KRUGER 2026 FLOODS | EVACUATED FROM KRUGER | MOZAMBIQUE AND KRUGER

Added: 2026-05-10

[00:00:05]The Krueger National Park floods. An annual event with some years being worse than others, but it is an incredible sight to see.

[00:00:30]This year was different, though.

[00:00:32]Everything seemed bigger, more violent than I've ever seen before.

[00:01:07]And this turned out to be one of the most devastating floods in Krueger's history.

[00:01:20]I think torrential downpour while I was packing up.

[00:01:42]I've really got to get off these roads ASAP. This is hectic.

[00:02:05]Heat. Hey, Heat.

[00:02:30]This is adventure. We don't even know where we are. It's all gone wrong here immediately. I am in Zimbabwe.

[00:02:46]This episode is proudly brought to you by these amazing companies and my patreons.

[00:02:58]The adventure didn't start here though.

[00:03:00]It started two weeks earlier on a December holiday where I was kindly invited by Daryl and his family to camp with them in Kata Bay, Mosmbique.

[00:03:15]We know this drive from when I went to Morangulo. It's not far, but it takes very, very long.

[00:03:25]Uh, Kumari border actually wasn't too bad. I think it was about half an hour.

[00:03:30]It's just chaos there. People trying to get you through quickly then expecting um some money in return and people just pushing in. Just keep a cool head and you'll get through. But really it wasn't bad. I've been stuck there for 5 hours before. So really wasn't bad at all. And we are staying at a place called Tanneriki tonight which is just outside Makuto.

[00:03:55]I'll always recommend breaking up this drive from Janisburg either in Marath Park area on the South African side or just outside Maputo on the Mosmb Beacon side and Tanabiki and Makaneta seems like the perfect place.

[00:04:12]Just arrived first night. So we crossed the border today which was actually not not bad. It was a good idea I think. And now we're at Tannabiki. Never been here before, but much nicer than I thought.

[00:04:22]So, we've just quickly set up camp.

[00:04:23]We're going to eat a few cold ones at the bar, maybe have a swim, walk to the beach. Oh, >> the pool is right here.

[00:04:28]>> Yeah, there's a pool. Yeah, I think the kids have Oh, it's right here. Right there.

[00:04:31]>> The music is there, which means the RNR is there.

[00:04:33]>> The RNR is there.

[00:04:38]>> It's our first time seeing the ocean on this holiday, but something tells me we're going to spend plenty time on the beach.

[00:04:55]It's another early morning with the sun rising early in December. And like I said, even though we don't have a lot of kilometers to do, it's going to take pretty much the whole day. Plenty villages, plenty speed limits, but be patient and just enjoy Mozambique.

[00:05:19]We're about to turn off to Kata Bay.

[00:05:21]Actually only 5ks from the turnoff and we got pulled over for speeding.

[00:05:26]We were speeding. So 68 in a 60 zone, all three of us. So yeah, paid the fine.

[00:05:32]Very friendly cops. Um just be courteous and respect the fact that you were speeding. So we were and uh we paid our fines and now we're about to turn off.

[00:05:42]>> See what happens. day gets long, you get tired and you don't want to get there and then we get into trouble again.

[00:05:48]>> Yeah. So, um yeah, it's uh just if you if you're speeding, you're speeding. So, you got to pay your fine.

[00:05:57]>> It's always important not to let a minor mishap like this ruin the start to your holiday. And how can it? We're in Mosmbique on a dirt road.

[00:06:08]According to tracks for Africa, we close to our destination, Got Bay, an area in Mosmb beek I've never been to before, but so far it looks absolutely stunning.

[00:06:55]This place looks incredible. It looks one of the most beautiful places in the world. Wow. Massive trees, beautiful g um blue ocean. And uh we're going to get our campsite now.

[00:07:14]Right, we're at Comini Resort Gujata Bay. Arrived yesterday afternoon. Set up our camp. Quite stunning. Now it's time to use the indieflate and deflate these tires. So the kids are going to give me a hand. Matthew's already taken the valve cap off and you got to take the other side off. And now we're going to deflate. M. What are you going to go to?

[00:07:36]>> To the beach. We're going to the beach.

[00:07:37]I'm going to go My tire pressures are cold, so I'm probably going to go 1.3 in the front and 1.6 in the back cuz my car is quite heavy as you hope to know.

[00:07:46]>> Are you going to engage four-wheel drive at 1?

[00:07:49]>> No, no, no. Just two wheel drive >> for a rainy day.

[00:07:56]>> Okay. So, I'm also going to use the good old Indie Flate. Um, I'm not that heavily loaded on this trip, so I can go a little bit lower. I'm thinking cold. Also, maybe 1.2 at the front, 1.3, and then 1.5 at the back. So, let's grab the Indie deflate and do what we do.

[00:08:18]Always good. Deflates two tires at once.

[00:08:20]Equalizes the pressure between both tires. So, um yeah, for the next two weeks, we're on sand. So, might as well um just deflate those tires, make the ride more comfy. And from what I've heard, it's proper sand. So yeah, love it. Absolutely love it. Mosmbique summer, some clouds around today, but um yeah, it's been great weather. We got all we all got sunburnt this morning.

[00:08:47]We're in the pool having a few drinks and um yeah, we all got sunburnt. So the first day holiday burns out of the way already. Let's deflate them tires.

[00:09:05]Nicholas and Matthew and Daryl are helping out here.

[00:09:15]>> Ah, you got >> Okay, so been taking a bit of a holiday the last few days. We've just been chilling on the beach. We've been to the Kata Bay Beach and we've also been to Pandani. Both have been absolutely amazing. But today we're heading towards Anaman. We're actually in Anaman at the moment and we're going to go see Kenny and his family and chill with them for the day. It's so nice. You just get to drive down onto these different beaches, try out different restaurants and bars, different food, and just chill by your car and swim the whole day. So, we go to the beach, we open up the awnings, and we just chill. It's absolutely amazing.

[00:09:57]So yeah, we're going to hit um see Kenya and the family now and enjoy a good day on the beach. Hopefully some snorkeling um and some good food.

[00:10:14]Yes, this is salt water obviously. So you can see how slowly I'm taking it through it not to get any on the underc carriage of the 200.

[00:10:28]Okay, so we set up here on the beach.

[00:10:31]Kenny's Raptor is there. My 200's here, and Daryl's >> chillaxing already.

[00:10:38]>> Chillaxing cruisers there. We got all the sea gears out. Have a look at this.

[00:10:42]This is proper.

[00:10:46]Put them all together.

[00:10:50]And that's our view. Sun Ninja is also out.

[00:10:53]That's our view. There's a big storm out at sea, but we're chilling here on Barra Beach. And um yeah, we're going to be chilling here for the rest of the day, I think.

[00:11:10]Kenny, a month ago, we were in Cozy Bay snorkeling.

[00:11:15]>> Now we're in Barra snorkeling.

[00:11:19]>> Very, very, very good sound. It's good.

[00:11:21]And those are two boilers from a ship out there.

[00:11:25]That's right.

[00:11:35]Right. We're heading out to the wreck. I don't know what those tubes are. What are they? The cooling boilers.

[00:11:39]>> The boilers. We're heading out there.

[00:11:42]Some will make it, some might not.

[00:11:52]What was supposed to be a peaceful snorkel actually turned out into a fight for survival. The current swept us away immediately. Always be careful.

[00:12:09]Okay. War in the rain.

[00:12:43]And look, treachery is occurred.

[00:12:46]>> The kids are trying to dig my car in.

[00:12:50]>> I don't think I'm getting out of here.

[00:12:52]I'm not going to lie, bro.

[00:12:55]Daryl, >> this is all just fun and games. And with the friendly Mosine Police Force looking on, Daryl rescues me quickly.

[00:13:07]>> Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. Morning and welcome to another incredible day in Mozambique. It is so hot. Yo, I don't know what the temperature is, but yeah, it's a absolutely beautiful day with the clouds behind the the dunes here and a clear blue sea. We're on our way to the Pandani Beach where we were 2 days or 3 days ago now cuz the snorkeling there is amazing. Yeah, we there. We're going to be there with Steven and Riota and their family and Kenny and Jean Maria and their family are joining us. So, yeah, it's going to be a good day snorkeling, chilling on the beach. Low tide is now at 1:00 and it's 10:00 now. So, we're going to chill there, wait for the tide to go out.

[00:13:53]This is a really surreal feeling driving on the beach in Africa. We're not allowed this in South Africa, but in Mosmbique in certain areas you are.

[00:14:05]>> It's just that the time is fired.

[00:14:09]>> Yeah.

[00:14:10]Hello, crabby crab crab.

[00:14:18]And everyone respects it and it just works. It's a truly incredible feeling.

[00:14:24]And the great thing is if you can't find your perfect spot, you just drive further and find another one.

[00:14:35]You have to time your visits to the beach according to the tides. Here you can see us trying to get onto the Pandani beach at relatively high tide going to low tide. So for the first little bit, we're going to have to time it according to the waves.

[00:14:49]Okay, I'm going to do it.

[00:14:59]And as you can see, I've gone straight after Kenny here, and the waves have been over his tracks, so I'm not messing around.

[00:15:24]Again, this is such a new experience for me. You park your car on the beach, open up the awnings, set up your gazeos, and you can go straight into the pristine Mosmb beacon water. This really is an incredible experience. I really am lost for words.

[00:16:01]Okay, so cars all parked up on the beach. Time for a quick swim.

[00:16:09]Heat. Heat. Heat.

[00:16:37]Heat. Heat.

[00:17:06]My brew.

[00:17:07]>> What's happening?

[00:17:08]>> Brew again. Paying it forward. Fell stuck. Car full of people. So, I'm just going to quickly help them out. I think once I get them just behind your car, I think they're going to be fine.

[00:17:18]>> Perfect.

[00:17:18]>> Okay, cool.

[00:17:39]Yeah, it's good now.

[00:17:59]Okay, cool. So, um, we at Barra, back at Barra today. Beautiful drive-in. We're actually, I think, at Flamingo Bay. And I did a capture tour here the last time with my family and um Flamingo Bay.

[00:18:13]There's actually some flamingos in the background there. And we are doing a snorkel boat cruise thing to Pansy Island today. So looking forward to that. We're with the Westgates and obviously Daryl and Lincoln and the kids. Steven and Ri and them went I think on the catamaran, but we're going on a smaller boat. So looking forward to some good snorkeling. And how crazy is this? So, where we actually park now, if you have a look, let me just turn the camera around rather is where where we park now is actually the tide comes over here. So, we're going to move. We're not going to park here, but the tide actually comes over here. So, yeah, it's pretty crazy. And um yeah, we parked up here. Might have a drink at the bar and then enjoy our snorkeling.

[00:19:04]Kenny Dunkey donkey donkey donkey.

[00:19:18]We finally parked up and ready for our ride on what's called a dao.

[00:19:54]How are you? Good. And you?

[00:19:56]>> All good. Thank you. This it's a Dao. We are calling Dao because it's made by hands. It's not made by machine.

[00:20:05]Material. It's a sale that it's a we buying this sales in South Africa. It's canvas material. I think you know this material. Yes. Comes from South Africa.

[00:20:17]>> Here we don't have but we buying from South Africa.

[00:20:21]Everything we buy here. The hoods we have. It's a calipa hoods. The the ones it's a mangro apple mangro wood h woods.

[00:21:09]The current made keeping the camera still a little bit difficult as you can see, but the marine life is amazing here in Barra and in Mosmbique. This is another top Mosmb beek experience and something I'd highly recommend. And I cannot believe I've never done this before.

[00:21:47]Absolutely.

[00:21:48]Amazing. Plenty plenty fish.

[00:21:53]Unbelievably warm water. Quite a few people snorkeling here. Yeah. Wow.

[00:22:11]Heat.

[00:22:35]Heat.

[00:22:44]I haven't filmed much because I'm on holiday, but I just wanted to show you how beautiful this country is. The beaches, the food, and the people. I've officially fallen in love with Mosamb beek.

[00:23:16]Okay, so we're on Pansy Island now. As you can see, there's a camera, right?

[00:23:23]>> Am I right? He's saying the pansies of the shells. I'll >> show you.

[00:23:29]>> So, it looks like a pansy because of the shape.

[00:23:32]Okay.

[00:23:40]>> Pansy Island is an uninhabited sandbar in Mosmbique's Anoman estie that vanishes during high tide. Famous for its abundance of rare pansy shells, the island is a popular secluded spot for snorkeling and boat trips. The pansy shells are protected species. Visitors are generally allowed to collect the empty washed up shells, but taking the live specimens is illegal.

[00:24:21]And we end off one of the best days I've ever had in my life. Eating Mosmb beek's amazing food at another beautiful restaurant.

[00:24:36]It's also New Year's Eve and I'd really like to thank all the families that had me on this adventure. And even the 200 series got its own little festive decoration from the kids.

[00:24:57]And I'm just taking a drive down to watch the sunrise on the beach. Last day.

[00:25:55]We've spent 2 weeks here. It's felt like 2 days. Kata is an amazing place, but there's so much more to explore in Mosmbique. Our time here is coming to an end with this being our last day, but it's a time I will never forget.

[00:26:10]Heat. Heat.

[00:26:48]We stayed at the Kumbini campsites. They were stunning and under massive palm trees. The one we were on was on a slight slope, but we dug the lers in to be level. It comes with a massive baraka with your own bri area, seating, storage, and a bathroom. It also has electricity. However, the power can be temperamental in Mosam, so always have a backup. And remember not to park under the palm trees because of the coconuts.

[00:27:15]You don't want to damage your caravan or vehicle.

[00:27:29]The bush lap and miss crayers were great as always and we even added our own festive touch.

[00:27:42]There's so many reasons to recommend Mosmbique for your December holiday. The food and drink being a good reason. It really is affordable and tastes so good.

[00:27:52]Go with a bunch of mates and you'll have the best December holiday you've ever had.

[00:28:08]Some of our favorite bars included Safety Stop, Jay's, and the Chill Bar right at the place we stayed, Kumbini.

[00:28:30]2 weeks definitely isn't enough. And just like that, it's over. But we're going back to South Africa through a different border post. And tonight, we're spending at one of my favorite places in the Krueger National Park.

[00:28:51]It's also another long drive to get to the Girondo border post and you've got to drive through the Limpopo Transfrontier Park. This time of the year it's incredibly busy with everyone going back to South Africa. It is a beautiful route though, but traveling through the Lumpopo Transfrontier Park ended up being quite expensive, but the border post was quick and efficient.

[00:29:42]And just Like that, we're back in one of my favorite places, Tenzi. And I really do not feel like going home. And there's an opportunity to get some proper content over the next 10 days.

[00:29:55]>> Daryl, >> have you had a good trip last day, bro?

[00:29:59]>> It's always the worst the last days, but yeah, was a very rare lucky trip.

[00:30:04]Definitely uh wouldn't mind doing it again next December. Um had a good time.

[00:30:09]So, we spent the whole trip even in the heat in the the bush looper. Thanks to Mitch and to Martin again as always. But, uh, great. Slept comfortable. Was cool enough. I hooked they hooked up an air con for me on this on the unit. So, it was absolutely brilliant. Enough water.

[00:30:26]We showered out of the bush. We never used the ablutions.

[00:30:30]>> Did rough roads today.

[00:30:32]>> Oh, but rough roads. Bushlop was fine.

[00:30:34]My cruiser took a bit of strain, but bushop was perfect. Like you said, this is that's good product, but proper product.

[00:30:43]>> Yeah, you can sign off. I'm staying on for a little bit. So Daryl is signing off. Him and his family signing off.

[00:30:49]>> Will chat more to you. I'm going home. I have to be at work on Monday.

[00:30:54]Unfortunately, not everyone can be like Ed.

[00:31:02]Heat.

[00:31:21]Heat.

[00:31:56]Morning.

[00:31:57]and um left Senzi this morning and Daryl and Linka and kids and Paul and they all went back to Joberg and I'm going to continue my Krueger trip and the good thing is this time of year not like the last winging it in Krueger thing I did in school holidays July school holidays this is January it's quiet so I got exactly what I wanted pretty much I got um I was going to go back to Tenzi but I've done a lot of Tenzi and I love it But I've had some urgent requests to do another, it's not a rustic campsite, it's called a satellite camp. It's Puli, which is near Olifants, between Ulants and Satara. And I got shouted at on social media to go do that camp, which I've done many years ago. And um it's all right. I don't like like it as much as Tenzi, but anyways, I'll show you guys around Bali. So I've got three nights Shiningi, two nights Satara, and three nights Beluli. And um in the Krueger in my happy place in summer birds are amazing. Krueger's had insane amounts of rain. Such a nice evening again at Senzi last night. Night sounds and had a great time in Mosmb beek.

[00:33:05]Absolutely great time at Kata and in our bar in that area. Barra what a place and definitely a place to go for your family holiday. and the Girondo border post.

[00:33:15]The roads uh to road the other side has got quite bad potholes and the dirt roads got corrugations but it's because people are driving fast and haven't let down their tire pressures but it's much better to use than Kamati put. I can assure you of that. So I'll be using that border post in the future. But yeah, I um try to clean up a little bit and organize everything the bush looper cuz it was all a mess this morning and I got about 50% there. So now I'm going to Shinguetsi for three nights. Got a campsite on the fence. I'm taking the tar road there. I got to do a bit of work over the next few days and edit. So I sort of needed a place with power and where I can just chill a little bit. But I love the Shiningi area. I haven't done that many videos on Shiningi. I've done one or two. So yeah, let's enjoy the Krugerg in summer.

[00:35:12]and I've got a perfect campsite right on the fence.

[00:35:38]So, camp is all set up. It's extremely hot. I don't know what the temperature is. Uh here it says 35° and it's 6:00. Gates closing off by 6.

[00:35:48]So a beautiful spot on the fence. Some really nice neighbors that watch the channel. Fantastic people. So we've been chilling, chatting to them a little bit.

[00:35:58]And uh yeah, I got the whole caravan set up. I would have normally brought the rooftop tent on this trip, but I had the caravan in Mosmbique. So yeah, and I love it cuz that means I can just quickly go for a game drive. And I'm not going for a game drive. I'm just going to go down to the bridge.

[00:36:48]Oh my god.

[00:37:27]extremely interesting.

[00:37:45]I ended up editing late into the night right on the fence with this African civet as company.

[00:38:11]So, an update. For the past 24 hours, pretty much I've just been doing admin.

[00:38:17]I was um up until 3 this morning editing and dumping footage and then slept for a little bit and then carried on pretty much until 12:00 and then I washed clothes. I got a nice um laundromat here, Ching wetsi with some washing machines. They take five rand coins. So 2 weeks worth of washing now. 2 and a half weeks I had to do washing and um cost me a h 100red bucks in terms of five rands including the drying tumble dryer.

[00:38:43]That's fantastic. But yeah, no and dump footage. Cameras are clear. Cameras are charged. Now it's time to film and enjoy the Krueger. And it is so hot today. My thing is saying 42. My car is saying 42° and the clouds are building. The thunderstorms are building. Thank goodness. It's been crazy crazy hot. But um yeah, I'm going to go on afternoon drive now to Red Rocks. Beautiful, beautiful drive here. Bashing Wetsy. The skies are incredible. The bush is green.

[00:39:12]The birds are going off. Now everything is sorted. All the admin is done and uh ready to enjoy and to film and to enjoy my favorite place.

[00:39:24]Love the Krueger, man. Absolutely love it. and love these afternoon drives in summer with beautiful green Krueger and black almost black clouds. What a privilege.

[00:40:06]Heat. Heat.

[00:40:27]Heat. Heat.

[00:40:44]And it looks like the African skies have got another plan.

[00:41:07]The rain coming down in a green Krueger on an afternoon drive. This really is a privilege.

[00:41:43]Okay, so at the Red Rocks lookout and water is flowing really really nicely and uh whenever the Krueger floods you always see those videos on Facebook on all the Krueger groups of red rocks flooding like proper full-on waterfalls but uh it's flowing very nicely Now went through the causeway back there and uh got it all to myself. Fantastic.

[00:42:07]Have a look at this.

[00:42:25]Peace and quiet. I've got the whole place to myself. There's a rainbow right in the distance over there. Beautiful cumulo nimbus there. Storm over there.

[00:42:38]This is just incredible. A lot of people judge me for um loving the Kruger Park so much, but I grew up here and um you can catch it at the right time and catch it at the wrong time. At the wrong time, it's busy, plenty of cars, sightings, whatever. But if you're here now, I've got the whole place to myself. And um yeah, it's not all just tar roads. I'm on dirt roads now for the last 25 km. So yeah, just before you judge me, get some perspective and come here in the quiet season or try to. And then uh hopefully you enjoy it as much as I do. I was here a year ago with my dad when it flooded so hectic. Missing you, dad. Wish you were here. Missing you a lot. Um exactly a year ago when it flooded hectic here in Krueger. We're in the 100 series in the bush laper and the clouds in the background there are exactly the same as the clouds we had before it flooded hectic. So I'm not 100% sure what's waiting for me on this trip. But take it as it comes.

[00:44:44]Heat. Heat.

[00:44:47]Heat.

[00:45:03]Heat.

[00:46:17]And I forgot to take out dinner again.

[00:46:19]So, it's to the engine bay of the 200 we go.

[00:46:30]Now, I've traveled a lot, but this was one of the most spectacular evening skies I've ever experienced.

[00:47:16]It's coming down proper proper proper yeti proper lightning proper thunder but doesn't look like it's going to last Good morning and uh yeah, fantastic night last night at Shinuetsi. Weather is relatively cool today. overcast. Had that storm and um it's 5:00 in the morning obviously and I've made a coffee takeaway coffee and um I'm going to do the Impongola loop which is famous for its leopards. It's one of the best roads in the park for its leopard. Um but yeah, it'll be difficult with this thick bush but trying to get on the road early and the weather is very good for game viewing.

[00:48:20]So hopefully I hit a luck, but even if I don't, it's a road with beautiful big trees along the I think it's Pongola River. Might be wrong, but um yeah, early morning Krueger coffee. Hopefully lions heard them last night. Um heard the hyenas and uh yeah, every all the dust has been washed away now with that storm. So I'll keep you guys updated. Let's have some Krueger magic.

[00:49:13]Heat. Heat.

[00:50:20]Heat. Heat.

[00:51:33]With the temperatures high in the 40s, the morning drive eventually became the afternoon drive as I decided to spend the whole day in the car with Econ as the winner.

[00:52:22]I've actually never been on this extended part of the Red Rocks Loop and I don't know why because it is absolutely stunning. Beautiful views of the Shingui. I'm at the final causeway uh on the way back to camp. And there's at least a crocodile fishing for the fish here. So, I'm just going to turn around, try to get a shot of him. But what a beautiful, beautiful loop. Game is very scarce. Elephant and water buck plenty.

[00:52:48]But this view, have a look at this.

[00:53:08]Heat.

[00:53:19]Heat.

[00:53:41]Right. Good morning. And um yeah, last night was chill at Ching Wetszi. Um quite a few of the people watched the show were camping there, so I chatted to them. then went to bed. Um, and I was just super tired this morning. I have no idea why, but decided to sleep in rather than pack up everything and leave super early. So, um, yeah, ended up sleeping in and ended up leaving Shingui at about 9:00 this morning. So, had a dip in the pool before we left. Shining's got one of the best pools. So, that cooled me down after the packup, but packup's not too bad. But I'm here at the Lataba high water bridge uh on the way down to Satara staying at Satara tonight. And yeah, I just pretty much kept Tar road from Shiningi to here at 50ks an hour.

[00:54:28]Just cruised and now I'm at one of my favorite places, the Lataba high water bridge. Going to get some lunch at Laba and then depending on the time we'll decide which route to take to Satara.

[00:54:39]maybe the Beluli way S90, then S41, S100 or Timberati or just straight to Satara.

[00:54:47]But it's so hot during the day that there's not really any point in um getting to Satara early to set up. I'll rather set up late when even when it's starting to get dark. So, I'm going to enjoy the drive. It's a long drive, but it's a whole day in the car. Um but it's what I love. So, but have a look at this beautiful view that way.

[00:55:09]Beautiful view that way.

[00:55:55]Okay. So there's no ways that the high water I mean the low water bridge Beluli bridge is going to be trespassable possible I think.

[00:56:07]Um so I'm going to have to go over the high water bridge and then left on the road I think we and that's normally a very good road and then I'll link up with S90. So yeah that's I'm not really don't really need to stop at early funs but um yeah I think that's what I'm going to do. Heat up here.

[00:57:15]As you guys will know, the S90, then onto the S41, and then eventually the S100 is one of my favorite roots in Krugerg. But today, something very ominous is brewing in the distance.

[00:58:10]like the storm is about to land. I'm driving straight into it. But the scenery here on this S41 is incredible as always. The rivers are flowing. Um, not all of them, but have a look at this one in front of me here. This little causeway. Uh, yeah, stunning scenery here. But the rain's going to come now.

[00:58:51]Lightning in the thunder is crazy.

[00:59:18]Heat up here.

[00:59:47]Absolutely love it. Check that.

[00:59:50]Literally 10 minutes storm's gone. Blue skies in front of us. I'm sping wet from holding the camera outside. African thunderstorms. The best. Look at that behind me.

[01:00:02]And then in front, clear skies.

[01:00:09]As I had hoped, I got the whole picnic spot to myself. I'm going to run quickly to the top to the viewing um the viewpoint to try and get these storms coming in cuz the view up there is spectacular. So, I'm going to make a quick run to try to get to the top and I'll see you guys there. This should be amazing. Man, this is what I love.

[01:00:30]Absolutely love this.

[01:00:32]African thunderstorms in the Krueger National Park. Green, beautiful. This is one of the best views in the Krueger that I'm walking up to now. The thunder is proper. We're going to get some great audio, I hope, and some great time lapses.

[01:00:47]I'm going to chill here for a little bit. How can you not love this place?

[01:00:53]I love it. What a day. Best day of 2026 so far, that's for sure.

[01:01:18]There there's some proper storms rolling in from Mosmb beek there.

[01:02:22]People who know the Krueger and love the Krueger know just how special this spot ati is it brings back so many good memories of all the times I've been here from 1 years old right up until 29 the next storm for sure just want to grab some lunch out of the laper leftovers and then hit the road but check that Heat. Heat.

[01:03:21]Heat. Heat.

[01:05:12]With 90% chance of rain throughout the evening, I decided to head to the cattle baron for dinner.

[01:05:42]Right. Good morning. Um I think it's 5:00 quart 5. Supposed to be out past 4, but two things. It was dark and that bed in that bush lapper is just way too comfortable to get out of. Um but yeah, we're on the road at first light. I'm going to probably head to Insamani Dam.

[01:06:01]I think they saw Casper on the way there yesterday and then turn around and then do S100. Um let's see how it goes. And uh made two cups of coffee to try to wake me up. Overcast weather, but uh looking good. Another good day in the Krueger. Just keep an eye on the water level here at Insamani Dam. This will become significant in a few days time.

[01:07:02]I just hit such a luck here on the swing. road. As I was driving past, I was driving slowly. I drive around 10 um 20 km an hour and I saw a tail flick in the air. There's a whole bunch of lions out there. I just saw one tail flick, but I can actually see one lion sort of out in the open. And then there's another one here.

[01:07:23]So, happy days. Going to wait for them to get up.

[01:07:30]Heat.

[01:07:49]Heat.

[01:07:55]Heat. Heat.

[01:08:16]Heat.

[01:08:38]Heat.

[01:08:42]Heat up here.

[01:09:07]Heat. Heat.

[01:09:55]There it is.

[01:10:00]Hey, hey, Heat. Heat.

[01:11:39]Yeah.

[01:11:59]Heat.

[01:12:04]Heat. Heat.

[01:12:42]Heat. Heat.

[01:13:06]With another great two night stay at Satara in the books, it's time to spend my final three nights at Baluli Camp.

[01:13:13]But I have been warned of a massive rain system heading for the Krueger, which will probably mean evacuating the entire park.

[01:13:59]That's just a safety precaution, I think, for most cars. I could easily drive over, but the road is closed. So, I'm going to have to do the detour around to Ulifans. Quite a long detour, but that's all right. Got plenty time.

[01:14:12]But yeah, it does restrict me a little bit when I'm staying here at Buli.

[01:14:15]Although, I think with this rain coming and they're going to close all the dirt roads anyway. But, um, yeah, it's uh, if it's flowing like this now, it'll be interesting to see over the next few days.

[01:14:57]Just like when you stay at Senzi, you have to check in at Mapani. It's the same at Beluli. You have to drive to the main Olifants rest camp to check in. And with the 200 doing one of the things it does best, which is drinking up its fuel supply, I'm checked in and ready to go to Balle.

[01:15:39]Aren't these African skies just magnificent? I just cannot get enough of them.

[01:16:13]Heat. Heat.

[01:16:33]I just have the most amazing sighting.

[01:16:37]15 I think wild dogs. No, maybe 10 right in front of me. I got to turn back cuz the gate's going to close. But they're right in front of me. Look here. Right outside the gate. But they're on the hunt.

[01:16:48]I don't want to leave.

[01:18:12]And of course, as soon as I start the fire, it starts to rain. Something tells me I'm going to have a few storms here over the next few days.

[01:18:31]I I didn't.

[01:18:59]As you guys know, we've had lions in the camp. Plenty lions, leopards, civets, hyenas, elephants. Yeah, it's been um incredible journey through Africa. But tonight, I'm being attacked by something a little bit different here in Balule.

[01:19:16]Snails. Check at this.

[01:19:20]One, two, three.

[01:19:39]And yes, I know that's a lot of food just for me, but that's leftovers for the next few days. For the people that say I don't eat any vegetables, beetroot, ao, still the original stuff from Joberg that I bought two weeks ago.

[01:19:53]Keep it in the fridge and it's still good. Look at that.

[01:20:06]It's at this point when I still had two full days left and after a night of heavy rain that the section ranger came to tell me there's a possibility that we'd need to evacuate.

[01:20:35]Heat. Heat.

[01:21:01]They're predicting over 400 mm of rain over the next 3 days.

[01:21:09]Heat. Heat.

[01:21:37]Yeah.

[01:21:41]Heat.

[01:22:01]This is the most confusing flood ever.

[01:22:04]Now the water isn't even coming over the bridge.

[01:22:07]Uh yeah, very weird. Very very weird. I don't know if the big rain I mean there have been some proper storms every now and then like a proper deluge comes through but water levels are dropping. So, I don't know if the big rain is tonight or Okay, so here on the main Olifans Bridge.

[01:22:26]Sorry, I had to bring out the other mic cuz um it's super windy. Uh main high water bridge. Yeah, very strange with the water levels. Expected them to go up quite a bit, but it's actually come down. And the clouds look hectic, but not much rain has fallen. So, in in terms of like when they were predicting 600 m, 800 ms, definitely not that. So, we'll see a bit later. Maybe it changes.

[01:22:51]Have a look at this view.

[01:22:54]Dramatic skies of Krueger.

[01:22:58]The wind is definitely picked up. Got some baboons down on the bridge there and in the other direction.

[01:23:05]A jari is a satellite camp located on the Olifants River. It has an option of huts or camping. Neither of them have electricity. The campsites are decently spread apart and there aren't many of them, which means this camp is relatively quiet, which is great.

[01:23:41]Some of the sites do get water logged though. Although in this amount of rain, every site will get water logged. There are taps, bri stands, and a wash up area available along with some newly renovated bathrooms. Well done, sand parks. It's a great campsite.

[01:24:02]I present you again.

[01:24:49]Okay, so the flooding is here. Uh trying to check half 8 and the campsite is flooding proper. Have a look at this.

[01:25:06]Starting to collect water. This is only like I don't know 5 minutes of rain.

[01:25:27]Okay, so just update. Had a nice hot shower.

[01:25:31]Drove the car to the ablutions fortunately and uh got a glass of wine and I'm safe inside the bush looper. If I tell you this caravan is amazing. The fact that it's not leaking now is incredible. It is pouring outside.

[01:25:59]It rained the whole night. I think definitely 100 ms. Um, yeah, everything is flowing here. Have a look.

[01:26:22]I think that's as far as I'm going to get. Probably make it through. Actually, definitely make it through. But the rules are don't cross low-level flooded bridges. So, >> I'll always respect the rules. And the section ranger did come and tell me which ones I would make it through and which ones were blocked off.

[01:27:00]But the Olifrans River was really starting to flood.

[01:27:53]The actual issue is going to be tomorrow when I need to get out of here cuz these are this is the only way out. So if it keeps raining then we're stuck.

[01:28:32]Okay, so I'm at the hots we one and that's too strong to um cross I reckon.

[01:28:39]There's a tree in the middle, but this must have been from earlier today.

[01:28:43]That's how high the water was earlier today. So it's dropped a lot. But yeah, check out that debris there.

[01:28:52]>> The issue is Beluli is basically blocked off. You can't take the S90 out to Satara and you can't take any of these causeways. So, I really have a big decision to make.

[01:29:04]Okay, so everyone's evacuated camp.

[01:29:08]Um, yeah, I'm the only one there. just a whole bunch of cars came past and they're going to go on the one way. Um there's a one way there just to get to the to road. So, um yeah, I don't know exactly what to do if I must pack up and try and make a move and try and do the one way cuz it's pouring now. Uh or if I just wait it out again.

[01:29:37]It's going to take a while for me to pack up. So, yeah.

[01:29:42]Let me think. And the issue is getting out tomorrow morning on all these roads obviously. So I need to try my best to get to like a main camp maybe Ulifance or Satara.

[01:29:52]Satara I'm a bit nervous of because I know they moved all the other people there from the evacuation. So it might not have accommodation. Ulifance I'm sure they must have accommodation. Um just so I can stay in a chalet tonight and then be able to leave tomorrow morning. At least I'm I don't have any river crossings tomorrow then. Um, so I think I might pack up and then try get um two olants on the oneway. That's where everyone everyone went now on the one way. That little road. There are some river crossings on there. So I'll just have to see how that goes. But I think that's what I'm going to do cuz the rivers are going getting proper proper full now and the rain is coming down. So going have to pack up in the rain. But I think I've got to do that.

[01:30:36]Okay. So have to leave. Ranger came.

[01:30:39]What a lacker chap. and he said, "Yeah, we got to evacuate." Um, so I'm the only person. So, um, yeah, unfortunately there's like 150 ms of rain predicted uh for tonight. And he says, "If I want to get out the park tomorrow, I have to get across these waters today.

[01:31:01]If not, and the apparently with all this rain, then we'll have to chopper you out." apparently that you leave your car at a higher spot and they chopper you to Ulif and then they chop you back when it's subsided to fetch your car. So that's not going to work for me. Um so um he says that in if it's dropped enough he will clear the branches but otherwise I've been given permission by the ranger to do the one way but he says there's a very narrow bridge. So yeah we'll take it as it comes. But I'm going to pack up the lap now and then head towards of course decided to be an absolutely torrential downpour while I was packing up.

[01:31:39]L's packed up. It's rain solidly for the last hour. I definitely got to get out of here. The rain is savage.

[01:31:50]I've really got to get off these roads ASAP. This is hectic.

[01:31:57]The one-way road is the only way out, but there is a small narrow section of bridge that I'm going to have to make it over. And the section ranger says in a few hours that's no longer going to be there.

[01:32:40]So before the keyboard warrior is going to have an absolute fit at me, got permission from the section ranger to do the road the one way backwards to get off out of the out of Valu. Yeah.

[01:33:13]Yeah. So, here's the narrow bridge they're talking about. Uh, that was not that's not going to make it till tomorrow. So, my only way out. Here it is.

[01:33:48]Safely back on the tour. I spent some time on the Olifant's high water bridge.

[01:33:52]It's beyond belief that less than 24 hours later, this bridge would be underwater.

[01:34:16]It's pretty amazing. We got unit number 75 at no cost. Obviously I booked tonight at Bulle, but camping is way less expensive than one of these chalets. So well done, Sand Parks. Apparently they're doing it for everyone that had to be evacuated depending on which camp.

[01:34:39]Um and it's not quite a river view, but the river is pretty much right in front of me. And I can see the rain coming in from Hosen Beek for tomorrow.

[01:34:47]Um yeah, looks hectic.

[01:35:06]What happened over the next 24 hours was devastating. Multiple roads, camps, and parts of the Krueger were severely damaged by raging rivers and relentless rain, and they eventually closed the entire park.

[01:35:32]I've never seen Samani dam this full.

[01:35:36]That is crazy. Can't see any of the banks.

[01:35:44]>> That's insane. That is absolutely insane.

[01:35:51]For a reference, this was in Sani Dam just 3 days earlier when I was here. And just a couple hours after I left, the whole road was underwater and severely damaged.

[01:36:07]Oh yeah.

[01:36:42]Okay, so it's May. This video is hopefully going to go out um tomorrow, which is Friday. And in I didn't want to use anyone else's footage of the floods from the internet and stuff cuz it's illegal and wrong. But I did buy the Krueger magazine and in here is some photos of the floods. So I'm just going to show you guys those. Here's just some photos. It's It's absolutely insane.

[01:37:09]That's the Lataba high water bridge that I was in the video. I was on that bridge. You guys remember there it is completely underwater.

[01:37:18]The huts at Lataba camp also the high water bridge. Look at that. That is literally the Lataba high water bridge and the camp. Look at Lataba. Big damage.

[01:37:34]Schumani Bushfeld Camp.

[01:37:38]That's the Ulifon's high water bridge.

[01:37:40]You can check the water came over. They didn't actually have a photo of it over.

[01:37:44]Um yeah, that's in Sani Dam. Check the water came over there.

[01:37:56]That's the bridge between Palaboa and Mapani. Lataba River.

[01:38:05]Lataba high water bridge again damage to Latava camp, the Shingui causeway.

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