Satara Rest Camp, Kruger NP

A male warthog just outside the fence.

Two yellow billed hornbills seeing their reflection.

A comfortable vervet monkey.

A hippo returning the to river to escape the sun and heat of the day.

A very full spotted hyena.

Testing our scent.

Ostriches always run from the truck, so a rear view is the best you can do.

Burchell's starling.

These two friends were happily grazing together.

After three weeks baby baboons ride on mom's back.

Vultures feeding on an elephant carcass.

A small spotted genet.

Sunday, October 22^nd.

We were up even earlier! We were off on our half day game drive by six. We were moving from the Letaba Bush Camp in the middle section of Kruger to the Satara Rest Camp further south. En route we saw zebra, elephants, buffalo, giraffe, bushbuck, eagles and three hyena walking down the road with us. Then we came to a bridge over a river where we were allowed to get out of the vehicle and watch. We saw several animals in and around the river, crocodiles in the river and a herd of elephants come down to get a drink. We stopped at Olifants Rest Camp for relief and refreshments before continuing and seeing saddle beaked storks, ostriches, and the endangered southern ground hornbill just before our camp.

When we got there we set up camp. The weather was hot and sunny again and we got sweaty setting up camp, so right after lunch most of us headed to the swimming pool to cool off. After that I hung around reception photographing animals and birds there. The the ground hornbills were just outside of the camp fence so I took some photos. Suddenly I got zapped! It took me a minute but I realized I had touched the electric fence that keeps animals out. I won't do that again let me tell you! I also got chared by the warthog in the photo, who was also on the other side of the fence and to took offense to me being there.

At 4:30 we got together again for a sunset game drive. We saw many different animals but not in any number except impala. These night drives always remind me how scary the night if for these prey animals with hungry lions, leopards and hyena prowling around. The highlight was seeing a genet, another small nocturnal feline predator who preys on birds sleeping in trees. Unfortunately we again failed to see any leopards. The whole group was anxious to see one as it is the last of the big five, the holy grail for safari participants.

When we got back it was dark and we had dinner that Enock had prepared, sauteed vegetables and pieces of tender steak. Then we had a last meeting where we all had a chance to talk about the trip and whether or not it met our expectations. Everyone said it did in spades. Then I backed up some photos that Detlif took of the wild dogs and got ready for bed.