Guide, Tracker, Driver, Bartender, Oh My!
Richard, our guide for three days in Phinda Reserve has many years experience in at least ten different African countries. Much of the time he has worked for &Beyond and its predecessor, CC Africa. He speaks ten different languages. His in-depth knowledge of African wildlife is amazing. His knowledge of American politics, something we haven't been able to escape throughout our trip, is surprising. Our tracker, Jomo (with hat) can see things that no normal human being can s
Big Five, Again!
Phinda Reserve has six different &Beyond Properties. The Reserve first opened in 1991 and animals have slowly been introduced to what was once farm country. It is now one of the safest places for both black and white rhinos, cheetah, leopards and many other mammal and bird species. The habitats are diverse and despite it being relatively small, we rarely saw another vehicle on our drives. If we were viewing something wonderful (cheetah, leopard, black rhino, etc.) there w
Simply Unbelievable!
Ten week old leopard cubs! In all our safaris, most of which we have seen adult leopards, we had never seen young leopard cubs. And it wasn't just a glimpse of them, we watched these cubs in the open for about 1/2 an hour. They explored there immediate surroundings while their mother watched, she groomed them, they played and they nursed. We were extremely lucky on our last game drive in the Sabi Sands area near Kruger NP, South Africa.
Best of the Best!
Our Kirkman's Camp guide (Josh) and tracker (Jerry) were the best of the best. They worked exceptional well together. They kept us informed throughout the drive as to what they were looking for at that time and why we might have a chance to see it. After several dozen safaris, over two-thirds with Sarah, I thought I knew quite a bit about Africa and its wildlife. I learned lots from these gentlemen.
Last of the Big Five
After only thirty hours at Kirkman's Camp in Sabi Sands near Kruger NP in South Africa we saw all the Big 5! The term Big 5 was first used by hunters to describe species they most wanted to hunt and they include elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and Cape buffalo. All three of our game drives have been fantastic, thanks to our very knowledgeable guide, Josh, and our tracker, Jerry. Working in zoos for over 40 years and leading dozens of safaris, I thought I knew quite a bit abo
The "Big Four"
On Saturday, March 25, we were awakened at 5:30 AM and went for coffee and a biscuit before our second game drive. There were fighting leopards in the Camp last night so our challenge was to find them. For a couple of hours we tracked a big male (the guide and tracker can not only determine species tracks, but also sex and age). At one point the guide and tracker went out of foot to find the leopard. Finally another vehicle found the kill, a young impala, deep in some high
Wildlife Wow!
Kirkman's Camp now has WiFi in the lounge area, something we did not expect. On Friday, March 24 at 4 PM we started our first game drive here in Sabi Sands. Our driver, Josh, had gone out at lunch time to try to find a lion pride that was rumored to be near the boundary of this lodge's concession. He found them and thought it might be wise to look for them now since there recently were changes in the local lion population and lion have not always been spotted. Driving the
The Best Sundowner
Our camp has sundowners from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM and the sunset on Wednesday night was spectacular. A hundred steps above the dining area is a huge boulder with pillows, a full bar and snacks. The weather was prefect after a very hot day. A special evening that none of us will ever forget.
Desert Adapted Elephants
When we arrived at Mowani Mountain Camp we went for an afternoon safari to look for the elusive desert elephants. We drove on dirt roads, in sandy gullies, over rocks and after an hour and a half of tracking, we found a herd of 10 - 12 animals of all ages. They were content feeding on desert shrubs and trees and did not seem too concerned with our presence. These animals move great distances most days when food and water are scarce. They looked very healthy to us. It was
Mowani Mountain Camp
On Tuesday, March 21 we arrived at the wonderful Mowani Mountain Camp, one of the most beautiful places we have ever stayed. The Camp is surrounded by large red sandstone and granite boulders. The food was excellent and we had many choices. From the dining area and the pool area we could see several species of birds, including masked weavers, violet-backed starling, pale-winged starling and several more. Hyrax were everywhere as well as an interesting small mammal found on
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