Safari Day 21 - The Big 5

Highlight of the day: completing the Big 5 and the cheetah

Today was an absolutely incredible day. It was another full day safari through Kruger National Park. We left camp by 5:30 a.m. and this is what we saw: rhino, crocodiles (19 in one place!), black-headed heron, steenbok (deer-thing), giraffes, lilac-breasted rollers (birds), buffalos (tons and tons and tons at a huge watering hole), hornbills, go-away birds (louries), elephants (including a tiny baby), vultures, zebras, duikers (deer-things), marshal eagle, bushbucks (deer-things), vervet monkeys, warthogs, wildebeest, kingfisher, long-tailed shrikes, crested barbet, kudus, goliath heron (largest heron in the world-beautiful!), baboons, brown snake eagle, and 2 shrews. We also saw a lion right outside our truck.

But the best part was seeing not one but 2 leopards and one cheetah! We saw the cheetah in the morning. He was about 40 feet from our truck, and appeared to be hunting. We sat there for at least 20 minutes watching him. He stood under a tree and peeked around it towards his prey (probably some impala in the distance). He also walked around a bit so we got to see him in his full glory. He was absolutely beautiful. We could have watched him all day. It was very lucky that we got to see it, especially so close up and for so long. We could have stayed all day watching him, but we decided to leave and let him hunt. The first leopard we saw was pretty far away, across a stream on the opposite banks. He was sitting in the shade and we thought it was a lioness. But Nige took a photo and we zoomed in on it, and could see clearly that it was a leopard. Although far away, it was still such a beautiful animal, just relaxing. The last of the Big 5 for us! The second leopard we saw was actually hunting a huge herd of impalas right in front of our truck. We saw the leopard and the impalas, but the impalas only saw us. The leopard was so sleek and stealthy snaking through the grass to catch his dinner. He was completely invisible when he lay down in the grass. With his shoulders hunched and head down, he snuck up on the herd. We only knew when he reached them when we heard the barking of the impalas and saw them all scatter away. Unfortunately for him, he didn't catch one. But it was so exciting to watch all of this happen right outside the truck.

To top the day off, we had a fantastic dinner. We had the hugest steaks I've ever seen, grilled perfectly on the open fire. They were about the size of a side of cattle (actully the size of a large pizza). And absolutely delicious. Toni had organised to get a cake as a special treat, knowing tomorrow is Nigel's birthday. Through dinner, all we could talk about was the excitement of the day, and how good the food was. Not only did we see the Big 5 (plus cheetah), but we also saw them all in one day too!

I don't think Nigel could have asked for a better way to spend his last day being 30.