Brown-hooded Kingfisher @SANParksKNP @SANParks #KrugerNationalPark #SouthAfrica

Hi Friends, 

Sometimes in life, you wonder that you shall have the higher zoom camera to capture the beautiful birds which are far on the branches or are flying high in the skies. A similar experience happened to me when I saw this beautiful Kingfisher bird which was sitting far high on the branches of a tree inside the Kruger National Park. 

Kruger National Park is filled with so many different kinds of birds and you need a good telephoto lens so that you can reach them from far far away. It's always good practice to rent the equipment if you can't own the same. 

Brown-hooded Kingfisher is almost the size of Cape Sterling which I shared photos earlier in my posts and weighs just 60 grams. You will be able to find them near any water source especially rivers inside the Kruger National Park. 

In the end, Kingfisher is one of the beautiful birds with a loud and harsh voice. You will find them in pairs maximum else it also roams alone. People also say that it showcases the most dramatic courtship displays in the mating season. All the photos are taken using Nikon D7000 and Sigma 70-300mm Telephoto lens inside the Kruger National Park in South Africa. 

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts and subscribe to my YOUTUBE Channel too where contests will be held in the month of July 2020. Namaste!

Impala @SANParksKNP @SANParks #KrugerNationalPark #SouthAfrica

Hi Friends,

Impala is found all over South Africa in all the game drives and all the national parks and they look really lovely in their beautiful and agile body. 

This photograph is my favorite as one of the Impala takes the center stage while others check out my next movement to start running from the spot. This led to a great photographic capture as the sand creates the stage like a podium and the grass in the background created the others in far watching the performances. 

The beautiful Impala can run at its maximum speed of 80km while 60km is general. One fun fact is that they are also called as McDonald's of the Bush as they are readily available for the carnivorous animals to hunt them easily. 

Because they have dark brown lines on either side of their bottoms and one in the middle of the tail, making it look like an M logo just like on McDonald's stores all around the world. If you ever make it to South Africa, do check them out at the Kruger National Park and enjoy this beautiful animal and if you are lucky enough, you will see them getting hunted by the Leopards and Lions. All the photos are taken using the Nikon D7000 and Sigma 70-300mm telephoto lens. 

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts and subscribe to my YOUTUBE Channel too where contests will be held in the month of July 2020. Namaste!

Blue Wildebeest @SANParksKNP @SANParks #KrugerNationalPark #SouthAfrica

Hi Friends, 

Continuing our journey towards the Mopani rest camp we continued to come across various birds, animals, flora, and fauna along with the whole topographical location. We traveled inside the Kruger National Park for about 275 kilometers without taking any food breaks and eat in the car and only stop to use the washrooms. 

Wildebeest is a type of Antelope that comes in two species in Africa namely Blue and Black Wildebeest. You will find them a lot inside the Kruger National Park and also private Game Safaris in the rest of the country. You will find them sharing the grazing space with Zebra and they are attacked by predators as they weight around 180kilograms making the whole Pride of Lions feel full.

The great migration of Wildebeest happens in the Masai Mara National Park in Kenya as the population is huge in those areas which can be predominantly seen during the months of July and August. If you going to Masai Mara, do book your trip with the trusted travel agents as a lot doesn't fulfill the promises after taking your money. 

It feels great to feature all these animals in a separate post each and then select the best shots to share on my social media platforms. I hope you are liking them too and plans to see them live in Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Bats at #Satara Rest Camp @SANParksKNP @SANParks #KrugerNationalPark #SouthAfrica

Hi Friends,

As we were passing through the Satara Rest Camp and entered the small market inside the camp for some Ice cream and to go to washrooms etc, I checked out a tree outside the market. I was totally afraid to even watch these bats and click photos. 

There were flying all over the market and I really wanted to run away from that spot. But as this was something I have never felt in my life, I took out the camera and clicked some photos before leaving this place for our continued journey inside the Kruger National Park. 

Bats are an integral part of the Jungle ecosystem as a single bat can eat up to 2000 insects a night which will otherwise keep you from sleeping. They eat all kinds of agricultural and household pests even mosquitoes. 

They are part of many camps and are found in large numbers in Kruger National Parks and comes in 65 species only in South Africa out of 1200 species worldwide. SAN Parks have now tried to isolate their chalets and houses free of bats entering the houses by closing all kinds of holes in the roofs and chimney openings. This has helped the tourists to sleep perfectly well inside the rest camps but the jungle is a jungle and you can't restrict them so be prepared to stay with them as you are in their house. 

All the photos are taken using Nikon D7000 using the Sigma 70-300mm lens. 

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Flowers at God's Window #Graskop #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Flowers are lovely and there is nothing that beats them in terms of giving the divine pleasure to the eyes and the heart. They are truly a gift from nature and we shall continue to take their photos and share with the world. 

Why do people and governments make parks and botanical gardens? 

It's always to bring pleasure to human beings in terms of fragrance, beauty, symmetry and asymmetry, design, and colors of the best gifts of nature. Each country spends a huge amount of money to maintain these beautiful gifts of nature and there are jobs assigned to create and take care of the garden. 

But that doesn't mean flowers will survive where they are taken care of, at the God's Window there is no gardener in view but the flowers survive in their natural habitat without the disturbance of human hands. 

Nature has it the way of taking care of human beings and flowers are something that brings happiness to the minds of people who needs hope, they are presented to the sick and needy to wish him to get well soon, they are presented to the dead to pay homage, they are presented to the partners for the representation of the love towards each other. 

God's Window is a beautiful place to spend a few hours in the evenings and morning amidst nature and the view to live for. They have a tropical rainforest walk which is around 100meters and it is really great to walk through to reach God's Window. All photos are taken by Aashish Rai using Nikon D7000 and an 18-105mm kit lens. 

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

The View from God's Window #Graskop #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

God's Window is a viewpoint just like you have one in Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA but this is totally different from the one in States. This is the greenest Canyon called Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve where God is opening his window towards to enjoy the fresh breeze and a great view of valley and hills. 

The place is right next to the highway and you can park your car on the side of the road and walk around 200-300metres to reach the place called God's Window in Graskop, Mpumalanga, South Africa. I always try to see the same whenever I am in the area and last time when I went the place was not visible at all because it was raining and fog clouded the roads and the visibility was too low. 

The place is worthy of its name as the view from the window is totally amazing but if you are not careful you can fall into the deep valley so precaution needs to be taken when visiting the place. The place is totally free and if you park the car inside then there is a charge of R10-20 for the entry. 

Check out this view from the opening where you can mountains after mountains and they say you can see 7 hills from God's Window and also Kruger National Park is also near the same but won't be visible. 

All the photos are taken by Aashish Rai using the Nikon D7000 camera and 18-105mm kit lens. If you are in the area, do visit this place and enjoy the amazing view of the South African Canyon. More on the canyon in the next posts. 

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Lisbon Falls in #Graskop #SouthAfrica #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends, 

Lisbon Falls in Graskop is great falls but somehow doesn't provide the direct view of the waterfalls which makes a person wonder that he has not been able to see it all. The fall of water makes a lot of noise at this falls that you will feel some kind of fear too. 

Lisbon falls are a little bit higher than Berlin Falls and it is around 94 meters high and the entry ticket is still R10 to the guard without any payment receipt whatsoever. All these places are good for the family as you can easily park your car and then it's just 50 meters walk to the edge of the viewpoint of the waterfalls but in case you want to go and swim in the pools then you need to go and hike on the mountains and come up afterward which won't be easy with kids. 

Sometimes you need plenty of time and in these areas of Sabie - Graskop - Hazyview there are plenty of treks and hikes to be taken. One such trek is named Fanie Botha Hiking Trail which starts from 2 days to 5 days and depending on your activity levels can be taken by fit to superfit persons. 

Lisbon falls have three waterfalls in one as there is one small one coming just left of the same and then there is one perpendicular to the falls at one edge and that is making a lot of loud noise as it hits the rocks like anything and flow of water is also high. 

The photos are taken by Aashish Rai using Nikon D7000 and an 18-105mm kit lens at Lisbon Falls. Check out my other Waterfall stories on The Life's Way 1. Howick Falls 2. Berlin Falls 3. Sterkspruit Waterfalls 4. Lone Creek Falls and more are coming for your viewing pleasures. 

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Berlin Falls in #Graskop #SouthAfrica #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

On our trip to Sabie - Graskop and adjoining areas, there are so many waterfalls that after some time you will say that let's see something else. 

Berling Falls is 80m in height and forms a candle-like fall of water which looks really lovely and unique in its own terms. Generally, at most of the tourist places, these plaques are installed by the SA Tourism and Government but soon taken away by the people visiting them so at most of the places it is no longer there. It's a pure theft which shall not be done at least at the tourist places.

The entry ticket is R10 per person which guard takes at the boom gate without any receipt or something. If you are walking without any car then he doesn't charge you as we were staying very near this place, I took a trip early in the morning to the same and saw the falls on my jogging/walk. I don't think he was even there at that time. 

If you staying in Graskop or Sabie towns you are already in the middle of some of the great mountain ranges and you will feel right in nature. You will be able to feel the fresh air and it can rain at any time of the day. 

If you are a fan of waterfalls this region will provide you with numerous accounted for and various unseen hiking trails waterfalls which will not only challenge your skills but also you will feel relaxed in the jungle. All the photos are taken by Aashish Rai using Nikon D7000 camera and 18-105mm kit lens at Berlin Falls, Graskop, South Africa. Check out my other Waterfall stories on my blog 1. Howick Falls 2. Lisbon Falls 3. Sterkspruit Waterfalls 4. Lone Creek Falls and more are coming for your viewing pleasures.

Namaste!!!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

#CapeTown from #SignalHill in the Night #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Cape Town is one of the best cities in terms of tourism and popularity across the world. People from all walks of life want to come, visit and stay in the city to enjoy the nightlife, beaches and so many other things available for everyone. 

I have till now never posted any photographs of this lovely city but as we start now you will be amazed by the beauty of this beach city. Not only it is big but also has many spots where people go and see the sunrise and sunsets every day of the year. 

Cape Town is amongst one of the cities featured in a lot of Bollywood movies as well as TV serials and Hollywood also has the city featured in many movies. 

Signal Hill is totally free for everyone but the parking space is very less at the top maybe for 15-20 cars max so you park on the side of the road taking you up. This is a junction from where you divert from the road which takes you to Table Mountain and in between the trail comes to take you to the top of Lion's Head and then you reach Signal Hill and there is nothing after that as you have to take a U-turn downwards. 

Look at the trident the roads of Cape Town makes and it looks so lovely on the dark nights without moon but generally, it is not allowed after a certain time in the evenings to go to Signal Hill. 

Here is a closer look at the road which forms the trident all from the top of the Signal Hill using my Nikon D7000 camera with 18-105mm kit lens. 

I have never felt bored by visiting this city ever and I have been to the city multiple times already and want to get myself a flat when I retire and enjoy the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean. All photos are taken by Aashish Rai from Signal Hill and I really want to hike to the top of Lions Head in my next visit to the city. 

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Wild Dog in @SANParksKNP @SANParks #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Wild Dog is one of the most dangerous of wildlife animals as they attack with their whole family of hunters and keep you chasing till you start gasping for breath and will start eating you alive. 

Though they are themselves endangered animals from Africa's mammal species because of the killing by Human beings as sometimes they enter human areas and tries to take the small pet animals like cows, lamb, goat, etc.

Though they are not found so easily in Kruger National Park, I was lucky enough to see them in huge numbers as I was at the gate of the park 2 hours before it's opening time and my car was number 1 for the day to enter the National Park. I felt really great just like people who do the Amazing race feel when they reach the Pitstop to Phil. 

Don't think of Wild Dogs as your pet dogs as they are very aggressive and only live for about 6 years inside the Kruger National Park before they die. 

Rangers of the park do tell that they can even chase the Big 5 animals like Lion and Leopard because they try to take away their hunt and keep chasing them and start biting them from all sides as they attack in big numbers and Lion do run away seeing them leaving their hunt for them to cherish. It means Unity is definitely Strength for this small looking but predator like nothing known ever. All photos are taken using Nikon D7000 using Sigma 70-300mm lens inside the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Warthog in @SANParksKNP @SANParks #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

I have been training myself for the past few days on various new technologies using Youtube and other channels and if you Focus enough you will be able to learn something new during these times. 

Warthog is from the pig family and found in large numbers in South Africa and basically food for the crocodiles. If you search on Youtube, you will find various narrow escape videos of Warthog as they are very active and agile despite their looks. 

Warthog you will also remember from the famous movie Lion King where it plays the role of Pumbaa. They have these unique teeth just like elephants but looks more aggressive due to them. 

All the photos are taken using Nikon D7000 and Sigma 70-300mm lens inside the Kruger National Park. Enjoy lovely South Africa and check out various other posts of various wildlife animals inside the park.

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Cheetah Walking in @SANParksKNP @SANParks #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

I am some of the lucky few who have seen the Cheetah hunting right in front of my eyes but I didn't get a clear shot of his try. I saw him running behind a springbok but without any success and it all happened in a few seconds as the speed of Cheetah needs no introduction. 

Also, I went to the park in a sedan that is not suitable for the Kruger National Park because of its height from the ground and it's always advisable to drive in an SUV and more in a 4x4 so that you can travel off-roads allowed by the SAN Parks authorities.

You will also observe that the animal merges into the backdrop of fallen trees and the color of the sand and it is so difficult to find them too. 

This sighting was also near the entrance gate of Lower Sabie Rest Camp which I thought that this is his area where he stays all the time as many people reported seeing the same Cheetah on the sighting board inside the camp. 

If you ever visit South Africa then Kruger National Park is a place without going to which your trip to the country will never be complete. 

I have fallen in love with this big cat - look at the color of the skin, the patches, the combination of brown and black, the marks on the face, the threatening eyes and the way it turns its tail to balance it on its sprint run when the animal is on hunting mode is totally amazing. I am so amused and I am sure so are you!

All these photos are taken using Nikon D7000 using the Sigma 70-300mm lens by Aashish Rai inside the Kruger National Park. I am sure you will bring better cameras with you with long telephoto zoom lenses to take much better photos of this amazing South African Wildlife and share it with the world just like me!

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Cheetah Near #LowerSabie Rest Camp @SANParksKNP @SANParks #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

If you are ever on a trip to Kruger National Park and doesn't have too much of time to spend inside the park, then you shall always hit entrance from Paul Kruger Gate and reach Skukuza Rest Camp and take the route towards Lower Sabie Rest Camp but not the main road but the gravel road next to the river. 

You will always see the maximum sightings of Big 5 in this area and your trip will end on higher notes with something to take home in terms of good pictures of animals and so many memories of the jungle.

Despite your all efforts and spending so many days inside the camps of Kruger National Park there will be always times when you won't see any of the big cats so easily and rhinos too. 

Cheetah is extremely shy and you won't find them so easily. On my last trip to Kruger National Park, I saw one from far but he quickly went inside the bushes and we waited outside for more than an hour without any success.

It all depends on your luck and the viewing spot where you are and some lucky people have seen it doing the hunt also live in front of their eyes. It all happens in a split second and your vehicle must have crossed the spot while you are checking your GPS. Some people have seen it resting on the top of the tree and staying there for almost an hour or so in the evenings - it all depends on the Luck of the Jungle and their God's blessing you. 

Your eyes are like a search engine and your mind has to be too quick to decipher whether it is an animal or a stone reflecting light like it is an animal. This really takes a toll on your eyes and if you are also driving then it's real torture. 

You definitely need some kind of eye tone fluid to put in your eyes at the end of the day else you will suffer from me a headache. I definitely suffered from one and by the afternoon I was so tired of looking and driving that I slept without any dinner that night. All the photos are taken using the Nikon D7000 camera by Aashish Rai inside the Kruger National Park.

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!