Lots of lions at Kruger National Park day 3 2014

Greetings from Kruger National Park day 3.

A hurried break down of camp at Letaba with sprinkles of rain then out for a game drive.  Cruising at 20 to 30 mph makes it easier to spot animals both big and small but does mean it takes many hours to travel only a few miles through changing landscapes.

As I mentioned before, baboons are rather obnoxious yet their antics are often rather human like.  If these had been huckleberries instead of the white berries of the Barley Sugar Bush this could have easily been me.

After about an hour of driving and looking at wildflowers we stopped at an overlook of the Oliphants River where you can actually get out of the vehicle.  A herd of about 15 elephants were headed toward the river.  While crossing they chased a crocodile away.  I can never get enough of the elephants and love watching their interactions and play.

Rafts of Hippos also soaked in the river.

Continuing on our drive we crossed a shallow water pool and saw a young Crocodile.  In 2010 at this very place we were attacked by turtles and Joan experienced the same problem there since.  Well good thing we were safely inside as they tried it again but we managed to escape unscathed.

Crossing the Oliphants River we got out on the bridge where Ranger Wanda Lust pointed out more hippos and a few birds.

Impala, one of the many antelopes, are the most commonly seen animals in Kruger National Park yet I never tire of watching their flicking white tails, tiptoe like scamper and playful head butting.

After passing a couple more single male elephants Joan spotted two female lions lazily lying in the shade of a bush.  Not our last sighting of lions for the day.

Yet it’s not always about seeing the big game and Kruger is a bird watcher’s dream.  Yellow-billed Kites are frequently seen but usually not in such great numbers as this.

White Rhino

Then just before we got to our new camp near Orpen Gate we spotted two more lioness lounging in a dry river bed.

We barely got set up at Moroela Camp when a visitor arrived.  Seems squirrels beg from campers all over the world.

Then back out for a late afternoon drive and saw the previous pair of lions, wildebeest and vultures before it was time to head back.  Camp gates close at 6:30pm and wouldn’t you just know we saw more lions, on the road, so of course had to stop which made us late by about two minutes.  But the gate was still open.  This gal looked right in the window at us.

Another most amazing day at Kruger National Park where in one day we saw lions four times.

Animals seen:  Baboon, Elephant, Hippo, Turtle, Crocodile, Impala, Giraffe, Lion, Vulture, Yellow-billed Kite, White Stork, White Rhino, Squirrel, Blue Wildebeest, Zebra, Warthog