highplanesdrifters

You are too kind. It certainly felt overwhelming and still does. Our guide started calling us the lucky charms. Between Antarctica, the C2C and Safari, we are still in the "did that just happen" phase.

I find Seabourn and Silversea very similar. The real comparison is in the ships and itinerary. Not a fan of Silversea or Seabourns larger ships. We have been 80% expedition lately and are spoiled. Quick match up. Seabourns new Venture and Pursuit win hands down against Silversea Cloud and Wind. They are a bit long in the tooth. I have not been on Silverseas relatively new Endeavor but friends liked it. Food and service on our last 3 Silversea expeditions have beat every other cruise we have been on hands down. Itinerary always wins for me. Link to my last trip report for more details.

Off we go on our last drive. Good Morning! Those 4:44 wake ups come awfully fast. But oh so worth it. We found our roaring male rather quickly. Sound on for the videos in this post for full effect. Handsome boy! A little territory marking to start the day. Announcing himself and calling to his brother. Apparently siblings who get along. They haven't read their parents will yet or cleaned out the house.😁 20240328_055405.mp4 Lady luck is with us today. We found his sleepy brother. Not far away. Along with his pride just waking up. Dad is roaring in the distance. Time for the pride to answer. What a wake up call. 20240328_064759.mp4 Happy family, playtime begins. 20240328_065728.mp4 Dad's here! He's a bit skittish around the females. Rightly so, they can gangb up on him when they're in the mood. Might as well mark the ground to show a little machoness. 20240328_070951.mp4 Now they get down to some serious playtime. 20240328_071937.mp4 The signal is given. Time to move on. 20240328_072523.mp4 Kirst our guide knew they would be thirsty and headed through the bush, positioned us perfectly for the next Act. She did this every day with every animal as if communicating with them telepathically. 20240328_073516.mp4 The thing that shocked me was how close we were to these Apex predators. Often within 15 feet. Never more than 3 trucks at a location and 6 in a vehicle, unless a family requested more. Animals walking right next to the truck was common. I did not pet them as they sauntered by. Oh I wanted to, hands were sat on. And it's time to move on. What a pleasure to spend the morning with this pride. We must head back to camp and pack. Augh!!!

Sounds just like our experience, only the opposite. I suggested that in the second video the lioness had a headache. Too funny in both cases. 🤣

I have to agree with you and @lincslady A shot just for you ladies.

Hey @shark b8, just jumped on board this thread. Fabulous! Late to the party just got off SS Cloud. Thanks for taking us along.

View from Granite lodge dinning to Sand river. Although we did not see any, Elephants and Hippos are commonly sighted. Londolozi is truly 6*. Best food we've had in ages. Service is perfection. Typical breakfast. There are plenty of healthy options. But not today.😁 After Breakfast, a laze in our dip pool. Followed by a nap. Giant plated lizzard came for a visit. Scared the heck out of me. We usually skip lunch, or something very light. It's 3:30. Alrighty, time to suit up and afternoon safari. Our drive out of the lodge. 20240327_154519.mp4 Agenda. There's been a Lion hook up. We're off to see the tryst. Monkey in the road. Why don't giraffes get more street cred? I just love them. 20240327_163011.mp4 Look at the pom poms on this little guy's head. He's about 3 months old. Mahogany And here's the happy couple. They mate for 4 days straight every 15 minutes. Yes you read that right, 24/7. A little territory marking. 20240327_173321.mp4 Sensitive content. 20240327_174045.mp4 It lasts less than a minute or two. And like clockwork, 15 minutes later. She's a little less enthused this time. 20240327_175030.mp4 After that interesting but almost mundane show, time for our last sundowners. Gin and Marula Tonic. Wave clouds.

This trip report below should give you an idea of what landings will be like. The ground is often unsuitable for extended hikes. Rocks and ice being the norm. Occasionally you might get something as long as a half mile on pebbeled ground, but that is rare. I rent boots slightly larger then needed and bring inserts (Dr. Schol) as stabilizers along with several thickness of socks. Smart wool are my favorites. Surprisingly comfortable to tromp around in once you fine tune fit with socks and inserts. Most wear their Bogs for zodiac cruises. I also bring waterproof Hokas, and sometimes wear them for zodiac cruises depending on the splash and swell. I bought Bogs for our first trip but now rent. Not worth the packing hassle. Treking poles very helpful. I usually take just one ashore. Hope this helps. https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2992255-antarctica-cape-to-cape-on-cloud-2-21-24/#comments

We saw no puffins and did not see any Polar Bears until we went deep into the Polar ice cap. Our weather wasn't the best, very foggy. Landings were very limited in space due to inability to see the Polar predators. Expedition Staff had not seen the sun for two weeks prior to our arrival. We had a decent whale show. A mini haul out of walrus, but viewed from a distance. Otherwise not much in the wildlife camp. Scenery limited due to weather. Svalbar trip report begins after Oslo. https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2870804-venture-svalbard-greenland-iceland-aug-7-21-as-live-as-we-can-be/

We were there late in the season, so lots of Guano. Never really had a problem. But there were some mud issues. A quick hose down in the mud room did the trick. I also cuffed my pants so that they didn't touch the ground much. You can also swish around in the ocean water before getting on the zodiacs.

Back on track to find the male lion. River crossing first. 20240327_063531.mp4 Then find the Wildebeast. Find them, we'll find the lion. What is he smelling? What are they looking at? Where the heck is he? We've been scouring the bush all morning! And ta da.....they're running from something. 20240327_071522.mp4 They all stood at attention keeping an eye on him. Like beacons for all the other animals. What a guy. 20240327_071752.mp4 On the way back to camp we got this sweet little show. Um, maybe we should back up. 20240327_085703.mp4 These lazy guys just sit there and open their mouths waiting for fish to swim over the dam. 20240327_084819.mp4 Fortunately we do not need to catch our food. Back to camp for breakfast and a nap. 20240327_074220.mp4

Morning drive in search of a male lions. Well these guys don't want to miss their flight. They slept on the airstrip. Time to get up! Chow is on the table at the end of the airstrip. Pick up the pace. 20240327_060017.mp4 What a sunrise. 20240327_060429.mp4 Hippo Wildebeast hookup. Eagle, pretty sweet. Now, about that Lion.....

Afternoon Drive It's Rhino time! Dung Beetle He rolls this ball of dung, finds a lady, then fills it with eggs. They hatch and live off the ball. Cool. We need to cross the river. 20240326_154202.mp4 On the catwalk posing. A quick spin by a Leopard spot. He's got his kill stored up in the tree. Whoa! Look at him, those eyes. Those teeth. And.....food Coma. Back to Rhino time. This is a Rhino Midden. Alpha male defecate there. Other males defecate nearby to say...."we're cool, just passing by". If he defecates in the Midden, It's game on. We bushwacked for 30 minutes. Turned a corner and presto. Looking at us like, ha ha here were are on the road. Followed them into the bush. We were soon surrounded by 6 teenage males running in all directions messing with each other. Very chaotic. And then they decided to focus on us. Yikes. Quite a memorable moment. 20240326_170139.mp4 Mama and baby not far from the teenage hangout. Vulture Well deserved Sundowners. Spun by to say hi. Still guarding his dinner.

We are still on the morning drive. If the Leopard show wasn't enough, we bumped into the elephant herd. All different sizes of little ones. Serious grazing 20240326_074609.mp4 They walked down the hill and passed a few feet from us. Oh my! 20240326_075504.mp4 Show's not over. How about this preformance? Cuteness factor off the charts. 20240326_075339.mp4

A.M. Drive Started out nice and quiet. A few waterbuck. Owl Yellow billed something. Sorry my brain can only remember so much. Rumor of leopards and Tracks. Which way did they go? Chatter on the radio, two female leopards fighting. Hold on tight. We went flying through the bush. The match up. Upstart Xinkhova looking to take over some teritorterritory. Three Rivers. The previous underdog, or should I say under cat. She has survived against all odds. He mother was killed by a Lion when she was quite young. Fought her way to the top. The territory. Didn't get the fight on film. Xinkhova was chased off. Here she is headed away. A little blood on her face. 20240326_072650.mp4 Three Rivers showing off. Marking territory. 20240326_071849.mp4 The higher she gets her scent, the more dominant. 20240326_070806.mp4 Now she's masking her sent in dung. Can't quite explain that one. And eating it. Really can't explain that! 20240326_071302.mp4 Quite the victor. That was just part 1 of the a.m. 20240326_070535.mp4 20240326_070040.mp4

This was booked separately from the cruise line. I would recommend doing that. The cruise excursions are usually overnight quickies.

Hear hear. I spent days working on it. Will post about the process. @drron29 Sounds like you have done your leopard research. Londolozi is "THE' leopard place. More reports to come. We are in the Granite suites. Highly recommend. Learned that Granite and Tree House tend to get the more senior trackers. But I believe you can request. If so, grab Kirst and Lucky. 😃

Same here, I wish we had done it sooner.

Glad all are safe and SG went well!

Afternoon Drive Agenda A few male lions with their ladies. Wink wink. A spectacular afternoon with occasional sprinkles, which gave us a few rainbows. However, the lions had other plans and skipped over to the next reserve. No worries still lots to see. After all, we did see 4 of the "Big 5" this morning. Giant herds of Impalas and Wildebeast. They may be ubiquitous but I am thrilled to be amongst them. 20240325_162435.mp4 This guy practicing his dressage moves. Interspecies meet up. 20240325_162409.mp4 Shinny and sparkly after the rain. Hungry Hippos Oh my, another big boy! Did you know they are right and left tusked? No really, I'm serious, it's true. Really, I'm not kidding. 20240325_162910.mp4 Kirst our most excellent guide still looking at lion tracks. Which way did they go? Mongoose. Such a ***** face, quit the truck rumbling I've got a souffle in the oven. And the sweet spot, Gin tasting. Thank you Kirst and our tracker Lucky who spent most of the day on foot in the bush. Wow, what a day.

Meet Nkoveni. We spent the rest of the morning stalking her while she was stalking dinner. Dinner just a hundred yards away. Stalk 20240325_070240 1.mp4 Super stalk, will she pounce? 20240325_072303.mp4 So much going on as the lion pride is not far away. Could be dangerous. A lot of tension and pressure. Shes got 3 hidden kits to feed. Sadly, no luck for her yet. We went for a coffee break while she took a nap. Oh Hello! Imagine the sock bill. 20240325_084914.mp4 Heron Croc We returned to Nkoveni, she was still napping and then woke up with a big yawn. Maybe I don't want to pet her. Is she coming to say hello? 20240325_095412.mp4 Yikes, I could have given her a pet. 20240325_095446.mp4 We'll say goodby for today. Thanks for the amazing show. We've been out for over 4 hours. Time for a little breakfast. But wait.... Elephant break. And that was just the morning! 20240325_082514.mp4 20240325_101049.mp4

5 a.m wake up. Leopards on the agenda. Not sure if the Leopards got the memo. First up and always a fave Zebra. The boys having a bit of fun. 20240325_055724.mp4 An old Buffalo deserted by the herd. A little sad. Black backed Jackel. Those ears! A surprise pride of different lions. Heck ya. Might have been up to 20, with kits of all different sizes. Quite a scene change from yesterdays carnage. 20240325_064248.mp4 Look how close we get. Showing the love. 20240325_064134.mp4 20240325_064823.mp4 Now about those Leopards.....

Just wait!

Afternoon Game Drive We finished a quick orientation by 3:15 and they asked if we could be ready be 3:30. Quick change and off we went. We saw so much. Just the highlights for now. Me thinks they are pointing the way. 20240324_161428.mp4 Lion Pride Food Coma, Giraffe kill. Look at that belly. This kill will last them a few days. The panting helps with the Coma. 20240324_163046.mp4 20240324_163644.mp4 Hyenas coming around to take over the kill. They're a little too early and outnumbered. Crock surfing for fish. 20240324_183117.mp4 Sundowners! Not a bad Day One.

We got situated in our Capetown hotel around 9pm. Silversea put us up at Capital on Orange, nice hotel. I started thinking, what was I thinking? We're tired, we've just had the most amazing trip. We should have gone home and digested. But nooooo, I had to book a Safari! So let's go. We flew into Skukuza, the airport for Krueger National Park. My kind of baggage claim. Our driver met us to take us to Londolozi in Sabi Sands. Five minutes into the trip to Londolozi we see a Leopard. Not the best snap....but a Leopard five minutes from the airport. I was hooked. Along the way we were treated to a plethora of wildlife. Zebra, Giraffe, Antelope, Warthog, Hippos, the list goes on. We weren't even on a game drive yet. This was just zippy drive bys. 20240324_140438.mp4 I love me some Zebra. 20240324_141815.mp4 Next up, afternoon game drive.