Day 8 began at dawn with a trip to Kruger national park for a full day open-vehicle game drive. The park is larger than the state of Connecticut or the country of Israel. It offers some of the best game and wildlife viewing opportunities in the world.
This is the sub-group that we spent time with on the safaris. From left to right, Paul, Kim, Belinda (mom), Belinda (daughter), Dell, Lucky (driver), Barbara, Crystal, Chioke. We learned that on Safari your driver makes a big difference in your experience. We were blessed with drivers that went above and beyond to ensure that we saw as many different animals as possible. They were personally invested as if it was their first safari. They were on the radio with other drivers and rapidly driving us to locations where animals were sighted. We learned that all drivers don't take that kind of ownership. Our driver, Lucky, was determined to hunt down the elusive buffalo, lion and leopard to complete our Big Five sighting. He lived up to his name as we were lucky enough to see the big five (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard) during our outing with him.
Herd of impala.
The giraffes were truly gentle giants of the African plain. They quietly munched on the tree tops and moved through the brush with an elegant gait.
A herd of Blue Wildebeest
Yellow-Billed Hornbill. Most of these birds nest in tree trunk holes. During the incubation period, the female plasters the entrance to seal herself in and the male feeds her through a slit until the eggs hatch.
This group of vultures resting in a tree was a not so subtle reminder that death is very much a part of the "circle of life". The clean up crew of the african wilderness. They're keeping a birds eye view for their next "job".
A Chacma Baboon, South Africa's largest primate, enjoying a snack in his "tree recliner".
African Buffalo
This impala carcass was a cool if not gruesome sight. Leopards drag prey, often three times its weight, into the tree canopy to keep it safe from lions, hyenas, and jackals.
A lioness basking in the sun.
An elusive leopard making a brief appearance before heading for cover.
This is one of the many types of African antelopes. The Greater Kudo is considered the most magnificent of the African antelopes.
This was a fun reminder of the reverse paradigm of the safari game drive. In a zoo, the animals are caged and visitors roam free. During a game drive, the animals roam free and the visitors ride around in cages.
Deltas everywhere would be proud.
To see the full Kruger National Park photo album, click
here
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