Episode 3 When the sun goes down
Everybody know that we are only allowed to drive in the Park during the day, we get a glimpse of a nightdrive when we exit the camps during the summer holiday at 4:30. But most of the holiday-goers prefer still being in bed that time of the day. So to experience what goes on in the bush when it is dark and there are no other cars around to block sightings, speed past you or misbehave in any other way then you must book a nightdrive. OR. Book accommodation in camps that are bustling with those critters that only come out at night.
If you have spoken to anyone that have stayed at Tamboti, then you will hear that at night you will usually have uninvited guests, some unlucky tourists have even been raided by them. We booked one night in July 2014 and wasn’t lucky enough to see the local badger but we did get to see the large spotted genet.
Our July trip didn’t produce many cats as we were mostly in the North, which had their special sightings as well, but a trip won’t be the same without being able to enjoy one proper feline sighting. So on our last night we had Lower Sabie booked and decided to do a nightdrive. WE did get to see a pregnant female lion but I didn’t take any kiekies. A highlight for me that night was the following…
9 porcupine sightings, they were very fast so got to take a pic of this one
A white tailed mongoose also fleeing
Two civet sightings, both on the opposite side, so when I got ready for a pic he was fleeing as well
And then the sighting of the night, was for my mum, who wishes to see one every single trip we take
An African wild cat
Staying at Sabie Park, I was so bummed that I was missing an hour every morning as the Gates only open at 5:30 and also speaking to reception very surprised to find out that they were doing night drives as it isn’t advertised under activities on the SANParks website. So we booked a nightdrive as a consolation prize for a few more hours in the bush. We missed out on two leopard sightings, as our guide, Dominique, were in contact via walkie talkie with the Skukuza drive but we still had a productive drive.
We got a few scrub hares on the s65
Then a new lifer, a big spotted eagle owl
Then on our way back we got to see two male lions, that we spotted earlier in the day. IT was great seeing them but also sad. Mum didn’t even want to take pics. One male, he looke much healthier but was limping and then his brother, blind in the one eye and seems like bovine tuberculosis had taken its toll with him. Sometimes nature can be very cruel…
Then from 2 January we had some visitors every night at our house in Sabie Park. The one was very tame and walked past us and chilled on a log about 5m from us allowing us to take a lot of pics.
Large spotted genet
And our last night at Sabie Park whilst sitting alone outside and enjoying the sounds and dark night sky when some rustling in the tree above me made me almost jump out of my chair. Was a great way to end our last night with a sighting of a lesser bushbaby.
Experiencing the nighlife in the bush is a part that must not be missed when visiting the Park. You are missing out on a lot as some of these animals are only nocturnal and I implore you to book either a sunset or a night drive when you stay in the Park again.
To be continued…
what is that ?
looks like amsterdam at 5 PM... 