We were up early and heading out at 6:30am for a morning game drive. We decided to do a longer 4×4 route which turned out to be a lot easier than yesterday’s route. It was rocky in places but was not particularly difficult. We added a few birds for the trip and also added Eland. We did stop for morning coffee at a view point though they did warn you to alight at your own risk.

We were stopped at a waterhole – one of two that actually have water in it – when one of C’s school friends (incredibly they are also staying in the park) pulled up and asked whether we had seen the lion kill! We said no, they told us that a pride had killed a buffalo on the road and told us where to go. We headed off a top speed and sure enough found it. When we arrived none of the pride were eating and we saw a few lionesses and one male lion (and of course the dead buffalo). The females almost immediately headed off up the mountain side and the male was asleep in the shade. None of them eating the buffalo though.

We went back on two other occasions later in the day and while the male was still there, they were still not eating the buffalo. The staff at the camp say that all the cars are disturbing them and that is why they aren’t eating. We will go back tomorrow am to see what has happened over night. It was a great sighting though especially since a few people in our party had yet to see a lion in the wild.

We headed back to camp for breakfast. The chalets have DSTV and so I settled in to watch a masterful SA bowling performance against England, some slept and some went for a walk. Around lunchtime the G’s went to the other waterhole and we joined them shortly afterwards (we being me, S & K). We ticked off a number of new birds for the trip and we are now at 47 after the first 2 days.

Late afternoon we did another game drive and again passed the dam and this time added a lifer to our lists after seeing the African Black Duck. We completed a loop which took us up the ridge of the mountains and to about 2000 meters above sea level. The views over the valleys were amazing. A photo doesn’t really it justice.

Back to the camp for a braai. By the time we were ready to eat though it was pretty cold outside (it never got above 23 degrees C today) and so we all squeezed inside to eat dinner together instead. We really didn’t expect it to be this cold especially since yesterday was in the mid 30s.

Until tomorrow …

P, S, K (because they came out with me midday for a game drive), H & C