Day Twelve - Open Game Drive & Final Night in the Bush

Wakeup was before sunrise and we were backed and fed and ready to hit the road at 5:00am. Today we had a choice to ride in the regular truck in search of more game or take a smaller, open-air off-road vehicle for a fee. All the vehicles would meet a the next campsite, so it was up to each individual. Everyone opted for the off-road vehicles and we divided into two groups and began looking for animals.

Sunrise in Kruger (Click to Enlarge)	Tsessebe in Kruger (Click to Enlarge)	Giraffe Grazing on Leaves (Click to Enlarge)

It didn't take long to find all sorts of game out in the morning sun. There were impala, tsessebe, warthogs, baboons, giraffe, and elephant aplenty.

Young Impala (Click to Enlarge)	Warthogs in Kruger (Click to Enlarge)	Baboons Foraging Under a Tree (Click to Enlarge)

The off-road vehicles are able to get much closer to the animals without scaring them off. Many times they would walk right up to us or around the truck.

Giraffes in Kruger (Click to Enlarge)	Giraffes in Kruger (Click to Enlarge)	Giraffes in Kruger (Click to Enlarge)

The quantity of wildlife in the area was really remarkable. The more we drove, the more we saw.

Elephants, Impala, & Zebras Roaming Together (Click to Enlarge)	Elephants in Kruger (Click to Enlarge)	Baby Elephant (Click to Enlarge)

One of the highlights was witnessing an elephant river-crossing.

Elephant Shaking His Trunk (Click to Enlarge)	Elephants Crossing the River (Click to Enlarge)	Elephants Crossing the River (Click to Enlarge)

Some of the smaller elephants got stuck in the water and had to be nudged along. We made the driver wait until they were all safe before we left. Not sure what we would have done had they gotten into trouble, but it felt right.

Male Waterbuck (Click to Enlarge)	Young Zebra with Mother (Click to Enlarge)	Female Waterbuck (Click to Enlarge)

The other highlight was watching a Lion carry her cub to the water hole and then call for her to return to the shade tree for some bonding.

Lion Carrying Her Cub to a Water Hole (Click to Enlarge)	Lion Calling For Her Cub (Click to Enlarge)	Lion & Cub Reunited (Click to Enlarge)

It was a long, full day, fantastic the whole way through. We saw so many animals and beautiful sites. An incredible experience.

The Shalati Bush Camp was only another hour drive south and it was a welcome site. They offered some lodge upgrades at a very low price and I was the first to jump at to it. My last night in the bush would be a comfortable one.

It would also be a festive one. The Lads from Galway and I dove right into the cold beer and didn't stop all night. We mixed in some Jameson and a few shots of something that tasted a lot like paint thinner. The lodge employees were fun and the whole group had a great night.

 

Day Thirteen