An Amazing Rhino Experience, Kruger National Park
On our last day in Kruger National Park, we had to drive through the park to exit the other side which was in itself a 3 hour drive. Kruger is huge but you realise just how big when you have to drive 3 hours to get out another gate. I guess we should take into account that we were using as an extra game drive and going pretty slow!
We were in our Nomad truck this time and didn't really expect to see anything too much. We were just driving through and after our first few game drives in Africa, it felt as if being on the main bitumen road through the park severely limited our chances of seeing any real game up close.
Just to prove us wrong within the first hour we had seen a whole herd of Giraffes and quite close. Zebra's followed, some eagles and finally Zanelli came to a screeching halt (not really I said that for dramatization purposes) when Lorraine spotted 3 Rhino's about 100 metres off the road. We were so impressed that we had finally got to see Rhino's so close. Zanelli turned off the truck and we just sat watching them graze. It was family unit. Mum, dad and baby. Lorraine estimated the baby to be 5-6 months old. He was clearly young but not super tiny.
They were amazing. We were so very excited and then they started moving closer.
And closer. And closer!
Until they decided to cross the road directly behind our truck. Mum lead the way (or it could have been dad – I'm not exactly the Rhino expert), closely followed by junior with Dad bringing up the rear. Mum sauntered across the road stopping on the opposite side to wait for junior who decided he must investigate this HUGE white thing stuck in the middle of the road.
After sniffing us and checking us out, he decided we were the perfect scratching post and decided to sharpen his horn on our bumper. Then on the corner of the truck and then under the truck.
HOW FRIGGIN AMAZING!
Here we are sitting on the road in Kruger NP with two fully grown Rhino's a meter away from us and a baby rhino shaking our truck with his scratching.
Now we've really seen the big 5 and I haven't left South Africa yet! It was incredible. The smiles all around were stunning and I'm fairly sure there were more than a few tears shed. To have that experience with an animal that can be so very dangerous, that is also so very private was something I will never forget. If you didn't read the last Kruger post,
KRUGER DIDN'T DISAPPOINT!