The Big Five

We set off with the group in a big overland truck. It was well equipped with two tables for playing cards, lockers to store bags and loads of space for storing our tents. The rest of the guys in our group were great and we wiled the time away on the bus chatting and getting to know each other. We were a mixed bunch with one Scot, an Irish girl, 4 from England, a Kiwi, 4 Australians, 2 South Africans, 2 Swiss and a Canadian.
 

Our first campsite was just outside Kruger national park in South Africa. It took near enough a day’s drive to get there, but when we did it was worth it. It had lovely clean showers and toilets, a great little bar and a picturesque view of as little lake with a river coming out of it – It was a far cry from when we camped at T in the Park in Balado a few weeks earlier!

That evening we were treated to a “South African Culture Night” which involved singing and dancing wearing all the tribal gears and songs etc with a bit of gumboot (Robbie) and even a bit of crowd participation at the end when Katie was asked to get up and Dance with a South African tribesman! We then ate our 2^nd amazing South African meal in front of the fire and under the stars in the traditional African way – with your fingers!

Our next day started at 5am as we boarded safari vehicles and headed into Kruger. We were made to get up so early as that is the best time to see lions apparently and it didn’t disappoint! Within about 20 minutes of being in the park we had seen 5 lions playing in the morning sun and a number of other creatures including buffalo, zebra and some pretty looking birds. However the animals seemed to dry up a little after this early buzz and we eventually gave up and went for some lunch.

After lunch things really got going… We saw heards of elephants, impala (like deer), loads of giraffes, hippos, chimpanzees, buffalo, warthogs and even a white rhino which we were very lucky to spot as they are incredibly rare. 

It was drawing to the end of the day and we were just remarking on how lucky we had been to see so many great animals when suddenly our driver Derek heard something on his radio, did a three point turn in the road, and shot off in the other direction at about 100 miles an hour. Whilst we clung on for dear life, we shouted at him what is going on?! He replied “leopard”, of which there are only around 1000 in the park … did I mention the park was the size of Wales!?

We stopped beside a small tree and there he was, just stalking along in the undergrowth. We saw him for about 10 seconds and then he was gone, but the hair raising drive was all worth it. To see such a rare and beautiful animal was amazing.

So we headed back to our campsite in very high spirits having hit the Kruger national park jackpot. Some people take weeks even months in Africa chasing “The Big Five” (Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino and Leopard) and we had just seen them in one day!