Leadwood

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We spent six nights at Leadwood Lodge in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve (http://www.andbeyond.com/leadwood-lodge). The Sabi Sand is named for two rivers – the Sabi and the Sand. The Reserve is adjacent to and shares a 50 kilometer (31.25 miles) unfenced border with Kruger National Park. Leadwood is located in the northwest section of the Reserve on the Sand River.

Life at Leadwood Lodge is beautiful – both in terms of setting and service – and is further enhanced by excellent game viewing. Leadwood has four large thatched-roof cottages (~1,000SF each). They are beautifully appointed and provide for the utmost in privacy. Only three cottages are booked at a time unless a group takes the entire camp and then all four cottages would be in use (i.e., there would be eight guests at most).

Life at Leadwood involves very full days. Each morning you receive a 5:10A wakeup call (yes, there are phones in each cottage). At 5:15AM, a coffee/tea tray with an assortment of “rusks” is delivered (a “rusk” is a South African biscuit meant to be dipped in a hot beverage). At 5:45AM, your morning game drive begins. During the drive, there’s a stop for a morning stretch and the hot beverage of your choice, including one spiked with Amarula, a South African liquor, if you so choose. Typically, you return to camp between 8:45AM-9:00AM. After a quick clean-up, you return to the main Lodge area for a made-to-order breakfast served in a different location each morning.

After breakfast you’re have free time to relax, shower, take in a dip in your private plunge pool, etc. until your chosen lunch time (typically between 1:30PM-2:30PM). At 4:00PM, coffee and tea are offered along with a sweet and fresh fruits. Afterwards, it’s time to begin the sunset/night drive. As the sun begins to set, there usually is a stop for an evening cocktail in the bush (referred to as “Sundowners”). During the return drive back to camp, the Tracker uses a spotlight to hunt for “glowing eyes” (i.e., nocturnal creatures you might not otherwise see). When you’re back in camp, you’re greeted with a refreshing towel (hot or cold depending on the day’s temperature). A security guard then escorts you back to your accommodation. You can either take a break or just drop off your camera, binoculars, etc. Afterwards, the guard escorts you to back to the main lodge. The camp is entirely open and unfenced; that’s why there is no walking about alone at night. After enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail and dinner at 8:00PM, you’re once again escorted back to your cottage when you’re ready to call it a night.

During our game drives, we had the pleasure of seeing amazing wildlife. We had the fabulous experience of sighting the “Big Five” – Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros – in a single day!! This was due to the expertise and efforts of Andrew, our Guide/Ranger and Chris, our Tracker. Chris sits on a small seat on the left side of the hood (bonnet) while Andrew drives from the left. Both individuals are looking for game and/or game tracks. They did a terrific job! Also, because Leadwood isn’t fenced, we had several occasions where animals were in camp. These included antelope such as Bushbok and Nyala as well as some bigger animals such as Elephants! Also, a Leopard visited one night (we didn’t see it but the tracks were definitely there and shown to us by Chris.) So, you truly appreciate you’re in the African bush! If you're interested in having your own wonderful adventure, contact our &Beyond representative, Desray Rennison, at desray.rennison@andbeyond.com.

Enjoy some of our photographs below. For more details about our trip, read the daily diary that follows our photographs.

THE BIG FIVE NEED NO TITLES; THE TERM "BIG FIVE" ORIGINALLY WAS COINED
BY HUNTERS TO DESCRIBE THE DIFFICULTY AND DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH
THESE FIVE ANIMALS. WE CONTINUE TO USE THIS TERM BUT NOW AS PART
OF A PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARI ADVENTURE.

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THERE ARE MANY OTHER BEAUTIFUL AND MAJESTIC ANIMALS TO
BE ENJOYED AT LEADWOOD. THESE PHOTOGRAPHS INCLUDE TITLES
IN THE EVENT ONE OR MORE OF THESE CREATURES IS NEW TO YOU.

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	A pair of African Wild Dogs (the female is in the front)
	Lion cubs enjoying a Buffalo kill
	A Crocodile sunning itself
	A Nyala
	A pregnant Zebra
	Two Lions mating
	A Hamerkopf
	A Reedbuck
	A close-up view of a baby Elephant with its pink underbelly & leg; Simply Amazing!
	This Hyena has a Rhino tail in her mouth (her distended belly means she's likely been eating lots of Rhino flesh/bones)
	A Leopard Tortoise
	The sparring Impala
	A baby Giraffe

[ T O P ]

Wednesday, 9 October: After enjoying a lovely stay at Ngala Tented Camp, we were once on the road again. After leaving the Ngala Reserve, we drove on the R40 south to the town of Hazyview. From there we took the Paul Kruger Road towards Kruger National Park. Before reaching the Park, we turned off to the Newington Gate, one of the entrances to the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve. We drove 25 kilometers on unpaved roads stopping en route to pay Reserve fees at the Gate. We arrived at Leadwood at 1:30PM. We were met by Camp Manager, Patricia. Then we also met Aarone, our Butler (the individual who offers beverages, serves meals and generally looks after our needs). We settled into our luxury thatched-roof cabin and then enjoyed a leisurely lunch.

At 4:00PM we returned back to the main building at the Lodge. Here we met our ranger, Andrew, who gave us, Mark and our two companions an overview of the Reserve and potential animal sightings as well as safety instructions when outside of the Lodge. Our drive began at about 4:15PM. Our first drive began with an amazing sighting! We went to a spot where Lion had killed a Buffalo. When we arrived, we found eight Lion cubs eating on the carcass with three female Lions relaxing nearby. It was brilliant! We were so close we could hear the Lion cubs tearing off skin to get to nice pieces of flesh. At one point, several cubs were actually inside the carcass. As we were watching all the activity, Andrew received a call that a Leopard had been spotted on a rock formation nearby. Everyone agreed we should leave the cubs to their dinner and continue there. When we arrived, Andrew parked in a great spot and we had perfect lighting for capturing images of this powerful creature. Wow, another great sighting! Then it was time to celebrate these two events. We drove to a scenic spot in time to watch the sunset while the group enjoyed the beverage of their choice. We saluted the day and our team (Andrew & Chris) with a gin & tonic. Wow, what a great start to our adventure at Leadwood!

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	The Lion cubs are enjoying the Buffalo kill
	A closer look at the action with one cub totally inside the carcass
	While the cubs look soft & sweet, look at the bite this one is exhibiting
	A closer look at two of the cubs who are starting to fill up
	A cub joins a Lioness after eating
	This female Lion actually decided to stand up for a moment before once again laying down to enjoy her meal
	This beautiful female Leopard relaxing on the rocks
	A closer shot of the Leopard's face
	The Leopard turns to look at our vehicle

We returned to the Lodge and were greeted there by Patricia with nice cool towels offered. Then our security escort took us back to our cottage to drop off our gear. We then headed back to the Lodge and picked up Mark at his cottage en route to the main Lodge. We enjoyed dinner for three in the “Tree House” an al-fresco dining area on a raised deck built around a large tree. While Aarone was serving a delicious dinner offered by Chefs Sinah and Gift, he heard a Leopard begin calling from the bed of the Sand River. Aarone found a flashlight (or “torch”) and he spotted the Leopard immediately. Wow! This was an especially interesting sighting as earlier Andrew had predicted that the female Leopard we saw earlier that day would come by the Lodge that evening.

Thursday, 10 October: John, our Security escort, delivered a pot of coffee to our room at 5:15AM. We were out of our cabin at 5:40AM in anticipation of our 5:45AM drive. Andrew advised us that Mark would not be joining. He had telephoned the office (yes, there are phones in our cabins) and said he was out of sorts. We had an amazing safari! We decided to drive to the den of a group of Wild Dogs to see if they were about. As we began our trek to the den, Chris spotted a group of Rhino. There was a female with an incredibly long horn. It was probably the longest of any Rhino we have yet seen. She was accompanied by her calf as well as another adolescent female. The calf was very curious and came quite close to our vehicle before getting a bit scared and returning to mother’s side.

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As we watched these huge creatures, Andrew stayed in touch with other vehicles. He learned that there wasn’t any activity at the den, but several of the Wild Dogs had been seen in various nearby areas. So Andrew and Chris decided to go to an abandoned air strip and it paid off. As we arrived, we could see another vehicle parked and the Wild Dogs were there! These are amazing animals and often difficult to see. We were so thrilled! We saw nine adults and six pups. The adults lay on the grass and the puppies frolicked about the area. Then, everyone got into the action with lots of group touching and playing. Then, the alpha female decided it was time to leave. We followed the Wild Dogs into the bush and it appeared they were going to begin a hunt. Some of the members began to run and Andrew thought they were onto Impala, a favorite food. The pace quickened but instead of Impala, they first came upon a group of Elephants. The Wild Dogs quickly veered away from them and came out of the bush into another clearing. It was then time for them to take a break after the hectic pace. At this point, we left them so that other vehicles could see these marvelous creatures. What a treat; we never imagined we would be able to see Wild Dogs. Another, Wow!

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	A pair of Wild Dogs - the female is in the front
	Another member of the group
	A group of Wild Dog puppies
	The pack exchanges touches and vocalizations to bond with one another
	A lone male Wild Dog looks onto the horizon
	A female (front) and male Wild Dog
	We watch as the Wild Dogs began to hunt
	Our last glimpse as the Wild Dogs head into the bush

After this incredible scene, we drove into a group of bachelor Elephants. We watched them striping bark off small tree limbs as they fed. The dexterity they display with their trunks is amazing! Afterwards we drove to a small waterhole for our morning coffee. There we saw a lone hippo in the water. Andrew and Chris made a great morning beverage – a combination of coffee, cocoa and Amarula, a sweet and creamy South African fruit liquor. Delicious! As we were making our way back to the Lodge, we found a small Crocodile while crossing some water. It was quite small but doing very well. Besides, it posed so nicely for us (or was it just sunning?)!

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	One of the bachelor Elephants
	The small Crocodile enjoying the morning sun
	On our return to Leadwood, Andrew stopped and posed by the skull of a Hippo. It sure gives you some perspective on the large size of a Hippopotamus

Back at the Lodge, we met Mark who was feeling better but still out of sorts. We then had some yogurt and fresh fruit before ordering a light breakfast. Afterwards, it was time for us to go clean-up, sort of photographs, etc. until our rendezvous at 1:30PM for lunch. Lunch was again another delicious affair. We enjoyed salads and forewent the chicken that was offered. The chef made Mark a vegetable soup with bread and we hoped it would speed his recovery. After enjoying the lunch, we returned to our respective cabins until it was time for our 4:00PM sunset drive.

Once again our afternoon drive was a real treat! We began by viewing a male Leopard that was very close to our Lodge. It was resting in the shade of a tree to avoid as much heat as possible. It was so much larger than the female Leopards we previously had seen. It was great to watch this large predator relaxing before beginning its evening hunt. Our next quest was to try to find Zebra since one of our group hadn’t previously seen them. So, we headed out in a new direction.

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	This is truly a beautiful Leopard
	A closer view of its nicely decorated face

First we came upon a huge male Nyala. Its horns were so large and impressive. Then, luck prevailed as we found a small herd of Zebra. Afterwards, we drove to a waterhole which held some Hippos. While sitting there, Chris spotted something moving which none of us could possibly see. Chris and Andrew went to investigate and it turned out to be a Leopard Tortoise. They came back to the jeep and we all took a walk to get a quick look. It was amazing that Chris could see this small guy from about one-half a kilometer away! Wow, what an amazing skill!

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	A Nyala
	This was our first sighting of a Reedbuck
	This is a baby Zebra
	Per Andrew & Chris, this is a pregnant Zebra (her belly is really distended); behind her is the small baby Zebra we first photographed
	The Leopard Tortoise which Chris was able to spot

Since it was now dark, we took a quick ride back to the Lodge. We enjoyed our evening cocktail there and then we treated to a braai (a South African barbeque). The Lodge guests (all five) plus Andrew and William (a Ranger at Exeter River Lodge) and his girlfriend, Tess, were seated at a group table for eight. Before dinner actually began, the staff treated us to some wonderful gospel music followed by traditional music. When the dancing began, Andrew was the first of our group to join them. Eventually, we all got up and danced to the beat of the drum and whistles. Aarone did a great dance in which he first imitated an injured bird that then was rejuvenated into a healthy one as the dance progressed. Terrific! Afterwards, we returned to our table and subsequently went to the nearby buffet. There was a salad bar followed by barbecued meats (Kudu being featured) and vegetables. It was another terrific meal and the perfect way to end an outstanding day.

Friday, 11 October: We left the Lodge promptly at 5:45AM to see what we could enjoy this morning. It turned out to be a very, very memorable day! First, we got a call that male and female Lion had been spotted on a rock in the river. We drove there and after some careful maneuvering, Andrew positioned the vehicle so that we had a great view of the couple was relaxing together. He then explained that the female had left the other members of the pride we saw yesterday in order to mate. True to form, after about 15-20 minutes, the male Lion moved on top of the female and the mating began. Again, as we had previously witnessed at another lodge on this trip, it was very, very quick.

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	The pair of Lions
	The male Lion gets into position for mating
	Mating begins
	Post-mating the female Lion rolls over to ensure that semen remains inside her
	A close-up view of the contented couple

As we continued to watch the pair, Chris spotted the balance of the pride moving down into the river just within view. He quickly suggested we move there and Andrew once again drove and positioned us just by the first body of water. Here we were able to watch the two females and eight cubs enjoy lots and lots of water. It was an amazing sight as they lapped up small mouthfuls of water again and again. It also was amazing that they didn’t care anything about us; it was almost as if we were invisible. As the group began to depart, several cubs and both female Lions passed within a few yards of the vehicle. The whole process allowed for some great photographic opportunities as well as true excitement when you realize how close you are to these amazing creatures! After enjoying the Lions, we also got some great shots of African birds. Icing on the cake!

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	The Lion pride drinking at the waterhole
	A close-up of a Lion cub drinking water
	This cutie is on the move
	Look at the mud on the chin of this cub
	The cub in the front is pausing while the Lioness and another cub continue to drink & drink
	Another close-up of a beautiful cub
	This female Lion gets ready to leave is and quickly followed by the balance of the pride
	A Black-crowned Night Heron with its reflection captured on the water
	A Dwarf Mongoose posing on a termite mound which is now its home and it is shared with numerous other Mongoose
	A Hamerkopf

Wow, after this excitement it was time to have a morning coffee break. We drove back towards the Lodge and went beyond it to cross the Sand River. About half-way across, Andrew got a radio call from a nearby lodge advising that the female Leopard with two cubs had been spotted earlier in the riverbed. She was scouting for a new den and possibly had already relocated her two cubs to it. So, we drove a bit down the river and enjoyed our yummy coffee (coffee spiked with cocoa and a bit of Amarula. Then, Chris and Andrew met another guide and tracker and asked if our respective groups would mind if they tried to locate the den. Everyone in both jeeps agreed and the group set off on foot. They soon returned and we drove one route while the other jeep drove another. At one more spot, Chris and Andrew again left our jeep. They found lots of Leopard prints but couldn’t deduce exactly what was going on.

At that point, Andrew said those who wanted could join him in a 30 minute walk back to Camp. We choose to do so despite it being a bit hot. We walked through the brush and also used one of the dirt tracks. En route, Andrew pointed out various plants and fauna. It was a nice learning experience and a great way to end our unbelievable morning!

Due to our walk, we had a late breakfast. Again, it was delicious. We and Mark decided to postpone lunch until 2:00PM so we could review photographs, clean-up, etc., etc. While we were showering outdoors, a large group of Elephants came into the camp. We quickly finished showering and we were able to then get a great photograph of Ed with an Elephant just across our plunge pool. Simply amazing!

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We were very excited to share the experience when we met Mark at the Lodge for our lunch. As we were enjoying it, an even larger group of Elephants began crossing the Sand River and then eating the foliage on both sides of the river. We saw a unique individual. It was a very young male, still in tow with Mom, and he had a pink underbelly and leg. No one at the Lodge had ever seen this colored Elephant before and everyone was very excited. Now, you know what we can say…. Wow, we saw a pink Elephant (and we didn’t even have wine with lunch)!

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	Elephants enjoying a waterhole on the Sand River
	This mother Elephant has a very unusual baby
	A close-up view of the baby Elephant with its pink underbelly & leg; Simply Amazing!

At 4:00PM, we departed the Lodge for our afternoon ride. We came across a female Rhino and her calf but didn’t stop for photographs. Andrew reported that the Wild Dogs had been spotted again so we headed in that direction quickly, especially since Mark wasn’t with the group when we originally saw the Wild Dogs. The “safari gods” smiled upon us as we found the group at a rock formation. Our timing worked great because the pups had been resting in the rocks while the adults were scattered about a hillside. The group reformed with lots of touching among the animals and vocalizations. Then, the alpha female went up the hill and all members – including the pups – started to trot after her.

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	Our first glimpse today of the Wild Dogs
	The Wild Dog puppies among the rocks
	Another adult member of the pack

Andrew said that while another vehicle would follow them, we would head to a nearby waterhole. We arrived before the Wild Dogs and a group of Impala were nearby. Initially when the Wild Dogs arrived, they gave a half-hearted attempt at catching an Impala. They were definitely in need of water more than food so they cut off the chase quickly to take over the waterhole. It was again a great treat to see the Wild Dogs and watch them drink. We learned that the pups are only about 10 weeks old. It’s amazing how quickly they grow and learn hunting skills.

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	The pack of Wild Dogs arrives at the waterhole
	The Wild Dogs remain alert while at the waterhole
	Another great shot of a Wild Dog
	This is the Alpha Female
	The Wild Dogs are once again ready to move

Afterwards it was time to enjoy a beautiful sunset with a Sundowner. The perfect way to celebrate our amazing opportunity to see and photograph the Wild Dogs! Just before we arrived back at the Lodge, Andrew asked if our group would be interested in tasting a great fruit. Of course, everyone was enthusiastic. He then took us to a “Champagne Tree.” The tree was illuminated by hanging lanterns and, to our surprise, there were six Champagne flutes and a bottle of icy South African bubbly awaiting us! It was a great treat, especially since our safari companions (Cathy and her daughter, Heather) will be leaving tomorrow afternoon to move to Ngala Tented Camp (our previous home for four nights). What a wonderful and creative way to end our sunset safari!

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	Another beautiful sunset in South Africa
	Andrew & Chris in front of the "Champagne Tree"
	The guys getting "the fruit" ready

After a quick stop by our respective cabins, our security escort, Nick took us back to the Lodge. Here we enjoyed another delicious dinner accompanied by the remainder of the South African bubbly and then Shiraz! At 10:00PM it was time to return back to our cabins in anticipation of tomorrow’s third morning drive.

Saturday, 12 October: It was a warm morning and instead of being cool, the breeze was too was a bit warm. We began our drive at about 5:40AM and Andrew suggested we go check out the area where we had seen the Lions yesterday morning. Before we reached that area, he dropped Chris off (with radio in hand) so that Chris could try and track the female Leopard we previously had seen. Andrew’s decision turned out to be a great one as the same pair of mating Lions was in the sand near the rock where we had found them originally. We actually stayed to see them mate twice (again, the mating went very quickly). We learned that the female will immediately roll over afterwards to ensure that the semen remains inside of her and she has the best chance to conceive.

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	The pair of mating Lion
	A close-up of the Male
	A close-up of the Female
	The mating continues

Andrew got a radio call from Chris who said he had found female Leopard and also found a male Leopard. We headed over to pick up Chris and then began to track the male Leopard using our vehicle. It was difficult terrain and the Leopard was very wise in choosing a course that was difficult for us to follow. A second jeep had joined the chase and it ultimately got stuck. So, the male Leopard won this round. We quit the chase in order to assist the other vehicle. We first tried pushing it out of a hole and that didn’t work. So, Chris and Andrew hooked up a tow rope and we at last got the vehicle out. Hey everyone looks after everyone as you don’t know when you might need the favor!

Following along side the male Leopard
(till we had to rescue another vehicle)

Afterwards the group made a decision to drive various roads to see what we might come across rather than go looking for any specific animal. We saw lots of animals – Zebra, a beautiful Water Thick-knee Bird and then a huge male Rhino that had lots of Ox Pickers feeding on its parasites. We enjoyed watching it browse within about ten yards of our vehicle.

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	If you look carefully at this Zebra, you see a scar on its hindquarters - it survived a predator attack
	A Water Thick-knee Bird
	A magnificent bull Rhino
	Another view of this massive creature

Now, it was getting very hot. We drove to the Sand River to enjoy our morning beverage break. While a few of us had coffee, others enjoyed a cold drink. While at the river, we watched catfish swimming in the river and counted seven Crocodiles – some in the water and others sunning. As we were returning back to the Lodge, Chris spotted a young female Leopard lying under a tree in the sand. She is about one year old and still relies on her mother to be the primary predator. This Leopard was really beautiful and taking her photograph was a great way to end our morning game drive.

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	One of the many Crocodile sunning on the banks of The Sand River
	The young female Leopard
	How's that pose?
	A close-up look at the Leopard's lovely face

After another delicious breakfast, it was time to return to our cabin and enjoy the air conditioning there while doing various tasks. At 1:00PM, we returned to the main Lodge to wish our fellow safari companions good-bye and best wishes at Ngala Tented Camp. At 1:30PM, we enjoyed a delicious lunch before retreating to our cabins until our afternoon tea/coffee meeting before our 4:00PM drive.

At 3:30PM we went to the main Lodge with our PC so that we could get assistance from Andrew in identifying some animals and birds we had photographed during our time in Kruger. Andrew had in tow a trainee ranger, Andrew, so our Andrew used this opportunity as a great training exercise for trainee Andrew. Trainee Andrew got most of the identifications correct except for a few raptors. Master Andrew would then have trainee Andrew use a birding bird until making the correct identification. When all was said and done, we knew the names of our creatures and had fun in the process.

Our afternoon game drive began at 4:00PM with trainee Andrew taking the co-pilot seat. We drove north into an area that Chris and Andrew hadn’t visited in two months and, based on road conditions, not many other vehicles had either. It was still very hot – well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. We came across many Elephants as we left the Leadwood area. Then, we saw a Male Giraffe. Next we came across some active Baboons. In the distance, we also saw a small group of Buffalo so we enjoyed a “Big 5” sighting in one day. Another Wow! Afterwards, there were two highlights of the drive. The first was coming across a Rhino quite close to the road. It wasn’t skittish so we were able to photograph and observe for it a nice period of time.

The second highlight was discovering a new pack of Wild Dog. Ed and I promptly named the group the “AC Pack” (the Andrew & Chris Pack). We counted about eight dogs most of which were male but they moved quickly so we couldn’t be sure of the gender of all of them. In an attempt to follow them, we had quite an off-road journey. It in itself was a great adventure with a few bumps here and there but it was so worthwhile to be able to again see these elusive creatures.

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	Another massive Rhino
	A Buffalo
	Our first views of the "AC Pack" of Wild Dogs
	A closer view of one AC Pack member
	This guy is curious about something
	Another Wild Dog with great coloring

At one point after we lost the pack, Master Andrew and Chris went tracking on foot while trainee Andrew prepared evening cocktails for us. When the team returned, they were surprised we had not seen the Wild Dogs again since their tracks led back towards our stopping place. Oh well, they are stealthy and elusive animals. It was another amazing day and we enjoyed our night drive back to the Lodge. After thanking everyone, we went to the Lodge to enjoy our private dinner as we were the Lodge’s only guests. We did a “clink, clink” at dinner to celebrate another wonderful day in the bush.

Sunday, 13 October: We left a bit early for our game drive as we were the only vehicle occupants (nice to have a private safari vehicle for one more drive). Today it was very cool with only a glimpse of sunlight. As we got into the vehicle, Chris and Andrew heard a Lion roaring. Andrew suggested we locate the Lion in hopes of hearing and seeing it call. We went to the area where the mating Lions had been seen and we did find two male Lions. While we were taking some beautiful photographs, one Lion did let out a huge roar in response to another call. Andrew said that the original call was from a competing group of male Lions. The sound was so deep and you could see the Lion’s entire body being used to produce it. Again, a real treat!

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	The two brothers - what beautiful male Lions!
	The brother on the left
	The brother on the right
	The left brother begins a vocalization (roar) to respond to the competing male Lions

After this experience, we returned to the area near Leadwood. En route to the Lions, Chris had pointed out some placenta on the road. Andrew explained that a baby Elephant had been born a short distance away. He pointed out an area with lots of Elephant dung and said that the pregnant female had been surrounded by other Elephants while she gave birth last evening. So, we began patrolling via the nearby roads in hopes of seeing an Elephant that was less than 24 hours old. After about 20-30 minutes, success! The mother and baby plus two adolescent females were in a thicket. We parked a short distance away (with an escape route planned in advance) to observe the new born. It turned out to be a baby male and it was still discovering how to walk and how to use its trunk. The best description is that it looked a bit drunk as it wobbled about trying to figure out what that long thing on the front of its face was used for. It definitely knew how to suckle so it was getting nourishment. We stayed at the location until the Elephants appeared to be ready to move on and we left so that could do so in peace. Afterwards, we drove to a hilltop viewpoint to enjoy coffee and cocoa. Wow, have many individuals have had the pleasure of seeing such a young Elephant and its family less than 24 hours after its birth!

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	The newborn Elephant under its mother's belly
	Another shot of this amazing baby
	The baby has managed to walk a little way in front of its mother
	Another view

Post-coffee we went to the river bed where Andrew let Ed do the driving. When Ed announced he was done, Andrew took over and we went in search of Leopard. The guys left us in the vehicle and went tracking. They discovered tracks of a female and her cubs as well as a male. When they returned, Andrew drove us to the spot where they believed she had made a den. It was an old termite mound which had first been taken over by Warthogs and thus tunneled out and turned into a great den. Given there was a possibility that the Leopard and/or her cubs were inside, we didn’t linger at the spot. By now it was past 9:00AM and time to return to the Lodge.

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	Ed takes the wheel
	A "Leadwood" Tree - the namesake of the Lodge
	Andrew & Chris go exploring on foot

We enjoyed another delicious breakfast and then went about with our routine of showering, culling photographs, etc. Today we definitely did not need the air conditioning! During our outdoor shower we were again surprised by a group of Elephants. They got very, very close. Ed got indoors to grab the camera and get a shot from our outdoor shower/pool area. When an adolescent male got a bit too close, we moved indoors. Our final photograph of him from the sitting room was terrific. How’s that for a perfect picture window photo!

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On our evening drive, we once again went to see pair of Lions that had been mating. They were still there but after a last go-round, the female moved away from the male and Andrew predicted it would be out last sighting of them. It was incredible to watch this going on for three days and to see it multiple times.

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	The last views of these mating Lions
	The final act
	This male Lion truly is magnificent

Afterwards we drove along the river bed back to the spot where Andrew and Chris thought the Leopard had made her den. They discovered it was empty so they set out on foot for some explorations nearby. When they returned, they were elated. They had found the den and actually seen the cubs inside! Amazing!! They tried to maneuver the vehicle so that we could see inside the den but it was too well camouflaged. As we left Andrew said he would put out a notification to avoid the area so that the Leopard and her cubs would not be disturbed. As we continued along the river bed, we came across several groups of Elephant. To our surprise, we once again came upon the new born baby Elephant and his mother. He could now trot to keep up with the group. It was quite a transformation from when we had seen him in the morning. Andrew said that the young infant had already walked one kilometer.

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	Andrew & Chris tracking the Leopard and her cubs
	The newborn Elephant following its mother

After this exciting event, it was time to enjoy a Sundowner and celebrate another wonderful day. Upon our return to the Lodge, we found it was again a Braai night. Andrew joined our group of five (us, Mark and a couple celebrating 40 years of marriage) for a delicious dinner. At the close of dinner, the staff again sang and danced for us. It was the perfect close to a wonderful day.

Monday, 14 October: This morning it was quite chilly so we were grateful for the wool blankets that covered our laps. Our team advised that we were going to head south in hopes of seeing Rhino and also Hyena. Previously a Hyena den had been located but the clan was out hunting and any pups that weren’t with them were tucked inside. Our first sighting of the day was a small group of Zebra. They were enjoying the cool morning while eating breakfast. One member was recovering from claw marks left by a Lion. Its mane was erect and it otherwise looked healthy but the Zebra had definitely had a close encounter. We next came upon a group of bachelor Elephants. We watched as they striped bark off trees to enjoy as a meal. It sure takes a lot of bark!

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	The small group of Zebra
	This Elephant is stripping the bark of the branch in its mouth. The left side of the branch has no bark while the right still does before the Elephant strips it off in his mouth

Next we came across two small Giraffe near the roadside. Their respective mothers were a bit father into the scrub trees and bushes. They were a bit curious so they didn’t dart away which allowed everyone a good look. We continued on and ultimately came very close to the Reserve’s Western boundary fence. We then turned back inland and reached the Hyena den. As we arrived there was a female Hyena with an extremely distended belly standing with a Rhino tail in her mouth. No other adult members were present. There also were two young cubs, one of whom came out a bit to get a look at us. Then, the female left the area and the two cubs followed. Andrew surmised that they were going back to the site of the kill for feeding. While making our way back to Leadwood, Andrew spotted two female Rhino on the far horizon. He was able to drive through the bush so that we could get a closer look. Because it was a windy overcast day, the Rhino were pretty shy so photography was difficult. However, we did get one nice photograph of animals.

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	One of the baby Giraffe
	This is a female Hyena with a Rhino's tale in her mouth (note how distended her belly is; presumably from enjoying lots of Rhino flesh/bones)
	A baby Hyena

When we stopped for a late-morning coffee, we had another surprise – a bush breakfast had been prepared by Chef Gift, Patricia and Arrone. What a wonderful treat! In addition to enjoying cold items, the Chef prepared a delicious hot buffet using the same barbeque (an oil drum cut in half) that she used the previous night for our Braai. As we left breakfast, we had a slight delay when our vehicle got stuck on a log in the roadway. The guys quickly jacked it up and removed the log. Then, Ed got to ride in the tracker’s seat on our return journey home. It was a much better ride that we had imagined it would be and a fun way to end our morning’s adventure.

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	Our bush breakfast table set in a dry river bed
	Chef Gift is making lots of breakfast goodies
	The cold buffet. Behind it (left to right) are: Aarone, Chris, Andrew & Patricia
	Getting our vehicle unstuck off the log
	Ed in the Tracker's seat

On our 4:00PM afternoon game drive, our first spotting was two Impala sparring over mating rights. Then, it was very, very quiet. Toward the end of the drive, however, Chris spotted a Leopard lying in wait. It was absolutely flat against the ground and it took us forever to see it. Andrew told us it was waiting for a grazing Daiker to get close enough to provide it with a tasty meal. The Daiker got within about 10 feet of the Leopard and suddenly the Daiker saw it. The Daiker took off and the Leopard just sighed. We were told it did so because the Leopard knew it couldn’t possibly run down the Daiker. Oh well, the predator doesn’t win as often as we imagine. Since the Leopard’s hunt was ruined, we went closer in to get a better look. It was now getting dark but our vehicle and another vehicle took turns illuminating the Leopard all while avoiding shining the light into its eyes. As we were doing so, we also saw a Hyena that ran straight away as soon as it caught sight of the Leopard.

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	Two dueling Impala
	The Leopard is up after losing its advantage over the Daiker
	Another view as this large cat sits in the scrub

By now it was quite late so it was time to return back to the Lodge. Once we had gone to our cottages and returned back to the Lodge (both in the company of our security escort), we enjoyed our final dinner at the “Tree House” table celebrating a wonderful stay at Leadwood all while still anticipating a final morning drive before our departure.

Tuesday, 15 October: On this our final game drive for this year’s visit at Leadwood, we left the Lodge and not soon afterwards we found the male Lion that we previously had seen mating. Yes, the party was over as he was definitely alone now. We were able to get some great photographs of this majestic male before he decided it was time to find something to eat – definitely needed after his prolonged period of mating. Since we had enjoyed such wonderful sightings, we then decided to go looking for whatever we might come across (i.e., no predetermined species we wanted to see). Our morning highlight was yet another Rhino sighting. We found three Rhino – a “crash” of Rhino – a female and her calf plus another adolescent female. What a great send-off party!

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	The male Lion - now alone
	He truly is an impressive & majestic Lion
	The Rhino mother
	The Rhino calf by its mom
	A closer view of the baby Rhino

After our drive we said goodbye to Andrew, Chris, Patricia and Aarone. We asked them to give our thanks to everyone else. Our luggage was then loaded into our trusty Toyota Corolla for the two hour drive back to Kruger Airport. Thanks to Patricia, we had a wonderful take-along breakfast which we enjoyed in a roadside park.

In summary, we enjoyed a great adventure at Leadwood Lodge! The gaming, the setting, the service – all were excellent and truly appreciated and enjoyed! Below are a few final shots which capture our lodge experience.

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	Andrew (left) & Chris (right) - Our Guide/Ranger & Tracker, respectively
	Patricia, our Host and Lodge Manager
	Aarone serving afternoon tea
	Part of the public area of Leadwood
	Our abode
	A view outside our sitting area
	The refreshment center in our abode
	The vanity and/or desk area
	The indoor/outdoor shower and plunge pool

	Our shower companions
	An Elephant directly outside our sitting room