South Africa - Kariega Game Reserve

So, we went on safari for 3 days.  On October 6 we flew out to the Eastern side from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth.  Only a one hour flight.  A guide with a bus met us at the airport and off we went on our "1 1/2" hour drive to Kariega Game Reserve.  As usual the time was 2 1/2 hours.  But the drive was pleasant through Port Elizabeth and the subsequent country side.  When we arrived at Kariega we already had seen many of the animals either before the entrance or as we went into the entrance.  We were traveling with and were in the same cabin with our new friend, Marillee Carroll.  This section is full of many, but not all, of the animals we saw.  We have tried to identify them correctly but there are many that look similar.  Not all of the pictures are ones we took as there were two young ladies who took some pictures better than we. 

Grace at Check-In



One or our first sights - Blue Wildebeest on the Range

Blue Wildebeests with Eland (I think) in Between

Giraffe

Giraffes eating the leaves

Impala



Impala Herd

That night we went to our Chalet, which had 3 bedrooms and 3 baths, a living room, a kitchen, a fire place, a deck and a swimming pool all to its own.   Then we had dinner in the lodge with the whole group.  Most of the faculty and Life Long Learners had their own Land Rover.  You will notice from the pictures these vehicles have the top cut off and accommodate approximately 11 seats uncluding the driver/guide.   There were 10 girls from SAS in one vehicle, 7 boys in our vehicle with Marillee and 8 LLLs in the other.

On the back deck of the Chalet looking for a sexy animal

Girls in their Land Rover

New Friends - Fernando Marillee Bob



New student friends - Andres and Stephanie

The next day we saw many more animals. 

Blesbuck

The next set of pictures are the elephants which really captivated us.  Including young elephants, a nursing elephant and a video of two younsters fighting.

Elephant

Elephants

Nursing elephant

                                 Two Young Elephants Playing

                                    Two Young Elephants Playing

And the lions were right in the middle of the road where we came upon them.  The guide keep the Land Rover about 15 feet away as the mother lion was nursing 4 cubs.  Wow!

Lions



Another shot at the lions

Then we came on the White Rhinos one with a baby.

White Rhinos

In the road we found a dung beetle pushing some elephant dung back to his lair or wherever.  He pushes with his hind legs from upside down.  When the dung rolls he just stays attached so it doesn't run too far.  No telling how he knows where he is going.

Dung Beetle

The next few pictures are of animals who look somewhat similar.  That is what makes them so hard to remember which name goes with which animal.

Nyala

Impala

Kudu

Of course, this guy is easily recognizable.

Burchells Zebra

Late in the afternoon we ran across the hippopotamus and the cape buffalo. 

Hippopotamus

Cape Buffalo

Water Buck

Water Bucks

Vervet Monkeys



Vervet Monkey

On the way back to dinner we had a very good seen at dusk.



Silhouette at dusk

Our Land Rover group

Grace and Marillee stayed up late by the fire talking and the next morning we headed to the Kariega River for a short spin down and back on the river.

Ken Terry and Grace on the Kariega River

Kariega River

It was a cold morning.  After the river we saw some more animals and then headed back to Cape Town and the MV Explorer.

Painting in the Reception area that Grace liked

The animals were beautiful and we have many more pictures.  However, the scenery was just as spectacular.  See the video below.

This shot was taken near the end of the day on the day before we left.  Just as beautiful as the river.

Next stop is Mauritius.