Wednesday, Sept 5th - Thursday Sept. 6th

When we arrived at Berg-en-Dal at 9am, we knew we would only be able to check into our lodge at 1pm so we got into the two SUVs and went for a drive. For those with a Kruger Park map, we took the H3 tarred road towards Skukuza and went up to the Renoster Pan where we had a great viewing of zebra and warthog. Also on the drive we saw wildebeast and yet more rhino. We stopped for drinks at the Afsaal picnic stop and then made our way back to Berg-en-Dal via dirt roads and the Gardenia Bird Hide. Unfortunately the pan/marsh that the hide overlooks was totally dry so there were no birds to see. As we came back along the Crocodile River, we saw hippos, but they were a long way away. We got back to the rest camp and moved into the Rhino Lodge where our accommodation was somewhat more luxurious than what we experienced at the Bushman Wilderness camp.

After lunch, three of the ladies went into Malelane to shop for groceries while Vic, Ted and I turned on the TV and watched cricket. Alison and Chris went to the camp laundromat to wash and dry clothes and peacefully read during the process. A couple of hours later, when the ladies had not returned, we called them and found out they had missed the Berg-en-Dal turn and had carried on merrily up the H3, past the Renoster Pan and Afsaal Picnic spot where we had been that morning, only realizing they were “lost” after a further 10K. Of course, being gentlemen, we made no comment when they finally found there way back to the lodge. The lodge had an expansive courtyard with a built in braai and so that evening, that’s what we did. It was a nice relaxing day.

There is a dam at Berg-en-Dal and the end of the lodge yard overlooked the dam, but dammit, it was completly dry! However, we did see a big elephant chasing baboons down the dry dam floor! The Park was so dry, only big rivers had flowing water in them, but all the tributaries that flow into them were dry, consequently, we decided we would have a better chance of seeing more game if we followed a big river and decided to go up to Skukuza and follow the Sabie River down to the Lower Sabie Rest Camp where we would have lunch. Due to time constraints, we agreed that the 80K from Berg- en-Dal to Skukuza would be a “non stop” journey unless we had a “cat” sighting. So we made good time and had a pit stop at Skukuza. Just outside Skukuza, as we were following the Sabie River, a wild dog came running across the road towards the river. I got him on video and Alison and Chris got photos. A few miles later, we saw a crowd of vehicles on one side of the road and the driver of a vehicle coming toward us stopped to tell us that there were six lions on the side of the road! This turned out to be true, but Chris who was in the other vehicle only saw the four females and didn’t see or was at the wrong angle to see the male and the additional female. They all just lay there and paid no mind to all the fuss and moving of cars, etc. that was going on all around them.

We went on to Lower Sabie and before we went into the camp we stopped off at the "Sunset Dam" that some of you will remember. As usual, there was a large pod of hippos (all submerged, with only their backs showing), crocodiles, maribu storks and more.

We finally tore ourselves away and went for lunch at Lower Sabie--what a lovely restaurant in such a great setting overlooking the dam--plenty of water in there and plenty of action, including an elephant crossing the Sabie River. Chris & Linda missed the elephant as they were in the gift shop buying two wooden giraffes. I will say no more about this for the rest of the blog as Chris is paying a sizeable sum to keep this story from being published on the WWW!

We have to be back to our home rest camp by 6pm and as we were going back the shortest route, but all dirt roads, we had to get going. We hadn't gone far when we saw another bunch of cars stopped on the road and this time there were at least four lioness right next to the road feeding on a big male kudu bull (note the horns).

We continued on our way and saw cars on a bridge going over the Sabie. We took a look and in the dry bed of the river in the distance we could see (with binoculars) two lioness. Apparently, the other vehicle also spotted the male resting near the bank. We continued on and remembered that we hadn't seen any Cape Buffalo herds. We went on to see three herds on our way home.

Just after we had left the dirt road and turned onto the tar, we saw another crowd of cars and this time we had a male lion who had obviously eaten himself absolutely full as his belly looked as though it was ready to burst. He was passed out and not worrying about all the people who were watching him. It was our fourth lion sighting of the day!

I also forgot to mention that we had a nice sighting of a Saddle billed stork on the Sabie river.

We were back in time to visit a water hole near the camp just to see what might be there and there was a rhino and calf. What an end to a fantastic day of viewing.