Day 6: Kruger National Park

Please note: the photos in this post are a bit fuzzy because of the program I used to upload my blog post from my iPad. You can click on each photo for a clearer view. 


Right out of the gate at 6:30 a.m., we spotted this giraffe. It was cold in our tent (56 degrees F), and we were bundled up (me in long underwear, a long sleeve t-shirt, a wool sweater, jeans, and a windbreaker and scarf).





I think this is an acacia (thorn tree):


Lebombo Euphorbia:





Impala:


Rhino:


Zebra:


















Umbrella acacia:


Giraffe skull:


Impala:


Giraffe with Fever Tree:




















Crocodile at Crocodile River:


Hippo:





Cormorant:


Impala dung:





This hippo is badly scarred by fighting:


Tea and coffee on the banks of the Crocodile River:



Gray Heron:



Termite mounds:


Yellow-billed Hornbill:






This giraffe was resting as the day got hotter (the high was 85 degrees):





As was this rhino:


Waterbuck, a type of antelope:





Waiting for breakfast on the terrace:


Dessert was a passion fruit custard:


The passion fruit seeds were little works of art;


Outside the entrance to camp:





Walkway to our rooms:











Vervet monkey:





Cape buffalo skull:


On our afternoon safari, we had an experience of a lifetime. We spotted a few elephants from the road, and our guide, Sifiso, took us toward them. Very soon we found ourselves very close to about 30 elephants.


The herd parted around our vehicle, passing less than 15 feet from us. We could smell them, and hear them chewing.





The largest , a bull elephant, confronted us by standing face to face with Sofiso, trying to stare him down, until the entire herd passed us. Then he, too, walked slowly around our vehicle. I was in tears, awed.




















Back on the road again, this photogenic zebra posed for us:





This group was armed, looking for poachers:


Impala:


Yellow-billed Hornbill:


Lion tracks:


Elephant and hippos:








A spectacular sunset:


A weaver's nest:


The group with our hand sign for "OMG, I can't believe I'm seeing this!"


Jennifer and me:


Mary and Barb:


Evening snack on the hood of our vehicle:


And back for dinner: