A cat or a lifer a day keep the doctor away

[Pumbaa]

Great to see the same animals again

Totally right and we were that happy

Wonderful Leopard big Horne on that Rhino

One of the longest we ever saw

Lovely sightings.

That first full day was simply mindblowing

[Pumbaa]

That barbet had a serious bad hair day

More great shots of the leopard and the rhino sighting is superb as well

It was a bit windy that day

RHINO!

They are also a bit fat...good times in that area, Pumbaa.

The barbet is not that common either!

Also the impalas and kudus looked well fed that year

those rhino are very special indeed.

For us rhinos are always something very special

[Pumbaa]

But as you know we are no big five hunters we also enjoy the birds, landscape, smaller animals so to say simply everything and so we also enjoyed the sighting of a group of kudu ladies



for sure as the ladies were willing to pose took some close ups



as well as shots from their hitchhikers.



Then we stopped for a larger group of vervets monkeys out of which the moms plus her youngsters



were more than willing to pose although must say the moms were a bit ruthless with the offspring



at the least little ones were curious what we were doing



whereas the moms showed disinterest in us and our cameras



but in the end we got a look as well.



It was such a fun watching them especially the youngsters and again we had this sighting



once again all to ourselves

[Pumbaa]

and enjoyed the tender moments between mom and little one as well very much.



The group of vervets was so large that we also captured more of them



on branches or in the grass as they were nearly everywhere.



We continued but where stopped now by a troop of baboons having a rest under shady trees



along the riverbed also they were quite willing to post.



As it was already late and we more than thrilled by that very first full day in the park we decided to skip our afternoon drive and instead enjoy the time in camp whilst strolling along at the fence to the dam but before we got there we could finally tick also the very last member of the big five – a very muddy buffalo



followed by an elephant bull who posed so nicely in front of the panoramic background





and finally we also had the luck in spotting a real large buffalo herd enjoying the afternoon together in the shade but they were indeed not easy to photograph.



Finally we could check in which went indeed efficient and fast and we got bungalow No. 31 which was extreme close to the fence and after we threw everything into same we strolled along the fence to the dam which this year was brimful and we spotted grey herons and woodland kingfishers but very far away but the waterbuck mom and her little one were close enough for a couple of shots.



Then it was braai time and those first braais in the park are simply the best especially for us North Europeans who finally waited over half a year to braai again and whilst same was going we heard branches cracking and discovered in the already fading light a huge elephant bull close to where we stood. Same was only interesting in feeding and so we were and after our delicious braai we went to bed quite early and finally I could sleep like a baby after two nearly sleepless nights.

to be continued……..

[Flutterby]

Those monkey babes are so cute.

[Alf]

Cute monkeys and then naughty baboons

What a great first day in the park

[Sprocky]

Great shots, Pumbaa! Specially the Ocpecker.

[Lisbeth]

Monkeys are always enjoyable to watch

Not bad for a first day

[Klipspringer]

I love the oxpecker photo!

The area is panoramic indeed, with or without elephant bull.

[Richprins]

Brilliant baboon and monkey studies, Pumbaa!

The kudu and red bushwillow backgrounds are also colourful.