[Seth] Safari Time

Sabi Sand Wildtuin is a collection of private game reserves that border on Kruger National Park.  Kruger N.P. is tucked into the northeast corner of South Africa.  At about 7,500 square miles, Kruger is about the same size as Wales.  It is particularly famous for its high density of wild animals including the Big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos (I cannot figure out why buffalos are part of the big 5 as there are so many other cooler animals). Hundreds of other mammals make their home here, as do diverse bird species such as vultures, eagles and hundreds of other colorful species.  Due to the potential danger, both to people and animals, the rules at Kruger dictate that visitors must stay on the marked roads and stay in they cars.  Because of all of the restrictions, private game reserves have grown up adjacent to the park and have effectively expanded its borders (for instance there is no fence between Kruger and Sabi Sands).  On the private reserves, there is more flexibility for the safari jeeps to go off-road and there are some opporutunities to go on walking safaris (for those 16 years and older).

We had the opportunity to spend four nights at two different lodges inside Sabi Sands.  When staying at safari camps, you typically have two game drives each day -- one at dawn and one at dusk -- and you eat a lot of food.  

Dawn in the bush

Dusk in the bush

Moon and Venus at twilight 

So you have very early mornings (5:30 am wake-up call), followed by hot chocolate (or coffee/tea) and then leave for the morning drive.  The drives are in a 4x4 Land Rover and are led by a Guide who is assisted by a tracker who sits on a little seat attached to the front of the vehicle.  After a couple of hours in the morning drive, usually at about 9 am, you stop out in the bush for another hot chocolate and biscuits before finishing by the drive at about 10 am which is followed by breakfast and then a late lunch.  After a quiet afternoon you have tea at about 3 pm and then depart on the second game drive.  At sundown, there are sundowner drinks in the bush (with snacks like biltong and dried fruit).  After sundown, the drive back to the lodge is focused on spotting nocturnal animals and the tracker uses a spotlight to try and find bush babies (small nocturnal primates), owls, chameleons, and other nighttime creatures.  Of course, upon your return there is an elaborate dinner.  All and all, there is a lot of food and surprisingly little exercise since it is too dangerous to do much beyond walking around the grounds during the daylight (at night you need to be escorted for your safety).

Kirkman's Kamp

For the first two nights, we stayed at Kirkman's Kamp.  Kirkman's is the renovated Toulon Farm where Harry Kirkman lived.  Harry was a legendary rancher, lion hunter from the last century (he supposedly shot more than 500 lions) and later ranger and conservationist.    

Kirkman's Kamp

While at Kirkman's, we quickly saw the big 5, including tracking a female leopard and her cub as they first ate an impala in a tree and then walked directly through the lodge on their way to find more something else to eat -- ideally not a lodge guest.  

A leopard standing directly in front of our room

We also had the chance to see lions, black and white rhino, and wild dogs.  

Black Rhino

Sleeping lions

African Wild Dogs

On our last morning at Kirkman's, we saw a confrontation between a leopard,  who was quickly trying to finish the remains of an impala that it had killed the night before, and two hyenas that saw no reason that the leopard shouldn't share.  The hyenas quickly convinced the leopard of the justness of their cause although there may have been some hard feelings when it was all over. 

Just before the leopard decided to share . . .

After a couple of days at Kirkman's, we headed further north to Ulusaba for the rest of our stay.  Stay tuned.