Kruger National Park 

Walking the Sweni trail

We’d been walking for hours when the guides spotted a few tufts of hair on the path.  They walked over to a bush and quickly said,

“Stay back, get back to the road.  This is a fresh kill and the leopard is likely still nearby.”

With our hearts racing, the group backpedaled to the path where the guides joined us.  Their concern was the leopard would become aggressive as we were so close to it’s breakfast.  They explained how they knew which animal had been hunting since the dead impala was under a bush and not out in the open.  This was day 3 of our hike and by far one of the highlights although there were many other exciting moments.

Rangers searching for a leopard

Our entrance into Kruger National Park was more interesting than it should have been.  We left Pretoria later than hoped and were racing against time towards the gate.  We needed to be to the Crocodile Bridge gate before it closed at 6:30 pm.  The signs showed we were gettting closer and closer, but time was running out.  At exactly 6:24 pm we entered the park and were so excited we’d made it.  Tico handed the reservation to security at the gate only for him to tell us that we’d arrived too late to make it to our rest camp and would need an escort.

In the reception we were told we would not be able to make it to Lower Sabie, which was 35 kms away, that night because the roads ‘close’ at dark for safety reasons.  We would have to stay where we were or not enter the park until tomorrow.  After going back and forth, they were able to honor our reservation at the nearby rest camp.  We made our way to our hut and were welcomed by 2 warthogs that were being chased out of camp.

Day 1: On Our Own

Our alarm sounded at 4:30 am so we could pack up and see the animals early.  We needed to be at Satara rest camp by 3 pm to start our wilderness trail and even though it was only 130 kms away we knew it would take hours.  Within moments of leaving the camp, we saw a herd of zebras and giraffes.  We knew we’d see animals, but couldn’t believe that they were right there.  As we continued on, more and more animals appeared.  There were elephants, impalas, and blue wildebeest at almost every turn.  We also managed to see a spotted hyena, water bufffalos, a crocodile and white rhinos just by driving through.

We met the rest of our group and our guides, Nthambeleni and Rhulani, and headed out into the bush to start the Sweni trail.  On our way to camp we completed our viewing of the Big 5 by seeing a few lions as well as a leopard hanging out in a tree.  All of which quickly scattered to hide in the bush.  The camp was a few huts in the middle of the bush and a falling down fence around it.  The guides later explained that the fence was for us to know our boundaries and not to keep anything out.

Elephants at Kruger national park crossing the road

Day 2: The Endless Rain

They came to wake us at 4 am and after coffee and rusks we started our walk. It was drizzling at first, but then started coming down harder.  All day it rained on and off, which limited our ability to see animals.  We still learned about different plants and animals while having an amazing backdrop.  After a 5 hour walk, we arrived back at camp just in time to hear the drums sounding to tell us brunch was ready.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing (i.e. napping) until it was time to go out in the evening.  As it was still rainy, we opted for a drive and watched the sunset from a viewpoint while enjoying a glass of wine.  Everyone hoped it would be better weather the next day.

Rainy day at Sweni wilderness trail

Day 3: Animals Hunting Animals

We were woken up at 4:45 am and hopped in the truck to get to our starting point.  The sun was coming up and it looked like it was going to be a perfect day.  We could see animals in the distance, but most heard us coming and would run off before we could get too close.  It was then that we had the encounter with the leopard’s hunt.  Shortly after, we saw dozens of vultures not too far away.  We decided we should see what they were snacking on.  There was a wildebeest calf and it’s mother that had been the meal of lions and then jackals and vultures.  As Nthambeleni put it,

“It’s a hard life out here in the bush.”

That evening we took advantage of the good weather and went out for another walk.  We saw several water bucks, zebras and impalas.  We followed the tracks of a crocodile, but were unsuccessful in finding it.  At one point, Rhulani spotted 2 lion cubs in the distance, but after using binoculars we realized it was a false alarm and was just a discolored bush.  Our last stop was a lake that they’d hoped to see hippos although because of the recent drought we only found their carcasses.

Wildbeest carcass

The entire time we walked, even though it felt like walking through a beautiful park, there was the feeling that something was always watching you. And that they could attack at any moment.  We walked in a single file line with the guides in front with their weapons.  When we asked why they were both up front, the answer was,

“Most danger will come from the front.”

Although that still didn’t always keep you calm, there is a certain level of excitement that comes from walking through their habitat.  Whether it was looking behind you because you felt like you were constantly being watched or following the footsteps of different animals, it is definitely an experience worth repeating.

Maria and Tico with Rhulani

Check out more of Tico’s pictures here.

Helpful tips:

1. Make sure you enter the park well before dark to allow time to get to your rest camp.
2. The Sweni campsite has a cooler for personal use, if necesssary.
3. All rest camps have BBQ facilities and many also have electric stove tops.