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Collection Options
Overland:
Departing at am from your hotel or off your early morning flight arriving at Jo'burg Int Airport, you travel East for 5 to 6 hours to 'Nelspruit' the capital of Mpumalanga Province.
At Nelspruit you have an opportunity to do your last minute shopping, to stock up the cooler box with some drinks, film, snacks, insect repellent etc. We continue driving for 1.5 hours to the game rich Southern region of Kruger Park and enter the park at Crocodile Bridge.
Fly-in:
We will meet you off your morning flight arriving at Kruger Mpumalanga Int Airport (KMIA) or Mpumalanga Airport (MQP) and start your safari by driving for 1 hour to the game rich Southern region of Kruger Park and enter the park at Crocodile Bridge.
Day 1: Johannesburg
- Kruger Park - Skukuza Camp (D)
We spend the rest of the day game viewing following
the Sabi River. The animals tend to move towards the Sabi River
in the afternoon to quench their thirst from the sun's heat -
you see herds of Impala or Waterbuck drinking at the waters edge.
A herd of Elephants cross the river, splashing, play fighting once
they arrive on the far side. Crocodiles are seen basking in the
afternoon sun; mouthsregulating their body temperatures.
A grunt from a Hippo is heard, we find them in a shallow section
of the river sleeping with the biggest male keeping an eye on
his territory and his females.
This first game drive up the Sabi
River sets up what's yet to come.
Arriving at 'Skukuza' camp just before the entrance
gates close for the evening, you check in, move into your chalet
to freshen up, ready for your first safari dinner.
Your dinner
is prepared, cooked and served outside under the stars. Traditional
South African meals are prepared giving you a taste of our delicious,
barbeque cuisine.
Day 2: Kruger Park - Sabi Sand Reserve
(B L D)
The day starts early with a wake up call at
5.30am. At 6.00am the camp gates We leave Skukuza camp and
head towards 'Satara' camp.
On the way your Safari Ranger finds a Leopard walking on the edge of the road, marking it's territory by scenting
trees and bushes. He's a big male, powerful. We slowly follow
him as he proudly walks along the edge of the road. Later you
see a White Rhino using a rubbing post then wanders off. Impalas always next to or crossing the road. Three Lionesses on the road
laying close to each other and then moving off into the bush.
Later a Hyena crossed the road making it's way back to its den.
We continue game viewing, stopping off at water holes, following
river lines, checking dams.
For breakfast, we stop off at a picnic site
at approx 10.00am. For the rest of the morning, we continue game
viewing on a few loops in the Satara region, focusing on the
Timbavati River loop. The area around Satara is also good for
Cheetah. Your Safari Ranger spends some time searching for this
splendid animal while making our way to 'Orpen Gate' where we
leave Kruger Park.
From 'Orpen Gate' we head south to a private
reserve the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. We pass through rural villages,
stopping to ask to take photos of native life and culture. We
continue towards Sabi Sands.
After entering this famous reserve,
we then make our way to camp. You check in, move into your chalet
to freshen up, ready for lunch at approx 2.30pm. After lunch,
you have time for leisure - siesta, a swim or some socializing.
At 4.00pm afternoon tea and coffee is served. Afterwards, we make
our way to the4 x 4 Land Rovers and start your afternoon
game drive.
Being your firstvehicle game drive you are
given a 5-minute safety talk by your game ranger. The tracker
sits on the front of the Land Rover in his special trackers seat,
checking for fresh tracks and spotting the wildlife for us as
we drive around. During the night drives your tracker uses a powerful
spotlight, swinging left and right searching for the nocturnal
animals.
Your game ranger finds you all the general wildlife
- Impala, Warthog, Giraffe and Waterbuck whilst making our way
to a Lion Kill. During the morning a resident pride of 12 Lions (5 are cubs) had killed an adult Giraffe. We arrive and find all
the Lions sleeping under a shady tree with Vultures filling the
surrounding trees, waiting in anticipation. The Vultures have
been arriving all day. The big dominant male Lion rises and walks
over to the carcass for another helping. Starts to lick an area
of the carcass and then continues to eat. Three Lionesses join
him but eat at different positions.
You're only a few metres away from all of this
action - incredible!
A little later as the sun goes down, we stop
in the bush a little off from the Lion Kill, have a stretch and
enjoy 'sun downers' (drinks). Feeling more relaxed after a call
of nature, we continue with a night game drive. The tracker uses
his high-powered spotlight. There are Hyenas arriving in the area
due to the Lion Kill, but our focus is to see a Leopard. We stop
for a Night Jar, an amazing nocturnal bird. We see lots of smaller
nocturnal animals - Spotted Genet, White Tailed Mongoose, Owls and more Hyenas.
We finally return back to camp for approx 8.00pm.
You are escorted to your chalet to freshen up, ready to return
to the bar for drinks and then a full dinner is served, with further
socializing done later around the campfire. We hear Hyenas constantly
whooping in the direction of the Lion Kill. Later when you are
in bed you hear Lions roaring.
Day 3: Sabi Sand Reserve (B L D)
The day starts early with a wake up call at
5.30am. At 6.00am tea and coffee is served in the lappa. Afterwards
we make our way to the4 x 4 Land Rovers and start your morning
game drive. Your game ranger decides to check on the Lion Kill.
We smell the carcass before we arrive; it's two days old now and
starting to stink. The Lions are still there with a few Hyenas dotted around. A Black Backed Jackal is seen on the perimeter.
It's evident the Lions and Hyena had clashed in the night but
the Lions still control the carcass.
We continue with the game drive seeing Elephant,
a bachelor herd of big tuskers. More Buffalo approx 350 number
moving in the direction of a waterhole. We drive through the herd
and stop in the middle for photos to be taken. Later you see Waterbuck,
Zebra, Warthog and more Impalas.
We return to camp in time for breakfast. After
breakfast another walking safari is provided. The rest of the
day is at your own leisure, sleeping, swimming and socializing
until lunch at 2.30pm. At 4.00pm afternoon tea and coffee is served.
During your afternoon game drive you see loads
of different bird species and general game - Impala, Warthog,
Baboons, Wildebeest and Zebra. A little later we stop for a stretch
and 'sun downers'.
Feeling relaxed, we continue with a night game
drive focusing on Leopard. This night we are lucky. We find a
Leopard at a small waterhole. It's a female and she is very relaxed.
We are able to approach close. After drinking she heads off back
into the bush. We follow keeping the spotlight on her as much
as possible. She's just so beautiful. Photos are taken. After
a while we decide to leave her but suddenly she crouches into
pounce mode. Moving the spotlight we can see a little Steenbok,
a small antelope, in front of her. She springs, two bounces and
she has the Steenbok. We lose her for a few seconds, as we have
to re-position the Land Rover. We move in close. The Steenbok is killed. She's looking around, panting a little. Finally she
picks up the Steenbok in her mouth and
climb's up the nearest
Marula tree, positions the Steenbok in the tree so it will not
fall. She starts to pluck the fur off and eats. We watch and take
lots of photographs.
We return back to camp for dinner. The talk
is of the Leopard Kill - fantastic.
Day 4: Sabi Sand Reserve - Johannesburg
(B)
For your last game drive we pop to see the Leopard
Kill. The carcass is half eaten but she is not to be seen. She'll
be back to eat later in the day or during the night. We move off
to the Lion Kill viewing general game as we drive through the
bush. We arrive to find the Hyenas have pushed the Lions off the
carcass. With the Lion pride having cubs they would probably have
relinquished the carcass to the Hyenas earlier than normal. We
take photos and then move off leaving the carcass to the Hyenas and Vultures.
On the way back to camp we come across a White Rhino.
He stares at us with his ears twitching, then proceeds to eat
the lush grass......
We return to the lodge at approximately 9.00am. After breakfast
we pack and load suitcases, pay the bar bill and subsequently
leave the reserve. On our homeward bound journey you enjoy the
'Panoramic Route' driving through the Drakensberg Mountains.
En-route we stop and spend a few minutes to
go view the Blyde River Canyon, the Three Rondavels, Lisbon Falls
and lastly Pilgrims Rest.
Pilgrims Rest is an old gold mining
town. It's now a national monument and will be your lunch stop
for the day. At each of the scenic stops you have the opportunity
to finish off your film and to barter for locally crafted curios.
Drop Off Options
Overland:
It's a 4 hour drive back to Johannesburg from Pilgrims Rest. You will arrive at approx 6.00pm with drop off at the airport or at your hotel.
Fly-in:
Flying out from Hoedspruit Airport (HDS) means you will have extended time in the Sabi Sand Reserve with not having to depart just after breakfast. Time for one more walking safari. We will make sure you leave the Sabi Sand Reserve in time to catch your flight out.
Note
(B L D) refers to the meals included - Breakfast,
Lunch and Dinner.
Skukuza camp is used for explanation purposes
in this itinerary and may not be the camp you are booked into
as all accommodation is subject to availability.
Itinerary may also vary slightly due to gateng times, game movements, weather etc....
Kruger
National Park | Sabi Sand Reserve | Kruger Park | Sabi Sands
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