UNFORGETABLE TRIP TO SOUTH AFRICA IN SEPTEMBER 2015

I went to South Africa with my family for a vacation in September 2015. I was able to visit the famous Kruger park and a smaller park ( Pilanesberg) thanks to my cousin who flew from States to assist my aunt and uncle who are domiciled in South Africa for a long period of time.

We were lucky to see so many animals and Birds including the big 5 and it was a  memorable and an unforgettable experience.

The Pilanesberg Game Reserve is located in North West Province in South Africa, west of Pretoria. The park borders with the entertainment complex Sun City. The park is currently administered by the North West Parks and Tourism Board.

The area is fringed by three concentric ridges or rings of hills, of which the formation rises from the surrounding plains. Pilanesberg is named after a Tswana chief, Pilane,^[1] the 'Pilanesberg Alkaline Ring Complex' is the park's primary geological feature. This vast circular geological feature is ancient even by geological standards as it is the crater of a long extinct volcano and the result of eruptions some 1,200 million years ago. It is one of the largest volcanic complexes of its type in the world, the rare rock types and formations make it a unique geological feature. A number of rare minerals occur in the park. Pilanesberg Game Reserve rates high amongst the world's outstanding geological phenomena

Wilder beast

Zebras

Very playful

Most of the time one can see a heard of Elephants and they like to play with each other often

A Water buck

These red billed Ox pecks are  very common on these animals and mutually benefiting

Giraffes are also a common site

Young Kudu

This White Rhino we saw towards the evening

Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 kilometres (220 mi) from north to south and 65 kilometres (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the governme of ent of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

The notable thing is that Kruger is almost 1/3rd of the size of Sri Lanka.

The park has an area of 572 square kilometres (221 sq mi). One can travel through in a standard road vehicle as although most of the 188 kilometres of track are not surfaced, they are well maintained. The three main tarred roads are named Kgabo, Kubu and Tswene. There are several camps serving the park from the outside, such as Bagatla and Manyane. Several lodges are situated within the park itself. For the day visitors there are several stops on the inside where there are bars and gift shops. Towards the centre of the park there is an artificially constructed lake, the MankweDam, and Thabayadiotso, which means "the Proud Mountain".


This one looks intimidating with it's very large ears

Hippos love water

Like Deer in our parks these Impala's are very common

this is the 2nd Leopard we saw in Kruger

These sites are very common

A male Lion

These Elephants look very intimidating even if they are calm with   these large ears

Seeing Lions was a rare treat

Sometimes you get to see these Wild Buffaloes in numbers

A Kudu

Hippos are every where

A water Hog

A Baboon

We were very lucky to see  this Leopard at close range

A sleeping Hyena

This crocodile came to the river bank with this huge fish

An African Iguana

These Rhinos were seen at a private park belonging to a petrol station and a shopping complex

A Bontebok Antelope

Famous Sun city

They have got a five star hotel, a casino. malls etc and  an amusement section with this artificial strip of sea which is amazing

Water fountain inside Moneicasino

Ariel photo taken from the tallest building in Africa the Carlton Building

Breathtaking views in Nmupalanga about 150 KM from the nearest gate to Kruger park.

natural wonder called “Bourke’s Luck Potholes”. These Potholes have been formed over decades, due to the water that swirls over the rock formations t

The Blyde River Canyon

The Blyde River Canyon is the largest green canyon in the world, thus making it one of the most visited attractions in South Africa. There are three ways in which you can visit the Canyon: from the viewpoints at the Three Rondavels, white river rafting, flying over it with a helicopter or in a microlight. 

Waterfalls

In Mpumalanga, there are tons of waterfalls, which are worth visiting like the Horseshoe Falls, the Lone Creek Falls, the Mac-Mac Falls, the Lisbon Falls and the Berlin Falls.

 

God’s Window

God’s Window has no frame, no glass and no handles; it is simply a view so magnificent. God’s Window has a panoramic view of: the Lowveld, over Mountains, River and Waterfalls