Heading off again at 6am on our early safari and it's amazingly peaceful bouncing along in a jeep! We found the lions from yesterday's kill not too far into our drive and because they have eaten so much in the last 24hrs, they are really lazy are are doing pretty much nothing and probably won't do, until they're hungry again and make another kill, so we leave them to their rest. We come across Impala, an Eagle and go back to where the lions had their kill and there are plenty of vultures still there, but not a morsel of anything left. Driving around for a little bit, our driver Rob and Tracker Nhlayo stop and get out of the jeep and try to see where some leopard tracks are heading or coming from, and after some deliberation, we head off again. Not too far along a track, Rob sees a couple of hyena around the bottom of a tree so there must be a reason for that, and there it is, up in the tree, the leopard with its kill of a small antelope type animal. It would have started eating it on the ground, but took it up when the hyenas came around. The leopard was pretty lazy

Bird life by a drying waterhole
The full lazy lions
Female leopard in tree with her kill
The hungry hyena, waiting, waiting
Rhino family after a soak in the mud
Wildebeest
Majestic giraffe
Elephant family
Zebras
Our last safari sunset
Good night to the leopard
about it all and full from a bit of food, so was happy to just lay around up there!
In our afternoon drive and unfortunately our last one, we saw again the giraffe, lions, rhino, wildebeest, steenbok and zebra. Huge termite nests that are over 100 years old are plentiful in this part of the reserve.
Had our last sundowner drinks with our new friends at a spectacular sunset near a water hole, drove back past where the leopard was still in the tree and she was happy to let us take some last pics of her. Went back to the lodge for a fabulous dinner of ostrich steaks and a couple of reds and flopped into bed.
We have to leave 8.30am in the morning so no chance for an early drive out, but our 3 nights and 5 safaris here have been amazing. Our driver Rob, tracker Nhlayo, all the staff at Idube have made our first safari in Sth Africa something we will remember forever.
Geez it looks dry there, got to feel for the grass eaters among those animals....the less they eat the slower they get, the easier target they become?? Lucky you are all well fed!! Must be sad to leave, but I know you were really looking forward to this part of the trip and it looks like you've been well rewarded....and you didn't even get eaten!! Can't wait to hear all the stories from your contrasting weeks away. Love Pam and Vernon
ReplyDeleteWords just reall cannot explain this. It's absolutely amazing! Something has had to be on everyone's bucket list that's for sure. So looking forward to sharing stories when we get home Xxoo
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos, beautiful sunset. What an amazing experience and adventure
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