After two amazing days at Parsons Hilltop Safari Camp – we visited the Kruger National Park. Time for self drive safari – with our rental car ! Last visit was in July 2017.
This time we were around the park for 7 days – in the period December 23-29, 2019. The first 3 days we stayed at a lodge just outside the Paul Kruger Gate – and afterwards – 3 nights in camps within the Kruger.
We entered the Kruger National Park at Orpen Gate which is situated at the southern/central part.
So fantastic to be back in this big game reserve – a great feeling to just drive along – not knowing which animals will show up.
The first animals – zebras and wildebeest at the grassy area near Orpen Gate.
The first of the Big5 – a elephant herd came suddenly out of the bushes – on their way to drink from the dam near by. ( near Satara)
Dwarf mongooses crossing the road – the were about 20-30 of them, many small ones
Tawny eagle ( norsk: savanneørn)
We stayed 3 nights at the Sabie River Bush Lodge, nicely situated by the Sabie River and only 19 km from the Paul Kruger Gate, Kruger National Park.
They have accommodation in cabins, bungalows and different tents, we had a “Luxury River Frontage Bush Tent “:
Christmas Eve – started with a relaxing breakfast at the restaurant overlooking the Sabie River
Lovely to have the breakfast outside – and listen to the sounds of the hippos in the dam! 
View from the restaurant 
The restaurant and part of the swimming pool area
AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE IN THE KRUGER- Christmas Eve
We enter the park at the Phabeni Gate, not far from Hazyview.
Vervet money . mother with baby 
Cute young impala
Brown snake-eagle 
White-Backed vulture
Some buffalo crossing the road in front of us.
Nyala – not often seen in the south of the Kruger
Bateleur – a colorful eagle with a bushy head 
The sun was setting – and just before leaving the Kruger Park – a hyena stepped out in the road in front of us:
I was going to drive on, but there came two more, two young ones. That was the reason it turned around, looking for the kids!
Christmas Day dinner 
05:30 next day – ready for a morning game drive!
MORNING GAME DRIVE – Christmas Day (Dec 25)
This morning we were driving H1-1 south of Skukuza, and near the De Laporte Nhlanganeni dam, we saw a couple of cars by the side of the road. We thought that here is probably a interesting sight..And yes – two male lions by the road! This one were lying in the open, the other one was sleeping under a bush.
Exciting to watch this lion – just lying there for a while, yawning, and then – got up and walked towards us. It passed the front of our car – crossed the road, and lay down by a bush at the other side.
Later we took the H4-1 from Skukuza to Lower Sabie Camp. Saw elephants several times, some of them crossing the road:
After lunch in Lower Sabie Camp – we took the gravel road S21 west – and halfway we met several cars watching something – wild dogs! About 7 of them, relaxing in the shadow of a big tree. One of them had a bath in the dam while we were watching. It was a hot day- about 40 C in the middle of the day.
On our way back to Paul Kruger Gate we passed the same road H1-1 south of Skukuza where we saw the two male lions that morning. They were still there. It was now half past four in the afternoon. On of them still sleeping – but one of them on the go, looked like it was ready for hunt. I think this was the other lion that was sleeping earlier. It stopped watching some impalas near the dam:
The lion went on and disappeared behind some bushes – so we did not see if it catched a impala or so..
A long and fantastic day in the Kruger – especially the meeting with lions and wild dogs were exciting experiences!
Next morning..
26 . DEC – we are leaving the Sabie River Bush Lodge – going to stay 3 nights within the Kruger game reserve – ready for new adventures! I will soon post the story and photos from this stay as well. We saw the rest of the big5 – and got to see leopards several times!
