The highlights of my two nights at Punda includes my explorations of the Mahoni loop, The Pafuri area all the way to Crooks Corner, and all the way to Shingwedzi on the day I moved camp to Mopani.
Number 10 – General sightings
I want to share some photos of other sightings that did not quite fit into the top 10. All of them were special none the less.
I think zebras has to be one of the most photogenic mammal species on the planet. And if they pose nicely like this youngster, photographing them is an absolute pleasure.
I love this guy.
I was driving on the S60 towards Pafuri early on the Friday morning when I saw the first of these bugs. I braked in a cloud of dust in order to take a photo. I did not realise at the time that I would see thousands more of these during the next few days. I tried not to drive over them, but there were so many in some places that it was impossible. Every time I had to drive over some of them, I closed my eyes!
They don’t kill each other, but are not opposed to cannibalism if their friends become road kill.
The morning that I left Punda, this handsome trio created a roadblock for a short while.
On my first afternoon I came across two warthogs on the Mahoni loop. They were a little skittish, but this one eventually settled down in the mud, allowing a few photos.
This is one of my favourite photos of the entire trip.
Number 9 – Punda Sunset drive
I left home at 05h00 on the Thursday morning, and drove through Punda Gate 6 hours later. As it was too early to check in, I explored the Mahonie Loop until I could check in. Instead of doing an afternoon drive on my own, I opted for the sunset drive. What a great decision.
There was a couple on the drive that lives in the same suburb as I do, and a family with 2 lovely teenage daughters. And our guide was a wonderful lady by the name of Promise. The drive started slowly with few sightings, mostly impalas and a few distant kudus and giraffes. We also caught a glimpse of a Sharpe’s Grysbok.
Just before sunset, we spotted something strange – a blue back-pack in the grass a short distance from the road. Promise went to have a look, and confirmed that it looked like poacher gear – there was also a bottle of water and a sleeping bag under a bush. She called it in to other rangers. As per their process she was not allowed to bring the bag on the truck as she could not confirm if there was weapons inside and would not inspect it on her own. We were a little subdued after that.
But then I saw one of the lifers of my trip – a Bronze-winged courser. So Exciting!
We also saw this adorable little Scops Owl.
And I finally got some photos of a Fiery-necked Nightjar.
The drive was quiet for a while, but we made up for it with some light banter and conversation. It was a warm night, and we were pleased to see lots of lightning flashes towards the south.
Our last highlights of the drive included an African Wildcat, and 2 lions (sadly no photos of these sightings). My first lions of my trip on my first night in the park – Perfect! Promise thought the lions may have made a kill where we found them, and we were all hoping the kill was the poachers. We arrived back in camp very happy with our sightings.
Number 8 – Shingwedzi
Travelling from Punda to Mopani I stopped at Shingwedzi for breakfast, and I visited the Kanniedood hide. It looks like a lovely camp, and I would have to stay there at some stage. Just outside the gate I saw this lovely Woodland Kingfisher.
And there were 2 ellies having a drink in the river. On the way to the Kanniedood hide I saw some birds, giraffe and zebras.
It was quiet at the hide, but this cutie pie was keeping a watchful eye on me from the tree next to the hide.
Number 7 – Crooks Corner
Obviously no trip to the north of Kruger would be complete without a visit to this iconic spot. I love the history behind this place, and as I munched on rusks and drank my coffee, I had a little chuckle as I pictured the “Crooks” sitting on the beacon while the police force from 3 countries argued over who would arrest them.
It is a stunning part of the park, and the scenery is incredible. Staring out over the breath-taking expanse of the Limpopo River.
I felt incredibly peaceful. A White-crowned Lapwing kept me company, and when the vigilant Fish Eagle in a tree close to the lookout gave it’s call, it created one of those perfect moments that will stay with you forever.
Driving back on the tree-lined road there were gorgeous Nyalas.
I also spotted this Green-backed Heron – the way that he was sneaking around made me laugh.
I drove back to Punda via the Pafuri Border Post where I saw a herd of good looking kudus.
Number 6 – Birds
Everyone that I have spoken to that has been to this part of the Park gushes about the birdlife. Needless to say, I had high expectations. I am not going to say that I was disappointed…. I saw 55% of my confirmed trip list to date in this area of the park, as well as 5 of my 11 lifers. So why do I feel a teeny bit disappointed? Because I did not see the guinea fowl with the perm …. Or a Fishing Owl ….
But in terms of the birds I did see – wow. A few pics of my feathered friends –
I wonder if anyone ever returns from Kruger without photos of the pretty Lilac-Breasted Roller.
A few drops of rain fell on the Friday, and this guy was really enjoying it.
One of the highlights for me is to see the Yellow-billed Oxpeckers.
I saw 3 of the 5 vulture species in the Punda area.
Double-banded Sandgrouse were everywhere. These birds are very beautiful.
Klopperfontein water hole was quiet at first, and then I saw some ellies in the distance. I turned around, hoping to intercept them, but they disappeared. When I arrived back at the waterhole, this family had also arrived in the meantime. A little far, but still a sighting to get me excited.
The birdlife at Kopperfontein Dam was amazing. I saw my first Paradise Whydah for Kruger and Hamerkop was lurking around, Yellow-billed Oxpeckers were servicing the playful herd of buffaloes, and this immature Gabar Goshawk was swooping and diving in the sky above before eventually landing and allowing me to identify him.
On the way back to Punda I drove past Klopperfontein dam again, but it was much quieter. This little lifer managed to spark my interest and excitement – a Grey-headed Kingfisher.
Another Lifer early on the Saturday morning as I said goodbye to Punda was this Dark Chanting Goshawk. He was very far, and this is a terrible photo, but along with an Arnot’s chat (also a lifer), it was a great start to a very overcast morning.
On my first day I drove the Mahoni loop. At first it was quiet, with only a few hornbills and starlings.
But every now and then I would stop.
And I would listen.
And I would look.
And sometimes I would see some wings. One spot in particular was really great, and I was able to list a number of species in 1 tree, including Paradise flycatcher, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Purple crested Turaco, (no decent photos of most of them though), tchagras, and even a young snake eagle one tree over.
And two of my favourite moments. I should probably thank that rude guy I encountered.
Because when I left camp after my encounter with him, I found these 2 magnificent birds in a tree just before the turnoff to the Mahoni loop. On my way into camp I saw a squirrel on the road that looked like it had been a victim of a hit and run. The one Bateleur was having him as a snack. When he eventually flew off, the other one came to see if there were left overs, but when he could not find a scrap left, he flew off in a huff.
And then another highlight – somewhere between Babalala and Shingwedzi, I saw this magnificent Tawny eagle.
Number 5 – My first “Northern” elephants
I saw my first elephants on the Mahonie Loop on the day I arrived in the Park. The first one I saw was close to the road.
Towards the end of the Mahonie loop a lone bull was having a mud bath.
On the Friday I saw another loner.
And just before I got back to camp there was a small waterhole where a herd was quenching their thirst.
I had heard a lot of stories that the ellies in the north of the Park are not as “friendly” as those in the south.
I always give ellies the space they need, but I have to admit I was a little more wary of these guys. Early one morning I was stopped by a young guy in a little red car, warning me that there was a big ellie around the corner that chased his car. His eyes were as big as saucers, so I believed he had a moment. But the ellie must have moved off, because I never saw him.
Most of the ellies I encountered were very relaxed. But then there was this one……
I was driving on the gravel road from the Pafuri picnic area towards Crooks Corner. When I came around a bend in the road, 2 elephants were feeding right next to the road about 100m in front of me. I stopped, watching them. They were relaxed, but not moving away. The road was narrow, so there was no way I could drive past them. After about 10 minutes, I decided to tippy toe forward a few meters, hoping that seeing the moving car would encourage them to move away enough for me to pass.
Instead of doing that, the one closest to me gave me a look, flapped his ears and took a few steps towards me, trumpeting softly. He really only took 2 or 3 steps towards me, but I reversed in a cloud of dust. He took one last look at me, and casually sauntered off. I swear I could hear him laughing at me for being so nervous. Just look at the grin on his face!
By this time the other one had also moved away, and I was able to continue towards Crooks Corner, feeling just a little silly.
Number 4 – The Pafuri region and the Pafuri picnic spot
The Nyala road was amazing. The scenery and vegetation was stunning.
There were lots of birds, but mostly Meve’s starlings. I did not mind though as this was a lifer.
Some of the few birds that posed for photos.
There was also this gorgeous Baobab tree. The yellow leaves look like flowers!
The only animals I saw were some waterbuck, with this gorgeous male as the head of the family. I stopped on the bridge over the Luvuvhu River. A buffalo was lying down in the distance, with a warthog family having lunch on the banks of the river.
This little squirrel was looking for his own meal.
There are flood level markers all over Kruger noting the water levels from the 2000 floods. In the Northern parts of the Park they are higher than what I have seen before, especially on the Levuvhu River. I noticed the markers on either side of the river, hundreds of meters away from the river. I tried to visualise what that mass of water must have looked like but I couldn’t. I could only drive away, shaking my head in awe at the thought of it. At Shingwedzi I took a photo of the flood level marker from the seat of my car. The river bed is well below the road, making this marker even more unbelievable.
The Pafuri picnic spot is one of the prettiest in the Park with its huge trees and view over the river. A visitor and a pretty flower.
The gravel road past the picnic site to Crooks Corner delivered a number of birds – Indigo bird, firefinch, Giant Kingfisher. And many, many Bee-eaters.
There were also small herds of blue wildebeest and zebras. A handsome Bushbuck was feeding on the other side of the river.
Number 3 – Being back in Kruger
I think most of us feel the same way when you drive through the gate after a long absence. I can’t describe my emotions when I do. “Shutting the door” behind me and forgetting about the outside world for a few days calms me like nothing else. Just being in Kruger is better medicine than any doctor can prescribe.
I always call my Kruger trips my “annual therapy” session. There is always something to see to refresh the mind and soul. I was driving on the Friday morning. I had not seen many animals for a while. It was slightly overcast, and I thought “this is freaking awesome!”
There is so much to see other than the animals.
I had already been driving for many hours, and after I checked in, I did not want to get back in the car immediately. I unpacked, and decided to explore the flycatcher trail. I also needed the leg stretch. It was a quiet walk, the silence only broken by the call of a Yellow-bellied Greenbul. I saw this big orb web spider next to the path.
I have to admit the heat took me by surprise. It was crazy hot, and by the time I had unpacked the car, I felt rather damp. It made me wonder what this part of the Park would be like in December? But I quickly forgot about the heat when I saw the view from my tent.
Number 2 – The Silence and the Darkness
Punda is a small camp, and the location of the Safari tents means that it is a lot quieter than most camps. Especially at night. You can’t see any of the other tents, and once everyone has settled down, the silence is complete. And that makes the howl of hyenas in the distance feel so much closer, and more magical.
The silence continued when I was out driving. I would drive for hours without seeing other cars. With my recent flat tire experiences still fresh in my mind, that aspect of the quiet freaked me out just a teeny bit. Who would help me if I have another flat??!!
Sometimes I would stop to listen for birds, and there would be absolutely no sound, just the stunning scenery. The Mahonie loop with its twists and turns was strangely quiet, and every now and then the mournful call of the Grey hornbill would make me jump just a little.
I spent some time at the hide in Punda Maria camp, and there were no animals. It was quiet, and the view was beautiful. The silence of Kruger is my “Chicken soup for the Soul”.
The moon was almost full, but it was heavily overcast both nights. Once I switched off the lights, it was so dark I could hardly see my hand in front of my face. The darkness was tangible. The coals of my little fire was the only light – it was perfect.
It is extremely difficult to arrange the highlights in an order from 1 to 10 – all of them were so amazing and deserve to be number 1. But in the end, there could only be one number 1.
The Baobabs
I saw my first Baobab near Mopani in March 2016, and I was impressed.
But seeing more of them in the north, and getting close to a few, made me realise just how impressive these trees really are. There is their sheer size. And the fact that some of them are hundreds of years old. And they are so beautiful. They really add something incredibly special to the Kruger landscape.
When you google facts about these incredible trees, you will find that they were used as post offices, pubs and even prisons. I’d like to believe that they are home to fairy tale creatures and even a leopard or 2.
