The road from the Pafuri gate to the Luvuvhu river was quiet. I had a few glimpses of elephants but not much else. Whenever I drove past a Baobab Tree I’d slow down and enjoy.
I stopped on the bridge and scanned the area. A majestic African Fish Eagle came for a bath.
A crocodile floated upstream.
I was being eaten alive by little biting things, so I did not stay on the bridge for too long. There was not much to see along the road, but I enjoyed the drive a lot, and relished the quiet.
I decided to stop at Klopperfontein dam again. There were two elephants having a drink.
A big buffalo bull eyed me suspiciously.
I saw a lone African Grey Hornbill.
Close to Punda Maria there was a small herd of elephants at one of the little pans right next to the road. It was so great to be able to get close to my favourite mammal.
Check in at Punda Maria Rest Camp was as efficient as ever. It had been a long drive and I didn’t plan on an afternoon drive and wanted to visit the hide and walk along the Flycatcher trail. I also hoped to check in with my son and pet sitter, but it seemed that there was no cell phone signal at the camp. I drove the short distance to the gate in the hopes of getting some signal, but nothing. But as always, the Sanparks staff were fantastic. I explained my predicament to the ladies at the Gate Reception, and they were more than willing to let me use their phone to make a quick call to my son. After almost four days of being off the grid it was nice to check in, even if just for a few seconds.
Driving back to camp I spotted this cute little squirrel that posed so nicely in the afternoon sun.
It’s partner was having a snack in a nearby tree.
A Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill also found a small snack.
There were still some elephants at the little pan, and I stopped for a while.
For a moment he flapped his ears at me to show just how big he was, But then he relaxed and allowed me to spend time with him.
It was a lovely few moments with this gentle one.
It is extremely humbling to look into the eyes of these wise giants.
Back at the chalet I grabbed a bottle of water and headed towards hide. There weren’t any animals around, but there was the sweetest little Blacksmith Lapwing family.
They had four tiny chicks that could not have been more than a couple of days old. They were tiny and incredibly cute. And as tiny as they were, they already know how to take a bath!
The little ones were very independent and would wander far away from mom and dad. The little Lapwings were not the only babies – a small terrapin was sunning itself, and doing some leg stretches.
A lone buffalo came for a drink.
After spending some time at the hide, I decided to go and explore the Flycatcher trail. I started on the eastern end but didn’t get far before I heard a rustling in the grass. It was a troop of baboons and there was a large male with them. They were moving away from me and did not seem to be too interested in me, but the last thing I felt like was risking being confronted by aggressive baboons, so I turned around and rather went back to the hide.
Dusk had settled, and it was bedtime for the little lapwings. Mom had settled behind a tuft of grass, and I could just make out the many little legs sticking out under her belly, the little bodies tucked snugly under her chest and wings.
I went to get a take-away meal at the restaurant. I made a small fire in the communal braai area and enjoyed the delicious meal. Soon quite a few people came to braai. I wasn’t quite in the mood for people and decided to get a cold beverage and relax outside my hut. But as I tried to unlock the door, the door handle came off! I went to report this to reception, and within a few short minutes one of the great staff members arrived to open the door for me. He promised to be back in the morning and fix the lock.
The next morning, I was out of the gate as soon as it opened. Crooks Corner, here I come! The last time I drove the S60 it was extremely corrugated. But I decided to drive it anyway, and it was fine. One of the best aspects of the North of Kruger is that it really can feel as if you are the only person in the Park. For the first few kilometers it felt as if there was not another person on the planet. Then two speedsters popped up in a cloud of dust in my rear-view mirror. I pulled over to allow them to pass and gave it a few minutes for the dust to settle and the calm to return to the dawn before I continued on. And what a glorious dawn it was! The sunrise was incredibly beautiful.
A fluttering of wings drew my attention. It was a Burchell’s Coucal having breakfast.
A little further I found a curious Zebra and a couple of Impala Rams.
The clouds ensured that the eastern sky displayed the most beautiful colours.
I was able to share this gorgeous morning with two of my al time favourite creatures. First I shared the beautiful morning with a majestic Baobab Tree.
And then I was able to share this gorgeous morning with a gentle giant.
He walked parallel to the road for a while and I slowly drove next to him until he veered off into the bushes. This was once again one of “those” moments. I recently read a quote by Bill Murray –
They say an elephant never forgets. What they don’t tell you is that you never forget an elephant.
I thought how true this was. You can never forget an elephant once you have spent some quiet time with it. To look a gentle elephant in the eye feels like he is looking into your soul, and it is something that stays with you forever.
The sunrise, the Baobab and the Elephant – I heard Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in my head and smiled. It really was a moment to sing a Song of Joy!
Just as I left the elephant, I saw a silhouette of a bird very far away. Zooming in on the photo I saw that it was a Peregrine Falcon, another new Kruger bird.
The clouds and morning sun continued to create an interesting atmosphere.
I reached Klopperfontein dam. I switched off the car and poured some coffee. At first all seemed quiet. A young Blacksmith Lapwing was foraging on the dam wall.
A light breeze was blowing, and it created quite a few ripples on the water. I almost missed this creature floating by.
I spotted another Blacksmith Lapwing sitting on the ground on the other side of the dam. I wondered if there were eggs. A few minutes later I got my answer when it flew to the dam wall and the other adult flew to where it was sitting. Can you see the eggs?
It was so cool to see how the two birds both looked after the nest and incubated the eggs.
I slowly sipped my coffee as I enjoyed the few minutes at the dam. Back on the tar road I had to stop for this view.
I did not see any animals, but all along the road the birds and smaller creatures entertained me. A pair of Yellow-billed Hornbills were doing a little dance in the middle of the road.
A Double-banded Sandgrouse sat quietly on the edge of the tar road.
The Red-billed Buffalo Weavers were lots of fun to watch. They would jump up to grab the grass. Then pull it down to nibble on the seeds.
A buffalo also nibbled on grass, but in a slightly more dignified manner.
Another Yellow-billed Hornbill was contemplating whether a breakfast of roadkill would be worth it.
I spotted this interesting locust.
Armoured Ground Crickets are known for feasting on the carcasses of their fallen comrades. I came across one munching away on his dead friend.
A second one approached and a short fight ensued. The one that was already eating would kick at the other one to prevent him from taking over the meal.
But persistence pays off, and soon the second Armoured cricket chased the first one away and claimed his prize.
Somewhat gruesome, but also fascinating to watch.
When I reached the little dam where I saw the animal party on my first day, it was very quiet. I only spotted a small herd of Zebras. 
It was also quiet at the bridge. The only animals around were a White-crowned Lapwing as well as a massive crocodile. I decided to take the tar road to Crooks Corner and then come back via the gravel road.
There was an African Harrier Hawk and a White Backed Vulture in the sky above. I also saw a small troop of baboons that crossed the road. 
Just before I reached Crooks Corner a Yellow-billed Stork and a Black-headed Heron flew past. Crooks Corner was the perfect place for breakfast, and I enjoyed my rusks and coffee in the company of the “border patrol”. 
There were few of these huge river monsters along the water’s edge. A “crook” would have to be brave indeed to cross the river with these beasts in attendance!
A White-crowned Lapwing scurried about, and I saw another Grey-rumped Swallow.
The wonderful summer rains that fell in the area earlier in the year meant that the water levels in the river were quite decent.
The sun started to bake down on me, and it became quite hot. I reluctantly left this wonderful spot with its intriguing history.
I did not rush as I drove along the gravel road, dipping into the little loops along the river every now and then. A beautiful African Fish Eagle swooped past. The open plain on the southern side of the gravel road is always a good area to see animals, and it did not disappoint. I saw my first Blue Wildebeest of the trip. I also saw a group of hikers in the distance. They were being watched by a group of less than pleased spectators. 
As the group of hikers approached, the animals scattered.
Just before I reached the picnic site, I came across a lovely Nyala family.
A Meve’s Starling posed beautifully.
At the picnic spot I found a table near the river. The massive trees created a shady dome. A couple of Nyalas came to drink and added to the peaceful atmosphere. I was completely relaxed as I snacked on an apple and drank my cool drink. I kept a weary eye on a couple of vervet monkeys that had snuck up to one of the nearby tables. Luckily, they did not try to get to my apples, but it wasn’t long before I heard the irritated shout of a woman as she had to chase the monkeys away from their food. As I walked back from the bathrooms, I saw a movement in the grass. I don’t know who was more surprised, me or the snake. Before I could take a photo, he disappeared under some rocks. When I got back to camp, I checked my book and confirmed that it was a Western Yellow-bellied SandSnake, an extremely pretty creature.
After the relaxing stop at the picnic area I continued my drive. A Yellow-billed Hornbill was next to the road.
There was also a small herd of elephants with some shy youngsters. This little one stayed close to mom.
An older cousin was just starting to develop little tusks. 
This one was fiddling with its ear, and then pulled it across its face.
One of the adults was munching away quietly.
I drove just a short distance on the Nyala drive to see the beautiful Baobab Tree.
I also spotted a Kurrichane Thrush and a couple of White-crested Helmet Shrikes.
On the way back I saw a Arrow-marked Babbler peeking out from the bushes.
When I got to the area where I had seen the Pied Crows on the first day I was just in time to see them chase a young Martial Eagle.
I stopped at the pan where I had previously seen the hippos, but they were not visible. There was however a crocodile basking in the sun.
A cute Tree Squirrel was eating what looked like a piece of orange.
Back at camp I went to the hide. The little Lapwing chicks were out and about. They were so adorable!
After lunch I drove along the Mahoni loop in an anti-clockwise direction. There was a puddle in the road, and it was the perfect spot for some birds to take a bath. While I was sitting there, Blue Waxbills, Yellow-fronted Canaries and Dark-capped Bulbuls came for a bath.
The Mahoni loop was incredibly quiet. I saw a few Mosque Swallows and a Cut-throat Finch.
The only animals I saw were two elephants.
A pretty Dragonfly was near a little stream.
I love this tree near the end of the loop.
I have driven the Mahoni loop a few times in the past, and I was really surprised that it was so quiet. Just before the camp I found a pair of Double-banded Sandgrouse that looked beautiful with the afternoon sunlight highlighting their golden colours.
Once again, I attempted the Flycatcher trail, and once again the baboons blocked the way. But turning around this time was an excellent idea. I saw a Guineafowl butterfly flying across the path in front of me and straight into the web of a huge female Golden Orb Web Spider.
It was fascinating to see how quickly she grabbed the hapless butterfly and started wrapping him up in silk.
And just before the end of the trail I came across another butterfly lifer – a Squinting Bush Brown.
Again, I headed to the hide. The little chicks were still out foraging, although mom was trying to get them to come to bed.
But it was a bit like herding cats. Two would tuck themselves under mom’s feathers, but when they realised the other two were not coming, they would be off again. Suddenly something unseen annoyed the parents, and they were both off in a flash. The two chicks that had been with mom at that moment remained motionless, almost completely invisible.
Supper was another delicious takeaway from the restaurant.
It would be my last night in the Park, and after my early turn in the previous night, I was ready for a last visit to the hide and a bug hunt. On the way to the hide I found a Grass Katydid. I also found a few of these gorgeous Hairy Field Spiders. 
An elephant came to drink at the waterhole.
The sound of an elephant drinking at night is one of the best sounds in the world.
There was also a nightjar flying about. When it called, I could confirm it as a Square-tailed Nightjar.
When the elephant moved off, so did I and continued my bug hunt. I found another Hairy Field Spider, slightly different from the first one I found.
I found a few geckos in and around the laundry room. A Tropical House Gecko.
And a Bibron’s Gecko.
There was an interesting looking moth.
There were a few frogs at the little pond.
One of the coolest finds was a Whip Scorpion. Slightly freaky looking, but very nice to find in the rock crevasses.
I found many of these Green Lynx Spiders along the path to the Russel Guest Cottage.
It seems night time is a good time to find Butterflies! I found this sleeping Common Bush Brown and Guinefowl Butterflies on my walk.
I ended my evening with what looks like one of the Snouted Beetle species.
The next morning, I was up early for a last walk before I had to leave. The creatures of the night had not yet gone to bed and I started my day with a lovey Crab Spider.
Bathrooms seemed to be the place to find creatures, and I found quite a few. This Squinting Bush Brown Butterfly was sleeping in one of the bathrooms.
This little frog was climbing the wall in the kitchen area.
While I was walking to and from the hide, I found two Solifuges.
This creature was in the ladies’ bathrooms next to the hide.
A Wolf spider was out hunting.
I almost walked up the ramp to the hide without switching on my flashlight. Luckily, I did, because I may have stepped on this little cute one.
I ended my walk with a Long Horn Beetle.
On the way back to my hut I heard a noise at the garage that I just had to investigate. A Thick-tailed Bush Baby was running around on the roof.
I packed everything and dropped my keys in the box. I was going to drive the Mahoni loop but given how quiet it was the day before I decided against it. In stead I drove along the H13-1 to the junction with the H1-8, turned south and then turned onto the Dzundzwini loop. From there I would head to the gate and home. The weather was very different compared to the previous few days. It was heavily overcast and slightly misty.
I had seen very few Giraffes on this trip, so when I saw this fella I had to stop. 
A little further down the road I saw two immature Bateleurs in the same tree.
It was quite interesting to see the two together. They could not be siblings because Bateleurs only lay one egg.
Less than 100m further there was a third youngster in a tree.
Just before the H1-8 junction there was a small herd of Buffalo. This one was very cute.
Before turning south, I had to drive a little north because I saw a herd of Elephants approaching from the east.
It was lovely to watch them as they approached and then crossed the road behind my car. There was also a tiny little one, but he kept himself hidden behind mom. A perfect elephant sighting on my last morning.
While I was looking at a Brown Snake Eagle in the distance, a vehicle coming from the south stopped next to me and asked what I was looking at. He then mentioned that he had seen cheetahs earlier. I had heard about them on the Sunday evening, and asked with hope in my voice how far down the road. He mentioned that it was at least a 30 minute drive. Oh well, next time.
Dzundzwini loop was also very quiet. Suddenly I heard a familiar call, one I had heard a few times during this trip but whose owner I had not managed to spot yet. I scanned the area and saw the Pearl-spotted Owlet in a dead tree.
I love the false eyes on the back of his head. 
I stopped at my favourite little watering hole. There were no hippos or crocodiles, but there was a large bird party on the go. Everywhere I looked there were birds. I saw both Golden-breasted and Cinnamon-breasted Buntings. A Grey-headed Bushshrike and Yellow-billed Hornbill were jumping around in the bushes at the back. There were also Blue Waxbills, Red-billed Firefinches and a Green-winged Pytilia.
The often difficult to photograph Brown-crowned Tchagra was out in the open for a change.
While Fork-tailed Drongos are all over the Park they are not birds that I manage to photograph often.
Finally, I headed towards the gate. Just before the turn off to camp I saw a Lilac-Breasted Roller. 
On the other side a Bennet’s Woodpecker was pecking away in a tree.
And that, I thought, is that. It had been another incredible trip, but it was time to leave the Park. Or so I thought…..