This is our second day here at beautiful Kruger Lodge and we have decided to spend the day visiting wonderful Kruger National Park. We rise early at 6.30am and depart for the park to arrive at the entrance gate at 7.10am and already there are many cars lined up having paid their entrance fees. This is a huge national parkland of some 200 km in length and 130 km in breadth so our day with only take in a small part of the park driving on both paved and non paved roads.

Berndt drives and Elly has packed coffee, tea and snacks for a morning stop.

Surprisingly, the first hour of driving produces little activity in terms of either bird or animal life. But this changes quickly and we see a whole range of elephants, giraffe, impala , then lions followed by a further range of buffalo and when we stop for coffee beside a water hole there are hippos.

We drive on after a short break and quickly come across a breeding herd of elephants, then 5 Giraffes meander across the road in front of us. It is exciting and exhilarating to see these beautiful animals in front of us in their traditional environment. Hopefully the photos do justice to our visit and I will include them later on. We then see another small herd of elephants and many zebras.

The highlight of the morning, was the lions with their 2 cubs. They were sleeping on the other side of the water hole. It was quite wonderful. We have enjoyed the lions throughout our trip and this was no different.

We stop at 11.30amat Skukusa Camp for brunch at one of the large camps and we all thoroughly enjoy different burgers, although Jeanette has a chicken salad.

Following lunch we drive some 30 km to an area of high rocks and water holes where we again see elephants, this time no more than 5 metres from the vehicle. But it is spoilt as some idiot sits on the edge of his door almost exiting the vehicle and the skis enough to have one bull elephants, some 10 metres away, raise his trunk and kick his feet obviously agitated by this fool who was also endangering us. We subsequently moved on after a further 2-3 minutes because we were apprehensive as to the behaviour this bull elephant who was clearly upset.

We then came across hippos wallowing in the mud and water and only came to the surface every 2-5 minutes.

The bird life here at Kruger is again spectacular and Colourful with bright reds, blues, greens and yellows. We then come across two Karu, grazing and it immediately brings back memories of the kill by the female lions during our stay in Chief's Island at Sanctuary Chief's Resort, where we followed the 2 boys and then came across the two female lions who were resting following another kill of the wart hog.

We then divert to travel along the Sabie River hoping to see crocodiles sunning on the banks. We see several elephants and Giraffes walking down to the river and the water hole. There are several Wildebeest, several beautiful zebras and the ever present impalas.

Following this we drive to a waterhole and see an enclosed area reserved specifically for birdwatching at this lake area. It is definitely Simply breathtaking in terms of the the water, colours and breathtaking bird life.

Bernt had taken over from Elly after brunch, and now we drove in a circular fashion into another area following leaving the Sabie River. Unfortunately, with the temperature rising to some 28 degrees Celsius, obviously many animals were seeking shade and we saw less of the animals.

Arrival back at Kruger Lodge at 3.20pm, we had enjoyed a magnificent day in this amazing park.

We all showered and changed and we are now sitting outside having a drink.