Thursday
It was early when I left Shingwedzi and headed north to Punda Maria for the last four nights of my trip and my Year of Travel.
I saw all the usual suspects on the way. At Boyela Waterhole I was able to add Wattled Starlings to my trip list. There was also a herd of Buffalos and some Zebras.
I spotted something in the grass just as I reached Babalala Picnic Site. It was a Slender Mongoose. Normally skittish and quick to disappear, this one stayed in the open for a while.
The road between Babalala and Punda Maria went by quickly. I was very excited when I saw the Baobab near the road.
There were many Waterbuck and a few Steenbokkies.
A large herd of Buffalos blocked the road for a short while. I love how they lift their noses in the air when they look at you.
A highlight was a Sharpe’s Grysbok. It was only the second time ever that I’d ever seen one of these and I was really happy with this sighting.
As I approached the Punda Maria camp gate, I was just in time to see a herd of Buffalo approaching. I went straight to the waterhole. What a wonderful welcome.
It was still very early, but luckily I was camping and could check in early. It was a cool-ish morning, and setting up camp went quickly. I was lucky to find a camp site by the fence just to the left of the hide.
Then I was back on the road and on my way to Klopperfontein Dam via the S60. These guys were starting their mid-day siesta early.
I simply love Blue Waxbills.
Then it was time for my favourite animal.
It was a pleasant drive with lovely sightings – Southern Ground Hornbills, Zebras and Giraffe.
When I visited the Punda Maria area for the first time in 2017, I fell hopelessly in love with the landscape and these magnificent creatures. Every time I see one I am in awe. And I was not the only one looking at this impressive tree.
A large elephant was drinking at the Klopperfontein waterhole, but he kept standing with his bum to the road. I could only really photograph his trunk.
Klopperfontain Dam was a hive of activity, and it would become my go-to place while staying at Punda Maria. There were lots of birds and a herd of Tsessebes with a youngster.
A large Crocodile was basking and a few Zebras were milling about.
On the way back to camp I had to take another photo of another tree.
When I arrived back at camp it was time to melt into a puddle of joy again.
A herd of Elephants was drinking at the waterhole.
The proximity of the waterhole to the fence ensured that I was close to these wonderful beings. 
I was in my element and my camera was working overtime. But I was also just happy to sit back and enjoy the scene.
The birds tried to distract me. White-crowned Helmetshrikes are some of my favourite little birds and a few were flying about the trees near my tent.
But when a mom and the cutest little Tinyfant arrived, my attention shifted back to the Elephants. The little one was too adorable for words, but he remained very close to mom.
Elephants have really long eyelashes, and you don’t always get to see their eyes. I love it when they have those honey-coloured brown eyes.
Watching Elephants up close fills me with a joy that is hard to describe.
I didn’t know it yet, but I would have many more special moments with my favourite animal during the next few days.
Once again I discovered that my little camping fridge was a magnet for spiders. I found two on the fridge while setting up camp and another in the folds of my tent. Before I went on my afternoon drive, I took a few photos before I released them. One was a really pretty Natta horizontalis Jumping Spider.
The other two were Crab Spiders. The first was a tiny Thomisus sp Crab Spider, and the second a pretty Synema sp African Masked Crab Spider.
My afternoon drive took me along the Mahoni Loop. The first half was very quiet. More or less at the halfway mark I crossed a little stream and noticed a Monitor Lizard in the water.
Towards the end of the Loop I saw Buffalo, Kudus, a stunning Nyala and little Pigs.
Just before the end of the Mahoni Loop I received a bit of a shock to the system. During previous visits this is what I saw.
But today the scene was very different.
I could not believe it. I was rather heartbroken. It had been such a beautiful tree.
As I turned onto the tar road, there was a small, or rather large, roadblock and I had to wait a few minutes for him to walk off the road before I could continue.
I went for a small night walk. I didn’t find too much except for this Uroplectes vittatus Scorpion and a Huntsman Spider.
The elephants came back later that evening.
Before I went to bed I was sorting my cooler boxes for the next day. The car door was open, and I heard something in my car. When I went to investigate I saw a Thick-tailed Bushbaby sitting on my car’s front seat! He was so cute. Luckily he jumped out of the car without much fuss as soon as he saw me.
What a day it had been.
Friday
I wanted to drive to the Pafuri Picnic spot and Crooks Corner. There was a car ahead of me and we both turned onto the S60. We found the dogs. They were running next to the road and into the bushes. It was still very dark, and I could not get any clear photos. But I thought they were running to the H13-1, and I turned around. I drove along the tar road, and had a brief glimpse of one dog chasing after something. I thought that would be the end of the sighting. I was in two minds whether to go back to the S60 or continue on to Pafuri via the tar road. While I considered what to do, the sun came up.
I decided to go back to the S60 as I had planned originally. And meters after turning onto the road, there they were. They had circled back. It was still to dark for any decent photos, but I took some anyway. The alpha female was a pretty dog.
I just love those ears.
The pack contained quite a few young dogs, something that was really wonderful to see. After sniffing around on the road for a bit, they headed back into the bushes.
They were once again going towards the tar road and I turned back again. This time they were easy to find. They must have killed something that morning because some still had signs of blood on them.
One of the pups had a small snack that looked like a small rabbit.
I spent a few more minutes with them before they disappeared again.
I headed back to the S60 for the third time. The road to Klopperfontein dam was quiet with only a few Buffalos along the way.
The usual birds were at the dam. The Water Thick-knees looked pretty in the morning light and a Tawny Eagle sat majestically in a dead tree.
White-faced Whistling Ducks flew past.
I added a new bird to my Kruger list when I saw a few Lark-like Buntings.
Just after turning onto the tar road there were a few Southern Ground Hornbills. I saw so few European Rollers during this trip, so it was a nice treat to see one.
The whole time I had been in Kruger I wondered if this trip would be the trip when I would see my first Eland in Kruger. I had a feeling….and when I reached Mashikiri waterhole, there they were!
They were a little far from the road for my liking, but I was happy! It was a Kruger animal I had wanted to tick for a long time, and it finally happened.
This Eurasian Oriole was a nice find as well.
I was slowed once or twice by various roadblocks.
Pafuri Picnic Site was quiet. There was only one other car. There were a few White-browed Robin-chats and White-fronted Bee-eaters around. The people from the other vehicle pointed out a Tropical Boubou.
After I finished my snacks, I drove to Crooks Corner. I love the Baobab Trees just outside the Picnic Area.
As always there were lots of Nylas in that area of the Park. Birds included a Southern Ground Hornbill, Natal Spurfowl and Meve’s Starlings.
It was very hot when I reached Crooks Corner. The Water Levels were the lowest that i have seen.
I stopped for a bit on the bridge over the Levubu River. A Purple Roller perched on a tree and some Nyalas came to drink
I drove a little north of the river because the Baobab Trees along that stretch of road were phenomenal.
I Can’t get enough of these beautiful fairy-tale trees.
The Baobab Tree on the Nyala Road has always been one of my favourites.
At Klopperfontein Dam I found a Giraffe drinking. There was also a family of Knob-billed Ducks.
A pair of Saddle-billed Storks were relaxing.
On the way back to camp I saw a Black-backed Jackal, Buffalos and Impalas.
A pair of Steenbokkies posed together for a photo, something that does not happen often.
It seemed as if the dogs had circled back again, and I found them at the corner of the tar road and the Mahoni Road turn off just outside camp.
One of the pups had a small injury on his back, but it did not look too serious.
A couple got up and moved to the shade of a different bush, but for the most part there wasn’t too much activity.
Back I camp I lit the fire and had my lunch braai. I could not sit and relax, because once again there was magic happening at the waterhole.
Zebras, Kudus and Nyalas also came for a drink.
Some Red-billed Firefinches were feeding nearby.
I heard rustling in the grass at the fence and had a brief glimpse of a large Yellow-throated Plated Lizard.
After lunch I went to see what the dogs were up to, but they were still flat. I went for a walk along the Flycatcher trail in camp. Other than a Tropical House Gecko and extreme humidity, I did not see much.
The heat during the walk drained my energy, and I did not feel like going for a drive. And I did not need to. Once again the waterhole delivered.
Maybe the elephants knew I was tired, because they came to me.
These eyes just melts my heart.
There is something so wonderful about being this close to Elephants that are completely relaxed.
The evening’s entertainment ended with a herd of Buffalo.
A day to remember.
Saturday
Once again I was out early, and once again the dogs interfered with my plans. I found them just outside camp, but this time they were a lot harder to keep up with. I thought they were headed to the waterhole and I drove back to camp. While I waited to see if the dogs would arrive, I had a few moments to watch the sunrise.
We had brief glimpses of the dogs, but they headed away from camp again, and I got back in my car to see if I could follow them. I did see them, but they were moving away from the road.
Once I lost sight of the dogs, I drove to the Mahoni Loop. There is a tree not far from the start that has a branch that stretches across the road. I had often thought that it would be the perfect branch for a leopard. Today I saw an animal on the branch but not the spotted cat I had been wishing for..
A Brown Snake Eagle was watching me with interest.
The road was extremely quiet. The flowers, however, were pretty.
There was a Yellow-billed Hornbill just before the end of the loop.
I was hoping that there would be more activity at Klopperfontein Dam. I saw a few Giraffes and Zebras on the way.
Buffalos, Tsessebes, Zebras and Blue Wildebeest were drinking water at Klopperfontein Dam
The resident birds at Klopperfontein Dam were out and about – Wood Sandpipers, Black Crakes, Three-banded Plovers and an African Jacana.
I had to stop for another beautiful tree.
A huge Elephant was cooling down near the road at Mashikiri Waterhole.
There was also a large flock of Red-billed Queleas.
It was hot and dry, and I headed back to camp via the tar road. A shape next to a bush caught my eye. A Red-crested Korhaan was enjoying the shade.
A little further I found a rather large family. A male and female Ostrich and their chicks were feeding. I counted 16 chicks!
Back at camp I had my now customary afternoon braai and enjoyed the activity at the hide. Visitors came in all shapes and sizes. The sunlight reflected beautifully off the wings of a Guineafowl Butterfly.
A Red-billed Quelea came to cool down.
The Zebras looked stunning as they came for a drink. They are really dazzling.
A Mom and foal also came for a drink, as well as Nyalas, Impalas and a Cinnamon-breasted Bunting.
Later I went for an afternoon drive to Klopperfontein Dam. I appreciated this wonderful Fairytale Tree once again.
There were Elephants at the waterhole as well as the dam.
Warthogs were really enjoying their spa.
On the way back to camp I saw a few Giraffes, Elephants and Zebras.
A Dusky Lark was a nice little surprise.
Just before camp I spotted a few Piglets and a family of Dwarf Mongoose.
And then it was time for the most special evening of the entire trip. A large herd of elephants came to drink. I went and stood by the fence to enjoy this marvelous spectacle. There was a puddle of water right next to the fence, and a few elephants came to drink right there. They were less than 2m away from me. One elephant splashed himself with mud, and splashed me in the process as well. It was awesome.
More came to drink from the puddle.
It felt as if my heart was going to explode from my chest. The emotions and feelings I experienced by being so close to relaxed elephants are hard to describe. There may have been a few tears in my eyes. I turned to the couple sitting on the bench next to me – we just shook our heads in silence – there were no words to describe this.
When I originally planned the Kruger trip I was going to start at Punda Maria and finish at Skukuza, but then I swopped it around. And as it turned out, it worked out brilliantly. Ever since I arrived at Punda Maria the Elephant experiences have been incredible. I think it was meant to be that I spend the last few days of this amazing Year of Travel with my absolute favourite animal.
There was also a cute little Tinyfant that was still trying to understand this thing hanging from his face.
I stood there for almost 2 hours until the herd started moving away. I sat in my chair at my tent and thought of what I had just experienced. I felt warm and fuzzy all over. It had been an incredibly perfect evening.
Sunday
The couple that I chatted to the night before mentioned that there was a dead elephant near Shingwedzi. My original plan for the morning was to drive to Babalala, so I thought I may as well drive to Shingwedzi and see if there was any activity at the carcass.
But first I had to visit Klopperfontein Dam. Whet do you say about a morning that starts like this?
The Baobab Tree looked magnifficent in the morning light.
A couple of Giraffes were drinking at the dam.
As I headed south towards Shingwedzi I spotted a very shy Leopard Tortoise.
The road was a little quiet, but every now and then there were wonderful sightings that included a lovely Elephant and a handsome Jackal.
There were Wattled Starlings and Southern Ground Hornbills near Boyela Waterhole.
I found the elephant carcass, but there were no scavengers. Apparently she was euthanised, but I heard a couple of versions of the reasons for this, so I wasn’t sure of the real cause. But the Rangers did remove her tusks for obvious reasons. 
As I left ShingwedziI noticed a few Blue Wildebeest in the Riverbed. I almost did not notice that there was a third one!
I saw another Southern Ground Hornbill as well as a pretty Lilac-breasted Roller.
I found something adorable at the Lamont waterhole.
The little ones were just too cute for words.
It was a really lovely moment to see the little piglets.
I was excited to see this cute little Temminck’s Courser. They are such pretty little birds.
There was a large group of animals at the Boyela Waterhole, as well as a little Steenbokkie.
Just before Babala my decision to drive to Shingwedzi paid off. I saw two antelope next to the road – Roan!
I was so excited. I had only seen Roan once before. I could now tick off Sable, Tsessebe, Eland and Roan all during one trip!
I just love their ears.
I was doing a little dance in my seat as I drove away. But if I thought that would be the end of my Roan sightings, I was in for a surprise. As I arrived at Babalala I looked towards the waterhole and slammed on breaks. There was a WHOLE HERD of Roan!
Unfortunately they were a little far away and by the time I had driven around to the waterhole they had moved into the tickets, but I could see the herd and I counted more than 10. How amazing.
As I left them I was really happy. I had now seen Sable, Tsessebe, Eland and Roan on one trip! Very special. Throw in the little Sharpe’s Grysbokkie, and it really special indeed.
As I continued on to Punda Maria, I saw more babies.
A small herd of Zebras was kicking up some dust.
At Dokweni Waterhole I came across and Open-billed Stork and a few elephants on the other side of the stream.
I was surprised at how many Waterbuck I saw during the trip. A family of Giraffe made for a pretty picture.
Just before I reached Punda Maria I saw one of our most impressive eagles. Martial Eagles are such regal birds. And those piercing eyes ….
There were more Impalas just outside the camp gate.
I had a wonderful visitor as I finished my afternoon braai. I don’t see Crowned Hornbills very often, and to have this one hanging out close to me was fantastic.
You can see a few rain drops in the first photo. It had become very overcast and the weather forecast predicted rain. Packing up a camp site in the rain is not fun, but unpacking it all at home to dry and then packing it all away again is worse.
I went to reception and enquired about changing my accommodation to a hut. Fortunately one was available. I paid and got the key, and then packed up my camp site in record time. As I closed the door of my car after packing the last item, the rain started.
I drove to the hut and sat on the veranda watching the rain. It came down rather heavily, and I was not unhappy about my decision to change accommodation.
After a while the rain stopped and I walked down to the hide. I am not fond of monkeys and baboons. They ruin the camping experience. You can leave nothing outside for even a few minutes, not even closed containers. But baby Vervet Monkeys are quite cute, and the troop of monkeys in camp had some very new babies. The troop was scratching about for food in the campsite, and the babies were playing. 
I spent a bit of time with them and enjoyed their antics.
They do have cute little faces.
I went for a last visit to the hide. It was the last evening of my Year of Travel. I was incredibly sad about that fact. But super grateful for every day of this year. The rain ensured that there was little activity at the hide. A small herd of Elephants came for a drink but they did not stay long. I enjoyed their company while they were there.
After supper I went for my last night walk. I found a cute little Foam Nest Frog and a plump Red Toad..
I saw lots of different Beetles and a few Ant Lions – not the form I normally see them in!
A Daddy (or in this case Mommy) Longlegs spider was protecting her precious bundle.
I found the tiniest little Tropical House Gecko I had ever seen. It was only about 3cm head to tail. The little thing was adorable.
I also found a few Whip Scorpions. Slightly freaky but entirely fascinating creatures.
As I got into bed for the last time on this trip, the rain started. I thought of everything I had seen and experienced during this trip. I fell asleep to the sound of the rain, and with a smile on my face.
Monday
And just like that …… the last morning.
It was still raining when I woke up. Once again I was glad I had changed my accommodation because I would have been soaked if I had to pack up my camps site in the rain.
I stopped at the waterhole for one last time.
I made my way slowly to the Park gate. It was raining, and the weather kept most birds and animals in hiding. I did see Impalas, Giraffe, Buffalos and Zebras.
All to soon I was at the gate.
My last trip had been everything I had hoped for and so much more. The 16 nights that I had spent in Kruger were spectacular. It was an amazing end to my Year of Travel.
Thank you Kruger.