TAILOR MADE PHOTO SAFARI - South Africa - June / July 2014

We have just completed an 18 day Tailor Made photo safari which included all the photo highlights on offer in and around the Kruger area in South Africa. Everything from landscapes, reptiles and vultures, to the famous "BIG 5" !!

First stop was the Blyde River Canyon for some waterfall and landscape photography, followed by a two night stay at Forest Camp where we enjoyed a full day of African Reptile Photography - many thanks again to Donald for providing us with such a great reptile experience :)

Tshukudu Game Reserve, Ngala Private Game Reserve and Mala Mala made up the following 9 nights where we were treated to great and varied sightings of that magnificent cat the Leopard. One of the highlights at Ngala was a visit to the Wilddog den site where we were lucky enough to see all 9 puppies and the adults returning from a successful hunt to regurgitate food for the youngsters. A female Leopard and her two large male cubs as well as two different Lion prides made the stay at Ngala extra special - many thanks to Andrew our ranger and Sam the expert tracker...

At Mala Mala we were once again well looked after by our ranger Brendan - thanks for another awesome stay Brendan !! it started off with a sighting of the small Charleston Pride - two sub adult males and a female - a first for me. Then we had a great run with Leopards, the cub of the Tamboti female, the Kekelezi female with her two cubs, the Nottens female with an impala kill, the West street male and that magnificent Male leopard the "bike"..

The stay was topped off on the final morning with a great sighting with a very small and wobbly baby elephant only a week or so old.

Finally we headed out into the Kruger National Park and based ourselves at Lower Sabie. Sunset Dam and Clyde's pan were on our agenda and we spent many hours sitting at these two bodies of water photographing the birds and mammals as they came down to drink.

Here are a few images from the trip we hope you will enjoy them.

Thanks again to all the staff at the lodges who made our stay so comfortable and to our rangers, Charles at Forest Camp, Matt at Tshukudu, Andrew at Ngala and Brendan at Mala Mala, thanks for getting us into those great positions for some excellent photos !!

A huge thanks to mum for the excellent catering in the Kruger !!

Thanks so much to Larry and Debbie for coming out on safari with us, it was an absolute pleasure to have been able to show you around the Kruger area - looking forward to the next trip with you..

Warm regards

Stu

Small waterfall on the Kadishi Trail - Blyde Canyon

Kadishi waterfall - Blyde Canyon

View of the Blyde Canyon and the Sundial with the Three Rondawels - Blyde Canyon

Bourke's Luck Potholes

Aloes in flower - near the "Pinnacle"

Blyde Canyon

Swadini Dam

Scarlet Chested Sunbird - Forest Camp

White Backed Vulture - Forest Camp

Boomslang - Reptile Park

Green Mamba - Reptile Park

Black Mamba - Reptile Park

Snouted Cobra - Reptile Park

Jabula - Big Cat Reserve

Male Greater Painted Snipe - Big Cat Reserve

Nile Crocodile - Big Cat Reserve

Cape Hunting Dog Puppy - Ngala Private Game Reserve

Cape Hunting Dog Den site - Ngala Private Game Reserve

Cape Hunting dog puppies playing - Ngala Private Game Reserve

Adult regurgitating food for the hungry puppies - Ngala Private Game Reserve

Puppy with the ear of an Impala - Ngala Private Game Reserve

One of the year old Male leopard cubs - Ngala Private Game Reserve

The second male Leopard cub  - Ngala Private Game Reserve

The female Leopard with her two large male cubs - Ngala Private Game Reserve

Male Lion - Ngala Private Game Reserve

Wildebeest - Ngala Private Game Reserve

A sub adult female from the Birmingham Pride - Ngala Private Game Reserve

A sub adult male from the Birmingham Pride - Ngala Private Game Reserve

The "Tekwane" female Leopard - Ngala Private Game Reserve

Two lions form the "Skoro" pride - Ngala Private Game Reserve

The two subadult Male Lions of the Charleston Pride - Mala Mala

The cub of the Tamboti female Leopard - Mala Mala

The Kekelezi female Leopard with one of her cubs - Mala Mala

A Coqui Francolin - Mala Mala

Collared Sunbird - Mala Mala

The Nottens female leopard - Mala Mala

Verreaux's Eagle Owl - Mala Mala

Dead tree and stars - Mala Mala

African Harrier Hawk swallowing a snake - Mala Mala

African Hawk Eagle - Mala Mala

Bicycle Crossing Male Leopard - "The Bike" - Mala Mala

Baby Elephant - Mala Mala

African Fish Eagle Landing - Kruger National Park

Young Hippos fighting - Kruger National Park

Young Hippos fighting - Kruger National Park

White Fronted Bee Eater - Kruger National Park

Southern Giraffe - Kruger National Park

Elephant Herd in the Sabi River - Kruger National Park

Gabar Goshawk - Kruger National Park

Spotted Hyaena and reflection - Kruger National Park

Impala and Reb Billed Oxpecker - Kruger National Park

Giraffe and Impala drinking at Clyde's pan - Kruger National Park

Impala - Kruger National Park

Egyptian Goose - Kruger National Park