Coalitions of Kruger National Park

[BA0701]

(05-17-2024, 05:33 AM)widmerk Wrote:

(05-15-2024, 06:19 AM)BA0701 Wrote:

(05-10-2024, 09:32 PM)widmerk Wrote: Hippo Pools Males, mating on S118, just before S114, Oct 2023, Bhekunbuzo was mating.

All of your pictures are incredible, what an amazing trip you had! I cannot even begin to imagine what that must have been like. My wife and I had a trip on our bucket list, she liked tigers more, so we were going to try and see both big cats in the wild. Do you have a guide in Kruger, use a guide company, how do you get to see so many different cats in the same trip?

Thanks so much BA0701.
I actually self drive. I love this sh!t so please forgive the long answer. The keys for me are 1) I am in line before camp gate opens and return right at closing gate, every day I am there, usually for 2-3 weeks. This is not a strategy, per se, but I just can’t bear to sit around camp when there are animals to witness (and and I’m usually solo, very different when my wife occasionally joins). 2) given that I self drive, I have the option to sit, sometimes for hours, for bedded down lions to get up and active. Sometimes it doesn’t pan out, and I will sit and swelter for hours only to have to return to camp with them not moving, but often it does and can be spectacular. Most don’t have the patience (obsession) to sit like that. 3) when male lions are walking deliberately and parallel to a road, they often veer deeper in the bush when lots of cars are around, only to return to their original line after 10-15 minutes have passed and cars are gone. You have to sort out their rate of travel because they don’t stop much, but I’ve re-picked up a lot of lions this way. 4) Similarly, again when males are walking with intent, they usually stay on a straight line, so sometimes if they cross the H4-1, for example, you can pick them back up on the S79. 5) usually I will start seeing the same people/cars out and about, and if they are fellow “game spotters” actively looking hard we’ll start comparing notes, i often will tell them “had the Vurhamis 4 km back to the South” and then maybe I see them again later and they will go out of their way to give me a tip back (on the other hand I get annoyed when some people make no attempt at spotting game themselves and ask every person they pass “see anything?”). If I see a tour operator being particularly considerate of us private drivers, I’ll often work hard to tell them about things too, and they are normally very good about returning the favor (some not).If someone did want a guide, there’s a guy I see on Facebook, and have seen in the Park that seems awesome, Nombekana safaris. I am just venturing into more elaborate self safari (done Kalahari, looking to Moremi next), but have done a lot in Kruger over the years. I track this stuff like a nerd, last trip I averaged 2.8 different lion sightings per day (only counts if I get a good pic), but that includes lionesses too. That was my highest, beating my previous record of 2.0 a couple times. It of course varies, last trip I had 2 days with none, but a max of 8 different sightings in one day. I often take remote dirt roads, a bit more risky, you see less because there are far less cars, but you can get some really special sightings where you may be with some males for hours all by yourself. Oh, one more tip, I find lions like a bit of rain, my theory is it masks their scent and they can hunt more effectively. Many stay in camp when it rains making for uncrowded sightings. (Heavy rain different story). I could talk for days on this but by now your eyes may be sore….

My friend, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your reply, so thoughtful, detailed, and covering all aspects. How often do you take these trips? Truly, thank you, so very much, for taking the time to share this with everyone, it really means a lot! Not to mention it gives me a ton of ideas! Reply