The Kruger National Park May 2009

I seem to have lost a posting. This should come before 'More of Kruger Park'.Christine, Charles & I flew to Nelspruit,hired a car and spent the first night at Pretorious Kop, three nights at Satara & one at Skukusa.

Every morning we got up at 5 am to be out of the gates that opened at 6 am. This beautiful sunrise was one of many. Being a little cloudy, the sun reflecting on them made a wonderful picture.

On our last day we were so lucky to see this pride of lions. These six youngsters were following their 2 mothers. They seem to have no fear of cars. They all looked healthy with full stomachs. They could have been at a kill.

In the time we were in the park we saw 22 lions altogether. Eleven were at a kill by the side of the road but had almost devoured everything, and then the vultures came!

We also witnessed three blackmane lions. Two in one spot & the other following these cubs.

I hope I haven't repeated myself. I'm still learning!

More of Kruger Park

All of these photos were taken by Charles Saunders,my son, who with Christine my daughter very kindly cared for me on this wonderful holiday. We plan to go again!

This big boy followed on after the cubs but was more interested in the roaring of another lion in the distance. I have never seen a close up of 'black mane' lion before.

These elephants were part of a fairly large herd of about 20.They were on their way to the river for their evening bath and drink. They were a mixture of all ages. A young bull, always cheeky, chased us along the road for a while, I suppose, until his mother told him to behave himself. The youngsters are disciplined by the matriarch.



Kruger Park is really beautiful in places especially by the rivers. This is a tranquil scene taken from a bridge over a river where hippos were lazing about enjoying the sun & plentiful water.

Comparing The Kruger National Park with Etosha in Namibia I would always choose KNP. There are more rivers and trees than Etosha because more rain falls.But one advantage of Etosha is being able to sit around a waterhole at night that is floodlit in some of the camps in the reserve to watch the many animals that come to drink in spite of the artificial light. It is quite an experience to sit there with many visitors without a word being spoken!

I love South Africa and its wild life.