Berg en Dal - August 2012 *

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ossendryver
Posts: 95
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 7:36 pm
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Berg en Dal - August 2012 *

Post by ossendryver »

DAY 1 of 2

Hey all!

I'm so happy to start this (Again) short TR.

From all that I have heard about Berg en Dal it seemed as it isn't a camp that is good for game viewing.
NOT TRUE!
Although not all our sightings were near Berg en Dal, but we were staying there and that's all that counts.

So lets begin...

We woke up early to get to Crocodile Bridge gate and so we could do the following route.
H4-2, then go to Lower Sabie on the S28, do the quick Mlondozi loop and to Skukuza on the H4-1.
Then go down on the S65 and H3 to camp.

This route turned out to be the most rewarding drives I have ever had!
We couldn't go longer than 5 minutes with out stopping to see an animal! We literally timed 5 minutes.

We finally entered through Crocodile Bridge and this was our first animal:

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We then turned onto the S28 and immediately saw some vultures on a Giraffe kill that lions had been munching on that whole week.
Sadly was covered by bushes so no photos.

We carried on and had great sightings of Elephants, kudu, impala etc...

At the Ntandanyathi Hide there was a big herd of zebra.

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We hit the H4-2 and then the Mlondozi loop, we got to a car stopped and asked them what they were watching.
There was another kill and we missed 2 lionesses by minutes.
But there were about 100 vultures there eating.
But again no photos as the camera was new and the photographer was still getting used to it, so it was blurry...

But then we went onto the H4-1 and what a busy road! Car and game wise.

Our first sighting was of this herd of elephants sleeping!
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Then we got to those traffic jams where you just know there is a "cat" there.
We were right!
Our first of many predator sightings of the day.
It was a lioness.

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We don't care only about predators, but I'll just tally them for today

Predator sighting number 1.

We then carried on towards Skukuza and a cute baboon blew us a kiss wishing us luck.

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Then about 7 kms from there we get to yet another traffic jam that you just know there is a predator there.
We were right again. Look at us mind readers!
It was yet another pride of lions.

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Predator sightings number 2.

Then about another 5kms from that lion pride we came across yet ANOTHER traffic jam where you just know there is a predator there.
3 times lucky, we were right again!
This time a lioness on a Kudu kill!
3rd kill for the day and finally the 3rd time the predator was actually there to eat it.
Sadly it was a bit too far so no photos.

Predator sighting number 3.

We then continued towards the S65.
At one of the small dry riverbed we saw something.
It was a civet!!

I have never seen a civet before in Kruger during the day.
This civet was also on a kill.

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Predator sighting number 4.

After that we wanted to go to Transport dam but in the end we didn't feel like it so we went straight towards the H3 to go to camp.

This was a great choice.

We turned on and after a few Kilometers we see a car stopped, not like the traffic jams on the H4-1 but we had a good feeling about this.
We drive up and before we asked him says "Luiperd".
We looked around and thought he was joking, until this head suddenly moved and looked at us.

We actually managed to stay with him for 10 minutes before we had to leave.

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I wonder if you remember the TR, but in April I stayed at Pretoriuskop and I saw a leopard in the same area as this one. So I took the photos of then and this sighting, I managed to connect the dots.
This is the same leopard as the one in April!

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Predator sightings number 5.

So going further down, we driving and driving and suddenly I found my self screaming STOP!!
I couldn't believe it!

An African Wild Cat!!
I have never seen one before in Kruger!!
So now Civet and African Wild Cat. Both I have never seen before in Kruger!
What an amazing drive!!

Sadly it was too fast and we couldn't get any photos.

Predator sighting number 6.

About 3kms from there we came across an open field where a jackal ran across the road towards.
Again sadly photos didn't come out nicely.

Predator sighting number 7.

We see the jackal quickly disappear and we move on.

I find myself screaming "Stop!!" again!
This time a hyena caught my eye.
It started off in the bushes but then came to pose for us.

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Predator sighting number 8.

We were so amazed how busy we were!! It was such an amazing feeling to not go more than 5 minutes with out seeing anything!

So we are in the camp finally, we won't see anything right?
NO!
Our luck continues.

On the way to reception a small spotted genet crossed our path.
To dark for pictures.

Predator sighting number 9.


We get to our room, we settle in and have a lekker braai!

After the braai we get into the room to get ready to go to sleep.
While I lied down on the bed I was watching outside through the glass door.

I couldn't believe it!
This time a Large Spotted Genet came to my door and started licking it.

I got up to get my camera but it got a fright and ran away sadly.

But that rounds it off to 10 predators for one day. On our first day!!

Day 1 summary:

1. African Civet
2. African Wild Cat
3. Banded Mongoose
4. Black-backed Jackal
5. Blue Wildebeest - 40
6. Buffalo - 150
7. zebra - 46
8. Chacma boaboon - 25
9. common duiker
10. crocs - 2
11. Dwarf Mongoose
12. Elephants - 70
13. Giraffe - 11
14. Hippos - 30
15. Impala
16. Klipspringer
17. Kudu - 15
18. Leopard
19. Genet - 2
20. Lions - 14
21. Nyala
22. Spotted Hyena
23. Steenbok
24. Vervet Monkey - 16
25. Warthog - 9
26. Waterbuck

Hope you enjoyed day 1 out of 2 of this TR.

Stay tuned for the next entry...


ossendryver
Posts: 95
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 7:36 pm
Contact:

Re: Berg en Dal - August 2012

Post by ossendryver »

DAY 2

We woke up early from Berg en Dal and were heading to Nkulu for lunch with friends.

We decided to take the S114 all the way up to the S21 and then head to Nkulu on the H4-1

Today was much much hotter and quieter than the day before.
But we still did see great stuff!

We were just about to get to the Byamiti Weir when there was a car stopped.
As we got to see what it was, it left.
It was a Cheetah!!
It was stretching on an ant hill and dropped down and disappeared before we could take any photos.

Renosterkoppies Dam is one of my favourites and we just had to go past there.

A huge troop of baboons were sleeping and drinking there.

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We then continued to the H4-1 on the S21.
S21 was very quiet and we didn't see anything really.

But once we turned on to the H4-1 we saw something that I have never seen before in Kruger.
Mating Giraffes!

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Then some more giraffes.
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After lunch we wanted to go to Lower Sabie and maybe we would get some lions on the way.

We didn't get any lions but we saw a nice herd of buffaloes.

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Afterwards we headed back to camp after a nice long day!
On the way back we realized why everything was quiet. All the animals were sleeping!

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And a nice Sunset was starting to show.

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That's the end of this trip report.
Thanks so much for following it and for all your amazing comments!

I hope you enjoy my future ones too!
So I'll see you back here in October! I'm going to Berg en Dal, Satara and Skukuza.


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