We seem to be getting progressively later and later in getting up and out. Today we only managed to get out by 6am. It had rained overnight (lightly) and it was still heavily overcast and drizzling in the morning as well. Birding becomes more challenging in the rain. We headed to Shitlhave Dam to enjoy our coffee and rusks. On route we passed the spot where we had seen the birds that lead to the leading SA birding experts opining on what the bird was. Fortunately, we both saw and heard the birds again this morning and after hearing the call we now know 100% that they were croaking cisticolas which were lifers for both H and myself. Nice to get the 100% confirmation today.
As we turned off down to the dam we saw 2 hyena in the road and then all the birds started alarm calling which is when they see danger. The hyena crossed the road and went into the bush and we could hear the alarm calling moving with them even though we couldn’t see them anymore. At the dam itself, there was less action and it started drizzling harder. We decided we may as well head back to pack up as we were moving to Skukuza today.
After breakfast we were on the road at just after 8am. It was still overcast and drizzling very lightly. We decided to head up to the Mestel Dam and then keep heading north on one of the few dirt roads that is open. This road takes you north until you hit the Sabie River and then it turns east and tracks the Sabie River the whole way to Skukuza. Maybe it was the cooler morning, maybe it was the rain, maybe it was the the terrain but we definitely saw a lot more game today than we have other days. Yesterday we didn’t even see 1 impala (I am not sure I have ever had a day in Kruger when I haven’t seen an impala) but today we saw buffalo, elephant, hyena, zebra, giraffe, impala (a lot of them), nyala, grey duiker, hippo, warthog & waterbuck. And despite the cloudy conditions and raining we also added quite a few birds to our trip list and we are now approaching 200 for the trip (I am on 196 at moment) and we are now just over 1 week on the road. We did manage to get another 2 lifers for H today and so she has now added 9 lifers for the trip.
You can only check in at 2pm at a new camp and so the route we took aimed to kill time but it also was quite a pleasant and picturesque route. At one point when we were stopped in a flowing river crossing, H remarked ‘This is like the Garden of Eden’. Now I am worried how she knows what the Garden of Eden looks like. But this is the view that she claims is ‘like the Garden of Eden’.
We arrived at Skukuza (which is like the capital of the Kruger Park) at about 12:30pm and as we couldn’t check in we went for lunch and then to shop for a quick browse and then to check in. We have a riverside view bungalow and it overlooks the Sabie River. You can lie on the bed and see the river. Tonight there was a spectacular moon and it rose over the Sabie River. No picture we took could really capture how beautiful it was.
Until tomorrow … P & H
