Just got back from a SAFARI in South Africa

[Memnoch]

If any of you ever get the chance to go on safari in Africa, GO. It's an unbelievable experience. I went to Ngala game reserve (www.ngala.co.za) for 3 days and it was totally amazing. The reserve is a private game reserve in the Kruger National Park and the service was awesome - we had our own ranger and tracker, and each morning (at 5:30am) and afternoon (at 4pm) we went out for 4 hour game drives (so we were out on the trails and driving off road in the lowveld 8 hours a day).

Then we spent 2 days in Cape Town and that was amazing too - I didn't think I'd find a city that was as pretty as Sydney but Cape Town is right up there. It has some amazing beaches and some really majestic mountains, including Table Mountain.

Here's what I saw in the 3 days (6 game drives on open top land rovers) I was at Ngala:

- 3 cheetahs (they were stalking a herd of impala - we got really close to them)
- a pride of about 10 or so lions, including a male that was feeding on a wildebeest kill
- a near fight between two male lions (one was an outsider)
- total of 3 rhinos, including a baby one
- total of 7 giraffes, including a baby one
- 6 leopards (2 sets of a female and two cubs, on opposite sides of the reserve), including one which tried to kill a scrub hare
- hippos in a waterhole
- a genet
- a caracal
- a herd of about 50 Cape buffalo (we drove into the middle of the herd)
- lots of impala, duikers, wildebeest, kudu, zebra and other herd animals
- a hyena sleeping on a termite mound
- red backed jackals
- vultures
- lots of eagles and other raptors
- baboons
- warthogs (some in our camp itself)

I didn't see any elephants but apparently some came really close to our lodge one night. We also had buffalo wander through the lodge.

The animals seem used to the vehicles and don't see them as a threat - however we were told not to stand up or get out, as that would break the profile of the vehicle (apparently the animals see the vehicle and passengers as one contiguous unit, but when you get up they realise that it isn't and it can panic them). We went offroad to follow the animals and I mean OFFROAD - it was hardcore driving over trees, logs, rocks and deep brush.

Here are some pics:







More to come as soon as I upload them all. I have about 2GB of photos taken from a 10MP SLR - about 1000 photos.

[robertthebard]

Nice, I need to do the night safari...All that sun, and I'd be lion food.

[Balintherlas]

Yea, I'd like to do something like that, I used to love goin to the zoo as a kid, the reptiles were my favorite. I'd like to see a komodo dragon, then slay it in single combat to take the scales to a blacksmith and get some sweet armour!!!! As a matter of fact, I think I'll take a trip to the Columbus Zoo sometime this summer. Cool pics by the way.

[Klorox]

That is so great! I have a coworker who recently went on a safari in Africa as well (I'm not sure which part though).

He kept telling me about the exotic foods... did you try any freaky stuff?

[Memnoch]

Yes, I tried ostrich (a red meat), kudu, zebra and springbok. Tasted ok - the zebra had a really strong, gamey taste.

[Klorox]

Cool man. You can actually get ostritch here in the US. It's a very lean red meat, and makes for a great burger!

[Harkoliar]

glad ure back in one pc mario [img]smile.gif[/img] and enkyed the trip

[bubbe]

I want to do something like that too, cool pictures [img]smile.gif[/img] sounds like you had a great time..

[Cloudbringer]

Very cool pics, Mems! can't wait to see more! Sounds like you had a fabulous trip!

[Leonis]

Just waiting for the PC dudes to tell you how much your Safari sucked...

Man, I was just in Boston, but left just before you got back... Yorick and Mrs Yorick came to the show and we had a sleepover in my hotel room in WORSEster (Worcester). Shame we couldn't hook up a Sydney massive, but I saw your schedule and it didn't work out unfortunately...