There’s always a sense of anticipation when we approach a waterhole in any of South Africa’s wild places, and especially so in the vast expanses of the Kruger National Park. Being literal fountains of life, the Kruger’s waterholes attract streams of wildlife to quench their thirst as the dry season drags on, causing the many ephemeral pans that followed the rains to disappear and forcing the animals to congregate around the shrinking pools in the streams and rivers.

A seemingly serene pool of water at Red Rocks

A pool at Red Rocks

A dry Shingwedzi River near Tshange viewpoint

Giraffe crossing the dry bed of the Shingwedzi

A wide bend in the Shingwedzi River

Animals congregating at a waterhole to the north of Babalala

Sitting idly waiting by a waterhole, even if it appears deserted at first, is often handsomely rewarded with the most memorable wildlife encounters, as anything from fish to elephants may make an appearance in the grand show.

Blacksmith Lapwings

Buffalo herd rushing to the water

Buffalo herd rushing to the water

Buffaloes slaking their thirst while zebras wait their turn

Buffalo bull drinking

Buffalo congregating around the waterhole

Buffalo herd at the water (photo by Joubert)

Bushbuck at the water’s edge

Egyptian Goose in flight (Joubert’s photo)

Eland gathering at a watering hole north of Babalala

Elephants and waterbuck at a deep pool in the otherwise dry Shingwedzi

Elephant herd gathering to drink

Elephant drinking

Elephant herd drinking

Elephants in a dry riverbed

Herd of elephant marching to the water

Elephant cow drinking at Red Rocks

Elephant herd moving along a dry river

Elephant herd running to the water

Elephant herd enjoying a social dust bath after bathing in a waterhole

Elephant tussle

Elephants at a pool in the Mphongolo River

Hippo and Crocodile

A large pod of hippo and their shrinking waterhole

Hippos

Just look at that tiny hippo baby!

Impalas drinking at Red Rocks

Impalas reflecting in the waterhole

Kudu bull

Kudu, nyala and impala share a stretch of the dry Shingwedzi

Plains Zebras

Water Thick-knees (Photo by Joubert)

Hippo pod (Photo by Joubert)

Eland, zebras and Elephants share a waterhole north of Babalala (Photo by Joubert)

Thirsty Tusker (Photo by Joubert)

Elephant Calf (Photo by Joubert)

Elephant herd on the run to Red Rocks (Photo by Joubert)

Elephant Bull (Photo by Joubert)

Elephants gathering in their numbers along the dwindling waterholes in the drying Mphongolo River

Tilapia (species unknown)

Tilapia (species unknown)

But as with so much in life there’s also two sides to the story of the waterhole. It isn’t only life-sustaining; sometimes it’s a death-trap as predators know that a waterhole is a like a magnet to their prey…

Old buffalo trapped in a muddy waterhole

Young Nile Crocodile

Nile Crocodiles

Baby Nile Crocodile and Adult Water Monitor lying next to a pool in the Shingwedzi River

Goliath Heron

Green-backed Heron

Grey Heron

Hamerkop

Pied Kingfisher

Saddle-billed Stork

Fish Eagle taking off (Photo by Joubert)

Big male lion in the bed of the Mphongolo River

Lions in the grass next to the Crocodile River

Given so much danger around, this Green-winged Pytilia drinking from a leaking hosepipe at Babalala Picnic Spot instead of taking his chances at the nearby waterhole is probably very clever!

Green-winged Pytilia