Adventures in the Klaserie: Guest Review of nThambo Tree Camp

Situated in the vast wilderness of the Klaserie, nThambo Tree Camp sits perched on stilts, overlooking a wild plain.

Guest, Max Beeson, sent us some incredible imagery taken on his safari visiting this dense, wildlife-rich region.

We took the opportunity to dive a little deeper and find out more about his experience visiting this slice of bushveld paradise in the Greater Kruger region.

Hi Max! Tell us a little about where you are from and if this was this your first time on safari?

I am from the United Kingdom, I have been on safari before – this was my third time. Previously I have travelled to Kenya’s Masai Mara and 2 years ago I went to Botswana to visit the Okavango Delta and a Chobe national park.

Tell us a little about your photography! Have you photographed wildlife before? How was your experience of shooting wildlife? Were there any animals you really wanted to photograph?

I’m not a professional photographer, I’m just a person who enjoys taking photos of wildlife. I’ve always had such an interest in wildlife and art, especially the African species and in particular the three big cats that live there (lion, leopard and cheetah). The only time I get to do it really though is when I have been on my safaris so whenever I get a chance to take photos of these such impressive animals I take all the opportunities I can get.

Photo by Max Beeson

I have fortunately been able to see all the Big five, incredibly I saw all 5 in one drive in my recent safari to South Africa where I stayed at Nthambo Tree Camp in Kruger. In terms of the animals I really want to photograph except for the big cats are the other predators, one in particular is the African hunting dog. I was fortunate to see them again in Kruger but it was only a quick glimpse. But I hope to be able to get some pictures of them in my future safaris.

Outside of the predators the best animal to take pictures of are the giraffe- they look so elegant when walking along but also they stand out as looking so unique in the bush. My favourite picture while at Nthambo was one we came across on a drive where I got it walking through the trees with treeline on the horizon.

Photo by Max Beeson at nThmabo Tree Camp

Can you walk us through capturing your favourite safari photo – what was happening in that moment?

When taking the pictures I try to get down low to the animals eye level to get a sense of perspective. I also don’t always place the animal in the middle of the picture as this was to give the picture better composition. And this is advice I would give to others on their pictures. Another thing that I learnt after some advice from other photographers is not always to zoom in up close to the animal as if all you see is the animal and none of the environment and habitat around them then when you or anyone else looks at the picture then the animal may as well be in a zoo, so showing the habitat that it’s in makes the picture look sometimes more interesting.

Photo by Max Beeson at nThambo Tree Camp

Do you have anything to share about nThambo? How was your experience at the camp?

Nthambo was a great experience. I loved it, the lodge was always kept in good condition for us each day and when we got back from our afternoon drives the staff were always there to welcome us back with a drink and warm towel. The food was awesome everyday- cultural and tasty at each meal we had. I never felt hungry at any point whilst there. The rooms were very comfortable, you were always warm at night thanks to the hot water bottles the lodge provided for you each night.

How would you say the Klaserie differs to the other places you have been on safari?

In comparison to my other two safaris the main thing that differed was the environment and habitat that you were in. This was one of the main reasons as to why I chose to go to Klaserie in Kruger, as it was so different to the other places I’ve been to.

The Klaserie is thick dense bush where the animals are able to hide. So seeing animals in completely different contrasting environments instead of seeing them in all the same different types of biomes. It means that when I look at my pictures I can tell where it was taken not by the memory but also by the habitat the animal is in.

Photo by Max Beeson at nThambo Tree Camp

Photo by Max Beeson at nThambo Tree Camp

What a pleasure receiving snippets of guests adventures in the wild. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch to share about your experiences at any of the Sun Destinations camps and lodges.

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Photo by Max Beeson at nThambo Tree Camp

Photo by Max Beeson at nThambo

Photo by Max Beeson at nThambo