4 Day Sabi Sands & Kruger Park Safari with Tyden Safari's - Feb 4 - 7, 2014

It's a 3 hour drive after we pick some folks up at the airport. The highway is like new, the City of Johannesburg has started using tolls to pay for roads - they are nice! It's a fairly mountainous with many farms sprinkled in between - you can tell its European, very organized farming, with straight rows and fences and clusters or trees - unlike the farming I have seen elsewhere which is less organized. It looks more part of the land while these farms stand out like a sore thumb.

We arrive at around 2pm to a small site with beautiful rooms. They are tents but with 'air conditioning', proper shower, toilet etc - not really 'camping'. Gavin, the owner sold his farm (he built from scratch) to Warren Buffets son. He loves the bush so decided to build this unique camp. He did an outstanding job and they truly do make you feel at home.

After a rest, we go out for our first game drive in Sabi Sands. There are large pieces of land that are privately owned, unlike Kruger Park, and only the owners or those permitted and drive on them. Being next to the Kruger, the animals wander back and forth so you still see lots. The reserves have much more vegetation and trees, not so many open areas so you see less animals at once but you can be much closer as they are allowed to go 'off road'. We first see elephants; the mama and her group (females are the leaders) SO close when she shook her head, we all felt the dirt! Next Water Buffalo - they looked old so just sat there, 5 feet away. Then we saw Tom and Jerry, an older and younger male Rhino - I guess the younger one lost his mother very early so the older one adopted him. They fight a lot so turn up with injuries all the time. Then a 'sundowner' - the first drink of the day, while we watched the sun set - lovely! That's it for the first night. We arrive back at camp so a traditional South African dish - really a stew that cooks all day - they sure like their meat! Oh yeah, we are up at 4:30am for the morning drive - will I ever be allowed to sleep til like 7am again??

The next morning we see big Leopard sleeping under a tree - he finally stood up and walked to another spot as there were 3 other trucks watching him. He was huge and beautiful - so nice to see them close up! We rest in the afternoon and yes, I slept for an hour - all this Safari'ing is exhausting! Then I spent some time in the pool and sun. That evening, we go to Sabi Sands again - a different trail. Our guide showed us a Rhino 'toilet' where they tend to go regularly. Then they rub their feet in it so they cab nark where it is and their territory with the scent. Then we see a big male Rhino on - another truck is pushing him but he finally makes it across the road to his toilet where he takes a large crap right in front of us. Then he proceeds to wipe his feet in it and wanders off again. We all just about died laughing - never mind the 's***ty' jokes all night! After the sun downer, we go back to camp for a dinner of homemade sausage and hearty beef kabobs - incredibly good.

Again, up at 4:30am for the big final game drive, we see a pride of Lions sleeping beside some bushes, first time I have seen them up close. Later, we found some others with a kill and baby but they were trying to keep hidden. We stayed for quite awhile as there were so many vehicles - see did get view though. After a short rest as we had to leave early for the last Kruger drive. It was raining a bit and quite dreary but that was really good. All the animals were out. Wild dogs hunting; a Lion pride hunting; Rhino, Zebras, Giraffes, Hippos, turtles, crocs - it was unbelievable - look at the pictures! That night we ate under the thatched roof in sitting area due to the weather and was treated to a standard So. African Sunday dinner of chicken, potatoes and lots of vegetables; no GMF here - so nummy!

Finally, we were able to sleep in til 7am. On the way back, we took a scenic route to a Lisbon waterfall and through the mountains and valleys. Then I was drop off to the beautiful Outlook Lodge for a couple of days in Jo'burg before heading to Cape Town. This is where I left my camera in the van. I may be losing it!!