Being out and about at first light is often richly rewarded in South Africa’s wild places, as was the case with this memorable encounter with a spotted hyena near Letaba Rest Camp, in the Kruger National Park.
“Early Bird” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge
Fleeting beauty at drying pools in the Shingwedzi River, in the northern Kruger National Park.
“Ephemeral” is this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge theme
This herd of African buffalo, making their way out of the dry, dusty bed of the Mphongolo River in the Kruger National Park, during a visit in September 2014, is another sighting we’ll not forget in a hurry.
This is our fourth entry into the 5 Day Black-and-White Photo Challenge. There are only two rules for this challenge:
1. On 5 consecutive days, create a post using either a past or recent photo in B&W.
2. Each day invite another blog friend to join in the fun.
Today we’re inviting Sreejith Nair, author of “Santiago the Shepherd” and another long-standing friend of de Wets Wild, to join the 5 Day Black and White Photo Challenge. Sreejith, you’ve shared some amazing photos of India’s people and places and we hope you’ll consider joining in!
The Elephant Hall in Letaba Rest Camp, in the Kruger National Park, allows a deeper appreciation of just how big the African elephant really is…
“Scale” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge
Looking back at the fantastic places we stayed at while exploring South Africa’s wild places in 2014…
Tracks in the sand bear witness that these pools in the Shingwedzi River are a magnet for animals in the northern Kruger National Park
“Converge” is the theme for this week’s WordPress Photo Challenge
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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.
It was hot. It was dry. It was dusty. The bellowing and snorting of buffalo filled our ears, their smell hanging thick in the air. The ground around our position was already littered with the trampled dung and tracks of hundreds of the animals. And still more of them kept coming, making their tiresome way in single file up the steep bank of the Mphongolo, then standing at the top catching their breath before rushing after the rest of the massive herd disappearing into the mopane. The last thing a tired buffalo needs at the end of a long, hot Lowveld day is to be caught alone when darkness falls…
During our September 2014 visit to the Kruger National Park, we encountered several exceptionally large buffalo herds around Mopani and Shingwedzi Rest Camps. This sighting however was the most memorable and we’ll undoubtedly think back to it every time we pass the location in future. The dry winter season had seen to it that the Mphongolo River was reduced to little more than a few stagnant pools surrounded by deep, soft, dusty sand. These pools sustain an incredibly diverse array of birds and game through the dry winter, making the 30km-long S56 Mphongolo River Loop, which follows the river course and offers dozens of good vantage points over the river, one of the best drives in the Shingwedzi area.
The north of the Kruger National Park is elephant country. When visiting the area, as we did at the end of September (again 😉 ), the problem is not so much finding elephants as it is staying safely out of their way while enjoying the sighting!
Take this bull as an example. When we arrived at the scene, he was standing out in the open in the middle of the road, but immediately then walked, in reverse, to behind this big tree, from where he kept watching us from either side. Having seen this behaviour before, we knew that he was planning an ambush and was just waiting for us to get closer so that he could have some fun with us. We thought better of the challenge and turned back…
Travelling along the rivers in the heat of the day, we came across breeding herds and solitary bulls making their way to the water for a drink and a swim, and resting in the cool shade of the riparian trees.
Kruger is famous for its big tuskers, and we were fortunate again to encounter about half-a-dozen bulls carrying above average ivory. We always cherish sightings of bulls this size as they’re living proof of the successes of those working very hard, day in and day out, to preserve and protect our natural heritage. The Park has a dedicated researcher monitoring these enigmatic animals, to whom you can submit photos and the location of any sightings.
If you love elephants as much as we do, then head for the north of the Kruger National Park. You are sure to have some special encounters, and if you treat them with respect, heed their body language and don’t invade their space, you’ll be perfectly safe.
Driving around the Kruger National Park, especially along one of the major rivercourses, you’re bound to come across a troop or two of baboons. Watching their behaviour and especially their human-like interactions is extremely entertaining.
We encountered this little group one afternoon along the Shingwedzi River, during our September 2014 visit. While the big male watched, sometimes with what seemed like considerable concern for their well-being, the energetic little ones were clambering into a small tree and jumping down again, over and over again, their happiness clearly written all over their faces…
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