Day 15: From Kruger NP to Marloth Park

July 12, 2019

We wake up early and leave our guesthouse around 7:30 am. Before leaving Skukuza Camp, we stop by the river, but we don't see any animals.

However, the sun treats us to plenty of sunshine!

We leave Skukuza Camp at 8 o'clock and drive on the small side roads towards Mlondozi Dam and Picnic Area.

This morning, there don't seem to be many animals around. We don't see anything along the main roads.

Somewhere, a Yellow-billed Hornbill sits in the branches.

When we arrive at the river, we see a few birds by the water.

After passing a dried-up riverbed, we see 2 hippos in the distance at a small water hole and more sleeping hippos in the sun.

As we get closer, we see a whole herd of hippos lying in the water and sleeping. It seems the alarm clock hasn't rung here yet.

Even the crocodile a few meters away is lying in the morning sun and sleeping.

A flock of birds lands on the sleeping hippos and busily pecks something off their skin, preferably around the eye area.

The hippos don't seem to mind - they just keep on sleeping.

On the other side, the monkeys are grooming themselves under a tree.

A bit further, we spot a vulture and raptor in a tree.

At 10:30 am, we reach Mlondozi Dam and the associated Picnic Site & Viewpoint on a hill, overlooking Mlondozi Dam.

I have no idea what it looks like when it's not 'bone dry,' but there is no water hole in sight.

All that's available here is in a swimming pool-like type of 'watering hole.'

We sit on the viewing benches in the shade and watch an elephant and some giraffes in the distance.

At the watering hole, a few antelopes are hanging out, and a small blue bird hops up and down in front of us. Its feathers sparkle in the sun, and the black feathers around its eyes, resembling a Zorro mask, make it look quite 'mean.'

After the antelopes have left the water hole, a lone warthog trots over to the water hole.

After drinking, it shows us its behind for a while.

Then it trots a few meters next to the water hole, where the ground is wet and muddy, and with a loud squeal, it falls into the mud and enjoys rolling around in the mud from all sides! This is better than a movie!!!

After coating itself in mud from all sides, it runs away with its tail held high.

As soon as the pig is gone, the herd of giraffes that were just snacking on trees in the distance slowly makes its way to the water hole.

We can hardly believe our luck. I've always wanted to see a giraffe drink!

Interestingly, only one giraffe drinks at a time. The others either stand watchfully nearby or walk rounds around the watering hole and the other giraffes, until one after the other has drunk.

In the distance, we see two elephants walking towards the watering hole.

It takes almost half an hour for them to reach the watering hole.

Upon arriving at the watering hole, they engage in some body care as well. They splash themselves with water and mud and scoop water out of the basin with their front leg.

At noon, it gets very crowded at the viewpoint. Many tourists have brought barbecue food and have comfortably settled with chairs around the grills behind the viewing benches.

Unfortunately, some vacationers don't really follow the 'quiet rule' when it comes to observing animals. They talk loudly, laugh, and eat.

We, like the elephants and all the other animals in the vicinity of the watering hole, leave the noisy picnic site and make our way towards Lower Sabie, where we want to visit the restaurant.

On the way there, we see 2 ostriches in the tall grass and a few warthogs digging in the sand.

At the river, just before the bridge to the Lower Sabie Camp, we see a herd of elephants at the water and two hippos on the opposite side.

We eat at the restaurant at the Lower Sabie Camp for lunch and are excited about the location.

The restaurant offers a huge terrace directly overlooking the Lower Sabie River, and many animals are frolicking there.

Actually, I wanted to spend the 3rd night of our Kruger NP tour here in the Lower Sabie Rest Camp, but unfortunately, everything was already fully booked.

For this reason, we decided to stay outside in Marloth Park for the next 3 nights and then spend another day in Kruger NP from there.

After lunch, we stop a bit further at the watering hole. The watering hole is completely crowded with cars, safari buses, and RVs. We hardly have a chance to get a glimpse of the watering hole.

In the distance, on the other side of the watering hole, we see crocodiles lying on the bank, gazelles behind them, and some hippos sleeping in the water, with the occasional feathered friend hoping for a 'ride.'

From the road, we catch a glimpse of the watering hole, where masses of crocodiles are bustling around while hunting for fish. I have never seen crocodiles hunting fish!!!

Unbelievable!!!

An especially fat crocodile climbs ashore right in front of our car and lies motionless in the sun.

We continue - the kids complain in the back that they are sweating, so we start the engine (including the air conditioning) and continue towards Crocodile Bridge Gate.

Speaking of sweating: we are currently in winter in Africa! That's right - refreshing, cool temperatures...

However, the car thermometer says something different, and the air conditioning is running at full blast:

+35 degrees Celsius!!!!

Unbelievable how hot it is!

I long for a cold shower. The wish doesn't diminish when we see a herd of elephants splashing in the river.

A few meters away, under a rock, the lions are sleeping. They seem to be recovering from their last feeding frenzy. With full bellies, they lie motionless in the shade under the rock.

A traffic jam is always a sign of wildlife sighting. In our case, it's elephants that can't seem to decide whether to cross the road or not.

While we are focused on the traffic in front of us, which has come to a standstill, an elephant cow with 2 calves crosses the road behind us, and in front of us, another elephant can't decide which direction to choose.

As soon as the traffic moves again, a loud trumpeting from the bushes next to the car startles us. We stop, and more agitated elephants cross the road. Apparently, they were separated from the herd and are now in a hurry to catch up again.

Okay - we're not in a hurry anyway...

We know the ears flapping wildly and the raised tail with threat posturing all too well from Pilanesberg and let all the pachyderms pass by.

Before we drive to Crocodile Bridge Gate, we make a detour to the Hippo Pool.

There, indeed, are a lot of hippos in the water, but unfortunately, they are very far away and hardly recognizable without maximum camera zoom.

It is almost 5:30 pm when we leave Kruger NP via Crocodile Bridge and continue towards Marloth Park.

I have booked a rustic safari house in the middle of the 'bush' here.

Since it gets dark early, we arrive at Marloth Park in total darkness.

In the 'town center,' we pick up our key for the vacation house from the security company.

The nice gentleman at the security company points out to us that there have been several lion sightings in Marloth Park in the past few days - and lions don't actually belong here....

Oh, I didn't want to hear that...

With thoughts of possible lions, we forget the correct button sequence on our key that controls the house alarm system. We only notice the dilemma when we find the house in total darkness out here in the middle of nowhere, thanks to Google Maps.

Now, what was it? 2 times red and 1 time blue? Or 2 times blue and 1 time red? Or something completely different?

Damn...

As expected, we press the colorful buttons on our key remote control alternately, and the doors do indeed open.

What we don't realize is that we have triggered the silent alarm of the alarm system. Uh-oh.....

While we get a huge shock because there is allegedly a 'huge real snake' on the windowsill next to the door, the security car arrives.

Oops....

However, the nice security man is very friendly and just laughs when we ask him about the snake. He fearlessly takes it in his hand and waves it in front of the husband, who immediately jumps back.

The snake is a rubber snake, a fake one to deter the monkeys, which always try to come in through closed windows. Baboons are the worst burglars here!

Well...

He explains to us again exactly which buttons on the remote control we should press and says goodbye with a laughing 'See you!'

We are probably not the first ones to trigger the 'silent alarm.'

The children are already occupying their rooms (each has their own room) while we finish unpacking the car.

Just as I am about to grab the last piece of luggage, the husband jumps into the trunk with a loud scream and shouts 'Watch out!!!!'

Something must have startled him tremendously. He closes the trunk, I jump through the rear door to the car and also close it. I turn on the headlights via the center console. There is nothing and no one to be seen.

The children are standing at the front door, laughing their heads off (what paranoid parents!?)

When asked what he saw, he simply replies, 'Huge and ugly, looked like a pig with monster teeth!'

Hmm, will we ever solve this riddle?

After making sure that there are no unwelcome guests around the Jeep outside, we quickly jump over the fence onto the fenced-in veranda and disappear into the house.

Phew, what an excitement...

Now it's time to unpack, have dinner, and then sleep.

We'll explore everything else tomorrow - in daylight!