Olifants River Private Game Reserve

Game Drive no 201 by Neil and Morag Hulett unit 45

Hi there, Everyone, Well here we are back at Olifants after a very very busy week, down south, so it's good to be back in the peace and quiet once more, it's a beautiful sunny day here today and we are looking forward to the week ahead. Beautiful afternoon, so we go driving, our route is up kudu, along the e/e and down through warthog, across the RWL and onto first nkhonkoni, then sand, and we stop for drinks on sunset, mostly impala and a small herd of kudu, down toward hide, as soon as it's dark, we continue our drive and on jackal plains, we find a herd of 22 wildebeest, plus a herd of 7 zebra and of course plenty of impala, then as we pass hide, catch the hippo on the island, then along to the RWLR, through the tunnel, up the short cut and down kudu, and we bump into a hyena, and finally at idube, we are very lucky to catch a pair of leopards, coming into drink, the female must be in season as the large male, stayed close to her all the time, and as with most leopard sightings, they soon drifted off into the bush, the Falkenberg's rushed down from 52, but missed them anyway, thats the drive.

Monday 20 am, Around 5 or so a lioness, starts calling near the house, then goes down the road to 55, and then in the valley below us we hear ellies trumpeting, it's a cold, windy and overcast morning, not very pleasant but we leave the house around 8, first down to the river, impala and a couple of troops of baboon, we pass through warthog, impala and the same for buff plains, impala, sheltering in the woodland, but nothing else about, we find 5 kudu, near hide, but we decide to head for home, should have stayed home, anyway.

Meet Sean & Carol, up at sunset, except for impala and the herd of wildebeest at jackal plains, thats the lot.

Tuesday 21 am, a very cold morning, in fact the coldest so far this winter, so we are just leaving the house, at around 7,30, when Lucas calls me to say lion have a killed a giraffe, just down the road from idube, I mean how handy is that, Eric has just arrived as well and then Glen arrives and it's decided to pull the giraffe into the side of the parking for idube, the lion are 3 lioness's and a s/a lion, part of the pride from ON, Sean & Carol arrive and then various units, 15, 11, 25 & 2, then Glen reports in that 2 cheetah have killed a waterbuck, just past the turn up for 60 etc, right near the road, so we then go across and enjoy some great viewing, will include some picks of both kills, thats the drive.

Soon after we leave the cheetah, they are driven off by a whole mass of vultures. Around 12 we take a picnic lunch down to dube and stay for a couple of hours, the lion come in intermittantly to feed and all the while more and more vultures arrive, all waiting their turn. We return at around 5 and we join Eric & Sandy, Sean & Carol and then various other units arrive, as it gets darker there is more activity from the lion, a s/a lion and 4 lioness's, so we enjoy some great viewing.

Wednesday 22 am, Another very cold morning, we are first at the kill and are just in time to catch the s/a lion and one lioness leaving the giraffe, they are hardly out of sight, when down the vultures come en mass, but in a flash the 2 lion come charging back across from the other side of the trough and chase them all off, they hang around for awhile before setting off again, obviously following the other 3, but no sooner do they disappear when down come the vultures once more and back they charge, well this goes on for awhile, before they push off for good, and the vultures take over the kill, all this time in the bush, watching, are 4 hyena and it's only after Sean arrives, that very timidly at first, they approach the kill, anyway as time passes, they become more bold and then start feeding and chasing off the vultures, great morning's viewing, do hope some of my pic's are OK., well thats our drive.

This evening over to the Ryan's for dinner, Glen & Karin are there as well, a really great evening, lots of laughs, when we pass the giraffe at idube, the 2 lion are back, but all the vultures are up in the trees, and on our way home, no sign of anything.

Thursday 23 am, No drive today, into Phallies, for the big shop, Morag very happy, there's a brand new Woollies food, wow, progress.

Friday 24 am, Around 7,30 last night, a gale force wind whips through and blows throughout the night, Morag stays home, not sure why I went driving, besides 4 hyena at the last of the giraffe kill, impala & baboon along the river, just impala about, Sean & Carol find a leopard on rhino walk but I'm down on warthog, try for it, but no luck, then join them for a cuppa at sable before making my way home.

Very cold, windy afternoon, no drive.

Saturday 25 am, Beautiful morning once more, first up, 6 hyena at the idube, bits of giraffe all over the place this am. a little later one of the young lion, appears and chases the hyena, but doesn't stay long, up kudu and along the e/e towards the office, then across to hide, where we stop for a cuppa, and it's only as it warms up that more and more stuff appears, impala and wildebeest, at big, then impala, zebra and giraffe at double, 3 cheetah are reported by the the game scouts on tamboti link, but by the time the Ryans and ourselves get there, no sign, so passing big once more plenty of impala, a small herd of kudu and on the way home, impala, here there and everywhere, cheetah are also seen on a kill behind 66, thats the drive.

This afternoon the rugby and then of course the BIG 50 PARTY BASH for Meagan at the club house. Will report on that in the am. before sending this off.

Sunday 26, Well the party was a great success, great food from Sleepers, the club house looking very festive, sweet peas, roses & balloons every where, quite sure there will be plenty of pic's on our web sight, that will show you how stunning the club house was, but wow was it cold being so close to the river. A big thank you to all those involved for making it so special for Meagan. Finally I've included a few shots of the lion at their kill, the 2 cheetah males at theirs and then the hyena and vultures as well, Remember I only have GPRS here so I'm not going to send that many as it takes some time to get pic's away, enjoy. You all take care now.

Roars & Trumpets, N&M.....