Here is the video of the leopard.
To give a bit more context to our day yesterday, I’ll share a few more details. It took us almost five hours from the time we left our hotel in Johannesburg until we reached the Kruger gate. We were keeping a close eye on the clock, since both the park gates and our camp gates close promptly at 6 pm. You must stay inside the fenced camp between 6 pm and 6 am.
About halfway, we stopped at a farmer’s market to use the restroom and pick up some fresh produce, including a box of really good avocados. Douw is a great cook, and part of his family tradition—especially when visiting Kruger—is to “braai,” a South African-style cookout over a fire. They came well prepared, bringing along plenty of condiments and utensils.
Just outside of Kruger, we stopped at a very nice supermarket to stock up on supplies for light breakfasts and dinners. Our camp bungalows are set up perfectly for this, each with its own outdoor kitchen, patio, and barbecue grill. They’re also stocked with dishes, utensils, and cookware. (A nice bonus: the staff not only tidy up the bungalows daily but also wash the dishes and pots!)
Once inside the park, we made several stops to watch animals, which put us on the edge of the gate closing time—but we made it just in time. Our camp, Skukuza, is quite large, with about 100 individual bungalows, a small hotel, a restaurant, and a market.
Side note: guests are reminded not to leave food outside overnight, since baboons in the camp will happily raid your patio!
We’ll be spending three nights here in Skukuza before moving on to the Satara camp for another three nights.
The bungalows really make you feel like you’re on an elevated camping trip—complete with the full African safari experience! Each one comes with air conditioning, a refrigerator, a microwave, three twin beds, and a bathroom with a shower. And the best part? They’re a steal at just under $100 USD a night! Our bungalow...
The camp baboons...
We won't say anything about the 2015 Luce that Douw brought for dinner tonight! The sign is actually meant for folks not staying in the park. If you buy alcohol at the store, you must show your bungalow key.
We just got together for today's adventure and Douw had a very funny story. At 7 am, he heard rustling sound inside his bungalow. He looked and a baboon had removed the screen from a window he had left open and was going through a bag of fruit on his counter! He yelled at it and it ran out the open window. So, close your windows at night! 🐒
