Eight of us are now at Tswalu in the Kalahari Dessert. Really hot here over 100 degrees. However we leave early around 5.00 am in the morning back by 8:30am or 9:00am. Go out again at 5:00 pm back by 8:00 pm. The heat of the day we are at the lodge. These are very large rooms and the air con works great.

First day we saw numerous individual animals you do not see in the Kruger area. Sable and Oryx to mention a few. We stopped at four cheetahs. Mom and three two year olds, they were sleeping and raising their heads now and then. We were hoping they would go hunting. There was a Steenbok (a small antelope) they saw but they did not act on the hunt. So we finally broke out the sun downers drinks and then they moved to the location of the Steenbok. Almost like they were waiting for us to do the sun downer drinks before they would try for the kill. We could not follow just watch from a distance. They tried but failed to catch the Steenbok.

Dinner last night was outside near the pool. A series of small plates and a lot of options. Then we crashed.

This morning we went looking for two male loins who are about 19 years old. They are being transferred to an “an old folks animal facility” tomorrow and two new males are arriving. Unfortunately we could not find them. These are male lions we have seen often over the years of visiting Tswalu. However the other vehicle found the Southern Pride and had great sightings. We ended up joining them.

We had some breakfast and are skipping lunch today. Tonight we go to a special restaurant here considered “fine dining”. You go straight from the game drive no changing of attire. We hope to see the meerkats returning to their burrow after a day of hunting.

We also visited the new “tented camp”. LOPAI is the name of the facility. They should not say “tented camp” it is an incredible, spacious and luxurious home with your own chef, butler and private vehicle. The only thing “tent like” is a spiked permanent tent like looking “roof” that comes to a pike over the bedroom. Stunning view with mountains as a back drop. Cost I thought would be sky high but it is only about $500 more per person per night. Truly a bargain.

Not got any of Ken’s pictures yet but will post those later.

SORRY GOT HIT WITH MY ONION ALLERGY SO DID NOT GO ON GAME DRIVES OR POST.

I missed a great sighting with wild dogs and a leopard but will still show the pictures Ken took.

Meerkats





The dogs were stealing a kill from a leopard. The leopard ran up the tree and the dogs took over the kill.







Ken stayed back from a game drive when I was sick and went down to the lodge to eat. This leopard tortoise went by Ken’s table into the lodge then out again.



The group minus the Hutyra’s. Lovely sunset.



Linda walking up to the cheetahs and the cheetahs drinking.

Leaving for Mala Mala

Over my onion allergy and so happy to be at Mala Mala. Been on two game drives that have been great.

Big rains a few weeks back bought the bugs to life and everything is green. Some water in the river but still pretty dry really. However, unfortunately the elephants, giraffe and other animals left the area during the storm and went to Kruger. They are slowly coming back. We have seen the elephants twice but small groups not the large herds we normally see. Not seen giraffes yet but our guide said some are back.

Fortunately the cats stay. In two game drives we have seen three different leopards.

The first leopard is about 13 years old now and still going strong. She had a kill an impala lamb.



The impala lambs are everywhere and very quickly learn to run when mom runs. They are fast and the favorite food for the leopards.

We saw a stunning sunset with rays of light.



Today we saw a leopard slowly creep to some impala in the bushes. She used the safari vehicles to hide her and walked under the cars. Not something the rangers like them to do.

Rain was predicted for last night. So it was a little cooler with the cloud cover but still hot. Around 9.00 pm when we were back in our rooms the rain started and it rained hard. Fortunately it looks like no more rain and is was 60 degrees this morning instead of over 100 degrees. A huge drop of 40 degrees. Fantastic for a change.

We saw three giraffes this morning so happy to see some have come back.



Next stop leopard and cub. Yesterday late evening a leopard killed a male impala but had not started to eat the impala. We thought by this morning the leopard would have taken it up the tree. The ranger thought it may have been too big an animal for her to get up a tree. The nice surprise was that she had her cub with her. A small male cub that was so much fun to watch stalking and jumping on the mom, fighting twigs and bushes, always active.







A picture of our other vehicle. From the front to back - Cheron, Mary Ellen, Jim and Stacy, Jim and Mark

Then as we were leaving our ranger spotted lions. We found the lions with three large females and some year old cubs. The three sisters were sitting up with full bellies they had eaten last night. When they finally dropped down to sleep what was so nice was that they were touching each other as they slept. Unity amongst sisters.



When we left the lions close by was a lot of vultures. I was hoping they were on the lion kill. However, they all flew off before we could take a picture and only one tiny piece of a leg bone was all that was left. I think Mary Ellen had a shot of the vultures I will ask her to air drop me the picture and post it here.

We finished the day with one pregnant lioness with an impala kill that she had not touched yet. She was sitting up but then dropped down to sleep. The other vehicle turned up and we left to have a coffee break.

Still hoping to see wild dogs. They were here this morning on Mala Mala but crossed over to Landalozi, the property next door before we could get there.

Highlights of the great morning drive.

We had just started our drive and found a male lion walking off the bridge. He was on a mission and stopped three or four times to roar. We love hear lions roaring.



Next stop elephant crossing. The best part of this experience was a one or two month old elephant baby who was adorable. It looked like he was trying to get rid of his trunk. Rubbing it on the ground and rolling around. Cutest thing ever.






In the same location were two very pregnant female lions.

Elephants and lions are not good friends. I thought the elephants would change direction or the lions would move. But they all held their ground with no interaction.

We also saw baboons with babies on their backs and the funny antics that baboons always seem to do. One running up a tree and sitting on a branch looking down at us.

Lions absolutely every where today. We went a view point we often visit and I was getting ready to get off the vehicle for coffee then I saw the lions. Then we had a road block of 14 lions sleeping in the road.



We headed North to find the buffalo herd that had been sighted. Unfortunately we never found them.

On the way home we found the male lion had joined the female lions.

Nice sundowner at a wonderful lookout.



So during our final sundowner we heard a lion roar. So we jumped into our vehicles and found the male lion. He got up and started walking toward the airstrip. Stopping often to roar. It was getting dark so hard to take a shot but we got one shot. The lion goes to the airstrip as it is higher ground and can be heard further away.