THE BIRDS: KRUGER NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDS

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDS

I DON'T THINK I NEED TO SAY TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS PLACE AS MOST PEOPLE WILL KNOW IT WELL. THESE PICS ARE QUITE OLD AS I HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN FOR QUITE SOME TIME. NONETHELESS IT’S A START.

In terms of wildlife alone, Kruger is one of the world's greatest national parks. The diversity, density and sheer numbers of animals is almost unparalleled, and all of Africa's iconic safari species – elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, hippo and zebra – live out their dramatic days here, along with a supporting cast of 137 other mammals and over 500 varieties of bird.

The landscape is on a grand scale, stretching over 19,485 sq km, and although less in your face than the wildlife, it certainly has the power to charm. Beautiful granite koppies pepper the bushveld in the south, the Lebombo Mountains rise from the savannah in the east, and the tropical forests cut across the far north.

Our good friends, the Catto's where once again driving just up the road for a few days in the Kruger National Park. As nice as it is to live on the coast, their proximity to the country's best reserves tends to create a degree of envy induced green-ness... Following pics courtesy of Mr Catto...