Kruger Safaris July 2021 Highlights
July is the middle of winter in South Africa and it's a great time to be on safari. With no rain in sight and water sources diminishing, some of our best sightings were at rivers and watering holes where elephants and buffaloes congregated in large numbers, and predators lurked nearby.
We had our fair share of lion sightings, too, including a very special time with some cute lion cubs jostling with each other for space on a rocky outcrop. Scroll down to share in the magic.
![01 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Giraffe at sunset 2](/imager/files/252101/01-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Giraffe-at-sunset-2_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/252101/01-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Giraffe-at-sunset-2_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
Giraffe at sunset.
![02 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Laughing lion](/imager/files/251841/02-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Laughing-lion_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251841/02-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Laughing-lion_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
Nothing to sneeze at. This is a wonderful example of the flehmen grimace which animals use to pick up urine or scent marks.
![03 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Leopard](/imager/files/251842/03-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Leopard_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251842/03-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Leopard_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
A beautiful leopard.
![04 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Rhino and calf](/imager/files/251843/04-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Rhino-and-calf_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251843/04-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Rhino-and-calf_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
A rhino and her calf.
![05 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Honey badger](/imager/files/251844/05-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Honey-badger_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251844/05-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Honey-badger_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
Skukuza's night raider; the honey badger.
![06 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Lion cubs 1](/imager/files/251845/06-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-1_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251845/06-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-1_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
First, two lion cubs on a small rock.
![07 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Lion cubs 2](/imager/files/251846/07-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-2_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251846/07-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-2_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
Then, more lion cubs arrive and things get tight.
![08 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Lion cubs 3](/imager/files/251847/08-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-3_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251847/08-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-3_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
The lion cubs move onto a flatter rock with more space.
![09 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Lion cubs 4](/imager/files/251848/09-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-4_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251848/09-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-4_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
It's not long before the other cubs decide to join in ...
![10 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Lion cubs 5](/imager/files/251849/10-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-5_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251849/10-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-cubs-5_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
... and suddenly space is at a premium again.
![11 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Elephant calf](/imager/files/251850/11-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Elephant-calf_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251850/11-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Elephant-calf_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
Elephant calf.
![12 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Kruger sunset](/imager/files/251851/12-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Kruger-sunset_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251851/12-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Kruger-sunset_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
Kruger winter sunset.
![13 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Lilac breasted roller](/imager/files/251852/13-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lilac-breasted-roller_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251852/13-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lilac-breasted-roller_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
The beautiful lilac-breasted roller, perhaps the most photographed bird in Kruger.
![14 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Hyena cub](/imager/files/251853/14-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Hyena-cub_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251853/14-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Hyena-cub_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
A hyena cub at the den.
![15 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Black backed jackal on the move](/imager/files/251854/15-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Black-backed-jackal-on-the-move_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251854/15-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Black-backed-jackal-on-the-move_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
A black-backed jackal on the move.
![16 Kruger safari highlights July 2021](/imager/files/251855/16-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251855/16-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
En garde! Two yellow-billed storks.
![17 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Hippo and calf](/imager/files/251856/17-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Hippo-and-calf_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251856/17-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Hippo-and-calf_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
A tiny hippo calf with its mother keeping close watch nearby.
![18 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Lion and lioness](/imager/files/251857/18-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-and-lioness_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251857/18-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Lion-and-lioness_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
A lioness and a male lion sharing an affectionate moment.
![19 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Baboons](/imager/files/251858/19-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Baboons_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251858/19-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Baboons_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
Baboon shenanigans. Baboons are always entertaining to watch!
![20 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 African fish eagle](/imager/files/251859/20-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-African-fish-eagle_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251859/20-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-African-fish-eagle_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
The impressive African fish eagle.
![21 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Buffalo calf](/imager/files/251860/21-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Buffalo-calf_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251860/21-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Buffalo-calf_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
A buffalo calf giving us the eye.
![22 Kruger safari highlights July 2021 Pearl spotted owlet](/imager/files/251861/22-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Pearl-spotted-owlet_7377d849afdaaf98a9d8db3bf5dd57e9.webp 1200w, /imager/files/251861/22-Kruger-safari-highlights-July-2021-Pearl-spotted-owlet_95763719b62c7e778e479608869433f6.webp 320w)
A pearl-spotted owlet.
Leave us a comment and let us know which of these Kruger 2021 July sightings are your favourite. What animals would you most like to see on safari?
About the author
![Dianne](/uploads/files/_200x200_crop_center-center_none/D.-Kokkonidis.jpg)
Dianne Kokkonidis was born in Johannesburg, grew up in the Transkei and spent years exploring Europe. She returned to South Africa to live on a farm in the Outeniqua Mountains when the call of Africa got too loud to ignore. She comes from a family of storytellers, so it's no surprise she's now found her way into writing about one of the oldest stories known to mankind - the lure of Africa.