Tag Archives: Skukuza Rest Camp

A final round-up of our January ’24 visit to the Kruger National Park

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been showing you some of what we experienced during a holiday visit to the Kruger National Park in early January. There was the excitement of a wild dog hunt, endearing hyena pups, smiles thanks to dung beetles and baboons, the royal presence of lions and leopards and even a concert by the Skukuza frog choir. The Kruger National Park is an amazing place, and well deserving of its position among the great wild places on the planet. We just cannot stay away.

Lake Panic near Skukuza

Dawn at the confluence of the Mutlumuvi and Sand Rivers

View from Mathekeyane

Fruit of the Lowveld Chestnut Tree

Interesting mushroom sprouting from a lawn in Skukuza

Sausage Tree fruit

The Kruger National Park is one of South Africa’s premiere bird-watching destinations, and even more so in summer when the park’s prolific birdlife is boosted by summer migrants from as far away as Eurasia. This gallery is but a tiny morsel of the amazing diversity of birds we encountered while exploring the southern reaches of the Park in January.

Fork-tailed Drongo (photo by Joubert)

Marabou Stork

Male Village Indigobird

Common Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

White-crowned Lapwing

Pied Kingfisher (photo by Joubert)

Black-headed Oriole (photo by Joubert)

Bearded Scrub-Robin

Willow Warbler (photo by Joubert)

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

Yellow-billed Kite (photo by Joubert)

African Jacana (photo by Joubert)

African Hoopoe (photo by Joubert)

Brown Snake Eagle

Diederik Cuckoo (photo by Joubert)

Grey Heron using a hippo as an island

Grey-headed Bush-shrike (photo by Joubert)

Terrestrial Brownbul (photo by Joubert)

Southern Boubou

Southern Masked Weaver

Lilac-breasted Roller

Hamerkop

Three-banded Plover

Eurasian Golden Orioles

White-faced Whistling Ducks

African Fish Eagle

Trumpeter Hornbill (photo by Joubert)

Bateleur

The Kruger National Park is even better known for its astounding variety of mammals, which at almost 150 recorded species is among the highest of any conservation areas on the planet! The animals are so used to the gawking people driving around them all day that it makes for wonderful photographic opportunities.

Impala Lambs

Impala Ram (photo by Joubert)

Impala Ram

Buffalo Bull

Southern African Tree Squirrel

Nyala bull (photo by Joubert)

Nyala bull

Hippopotamus

Elephant Cow (photo by Joubert)

Elephants drinking from a temporary stream

Common Duiker

Buffalo Bull

Hippopotamus

Cape Porcupine (photo by Joubert)

Elephant Bull

Far less glamorous – some may even call them creepy-crawlies! – but equally as important in the natural cycles that drums the beat in the Kruger National Park is the extraordinary variety of insects, fish, amphibians and reptiles that you may encounter if you keep your eyes peeled.

Red-headed Signal Fly (Bromophila caffra)

Southern Foam Nest Frog

Common River Frog

Wrestling Waterbug

Wahlberg’s Velvet Gecko

Platanna

Southern Tree Agama (photo by Joubert)

Rock Monitor

Nile Monitor (photo by Joubert)

Rock Monitor

Nile Crocodiles

Nile Monitor (photo by Joubert)

Male Rainbow Skink

Mozambique Tilapia

Platannas

Leopard Tortoise

Two-phase Emerald Moths mating

We’d love for you to join DeWetsWild on a guided tour of the Kruger National Park or to help you arrange a self-guided visit. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

You just can’t tire of seeing Lions

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No matter how often you visit our national parks and game reserves or how many encounters you have with these regal cats, you just don’t get blasé about seeing Lions in the wild. Our most recent visit to the southern Kruger National Park earlier this month delivered some very exciting and some not so exciting, but still very memorable, sightings of Lions.

Our first Lion sighting of the trip came at the bridge over the Nwatimhiri River, where a small pride of lionesses and youngsters were lying in the long grass and trying their best to blend in with their surroundings.

Lioness in the Nwatimhiri River (photo by Joubert)

Lionesses in the Nwatimhiri River (photo by Joubert)

Lionesses in the Nwatimhiri River

Not much further we found the Lubyelubye pride walking along the road with a cavalcade of vehicles following them. As they walked past our vehicle they were close enough to touch, not that we’re foolish enough to ever attempt that – watch how carefully Joubert videos the passing procession from inside the car! 😉

The Lubyelubye lions walking along the road, just north of Lower Sabie Rest Camp

Early the next morning we were on our way from Skukuza to Tshokwane when we came across three lionesses stalking a zebra in dense growth. The zebra did not notice the lions until it almost step on the closest one, but it still got away! Thrilling to watch for us but I thought I saw a rather miffed expression on the faces of the lions…

Lions failing at their zebra hunting attempt

Lions failing at their zebra hunting attempt (photo by Joubert)

Sometimes you have to work really hard for even a glimpse of a lion, as this one relaxing in the shade in the heat of the day proves.

Being out of the camp gates as soon as they open improves your chances of finding the lions up and active. On our final morning in the Kruger National Park we found this group of 4 lionesses walking over the Sand River Causeway.

Lioness in the dark of early morning

We were still wondering where the males associated with the group of female’s we’d just seen could be, when we found these two lazing on the Marula Loop road only about 2km further.

Very tired male lion wondering why he decided to sleep on the road… (photo by Joubert)

Very tired male lion wondering why he decided to sleep on the road…

And then getting up to find a quiter spot for his early morning lie-in (photo by Joubert)

If seeing lions in the wild is on your wish list we’d love for you to join DeWetsWild on a guided tour of the Kruger National Park or to help you arrange a self-guided visit. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Skukuza’s frog community

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Outside of the reception office at Skukuza in the Kruger National Park is a beautiful pond, which by night is transformed into a stage for dozens of frogs of various kinds. For us it has become a tradition to visit the pond every night we spend in Skukuza to admire the sights and sounds of animals that are becoming ever more rare in the modern world.

We’d love for you to join DeWetsWild on a guided tour of the Kruger National Park or to help you arrange a self-guided visit. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Seeing a Leopard is always thrilling!

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The Kruger National Park has a healthy Leopard population and the Skukuza-area of the Park is renowned for excellent encounters with these big cats, especially if you know where and when to look for them. During our short visit earlier in January we had three memorable Leopard sightings to share with you.

We were still readying our cameras at the Malelane Gate shortly after arriving when some kind folks told us about this Leopard lazing in a tree just a few kilometers into the Park on the way to Skukuza. We were grateful it was still in the same spot when we got there – starting your visit with a Leopard sighting is a very good omen of things to come!

Lazy Leopard in a tree near Malelane in the Kruger National Park

Lazy Leopard in a tree near Malelane in the Kruger National Park (photo by Joubert)

Lazy Leopard in a tree near Malelane in the Kruger National Park

Our next Leopard encounter was with this individual of whom we caught only a quick glimpse along the main road leading to Lower Sabie from Skukuza before it melted away in the lush summer vegetation.

In January the Park’s Rest Camps open their gates at 04h30 in the morning, with there then being still quite a while before first light. Skukuza’s gates had just been swung open and we joined the first few cars heading out when this brute of a Leopard male stepped out onto the road at the 4-way crossing not even a kilometer further. In our wild places an early start to the day is often handsomely rewarded!

Leopard just outside Skukuza in the early morning

Leopard just outside Skukuza in the early morning (photo by Joubert)

We’d love for you to join DeWetsWild on a guided tour of the Kruger National Park or to help you arrange a self-guided visit. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Dung Beetle hard at work in the Kruger National Park

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Here’s a fun video Joubert took during our latest visit to the Kruger National Park of a dung beetle hard at work. Watch the female catching a lift!

Spending time with Skukuza’s Hyenas

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Even if Spotted Hyenas were not the most numerous large predator around Skukuza Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park – and I think they are – they’re definitely the most frequently encountered, a fact borne out yet again by the many rendezvous we had with these fascinating creatures during our visit to the Skukuza-area earlier in January.

Spotted Hyena near Leeupan, north-east of Skukuza Rest Camp

On a night drive from camp, following the course of the Sabie River, we crossed paths with several clans all searching for food.

We paid frequent visits to a Hyena den just a few kilometres south of the camp, where the many curious cubs kept us well entertained. These encounters were definitely in the “cute and cuddly” category.

Adult female Spotted Hyena at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cubs at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cubs at their den near Skukuza

Spotted Hyena cubs licking at a puddle of aircon water in the road at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub at their den near Skukuza (photo by Joubert)

We were awed by their tenacity when we spent time with this group of four Hyenas who were following the hunting wild dogs we shared with you a few days ago. While they couldn’t keep up with the pace of the painted wolves they were not put off, hoping that if they stayed on the spoor of the dogs they would catch up with them and could steal their meal. As it turned out the kill was quickly consumed by the wild dogs and the hyenas were left without a morsel by the time they arrived, but I am sure this will not prevent them trying again!

Spotted Hyena following a pack of wild dogs on the hunt

Spotted Hyenas following a pack of wild dogs on the hunt (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena following a pack of wild dogs on the hunt (photo by Joubert)

Definitely the scariest run-in with a Spotted Hyena during this latest trip was with an individual who popped into the Tshokwane Picnic Spot while we were having breakfast. Luckily he didn’t stay long and moved off again without using those powerful jaws on any of the humans.

Spotted Hyena inspecting Tshokwane Picnic Spot in the Kruger National Park (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena inspecting Tshokwane Picnic Spot in the Kruger National Park

We’d love for you to join DeWetsWild on a guided tour of the Kruger National Park or to help you arrange a self-guided visit. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Our 2021 In Pictures

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Take a look back with us at the wonderfully wild South African places we visited in 2021.

Chalet 20 at Mountain Zebra National Park

Wide open spaces at Mountain Zebra National Park

Log Cabin #1 at Cape Vidal

Cape Vidal

Cottage 27 at Glen Reenen in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, March 2021

View from our cottage at Glen Reenen in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden, Easter 2021

White rhino calf at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve, April 2021

Lion at the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve, April 2021

Tent #10 (Loerie) at Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, June 2021

Tlopi Tented Camp, Marakele National Park, June 2021, seen from Mbidi Loop

Unit #3 in Skukuza’s Nwaswitshaka Research Camp

Our little A-frame hut in the Sweni Wilderness Trails Camp

Lioness charging

Doornkop Chalet #12, October 2021

Duck’s Den #3 at Nylsvley Nature Reserve, October 2021

One of the hides at Vogelfontein in Nylsvley Nature Reserve, with waterbuck in the foreground

Camping at Satara, Kruger National Park, December 2021

Satara Bungalow B50, December 2021 – January 2022

Waterbuck in a lush central Kruger Park, December 2021

On our way to the wilderness – day 4

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The 18th of August arrived. Joubert’s twelfth birthday. With great excitement the two of us packed the Duster at Skukuza and got ready to depart for Satara, where we’d join the Sweni Wilderness Trail that afternoon. It was still pitch dark when the gates opened at 6am, and we were already on the Marula Loop by the time the sun peaked over the horizon.

Honey Badger

Helmeted Guineafowls crossing the Sand River

Sunrise on the Marula Loop

With the morning sun lending a beautiful golden glow to the morning, Joubert noticed a few tawny bodies moving through the dry grass as we passed the Orpen Rocks. The pride of lions quickly disappeared behind the rocks, only to emerge on top of the boulders to provide us with an awesome photo opportunity – and even better as we were the only vehicle there for quite some time!

Lions at Orpen Rocks (photo by Joubert)

Lions at Orpen Rocks

Lions at Orpen Rocks (photo by Joubert)

Lions at Orpen Rocks

Lions at Orpen Rocks (photo by Joubert)

Lions at Orpen Rocks

Lions at Orpen Rocks (photo by Joubert)

Lions at Orpen Rocks

Lions at Orpen Rocks (can you spot her?)

By the time we leave the lions a few other vehicles had already joined the sighting, so we leave the cats to their other adoring fans. Soon after, at Leeupan, we find a herd of elephants enjoying their early morning drink, with the youngsters terrorizing their thirsty neighbours.

Elephant wiping dust from its eye (photo by Joubert)

Elephants, impalas, wildebeest and zebra congregating at Leeupan

Elephants congregating at Leeupan

Elephant antics at Leeupan (photo by Joubert)

Mom and baby elephant at Leeupan (photo by Joubert)

A quick detour to Orpen Dam has us amazed at the number and size of the crocodiles lazing on the bank.

Upper reaches of the Orpen Dam

Crocodiles next to Orpen Dam

Waterbuck on their way to Orpen Dam

Crocodiles lining the bank of the Orpen Dam

Swainson’s Spurfowl (photo by Joubert)

The day has really become very hot by the time we set off on the second half of our drive to Satara, having stretched our legs at Tshokwane Picnic Site. Very few animals show themselves in heat like this, and the number of Olive Grass Snakes we see crossing the hot road is very surprising.

Heavily pregnant Spotted Hyena

Olive Grass Snake

Olive Grass Snake (photo by Joubert)

Young Nyala bull

Fish Eagle keeping watch over a pool in the Nwaswitsontso.

The southernmost naturally occurring Baobab tree in South Africa

We reach Satara in time for a quick picnic lunch before getting our gear ready, a last visit to the shop for drinks and snacks, and checking in for the Sweni Wilderness Trail…

The birthday boy! Twelfth birthday lunch at Satara.

Satara’s birds were invited to the birthday party. This is a Red-billed Hornbill (photo by Joubert)

On our way to the wilderness – day 3

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Just before sunrise on the 17th of August – Joubert’s final day as an eleven-year old – we headed out of Skukuza towards Pretoriuskop, driving along the Napi Road and intent on visiting every one of the waterholes along the way.

Elephant conductor (photo by Joubert)

Black-backed Jackal

Coqui Francolin (male)

Immature African Hawk-Eagle

Just past Transport Dam we have the first big-ticket highlight of our morning: a cheetah on the hunt! Unfortunately the cheetah caught its steenbok prey at an awkward angle behind our vehicle and immediately carried it into the long grass away from the road, so these are basically the only photos we have of a most thrilling sighting!

Hunting Cheetah (photo by Joubert)

Hunting Cheetah

Just a few kilometers past the scene of the cheetah kill we encountered a pack of very excited spotted hyenas in and next to the road. It appeared that an interloper was coming a bit too close to their den, causing quite a stir among the resident cubs.

Young Spotted Hyena

Fluffy Spotted Hyena youngster (photo by Joubert)

Alert hyenas

At Shitlhave Dam this grey old Buffalo bull posed for some pictures.

Grey old Buffalo Bull (photo by Joubert)

Grey old Buffalo bull

While it was quiet along the Voortrekker Road towards Afsaal, with the day heating up nicely it was easy to decide where to head next: all along the Biyamiti River in the general direction of Crocodile Bridge and Lower Sabie. As expected, lots of animals and birds where congregating along the dwindling stream of water to quench their thirst.

Biyamiti River

White-crested Helmetshrikes

Brown Snake Eagle (photo by Joubert)

Nile Crocodile at Biyamiti Weir (photo by Joubert)

African Pied Wagtail

Bedrock exposed by the Biyamiti River

Adult Male Mozambique Tilapia in a pool at Biyamiti Weir (photo by Joubert)

Biyamiti Weir

Kurrichane Thrush

Giraffe checking on the condition of the road

Guinea-fowl Butterfly

Knobthorn flowers

Reed Cormorant

Waterbuck

Biyamiti River

Plains Zebra

Nearing Lower Sabie we felt compelled to cross the causeway over the Sabie River, and then back again (as most everyone visiting this part of the Park is wont to do) before heading into camp.

Buffaloes drinking from the Sabie while a crowd of terrapins watch

Enormous Nile Crocodile (photo by Joubert)

Pied Kingfisher on the move (photo by Joubert)

Sharptooth Catfish in the Sabie River (photo by Joubert)

African Jacana ( (photo by Joubert)

Cape Glossy Starling

House Sparrow in Lower Sabie

The last stretch of our route today again followed the course of the Sabie River back to Skukuza, through a part of the Kruger National Park famous for its teaming wildlife.

Giraffe close-up

Lion pride at Lubyelubye

Elephant stretching to reach ripe Sycomore figs (photo by Joubert)

Lazy Leopard

Lion roadblock

Lion roadblock (photo by Joubert)

Leaping Kudu

Beautiful Kudu bull

And so the sun set on another extremely rewarding day in the Kruger National Park. The next day would be Joubert’s twelve birthday – more on that in the next installment!

Sunset over the Sabie

Baboons settling in for the night

On our way to the wilderness – day 2

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Joubert and I were the first people out the gate at Skukuza on our first morning in the Kruger National Park when we visited last week. In the week before our arrival other visitors were bragging on the Park’s social media pages with their sightings of a big herd of sable antelope north of Lower Sabie, and as these rare and beautiful antelope are a favourite of ours, our route for the morning took us along the Sabie River and then in the general direction of the Mlondozi Picnic Spot. Along the way we had the joyful encounter with the young elephant knight we showed you two days ago.

Hippos returning to the hippo pool in the early morning

Nyala calf

Friendly Nyala bull ( (photo by Joubert)

Serene spot along the Sabie

Baboons huddling together in the rays of early morning

Blue Wildebeest

Kudu cow

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Black-bellied Bustard (photo by Joubert)

Steenbok ram

Steenbok with Muntshe Mountain in the background

Secretary Bird

Lesser Striped Swallow – welcome sign that spring is around the corner!

Elephant youngster wielding his weapon of choice

Elephant matriarch with impressive tusks

Fever Tree

Tawny Eagle in flight

Curious Slender Mongoose peeping from within a thornbush

Huge herds of plains zebra congregating along the Mnondozi stream

By the time we reached Mlondozi, we hadn’t yet found the sables we came looking for. We were planning on having brunch at the picnic spot, but it was packed with other visitors and not a single table was available. We spent a few minutes enjoying the view, getting pictures of the birds and animals, and waiting for a table to clear, but eventually decided to rather move along.

Blue Waxbill (photo by Joubert)

Dark-capped Bulbul

Swainson’s Spurfowl

The view from Mlondozi Picnic Site

Elephant coming to drink from Mlondozi Dam

We decided to use the extra time we had available due to the postponed lunch to do another circuit around Muntshe Mountain, and how wonderfully that turned out! We found the sables, and had probably the best sighting of these magnificent antelope I had in 30+ years! More about that soon, I promise.

Plains Zebras

Southern Reedbuck ewe (photo by Joubert)

Sable Antelope bull

Extremely satisfied with our morning, we headed for Lower Sabie where, just before the camp, we had a quick sighting of a leopard and enjoyed the abundant life that always congregate at the causeway over the Sabie River.

Wire-tailed Swallow

Huge Nile Crocodile at the Lower Sabie causeway

In contrast to Mlondozi, the picnic site at Lower Sabie was deserted, and Joubert and I could lunch in peace surrounded only by birds and butterflies.

Common Purple Tips

Green-backed Camaroptera (photo by Joubert)

Rattling Cisticola

By the time we finished lunch it was still too early to head back to Skukuza, so we drove south in the direction of Crocodile Bridge for a few kilometers along the main road, returning along the gravel Mativuhlungu Loop to Lower Sabie. Stopping at the causeway over the river again we were rewarded with a clear, though distant, view of an African Fish Eagle swooping down to snatch a catfish from the water. We’ll share that full sequence of pictures with you another day this coming week.

Buffalo herd drinking from the Sabie River

Bateleur cleaning up roadkill

Dwarf Mongoose

Male Bennett’s Woodpecker

Hooded Vulture

Serrated Hinged Terrapin (photo by Joubert)

Fish Eagle with catfish prey

Just outside Lower Sabie, on the way to Skukuza, Sunset Dam is always a great place to stop and sit for a while, just soaking in the sights and sounds of the bush. On this occasion however the usual serenity of the place was shattered when a pair of teenage male baboons savagely attacked a much younger baboon at the water’s edge, seemingly intent on killing it. Baboons are always fascinating to watch, but I definitely have never experienced such a disturbing glimpse into their behaviour before. We’ll share some pictures from this harrowing sighting this coming Saturday, but please be warned!

Yellow-billed Storks at Sunset Dam

Baboon murder

It’s just a 45km drive, but with so much to see along the way it still took us 3 hours to get back to Skukuza and we made it back into camp with just a minute or two to spare before the gates closed. Our last sighting of the day was a pack of African Wild Dogs guarding the scraps of their kill against a bunch of vultures – what more could we ask for after such a wonderful day!?

Lionesses and cubs laying claim to a Sand Bank in the Sabie River

Giraffe drinking from the Sabie River

Wary family of giraffes

Spotted Hyena

Impala Lily

White-crowned Lapwing

A slice of the riverine forest along the Sabie River

Hamerkop at sunset

Hippo in the Sabie River (photo by Joubert)

African Wild Dog on the alert

Before ending off, I have to show you these photographs of a family of white rhinoceros we came across on day 2 of our trip to the wilderness. I won’t disclose when and where we saw them though so as not to tip off any poachers.