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Although we have got beyond the "have to see the Big 5" stage, we have had some memorable trips.

In September 2007 we were staying just outside the Paul Kruger Gate and on the final day we debated whether to turn right out of the accommodation and go straight home, or turn left and go through KNP and exit at Crocodile Bridge. We had UK (family) vistors with us, so the KNP won.

Between Paul Kruger Gate and Crocodile Bridge we saw the Big 5 - including lions walking along the road, within touching distance. I admit the buffalo were in the Crocodile River (but within the "outer" gate!).

Another trip we stayed outside the park on the Crocodile River. On one day we saw the Big 5 several times over. It was insane - we were saying "Oh, there is another leopard"!

The Big 5 is an added bonus. We appreciate everything we see - animal, vegetable and mineral, large and small.

The best we have ever had was in 2008 when we checked through Orpen Gate to book in at Satara. First were 2 Leopards about 5ks down the road then 1 White Rhino and a herd of Buffalo, not 10ks further on 3 Lioness and 1 big black mained Lion King. (I said to Ross this is going to be one of our best trips ever). All this was sighted with the caravan in tow so there was not much stopping as it takes up quite a bit of space and hinders others trying to see what is out there. Lo and behold we came around a slight bend and there in the middle of the road 5 Doggies with no one in sight. We sat there for at least half an hour with only one further car joining us. On we travelled to Satara without any further sights except for Zebra Impies and Girraffe. Ross turned towards me and said what a pity no Ellies but there is a Cheetah. (I think we have all experienced this before ie you are concentrating out of your window and turn in a different direction and hey presto something catches you out of the corner of your eye). We then turned into Satara and you can guess what was at the Webcam Mr Jumbo himself.
All this in a matter of 48 kms

p.s It did turn out to be one of the better trips.

BB I hear you to me the most special of the sightings was my Black Rhino. And for the dogs wait for the next 2 installments of my TR record for me.
What an end...What a start

Bush Baptist, I am actually South African but live abroad so don't get to go to the Kruger that often. So seeing the Big Five on a trip there is exciting for me. That doesn't mean I am not looking for other animals which are a lot more challenging to find i.e. I am not going to ignore a wild dog or a serval jumping on my bonnet... I just thought it would be interesting to see if my seeing the Big Five in a short space of time was unusual or not. Anyway, If you think it is boring, maybe the title of the thread is a clue to the contents and you could choose not to read it?

I think it would be a privilege to see the Big Five many more times...

I see it is not a record anyway!

I agree totally. We sometimes forget how lucky some of us are to be able to visit KNP almost at will and get a bit blase about it!

It still gives me a warm feeling to be able to say "we saw the Big Five today". Our quickest sighting happened during a night drive at Lower Sabie.

It started with a young stalking leopard, then a pair of mating lions, another older leopard, at the turnabout two [white] rhinos, then a young elephant, the lions again and a herd of elephant.

By this time everybody on the drive, most of whom were non-South African tourists, could not believe their luck as most of them had not even seen lion or leopard on their trips up to then. We suddenly realised that the only one missing was a buffalo and then, lo and behold, Sunset Dam delivered!

I have never seen such a happy group of people together and all it took was about an hour and a half to two hours. Who watches the clock?

Just for BB's benefit, we had a wonderful guide who made sure that everybody appreciated the small things too! Seeing the Big Five did not negate that.

THE BIG SEVEN ... not too many people can lay claim to that in one morning, never mind one day!!

By the way , welcome to the forum Rksjagger.
Nothing wrong with your thread . I am a tree freak as well as everything else out there, but nothing wrong with a big 5 sighting !

Hey FG! Is there a big-5 tree situation as well?

There is more to the bush than the Big 5 of trees OWN, but maybe we should compile our 'own' list ?

I know there is more , but for beginners to tree-watching (of which I am undoubtedly one), a list of say 20 must-see trees would help indeed.

sappi tree spotting lowveld will sort you out quickly OWN, get to know those trees and everyone will think you are a tree boffin.
ok sorry , back to the big 5 sightings topic..

Taaa, FG. Will do.

I can't even manage to see the big 5 in a trip of 12 days, wwat about two hours or less..

The fastest photographable big five for me was a few years ago on a reserve near us. We were waiting for a bus group whose bus had broken down. By the time they arrived and were on the game drive vehicles we were left with under an hour till the gates closed (45 mins of drive time). As guides we were not to happy because this left us with only one possible route that normaly tkes us well over an hour to meander around - so notime for explanations or small things - only a zoom around the room (ferrari safari). As it is we got eles chasin rhino - lion hunting buffalo and a leopard chasing a nyala across the road. Unfortunately because of time constraintr it was click click and move on but all round a magnificent 45 minutes at sunset.

EagleOwl

Of course it is fascinating to hear about all these amazing sightings, but don't feel bad -- I have hardly ever in my life seen the Big Five in a day, in spite of having spent uncountable numbers of hours in game parks...
Last year I spent 14 days in Kruger, and only saw a leopard the second last day...
Maybe my problem is that I concentrate on beautiful light, special moments, quality of viewing instead of quantity, etc.

Maybe this coming June will be my lucky visit!

God bless

Friedrich von Hörsten