On our JJa13 Walking South Africa tour the focus is of course on great walks. However, there are terrific game viewing opportunities in both Kruger NP and Hluhluwe Game Reserve. Jonathan absolutely loves this tour and recently had incredible game viewing. You can read all about their fantastic sightings below.

Encounter of a male and female leopard

We heard from a South African on game drive at Lower Sabie in Kruger National Park of a Leopard in a tree. When we first saw the leopard she wasn’t moving, just resting up on a branch. But she was in full view and it was a great sighting. While we were all quietly watching, she suddenly woke up and started moving around trying to find a better position to sleep again. After she settled down again we continued to watch her for some time and were completely surprised to hear an aggressive growl coming from a huge male leopard who was ferociously attacking the tree because he couldn’t get up to the female up in the tree. She seemed completely unperturbed and only looked down watching what he was up to. After a while he gave up and lay down next to the tree, seemingly trying to figure out what to do next. As there was no way up to her he eventually moved off to the bush and disappeared. Still sitting on her viewpoint the female leopard watched him going is own way. Just to see a leopard is a treat, but to see two and this interaction was an absolute highlight for me and the group. It certainly started our game viewing off with a bang. Little did we know luck was on our side and we were to see so much more?

Cheetahs on a lookout

After amazing game drives in Kruger National park we were honoured with another great sighting on our last game drive out of the park. Frist we saw three cheetahs – most likely a coalition of three brothers. Despite the fact that they were quite far away and we only could seem them with binoculars, we were simply happy to see cheetahs at all. Little did we know we were going to have even more luck a little later. Further into our game drive we spotted a cheetah very close to the road sitting on a termite mount. Cats on a hunt often try to sit up higher to get a better overview and termite mounds are a great platform to do so, especially because cheetahs can’t climb up trees like the leopards do. While watching the cheetah observing his surroundings we saw a movement close to the first cheetah. We then realised that there was a second cheetah lying right next to the first one – relaxing on the ground. After a while he sat up as well to check out the area. It was great to see cheetahs so close someone could think we almost could touch and pet them.

Wild Dogs on the move in Hluhluwe

While on game drive in the Imfolozi section Hluhluwe Game Reserve, we experienced a very rare sight: While watching the grazing rhinos – two adults and a calf – all of a sudden a dog came running over the crescent of the jeep track we were on. But what was a domestic dog doing in a National Park? Well big surprise – it wasn’t a domestic dog – it was the first of a pack of 14 wild dogs on a hunt. They all came running down between the stopped cars and went passed us down to the river bed. Immediately we turned our car and followed the dogs to see what they were up to. Luckily they were stopped by the river. We could see how they tried to figure out what to do next and were the best river crossing would be. We had the big luck to watch them for about half an hour coming back and forth on the river bed until the lead dog finally crossed the river and all the other wild dogs followed. They must have been a big cat on the other side. We heard a leopard growl and dogs recoiled and changed direction. It was one of the best sightings ever. I never expected to see them because wild dogs are an endangered species and are a rare sighting in Hluhluwe/Imfolozi.

Along with loss of habitat (wild dog need extremely large areas of land to survive), one of the reasons why wild dogs are rare to see is because early farmers in South Africa shot them out. Wild dogs have maybe the most successful hunting strategy: While on a hunt they form a V with a lead dog in the front. When he or she gets tired they rotate in the V to save energy (like birds flying). Once they found their pray the dogs strategically run it down while simultaneously taking bites out of it. As soon as the prey is on the ground tired or injured it is devoured within minutes.

So, what more can I say except this tour was incredible. We had an amazing group of clients, fantastic walks and incredible game viewing. I can’t wait for my next trip.