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Addo Elephant National ParkMar 7, 2008
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To Addo Elephant Park
As a reward for getting up early for today's drive we were treated to a great sunrise at Jeffreys Bay. We had an uneventful drive to the Elephant Park. We passed a small herd of Zebra about 20 km before the park. As we parked and were setting up we had several small grey monkeys in the trees behind the MH. It was very hot at the park, well over 100 degrees.
The Park has a water hole about a 100 meters beyond the restaurant with a viewing patio with seats and an underground hide (blind). About 20 elephants were cooling off at the water hole. The "hide" was only about 60 feet from the water hole so it was easy to get good photos. A few of the ever present warthogs roamed the hill beyond the water hole.
We were picked up at 2 pm for our Schotia Safari. Schotia is a private game preserve with a wide variety of animals - no elephants - not large enough. It is an old farm about 1.5 km square. We went out in a Land Rover for 10 with a super guide. His knowledge of the animals and their behaviour made the safari especially rewarding. We saw Blazebok, Springbok, White and Blue Hartebeest, Wildebeest, Zebra, Monkeys, Girraffe, Lions, Hippo, Kkudu, Warthog, Ostrich, and Spring Hare. Midway through the afternoon we had a refreshment break and their lodge, continued the safari until dark, and returned for a suberb African Game supper, followed by a night drive through the park. It was a super day. I had 250 photos, Sally had 100, plus 12-15 minutes of HD video. Animals were up close - 5 to 10 feet from the vehicle in many instances. I was downloading photos and video until nearly midnight.
Addo Elephant Park March 8, 08
We got up early and were out the protected gate to the park at 0615. Warthogs, Kudu and Red Hartebeest were everywhere.
more later.
