After five days exploring Knysna and the Garden Route, we had planned to move on. Unfortunately, our departure was cancelled when the forecast changed and our 'weather window' disappeared. The prognosis was depressing and we realised Skyfall would be staying put for another week. Sailing the South African coast, it was always likely that we would get stuck somewhere, waiting for a safe weather window. I had expected such a scenario between Durban and East London but we had been lucky. However, now it was time to activate our 'Plan B'.
Our 'Plan B' was to use the time to visit the Kruger National park, the largest and oldest game reserve in South Africa. We chose to stay in a lodge in the park. This is a more expensive option but gives you two 'drives' per day to see animals (dawn and dusk). During the heat of the day you can copy the animals and spend the time sleeping and trying to keep out of the sun.
Of the 'Big 5' animals, we first encountered elephants. This is not a surprise as their numbers have recently soared. Ten years ago, experts believed the Park could only sustain around 7,000 elephants (they destroy trees) and there was an annual cull of 500 animals to control numbers. That assumption was challenged and it was decided to let numbers increase. Now there are 35,000 elephants in Kruger.
Of course, it is possible to see all these animals in a zoo. So what makes a safari so special? For me, the answer is that it gives the opportunity to witness animal behaviour first hand and have it explained to you by a ranger/guide. For instance, we watched a herd of elephants crossing the road in front of us. Elephant herds are matriarchal and extremely protective of their young. The youngest elephant was almost glued to the back legs of its mother and the next largest elephant followed right behind for added protection.
After the herd of eight animals had crossed, I noticed another elephant following the herd around 200m behind. Males are kicked out of the herd once they reach puberty (16-17 years old). The guide explained that this was likely a young male who had only just been forced out and was still processing having to live alone rather than with the herd he grew up with. To me, it seemed like 'tough love'.
Humans can be more subtle. Personally, we waited until Sean, our son was 21. He wanted to travel so, for his birthday, his parents bought him a rucksack and a ticket to Australia. For good measure, once he had left we sold the house and moved to another country!(* see note)
Another time, we encountered a herd of elephants resting. The larger elephants rest standing up. But the young ones lie down to rest. Of course, under their mother's protection.
The male (bull) elephants, having been kicked out of the herd, either live alone or with other male elephants. Males go through periodic cycles where testosterone levels increase. They are said to be 'on musth' and there is a peak period of a few weeks where all they want to do is find a female on heat. If they cannot, then anything and everything they encounter will make them angry. Including tourists on safari.
We were driving along when the guide suddenly pulled up. About one hundred metres ahead a huge bull elephant was shaking its head and swinging it's trunk wildly. "Ohhh, that is a really angry elephant", she said. Then, she explained all about being 'on musth'. Other signs include urinating on its front legs and having a 'dripping' penis. (That might explain why he could not find a female!).
We waited. Hopefully the elephant would move off into the bush. But he kept wandering from one side to the other, blocking the road. Then a car waiting on the other side of the elephant saw an opportunity. Whilst the elephant was briefly off the road to one side, the driver (not a guide) quickly accelerated past. The bull elephant turned and charged down the road after the car. At first, I wondered if the car would get hit. Then I realised we had a different problem. The car was coming our way with an angry bull elephant right behind it! Suddenly, we were reversing at high speed down the road with the elephant no more than 30m away. Fortunately, it got bored, gave up and turned around to march back to where it came from.
It took a further half hour for the bull to calm down and to move off to the side. We crept slowly and carefully by.
We also hoped to find either or both of two leopards who frequented the territory close to our lodge. Each drive, we would investigate their favourite haunts, trying to make a sighting. Kruger is much bigger than the other parks we have visited. In our area, the vehicles are not allowed 'off road'. The safari experience relies on chance encounters as the animals are either crossing the roads or are using the roads to move around. You can drive for 30 minutes without seeing anything interesting and then, suddenly, have an amazing interaction. And so it was with our leopard. It was our third evening patrolling the road close to the river which formed part of the leopard's route across his territory. Again no encounter. As we were driving away we saw another safari vehicle travelling at high speed towards us. The guides know each other well enough to share information.
The approaching vehicle screeched to a halt next to us just long enough to say 'leopard sighting'. Our guide did a hand brake turn and raced after his friend. We were the third vehicle on the scene. We could just make out movement in the grass next to the first vehicle. It was the leopard. We could not get any closer and I fully expected the leopard to take off from the road and that we would miss out.
Instead, the leopard, slowly and purposefully, walked past the first two vehicles, stopping briefly on the bank above the track just next to us, before proceeding on its way. We had invested four hours over three days for a two minute encounter. But, watching this cat go about it's business in it's own environment was priceless.
We split our time in Kruger between the traditional 'drives' to find animals and a walking safari. Yes, walking through the bush where lions, leopards and elephants roam free. As a tourist you are entirely reliant on the expertise of the rangers and, in the event of an emergency, their shooting skills. The groups are very small with two armed rangers per group.
Actually, whilst walking we did not get very close to animals. They see or hear you long before you are close enough to take photos with a smartphone. However, the ability to go into the bush, analyse animal tracks (have them explained to you) and learn about the social interactions of each type of animal was brilliant. All at a slow and easy pace.
We stayed in permanent camps completely open to animals with only elevation as security. They were positioned close to artificial waterholes in open fields, ensuring a high degree of activity at dusk. The safaris were organised with sailors in mind in that each day was organised around sundowners. To be perched high in the trees, drinking your favourite 'guilty pleasure' and watching the animals was very special.
And the sunsets in the park were also great. I have often raved about the sunsets and sunrises we experience in the middle of oceans with no light pollution. Here, there is also no light pollution and the scene is enhanced with the silhouette of a tree or something
Surprisingly, the rangers were most cautious about an encounter with Cape buffalos. We were told that, on foot, even lions are afraid of humans and will run away if they see you. (Fortunately, we did not get to test this hypothesis!) The issue with the Cape buffalo is that their method of deterring a would-be predator is to charge en masse if they feel threatened. So, the moment we stumbled on Cape Buffalo, we immediately beat a hasty retreat and took a detour to avoid them.
On one walk we noticed a host of vultures in the trees. The ranger thought it would be fun to investigate and expected to find a carcass.
There were many different types of vulture and our guide explained that each type had a different function. Some specialised in opening the carcass. Others were 'inside eaters' and enjoyed the organs, others were outside eaters. There was even a type which specialised in eating the lips and eyes!
By the time we got there, all that remained of the impala was half a jaw bone.
Like Jack Sprat and his wife, they had 'licked the platter clean'.
A pride of lions typically 'controls' 200-500 km² of territory. Traditionally, I had been told that one dominant male would control the lionesses and all the younger lions, until successfully challenged by a (younger), stronger lion. However, in Kruger, the rangers have observed coalitions where one dominant male would partner with a second male so they had twice the 'firepower' to resist challengers. If only one lioness was on heat, the second male would miss out. But if two lionesses went on heat at the same time, then the second male would have his chance. The largest 'coalition' so far recorded in Kruger, is five male lions looking after one pride.
The pride around our camp consisted of three lionesses (with cubs) and three male lions. Actually the three males were dad and his two sons. However, the dominant male was now the eldest son. One evening, whilst eating dinner, we heard the lions roar in the distance. Our guide recognised the males and believed there was a good chance that they would be heading towards the camp. Around 22.00 we heard more roars. This time, really close. Then came pandemonium as the wildebeest who had been grazing in front of the camp tried to escape. We heard the snap of broken branches followed by the painful squeals of freshly caught 'dinner'.
Although this was a walking safari, the camp had a small, open jeep for emergencies, to transport supplies, etc. Our guide jumped in and set off into the night to investigate. He returned ten minutes later, excited, and Paul and I joined him in the jeep. We headed off to where the track crossed the dried up river. He turned into the sandy, dry river course before stopping just metres from where the three lions were ripping the poor wildebeest apart.
Paul and I were rather nervous being within 5-10m of three hungry lions in an open top jeep. But the ranger (who did not bring his rifle) assured us that the lions did not see us as a threat to them or their meal and, consequently, were only interested in eating. All well and good, we thought, but what happens when that meal is finished! We watched for a quarter of an hour, fascinated by the power of the lions and the ruthlessness of mother nature. Then it was time to return to camp and turn in before another 04.30 start the next morning.
On another drive, we caught a glimpse of a rhino crossing the road. It was already almost dark and, before we reached the crossing point, the rhino was already 20m into the bush. It was our only rhino sighting. Our guide explained that, even eight years ago, you could encounter 30 rhinos a day. Unfortunately, with poaching, now he sees one rhino every 30 days!
We also saw several birds of prey. There were eagle owls, barn owls, an array of different eagles, kites and even a falcon.
Although I did not have a proper camera (my photos are taken with a smartphone), one of the guests on the walking safari, Fangbei, used a long lens and was kind enough to share his bird photos with us
There were an almost infinite array of other birds which we spotted either on the walking safari or around the camps. Here are just a selection of photos
For lovers of the 'Lion King', Zazou is a hornbill. My daughter liked the name and named her dog after it. They do not look anything like each other!
Names can sometimes be deceiving. The Southern Ground Hornbill is also found in trees!
We saw many woodpeckers around the camp
There were herons and a variety of storks near the watering holes
We also managed to see smaller predators. Hyenas, after hunting at night, return to their dens as quickly as possible. They have no qualms jogging along the roads, even if it means passing close to safari vehicles.
It turns out that hyenas and wild dogs are the most successful predators in Africa. It is estimated that around 75% of the time they kill their prey (compared to only 35% for lions). Both wild dogs and hyenas have the ability to communicate among themselves 'real time'' whilst hunting in packs, shouting instructions to each other, leaving the quarry with little chance.
We saw many hares and their main enemy, the jackal
Of course, predators only thrive in an environment with plenty of prey. And there were, indeed, plenty of edible feasts. Lions, although opportunistic hunters, prefer to go for giraffe, zebra, Cape buffalo and sometimes wildebeest. One kill will then go a long way to feeding the pride.
We often found these animals around watering holes around dusk or early morning. Even if you did not see anything, the view would make up for it
On the other hand, impalas, a favourite dinner for leopards, seemed to prefer to wait until full daylight before venturing down to the watering hole. Probably in the belief that their predators would have already decided to quit hunting and rest somewhere in the shade during the day. This herd made for an impressive sight
A few posts ago, one reader suggested that I should add more pictures. I have tried to oblige. Actually I have a hundred more pictures from Kruger which I would have liked to add but I already worry how long this post will take to load. If you got this far, you must have some patience!
To finish, here are pictures, not of animals, but of the landscape. Just to give you an idea of how beautiful and special South Africa and Kruger National Park are
Finally, it is recommended to go in the dry season (August or September). We went at supposedly the wrong time. Yet, it was still amazing.
(*) Although factually true, our move to Belgium had nothing to do with Sean. In any case, on his travels, he fell for the lovely Ricarda, his German partner, and therefore had no desire to return home. They have been together in Germany now for fourteen years.