Day 2 - Kruger National Park! S1 - Ep 542

We planned to wake up early and leave as soon as the camp gates opened at 5:30, but we couldn’t quite manage it and ended up leaving about 20 minutes later. Our first stop was Sunset Dam, where we enjoyed a delicious cup of hot Milo from our flask. Afterwards, we drove to Nkuhlu Picnic Site for a delicious breakfast on the skottel before heading to Skukuza. From there, we took a scenic drive around to Mlondozi Picnic Site, where we had a late lunch of leftovers, and then made our way back to Lower Sabie. Along the way, we were treated to beautiful wildlife sightings, including our first lion encounter of the trip. It was an incredible day, which we ended perfectly with lamb chops on the fire. Our 2024 trip.
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[@revinot]

Guys you make a 1 hour you tube video so enjoyable, your videos just have such a laid back authentic feel and I think that is part of what keeps us hooked :-) another awesome video, enjoy the Kruger.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you so much for the beautiful compliment! 🤩 We're just too happy that you're loving our Kruger videos as much as we loved filming and editing them. 😍🚙

[@nickjeffrey3417]

Jakals trou met wolf se vrou... Monkeys' wedding. 🌞🌨️🐒🐒

[@nickjeffrey3417]

Tree identification is also a cool hobby🌳

[@beryl9538]

I just said to my grandson I am waiting for day 2 of Kruger National Park, put my phone on and there it was. So happy.

[@DustBugsTravel]

And we're so happy that you tuned in again for the next instalment! 🤩🚙 I hope your grandson enjoys all the beautiful animals with you. 😊

[@kennethdshort]

I love it when you stop to video even a shongololo. Loved all the little critters you showed.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Oh yes! The shongololo is as important to the whole ecosystem as the King of the Bush himself. So that's the way it'll always be for the two of us. 🦁🐛 So glad to hear that you enjoyed all the wildlife we saw on Day 2, loads more to come! 🤩

[@phillipleboa5251]

DIT WAS NOU 'N STUNNING TRIP VIR DAG NOMMER TWEE !!!! CANNOT WAIT FOR DAY NUMBER 3 !!!!!!!!!!!

[@DustBugsTravel]

We thought so too! I'm glad you enjoyed Day 2. Day 3 is loading for Wednesday. 🚙😁

[@MP-uw1qc]

I would heartily agree with your identification of the whitefaced duck near the beginning of the video. It is lovely to see you exploring the wonderful world of birdwatching.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you, I'm so relieved when our identification of any specific bird proves to be correct. 😅🦆 It's a hobby we haven't quite mastered yet, but I would imagine it's a slow and steady process.

[@deonzar]

Very enjoyable day 2...

[@DustBugsTravel]

Happy to hear, we aim to please! 🚙🥳

[@22HEA]

So enjoying your second visit to Kruger N.P. 👍 Day 2 is so beautiful, love love love all the close ups of the beautiful animals and your talking to each other 😅…enjoy your holiday and I am looking forward to the next days, take care, best wishes from Perth W.Australia 🇦🇺💐👍😊

[@DustBugsTravel]

We were lucky to get close to a good few animals and birdies and we loved that too! 😍 We're two chatterboxes when we're travelling and we kick it up a notch when in Kruger. If you've enjoyed our trip thus far, you'll love the rest too! 🚙🤩

[@JennyEngelbrecht-q2t]

So exciting to see my favorite place. Enjoy

[@DustBugsTravel]

There is only place like it, it's our favourite too! 🤩🚙

[@thewanderer58]

Utopia day 2. Just awesome!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Utopia indeed! We're on the same page! 🚙😁

[@beryl9538]

Not only did I enjoy all the animals but I enjoyed your day's menu. Be safe till the next one.

[@yvonnecoetzee3508]

I see you are visiting my most favourite place in the world, I am enjoying visiting with you

[@DustBugsTravel]

You clearly have good taste, we're happy to share our favourite place in the world with you. 🚙🤩 Thank you for driving along!

[@nicolecrous3217]

Awesome video, thank you.

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm glad you enjoyed! 🚙😊

[@samsonkjoseph6087]

Baie dankie vriende.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Sure! 🚙😁

[@flodillon991]

Loved day 2 really enjoyed birds singing sounds so good to be out in nature. Thank you so much .😊

[@DustBugsTravel]

It was a birding extravaganza that morning and we're not bird identification experts, so had a tough time getting all the names right! 😅🦆 Nothing beats being out-and-about in nature, so glad you're joining us! 🚙😍

[@frederikbrits9559]

Lovely......interesting the nyala so far south......

[@DustBugsTravel]

I agree! There was a time that we only saw them in the upper northern section of the Park. It's awesome to see the animals migrate in the Park though. 🦌 So glad you're enjoying the trip with us. 🚙😁

[@dirkhuman4087]

@@frederikbrits9559 they are very common around Skukuza and also along the Sabie River.

[@Xyzfob463]

Loving it finished day 1 now onto day 2!

[@aluras9732]

Mhmmmm! That Traditional Milo looks yummy! I love the Milo used to drink six decades ago. Please share the recipe

[@DustBugsTravel]

Milo is my absolute favourite hot drink when we're in the Park. The only hassle is that it's already tough enough waking up early and to boil milk on top of it all, is sometimes a little cumbersome. I'm thinking your Milo is a tad different from the instant Milo we buy today in the shops. It's still very good though! 😁☕

[@wiganrugby]

I think it is different, finer. I remember it a bit courser??

[@DustBugsTravel]

It's still rather coarse and it tastes as great as ever! 😁☕

[@brendalochner9705]

I'm not staring at four walls but a computer screen and wishing I could be there now. The Kruger is just an awesome place. Always something to see and learn. Looking forward to go on a picnic with that beautiful view one of these days. I enjoy your holiday....

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yup, I feel your pain. 😖 We've also been staring at computer screens again for a few days now and the views in Kruger are a million times better! 😍🌊🌳 I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time when you go, it can't be any other way with all that magic all around.

[@annawitter5161]

I was hanging out for part two. Love the kwe-voel. And the Tsongololo. Reminds me of the poem we learned in school. "Pas op pas op vir die duisendpoot. As Hy jou byt lag jy jou dood!" 17:32 😅😅😅I think my favourite animals are the elephant and the tortoise 🐢I also heard lion instead of line.Lol 😂😂

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yes, the lion in the ladies' bathroom made us chuckle for a while afterwards. 🤣🦁 I remember you and Sonia share the same deep love for elephants and tortoises. Elephants always top the list for her too! 😍🐘 We love that Kruger shows us from the biggest ones to the tiniest ones, we just love them all!

[@lee-anneadams9222]

Hi Curtis, Sonia, Dusty and Sandy, looking lekker relaxed there guys, I just love everything about this trip, even though we only on day 2, safe travels 🥾🥾❤

[@DustBugsTravel]

Then our mission is accomplished! It was a given that we would enjoy every single moment, but to hear that you're enjoying it just as much, is just fantastic! 🚙🤩 We were super relaxed and tried our hardest to take it easy, although the roads were pulling us back every minute we weren't driving around. Many more days to come for you to enjoy with the four of us. 🐻🐻💃🏻🕺🏻

[@charlietreston4035]

Hi guys love it can almost smell the Bush. The first dam was a surprise a white egret we have had our first sighting of 3 in the field in front of my house crazy. The vultures in the dead tree classic picture. Loved the breakfast. I had laugh about the Chinese tourists 😂😂😂. Elephants never fail to impress and the little ones are so cute. Picnic spot with millionaire views. You weren't having a giraffe you saw a herd of them !!! Book of birds for your parents from pretorius camp is were I stayed in 1974 .can it get any better camp in the Kruger braai beer and good company. Feel like I'm starting to know the Kruger a little bit thanks to you guys. Thanks for taking me along cheerio till the next one

[@DustBugsTravel]

The two of us and you share a similar sense of humour and I love it! 😝 It's awesome that you make a point of appreciating nature and wildlife around the area where you live. You know you're so welcome on our backseat and we actually expect you to drive through the entire Kruger with us. By the end of the trip, you'll know it as well as we do. We can't wait! 🚙🤩

[@malcolmcarter881]

Curtis you must be careful you can burn your mouth with hot liquids had a good laugh you and Sonia are such carefree having lots of fun loved today's sighting thank you travel safe can't wait for the next trip.

[@DustBugsTravel]

And I've often done just that because I can't wait to drink the good stuff like Milo! 😅 We indeed had loads of fun and I'm so glad you're joining in! 🚙🥳

[@dawnbarnes1361]

Loved the trip, thank you!❤ Enjoy yourselves xxx

[@mariusroos]

Nice day 2. I loved your breakfast. Wish I was there!quite a bit of activity today. Nature is so beautiful. Even just the drive through the park is stunning. Thanks for day 2. We wait for the next one.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Breakfast was stunning! When eggs AND mushrooms are involved, I'm one happy traveller! (I won't say camper, for Sonia's sake. 😜) You're correct, just driving through that incredible place is already enough for us! 🚙😁

[@teresagillmer9464]

I'm enjoying it all over again

[@teresagillmer9464]

❤

[@ChristaGodley]

Dankie vir n lekker dag deur die park. Curtis en Sonia julle braai het heerlik gelyk mooi lloop

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm glad you could join us. Our dinner on the fire was indeed wonderful, we enjoyed every single morsel! 🥩🌽

[@terrimeyer3815]

You having such a lovely time. Wish I was there now. Fantastic sightings 🎉❤🎉 can see and hear you are enjoying your stsy. Cant wait for day3

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yup, we had the most amazing time ever and I hope that you feel you're right there with us! 🚙🤩 We can't wait to relive Day 3 again and to share it with you!

[@paintedleopard6987]

Hi guys, it is a White-faced whistling duck... Their call sounds like a high pitched whistle, hence the name 😁 Thanks for the very enjoyable videos, can't wait to go back again in Dec/Jan when I see this.

[@RockyDempers]

It looks like that small crocodile is just Amazed as you are Sonja...every time you said "whow" it looks like he does The Same😀

[@DustBugsTravel]

😁 Let me tell you, amazed is what we feel like most of the time we're in Kruger. I'm happy to hear you think the little crocodile shared our sentiments. 😍🐊

[@planetearth9055]

I am so jealous, but in a good way!

[@DustBugsTravel]

I know what you mean! I'm jealous every moment I'm not there! 😝🚙

[@monicaalberts8130]

Nice day 2......❤

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you. Be ready for Day 3 on Wednesday. 🚙😊

[@draterlarebil4506]

Love your trips ,you guys are amazing. Remember we get one duck and many duck. Just like buck. The English can be tedious. Love your guys videos.

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm glad you enjoy our videos. 🚙 Ducks / duck is all the same to us, and according to every online source I checked this evening. 🦆 We're not fussed too much about language correctness on our channel, so you'll hear many actual mistakes along the way! 😁

[@maggiediedericks761]

Great drive what a splendid day, loved it❤❤

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm so glad! Splendid is a good way to describe Day 2, it was as splendid as could be! 🚙🤩

[@nickjeffrey3417]

Lion (line) in the ladies room.😂

[@DustBugsTravel]

Indeed, we chuckled about that for some time afterwards. 😂🦁

[@axelmertens7762]

What a beautiful trip! Reminds me of so many good times we had in the BPOE! In lower sabie between the restcamp and the workers camp the lions killed a buffalo one night - the poor paople had to make do with the lower sabie rest camp!! Safe travels you two!

[@DustBugsTravel]

That sounds super exciting! 😳🦁 I can only imagine how freaked-out the staff must've been, not being able to get to their housing. I'd happily stay out in the bush somewhere if some predator decides to block the entrance to our home camp. 😝

[@sicko_the_ew]

I approve of the bird watching. It's a great way of making sure there's always "something to see" in the park. It's expecting too much to see as many lion as you saw last time (but you know that, I think?) "lion hunting" is often a recipe for disappointment on what should've been a lovely day. I think your Skukuza lizard was a bloukopkoggelmander. Don't know the English name for it (and it would probably just "feel wrong" if I did). I grew up calling them "Koggomannas", because that's what it sounded like my family said (and might be, since they had lots of them around as kids, so would've heard the word through a child's ears). And the lizard at your rest place (Mkondeni? But that's a place near Maritzburg, so maybe I've got it wrong) might be a blue tailed skink. I'm almost certain one of the family conservationists told me those were skinks, once. One thing you might consider (but it's a bit hit and miss) is going out on one of the guided drives one day. If you're lucky, your guide will know which trees indicate ground water, which ones go on which kind of soil (as the guides the Park sells do), and things like interactions with elephant. If I recall right, Tambotie like granite and ground water (and they're poisonous, so might be elephant proof - although an elephant will kill a tree just to make more grassland, anyway, so being poisonous is possibly just a way of being irritating to an elephant on a day he's looking for trouble.)

[@DustBugsTravel]

The Skukuza lizard we referred to, was identical to the one we saw later and also didn't have a 'blou kop', so I don't think it was a bloukopkoggelmander, which I believe is a Southern Tree Agama in English. We didn't manage to film the one in Skukuza, it was too quick. The other one looked so much like a chameleon, but I have no idea what it's name is. It didn't have a blue head either though. The lizard we managed to film was at the Mlondozi Picnic Site, but Mkondeni is close enough! 😁 Long ago, we often went on night drives and enjoyed those, but the entire open safari vehicle game in the Park has changed and it's become an obsession to chase down the Big 5 in a few hours' time with drivers fighting amongst one another and the 'normal' vehicle with the 'normal' visitor in Kruger getting lost in the mix. We're just not keen to be a part of that kind of vibe, that's not Kruger to us. 🤷🏻‍♂️ We know we were extremely lucky last year with our big cat sightings. We had a much tougher time of it this year and that's all good. It's always exciting to see them, we won't ever deny that, but certainly not the only or even the main reason we visit. 🦁🐆

[@sicko_the_ew]

@@DustBugsTravel Looks like the game driver vehicles are more miss than hit these days, then. It's definitely not fun being rushed around to check boxes, so yes, better to be in control of one's own expedition, then. Interesting that what I mistook for a "koggamanna" (as I actually say it, in my family's little language) was one of those blue tailed skinks. I suppose I've just never seen one of the skinks running at full speed before (and my "ID" was based mainly on "running gait"). Looks like you've been pretty lucky so far, lion aside. (And I mean you did see some, after all.) Lots of baby elephant around, for instance. Whatever may be, I look forward to the next episode. Thanks for the vicarious trip to Kruger. I needed one. :D

[@Joanne-d8u]

Funny we used to say that it was a monkeys wedding when the sun was shining and it was raining 😂. Sonia your comment of concern about the lack of rain reminded me of the drought in 1981 when I was in KNP at Mlondozi looking over a dry river bed where there were animals lying dead,so sad😢

[@izakcelliers7307]

Proper hoofseun en - meisie... 😂

[@DustBugsTravel]

😇 Sounds good to me! If that's the vibe you get from us being ourselves, we're all good with that! 😁

[@aislingbooks]

LOL - 'Jackel is getting married to wolf's wife' ... 45:30. En in NL we zeggen 'het is weer kermis in de hel' 😅

[@DustBugsTravel]

The jackal getting married was a new one for me and yours is clearly too! 😁🌧️ I can remember we also had some saying for the occurrence while growing up, but for the life of me I can't remember it anymore. 🌧️☀️

[@kennethdshort]

​@DustBugsTravel I think the saying you are trying to remember is Monkeys wedding

[@KagisoSeleke-w9o]

Hi guys I loved the small crocodile 🐊 when it opens the mouth it was wonderful and the camping site it's beautiful thanks for the video

[@DustBugsTravel]

We also adored the little crocodile, it was great that it was lying so close to the vehicle and we could properly inspect it and the inside of its mouth. 😍🐊 Lower Sabie is a busy, but pleasant camp and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. 🚙🏡

[@KagisoSeleke-w9o]

@@DustBugsTravel ok sir 👌

[@ingeborgvanderveer789]

Hoep Hoep dat was een leuk en kleurrijk begin van dag 2 in het Kruger park 🧡. Vooral die Kleinglansspreeu met zijn felle oranje ogen is prachtig. Die vogel met witte kop en dunne lange gebogen neus staat ook niet in mijn Kruger Wildtuin gids dus wie weet heb je een nieuw soort gespot 😊. Na een rustig begin met bewolkte lucht en 1 meneer giraffe 🦒 werd het toch nog een dag bomvol dieren en uiteindelijk een wolkeloze lucht. Zo schattig het baby olifantje met zijn of haar toch al flinke flapoortjes. Als baboon zou ik toch zeker op jullie lunch zijn afgekomen, dat zag er werkelijk heerlijk uit 😋🥓. Prachtig dat jullie, ondanks de file, toch goed zicht kregen op die 2 leeuwen. Die leopard, alias Chinese tijger😅, komt vast nog wel op een andere dag want gelukkig duurt onze reis door Kruger nog vele afleveringen lang dus op naar dag 3 👍🐘

[@DustBugsTravel]

We should be so lucky to spot a new bird species in Kruger! 🤩 Somehow I don't think that good fortune is destined for us, what with us struggling to identify even the most common species. 🦆🦅 I, for one, am rather relieved that Mr / Mrs Baboon didn't decide to join us. I had a good look at their teeth again on this trip and they may just have enjoyed more than just our lunch if they had come to visit! 😳🦍 Yup, you do have quite a few episodes to look forward to. Seeing a Chinese Tiger in Kruger, proved rather tricky! 😁

[@ramcmaps890]

Thanks for another amazing yet unassuming video! Thank you for showing the beauty of Kruger. Nice to get to know how a typical self drive day could look like, including the stops at the picnic sites. Thank you and keep up your great work! We have one request for a piece of advice. For someone who would be a first time visitor to South Africa, who loves wildlife sightings and game drives, and wants to spend very little time at the rest camps, how good is the end of October and the first week of November? Does it rain a lot? We seem to hear that the dry season ends by September. If we don't hire a 4x4 and instead limit ourselves to a regular cross over for rental, would the gravel roads still be drive-able? Would the wildlife sightings be limited due to the rains? Sorry about the questions, but, we thought it would be a good idea to get practical advice from seasoned travelers like you to the Kruger rather than rely on information on the internet. Or, should we try and visit earlier in the year? The reason we are considering the end of October and early November is that it coincides with our wedding anniversary, and we would love to spend one on safari in the Kruger. But, if it's not a practical choice, we would be open to planning a visit at a more favorable time of the year. Thank you and wishing you many more happy and fulfilling visits to the Kruger National Park!

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm very happy to hear that you enjoy our Kruger videos so much, it is quite simply our favourite place on this planet of ours, if you don't know that already. 😍 How exciting that you're planning your own self-drive trip to Kruger! In our view, it's the best way to explore the real Kruger. If you haven't seen it already, it might be helpful to you to watch our 2023 Kruger videos as well from Episode 424 to 443. We celebrated our own anniversary in the Park last year, so you may see that too. I'll attempt to answer your questions as well as I can, but I'm no expert. We visited during exactly the period you're referring to. We arrived in the Park on 21 October, which was about five or so weeks earlier than our 2023 trip. Most folks will tell you that our winter months (June, July and August) are the best in Kruger because it's the dry season, the temperatures are moderate and the bush is not as dense as in the summer months after good rains. The Park is incredibly busy during this period though, so you may struggle to find availability at the camps and on the dates you're looking for and you'll have to contend with a LOT of OSV's (Open Safari Vehicles) at almost every major sighting in the South. That can be daunting if you're self-driving for the first time and it gets unpleasant at times, if I'm honest. The later in the year it becomes, the temperature increases, so does the humidity and the summer rainfall season starts around November. For us, any time in the Park is a fantastic time, but I would say around September is a great time for you to consider and it's not that hot or wet yet. South Africa is predominantly a dry country and Kruger is currently experiencing a very dry rainy season. We had a couple of rainshowers here and there, which we loved, although gameviewing is definitely trickier in cloudy and rainy weather. I'm definitely of the view that it's more difficult to spot game in rainy weather, especially if you're looking for the big cats. The other animals don't mind so much getting the odd shower. So it can rain a lot, yes, and you'll notice crazy flood level boards from floods dating back to 2000 and 2013, but is'very dry for the most part at the moment and rain is needed desperately. Don't let a single person tell you that you need a 4x4 to travel on gravel, nothing could be further from the truth! We've always rented a normal sedan with a fairly high ground clearance, which has taken us on 99% of the roads in Kruger. Granted, there is the odd exception when a road has been washed out, but we simply turn around then and don't take any chances. We came across two tracks which was clearly marked as 'unmaintained roads' and we stayed off those. You'll be totally fine in a crossover. Enjoy every single moment of planning your Kruger trip, I know you will fall head-over-heels! 🚙🤩

[@ramcmaps890]

Wow! Thank you so much for such a detailed and informative and helpful response! Thank you for that guidance - I'll definitely watch those episodes you've mentioned. Thank you so much for your guidance about the months to visit Kruger, and about the difficulty of self driving during the peak season. Sorry to hear about the current conditions, and we hope it rains enough for the wildlife there to thrive. Thank you so much for the guidance about the type of rental vehicle as well. You've been immensely helpful in guiding us with our initial planning - we'll shoot for September as much as we can. Wishing you many more memorable visits to your place of love and looking forward to fantastic videos on your channel in the days and years to come. Take care and have a wonderful life! A huge heartfelt thank you for everything!

[@vincechildogod9297]

Thank you for taking me with you. I enjoy every moment as if Im sitting in the car with you. At least I can sort of feel that Ive been to the Kruger, its the only opportunity I will most likely ever get.🤠🦁🦓🐢🦎🐊🕷🦂🦌🐦🦆🦉🛖🫕🌴🌳🐝🦋🐞

[@DustBugsTravel]

And we're honoured that you choose to accompany us virtually on our trip through this magical place. The best compliment you could ever give us, is to say that it feels like you're in the car with us. Thank you for watching, you have plenty more to look forward to! 🤩🚙

[@nicoellis1465]

Must get an signal booster for the car never lost signal of any network

[@DustBugsTravel]

Nope, it's not THAT important to us. There were so many signal issues in the Park this time around and it was actually good to detox from all the constant obsession with connectivity. 😁📲

[@wiganrugby]

Absolutely love Milo, but hard to find in the UK.

[@DustBugsTravel]

That's tough. I remember when we lived abroad how much I missed some of my favourite things. Milo is a must for us when in Kruger. ☕

[@teresagillmer9464]

I'm back on day 2 monkeys giving a show