On our last morning game drive, zebra walk in single file down the main road. Jaco halts the Land Rover so that we can watch as they stop to graze, providing another photographic opportunity. As Jaco turns the vehicle down a side road, Simon spots lion tracks. We follow until they enter a part of the reserve where it is too muddy for us to follow. So, it’s time to search for hippopotamus. On the way, we see wildebeest plus a group of kudu and then later an impala herd. As the vehicle approaches a warthog, he runs across the road, [View Full Entry]

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When we start the nightly game drive, Jaco tells us that conditions are still muddy which means we’ll be staying on the main roads again. But, we’re lucky that a giraffe has chosen to eat dinner very close to the road. Jaco stops the Land Rover so that we can watch as the gangly animal stretches his long neck to taste the leafy branches of a treetop. He moves gracefully from tree to tree as the Land Rover follows along. Later, we see wildebeest and cape buffalo with rhino in the distance. Soon, Jaco drives up a steep incline to a [View Full Entry]

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Last night’s rain leads to a colorful sunrise this morning. Because of the muddy conditions, Jaco is limited to driving the Land Rover on the main roads. A giraffe stops her breakfast to take a look at us as we hurry by. We’re on the hunt for elephants today. And, we find a herd of them, tinged red from their mud bath. Jaco stops the vehicle so that we can observe the mamas and babies crossing the road. One of the younger elephants is still working on his coordination as he trips in front of us. The Land Rover creeps quietly [View Full Entry]

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Clouds on the horizon promise a stormy afternoon game drive. It seems the rainy weather has followed us from Sabi Sands to Madikwe. But, before the rain falls, we spot wildebeest and impala plus a herd of elephants in the distance. When the Land Rover turns a corner, two white rhino are standing close by. This is our first opportunity to see and photograph them up close. The sky darkens with approaching storm clouds. The wind begins to blow; lightning crackles in the distance while rain pelts the vehicle. We vote to skip the sundowners. Jaco continues to search for lions [View Full Entry]

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Lions have dominated my last few safari posts. I promise you that we are seeing other animals. But, I can’t resist writing about such wonderful sightings. And, so it is again this morning. Once lions are spotted, Jaco drives off-road to follow them. We watch as a female lion displays submissive behavior to a male, cowing down before him. Then, the Land Rover creeps along as the male and female walk towards a small lake where the rest of the pride waits. Suddenly, the lion gives a long roar followed by four short bursts. After the second roaring session, the lioness [View Full Entry]

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At Skukuza airport, Alan and I catch a small plane for the flight to Federal Air Terminal in Johannesburg where we switch to an even smaller plane for the trip to Madikwe. Our path diverts from stormy weather before circling the dirt landing strip as a giraffe pops her long neck above the trees to check out the new arrivals. We see zebra, kudu and impala roaming the flat valley on the drive to Madikwe Hills. Where’s a camera when we need one? The lodge is built into the side of a hill among a series of boulders. Alan and I [View Full Entry]

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Even Alan struggles to wake up for our 4th morning game drive at Lion Sands. Today, 5 am seems incredibly early to both of us as we enjoy the comfort of our bed at Ivory Lodge. Once we’re settled in the Land Rover, Enoch points the vehicle towards the river road. He’s looking for leopard. On the way, we see hippo, giraffe, waterbuck and elephant but so far, no leopard. Then, he gets the call. Lions are on the move. And, where do you think they’re headed? An elephant breakfast waits [View Full Entry]

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It’s quiet this Saturday morning as we drive through the bush. Enoch teases that the animals partied too hard last night. First stop, the watering hole with the dead elephant to see if there has been any action. Yesterday, the ecologist opened the hide of the decaying carcass so that the animals would be able to eat. Guess who found it first? That roar we heard last night was the lonely lion calling his brother, saying, “dinner time.” When the Land Rover stops near the watering hole, there is Mr. Lonely Lion guarding his meal while he waits for brother lion [View Full Entry]

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After a 5:00 am wake-up call, Torrance rings the gong on our front wall before placing a pot of coffee through the dumb waiter door in the living room. By 5:30 am, Alan and I have donned raincoats for a wet walk to the reception area where Enoch, our ranger, and his tracker, Sam, are preparing the Land Rover for this morning’s 3-hour excursion . As the rain pours, Alan, Gail (another guest) and I peer from underneath green poncho hoods at an African fish eagle, impala, kudu, cape [View Full Entry]

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We’ve traveled 26 hours and half way around the world to experience Africa. After a night of catching up on sleep in the Sun Intercontinental Hotel at Johannesburg Airport, Alan and I catch the charter flight to Ivory Lodge at Lion Sands, a property in the Sabi Sands game preserve adjacent to Krueger National Park. When we arrive at Skukuza Airport, which is little more than a paved landing strip, Ivory Lodge guides, Lucas and Joseph, gather our luggage, then Alan and I climb into the Land Rover f [View Full Entry]

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