Leopard capitol

After a short night sleep at Satara Rest Camp we left the Kruger NP but are on our way to more safari: a private game reserve called Sabi Sand. It is most well known for the vast amount of sightings of leopard and features quite a few fully catered lodges with an extensive program of game drives and bush walks.
One basically drives to a lodge, parks their car and indulges in the luxury and wildlife.

Our lodge is called Elephant Plains and looks over a dry riverbed and an adjacent clearing where the elephants like to frolic around when the time is right. Unfortunately, it started raining the moment we arrived at the lodge and as such we were not very lucky.

Both the morning and the evening drive are done in an open topped 4×4 and all occupants are fully exposed to whatever nature throws at it. This includes weather, branches, mud and everything else one can imagine.

A full day starts with a knock on your door at 5AM after which your truck departs at 5:30. You’ll be in the bushveld for about three hours and breakfast is served from 8:30 to 9:30. At 9:45 an optional bush walk departs while lunch is served at 14:00. Then, at 16:00 the evening drive commences which last for about 3.5 hours which is followed by dinner at 8PM. After dinner there is the social part of life at a lodge (at the bar) but we tend to go to bed as the knock on the door will inevitably be at 5AM!

We stayed at this lodge for 2 nights and have seen a lot of leopard. Every single drive had at least one sighting! We are so very lucky to see this!