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Tdgraves

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So in summary, a very different trip to 2013 and 2014

 

3 brilliant wild dog sightings, 2 amazing close encounters with leopard and a great walk past of a whole pride of lions. We also managed to notch up 133 birds, including 20 new species.

 

Just 11 weeks until our next trip ;)

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Peter Connan

Thank you, it was great riding along!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I love your wild dog photos, the personalities come through so clearly!

 

And your bird pictures are all spectacular -- I am particularly fond of the brown snake eagle with the glowering look, the singing korhaan, the pearl spotted owlet, and the green dove (who I imagine doesn't often get her due). Thanks so much for sharing!

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  • 4 months later...

Fabulous KNP trip report with excellent photos and interesting narrative, @@Tdgraves! Enjoyed it very much, thanks for sharing! I've been thinking about Kruger NP lately... So far I've been to Timbavati and Sabi Sand only (in this region), it seems like Kruger proper is a quite different experience - exploring a lot larger and more diverse area in exchange for more vehicle traffic and inability to drive off-road. I guess one (given the opportunity) must do both...

Edited by FlyTraveler
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Fabulous KNP trip report with excellent photos and interesting narrative, @@Tdgraves! Enjoyed it very much, thanks for sharing! I've been thinking about Kruger NP lately... So far I've been to Timbavati and Sabi Sand only (in this region), it seems like Kruger proper is a quite different experience - exploring a lot larger and more diverse area in exchange for more vehicle traffic and inability to drive off-road. I guess one (given the opportunity) must do both...

@@FlyTraveler you are right, they are very different experiences and I would not combine them in the same trip. However, as you can see by my TRs, we have been to both. We tend to go to KNP in January, which is supposedly the wrong time of year, as a cheap, self-drive, partially self-catered trip, as a way of getting 2 safaris a year. Ok there is no off-roading, but in reality, how often does that happen anyway, given that guides want to protect the environment? The traffic can be busy, especially on the tar roads in the south, but we have had numerous carnivore sightings to ourselves and there are many, many roads to explore. Both of our leopard sightings were in busy areas at busy times of day and yet we were alone. I think this is just a different type of safari experience and if you go with that mindset, then you'll get much more out of it. The opportunities for photography, especially of birds, is far superior than on a shared game vehicle in a reserve.

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Fabulous KNP trip report with excellent photos and interesting narrative, @@Tdgraves! Enjoyed it very much, thanks for sharing! I've been thinking about Kruger NP lately... So far I've been to Timbavati and Sabi Sand only (in this region), it seems like Kruger proper is a quite different experience - exploring a lot larger and more diverse area in exchange for more vehicle traffic and inability to drive off-road. I guess one (given the opportunity) must do both...

@@FlyTraveler you are right, they are very different experiences and I would not combine them in the same trip. However, as you can see by my TRs, we have been to both. We tend to go to KNP in January, which is supposedly the wrong time of year, as a cheap, self-drive, partially self-catered trip, as a way of getting 2 safaris a year. Ok there is no off-roading, but in reality, how often does that happen anyway, given that guides want to protect the environment? The traffic can be busy, especially on the tar roads in the south, but we have had numerous carnivore sightings to ourselves and there are many, many roads to explore. Both of our leopard sightings were in busy areas at busy times of day and yet we were alone. I think this is just a different type of safari experience and if you go with that mindset, then you'll get much more out of it. The opportunities for photography, especially of birds, is far superior than on a shared game vehicle in a reserve.

 

 

Thanks for the comment, @@Tdgraves! I am thinking of perhaps 10 nights around the park with a guide and safari vehicle, since I am not very good with finding animals by myself. This option does not seem much more expensive than a self-drive if I share with a friend... Thanks again for the excellent TR and photography, I've enjoyed your other reports, as well!

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