September 14, 2009 - Kruger Park Day 3

Today we had to go to Skukuza to get a new tire. A three-hour drive, one-hour wait at the garage and 813 rands later, we had the new tire and were ready to continue with the safari. While at Skukuza, we checked our emails since this is one of the few places in Kruger that has internet. We did not stay there too long as we had to be back at Satara for 6pm.

Though the sole purpose of the day was to replace the tire, we still found a ton of animals on the way there and back. On the way to Skukuza, we found: female nyalas, a herd of buffaloes (right next to us on each side of the street!), blue wildebeests, a white rhino, blue wildebeests chilling in the shade, a giraffe and impalas crossing the street, giraffes, and more giraffes and zebras running. We visited a waterhole where we saw lots more zebras, impalas, blue wildebeests, warthogs, and even a white rhino sleeping in the shade.

We also spotted more giraffes walking on the side of the road, zebras crossing the road, lots of impalas, and numerous hippos and crocs at another waterhole.

Throughout the drive, we spotted elephants going about their daily routine, which included eating on the side of the road, wandering by themselves in the bush, playing with each other and bathing themselves.

We spotted a number of interesting birds, including the lilac-breasted roller, grey heron, two giant black turkey-like birds and a hamerkop hawk. We also spotted a giant hawk eating a rabbit in a tree!

On the way back to Satara we saw:
Elephants
Wildebeest
Herd of Buffaloes (and another herd crossing the street!)
Giraffes
Kudus
White Rhino
Impalas
Steenbok
Greater Galagos
The southernmost Baobab Tree
Zebras
Warthog

And just to end on a happy note, Sami also found some pretty freaky insects mostly in our outdoor camping bathrooms and kitchen facilities... you always sleep with one eye open in Kruger Park...