KO and the Turk: Big Creatures in Kruger

Finally the time in our life to go to Africa. The Turk was not excited to go when he found out he had to get 3 shots. After all, he could see African animals on TV from the comfort of his leather chair. After the shots, he was more open to going. Then I told him it is a 15 hour flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg.

We flew from Johannesburg to a field near Kruger National Park in northeast South Africa called Hoedspruit and from there, the Turk and I were driven at 30 mph for a dusty hour to Motswari Private Game Reserve. We got to our camp in time to settle in, have lunch and check things out before the afternoon/evening game drive.

The vehicles are open range rovers and the drive is over rough terrain. So, hang on for dear life as we go in search of animals!
Our guide, Kevin, was born in South Africa. When he was young, his family moved to Los Angeles where Kevin ended up going to college for a degree in economics. After a couple of years of being unsatisfied with his chosen career, working in LA, he left it all to return to SA to become a guide. He has found his wife, another guide in this area, and enjoys his life now. We also had a local tracker who helped sight and identify animals.

Kevin our guide

What we saw our first afternoon/evening out: bull elephant, giraffes, hippos, water buffalo herd that walked up next to us, impalas, a pride of 9 lions, crocodiles, water bucks, baboons, and a flying bush baby. In the dusk at evening - rabbits and a mass of fireflys appeared. We drove across a creek and realized that we were surrounded by zillions of fireflys. It was truly magical with twinkling lights everywhere.

These lionesses looked like cuddly big cats

sleepy lion pride of 9 lions

We arrived back to camp in the dark, ready to clean up and go to dinner. BUT, you have to be escorted by a guide at night because there are no fences between us and the animals. They didnt want us to be eaten!
Dinner was a multi-course meal of either warthog filet or oxtail stew, served with African red wine. Desert included house made chocolates. All were delicious as we sat outside on the deck overlooking the savanna.

bull elephant on his own - dangerous to get close!

what started as a few water buffalo...

..turned into a huge herd, right next to us

sundowner drinks - gin and tonics

Red African sunset

When we arrived at Motswari Camp, there was an elephant standing near our building. Our first morning, we saw elephant DROPPINGS outside of our bathroom window. We were told that the week before, an elephant herd walked through camp and tore up the water pipes. So the huts had no water until that was fixed.

Animal we saw on our safaris: Elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos, water buffaloes, rhinoceros, kudu, genet (cat-like animal with ringed tail), nyala, hyenas, wild dogs, zebras, saddle bill stork, guinea hens, wildebeests, impalas, leopards, crocodiles, rabbits, fireflys, lesser bush baby, water buck, baboons, warthogs....and more.

The lions wake up when the sun goes down

Mornings start early for safaris. We are up, dressed, caffeinated, and on the road by 5:45am. And so are the animals. We drove around looking for something interesting and found, in the distance, a pack of wild dogs. Wild dogs are almost extinct in the bush due to their social habits. Food is hunted and then shared within the pack. Outside dogs, often carrying disease, are greeted and often welcomed which spreads the disease. So seeing a pack of wild dogs was a big deal. And this pack had meat from a kill. This was interesting until we saw a group of hyenas approach. Then interesting became exciting, became terrifying as the hyenas attacked the dogs for their kill. The chase led them directly to our Range Rover where they growled, barked, attacked, chased, fought and eventually settled who would end up with the kill. The hyenas won.

one of the hyenas scouting out the dogs

two hyenas chasing dogs around our jeep

The winner is....the hyena

After morning safari, we get back in time for brunch: eggs, chicken livers, tomatoes, muesli, yogurt, bread, cheese. Brunch is announced with drums, followed by a procession of singing workers, each carrying a tray of food. Beautiful way to introduce a meal.

Leopard poses for us

out for a stroll, totally ignoring us

termite mound - built to keep food cool in heat

impalas and kudus playing near our hut

After our midday meal, we are free to rest, read, wonder around camp or swim. Because the weather turned cool, we enjoyed being outside watching the animals right next to our camp.

Watchful eye by the Turk

a bit of head butting

and the kudu boys are friends again

A group of wildebeests is called an 'implausibility', a group of zebras 'dizzy', a group of rhinos is a 'crash' !

Saddlebill stork - somewhat rare

Those water buffalo helmets are huge

Rhinos becoming rare as horns high valued in Vietnam

What odd looking animals

I wondered about the camp workers. The camps are very remote, but well staffed. Where do they live and how? There is housing at each camp just for the employees. In Motswari Camp, they work 3 weeks and get 1 week off a month. Most go to their family home for that one week. If someone doesnt get along with the rest of the team, they don't stay in the job.