experts in their respective fields.

Still on the subject of elephants. Travelling between Letaba and Satara one early afternoon we came across a most harrowing sight of a lone young elephant, emaciated and totally oblivious to his surroundings and most certainly too small to have been expelled from the herd, walking along an elephant footpath towards – well, what? There was no elephant herd anywhere nearby and we could only guess as to why he was so terribly alone, and obviously has been for quite a while, and where he might be headed. Nature can be cruel at times and watching her take her course is not always easy, but in national parks like the Kruger that is exactly what has to happen. There can only be human intervention if the problem was caused by human interference to begin with and in this case there was no reason to suspect that this was the case.

Young elephant totally alone in the wilderness
Young elephant totally alone in the wilderness

Luckily we had many other wonderful encounters with elephants during our visit where we could watch their endearing familiar relations and interactions within the herd.

African Elephant
Young elephant
African Elephant
African Elephant
African Elephant
Baby Elephant
Baby Elephant
African Elephant
African Elephant
African Elephant
Baby elephant
Baby elephant
Big old elephant bull between Satara and Olifants in the Kruger National Park
Big old elephant bull between Satara and Olifants in the Kruger National Park
African Elephant
African Elephant
Baby elephant
Elephant
Elephant calf
Elephant Tusker
Tiny baby elephant
Elephant cow walking past Shingwedzi Camp’s entrance

I am a fully accredited and legally registered tour guide (with all the necessary insurance, professional drivers license and first aid certification) – don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like me to arrange a guided tour of beautiful South Africa and all her natural wonders, like the Kruger National Park, for you as well, or even just to assist with your holiday reservations for our national parks and nature reserves throughout the country.

Snaps on Tour: A Stingy Elephant

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Last month, while following the course of the Mphongolo River north of Shingwedzi in the Kruger National Park on our morning drive, we came across this amusing scene at the Mavatsani waterhole, just south of the turnoff to Sirheni Bushveld Camp. The day was already quite hot and a herd of elephants, a couple of buffaloes, some baboons, nyalas and warthogs were milling around the muddy water. An elephant cow claimed a hole from which clear water was seeping but had her hands – or is that head, trunk and front leg? – full with a youngster trying to muscle his way in on her treasure. The calf protested with loud screams when she tried to shove him away but he did not give an inch and, her gentle nature obviously winning over her frustration, the cow eventually let him through to quench his thirst from her well.

Mavatsani Waterhole between Sirheni and Shingwedzi in the Kruger National Park
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole

I am a fully accredited and legally registered tour guide (with all the necessary insurance, professional drivers license and first aid certification) – don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like me to arrange a guided tour of beautiful South Africa and all her natural wonders, like the Kruger National Park, for you as well, or even just to assist with your holiday reservations for our national parks and nature reserves throughout the country.

Snaps on Tour: Skukuza Veldfires

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In October 2024 I had the immense pleasure of hosting long-time blogging friend John Steiner (of Journeys with Johnbo), his wife Lynn, John’s niece Patricia Broesder and her husband Gary on a tour of Cape Town and the Kruger National Park. In Kruger we were joined by colleagues Hannes Rossouw and Irving Knight, both experts in their respective fields.

We were heading south from Satara to Skukuza and already noticed the enormous column of smoke from near Tshokwane Picnic Spot, about 35km as the crow flies from our destination. Fire (especially naturally occurring fires caused mainly by lightning) is an integral part of savanna ecosystems like the Kruger National Park and a rather common occurrence at the start of spring, when the end of the dry season results in the vegetation being terribly desiccated. Still, having to pass straight through the fires, feeling the heat of the flames on the side of the road and breathing the acrid smoke, is an exciting affair and leaves one with a great appreciation for the teams of firefighters battling the flames (as they do with unplanned human-caused runaway fires like this one, at the time thought to have been caused by a spark from an electrical pylon). This particular blaze almost took out the airport building at Skukuza, though in the end ironically the building suffered enough water damage from the efforts to prevent it going up in flames to require temporary plans to be put in place for passengers using the facility to bypass the arrivals hall, check-in counters and car-hire offices. Thankfully we didn’t notice any large animals hurt or killed in the fire and no people suffered any injuries worth reporting on, but doubtless many smaller animals succumbed, providing a boon for especially insectivorous birds.

Plumes of smoke rising above the forest lining the Sabie River
Plumes of smoke rising above the forest lining the Sabie River
Smoke rising from a stretch where the fire already passed through
Fire raging around Skukuza
Fire raging around Skukuza
Fire raging around Skukuza
Fire raging around Skukuza
Thick smoke filling the area burning near Skukuza’s airport
Thick smoke filling the area burning near Skukuza’s airport
Thick smoke filling the area burning near Skukuza’s airport
Smouldering veld after the previous day’s fires
Smouldering veld after the previous day’s fires
Smouldering veld after the previous day’s fires
Smouldering veld after the previous day’s fires
Smouldering veld after the previous day’s fires

I am a fully accredited and legally registered tour guide (with all the necessary insurance, professional drivers license and first aid certification) – don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like me to arrange a guided tour of beautiful South Africa and all her natural wonders, like the Kruger National Park, for you as well, or even just to assist with your holiday reservations for our national parks and nature reserves throughout the country.

Snaps on Tour: Waiting and Watching at Transport Dam

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In October 2024 I had the immense pleasure of hosting long-time blogging friend John Steiner (of Journeys with Johnbo), his wife Lynn, John’s niece Patricia Broesder and her husband Gary on a tour of Cape Town and the Kruger National Park. In Kruger we were joined by colleagues Hannes Rossouw and Irving Knight, both experts in their respective fields.

One morning we headed out from Skukuza in Irving’s open safari vehicle towards the areas west of the Kruger Park‘s biggest tourist node, and after a few hours arrived at the Transport Dam, an expansive man-made waterhole well frequented by a myriad of birds and animals. At first, all appeared calm in and around the dam with heavy clouds in the sky. A few hippos and nile crocodiles were bobbing in the water, some antelope and warthog were milling around on the banks, a fish eagle was flying overhead, a grey heron stood near us on a rock and in the distance a spotted hyena looked lazily out over the lake.

Hippos in Transport Dam
Crocodile in Transport Dam
Waterbuck, impala and warthog mingling on the banks of Transport Dam
A Fish Eagle flying over Transport Dam
Grey Heron on the bank of Transport Dam
Spotted Hyena lying down at Transport Dam

But as so often happens, patience is wonderfully rewarded in nature. The peace was suddenly shattered by thrashing in the water, coming from both sides of where we were parked! To our right, a massive crocodile was ripping a blue wildebeest carcass to shreds and on the other side a smaller crocodile was doing the same to an impala carcass! They were soon joined by other crocodiles trying to muscle in on the action.

Crocodile feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam
Crocodile feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam
Crocodile feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam
Crocodile feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam
Crocodile feast
Crocodile feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam
Crocodile feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam
Crocodile feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam – Hadedas take flight!
Crocodile feasting on an impala carcass in Transport Dam
Crocodiles feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam
Waterbuck bull looking into the water with some suspicion!

Immediately, the hyena was up and running from side to side trying to see if it could get a cut if the meat, pieces of which were now flying all over the show, while the fish eagle dropped from the sky with the same aim.

Hyena frantically trying to get a bite of the action
Hyena frantically trying to get a bite of the action – zebras fleeing!
Hyena frantically trying to get a bite of the action
Hyena frantically trying to get a bite of the action
Fish Eagle dropping in for a bite
Fish Eagle dropping in for a bite

The grey heron had a different reaction, regurgitating its latest meal before flying off, only to circle around, land in the same spot and then pecking at its discarded fish meal but opting rather to wash out its mouth with a drink from the dam…

Grey Heron regurgitating its latest meal
Grey Heron trying a piece of the regurgitated fish
…but not liking it at all
Going down to the water to wash out its mouth

Soon after the last scraps of the carcasses disappeared down the throats of the crocodiles, however, relative calm returned to the dam. A baby hippo ventured onto dry land for a walk about and a herd of blue wildebeest risked moving in for a drink. Anyone arriving then would’ve no clue about the dramas we’d just witnessed!

Baby Hippo
Blue Wildebeest herd drinking from the Transport Dam

I am a fully accredited and legally registered tour guide (with all the necessary insurance, professional drivers license and first aid certification) – don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like me to arrange a guided tour of beautiful South Africa and all her natural wonders, like the Kruger National Park, for you as well, or even just to assist with your holiday reservations for our national parks and nature reserves throughout the country.

Touring Kruger Park – 12 October 2024

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We spent most of today searching for wildlife along the few pools spread along the mostly dry Shingwedzi River to the southeast of camp, and the sightings were thrilling!

Common Duiker
Crested Francolin
Waterbuck
Lionesses at the Tinyarhini Waterhole in the Shingwedzi River
Nyala
Tiny baby elephant
Leopard stalking next to the Shingwedzi River
Cheetah
Grey-headed Bush-shrike
Elephant cow walking past Shingwedzi Camp’s entrance
Lioness at the Tinyarhini Waterhole in the Shingwedzi River
Baboon
Nile Crocodiles
Pearl-spotted Owlet

Touring Kruger Park – 11 October 2024

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Just some of the sights and sounds – and smells! – we experienced around Shingwedzi today.

Black-backed Jackal
Common Duiker
Tree Squirrels
White-fronted Bee-eater
Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole
Rock Monitor Lizard
Plains Zebra on the run
Martial Eagle
Tsessebe cow and calves
White-backed Vultures at a smelly elephant carcass
Lappet-faced Vulture

Touring Kruger Park – 9 & 10 October 2024

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Having seen our guests and Irving Knight off at Skukuza’s airport, Hannes Rossouw and I have extended our stay in the Kruger National Park by just a few days and have now moved base to Shingwedzi Rest Camp in the north of the Park.

Grey Heron
Buffalo at sunset
Elephant calf
Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl
Spotted Hyena with a wry smile
White-backed Vulture
Bushbuck
Giraffe calf
Yellow-billed Kite taking advantage of a roadkill spurfowl
Elephant Tusker

Touring Kruger Park – 8 October 2024

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We’ve had some thrilling predator encounters today, including of crocodiles and leopards!

Sleepy Baboon
Crocodile feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam
Crocodile feast
Crocodile feasting on an impala carcass in Transport Dam
Yellow-billed Hornbill
Elephant
Buffalo fast asleep against a herd mate
Red-billed Oxpecker
Leopard cubs

Touring Kruger Park – 7 October 2024

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Another exciting day in the Kruger National Park with Hannes Rossouw, Irving Knight and our four fabulous guests!

Smouldering veld after the previous day’s fires
Spotted Hyenas on a mission – Maroela Loop near Skukuza
Egyptian Goose
Leopard killing an impala
lazy here, these lions attempted a hunt just a few minutes later
Sunset scenery around Skukuza

Touring Kruger Park – 6 October 2024

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Today we moved base southwards, transferring from Satara Rest Camp to Skukuza Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park. Aside from some wonderful wildlife sightings we also drove through some of the worst fires currently sweeping through the area.

Honey Badger in Satara
Hyena eyeing a lioness at a waterhole
Fire raging around Skukuza