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Guest Blogging: Mike and Fiona Spot a Lion Pride

Mike and Fiona Clark continue to send us feedback of their epic safari at nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. Seems they enjoyed an array of sightings which included wild dog, lions and even rhino ! Here is their account of day 2 at the Klaserie camps.

Wow what a day. We left for our afternoon game drive after a home cooked quiche for lunch. About 10 minutes into the drive we suddenly saw a single wild dog at the side of the Land Rover, heading off into the bush. Despite the ground still being wet and muddy we decided to follow the wild dog. Unfortunately, we had to give up before we got completely stuck and headed back towards the road. We could just see the dog in the distance. We decided to follow the road where we predicted it would cross and we were right. Suddenly it appeared in the middle if the road next to the grass and to our surprise the rest of the pack stood up and started yelping (about 9 in total). We stayed with them all for about 30 minutes whilst they played in the water and rested in the sun.

Another fantastic and rare sighting of the African wild dog ! Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

Wild dogs exploring the waterhole. Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

Next we drove off full of expectation for the remainder of the drive and we weren’t disappointed. First we came across 2 rhino, a herd of impala and a lone blue wildebeest at the dam. Then we found the lions again – 1 male and 3 females. They had moved a few hundred metres down the road from where we saw them on morning drive. After observing them sleeping and doing nothing, we left them. They did not move an inch ! We set off for sundowners close to the small dam, stopping on the way for a herd of elephants.

On the way back to camp we heard lions roaring which were the 2 males calling to each other. There we found the second lion at the side of the road, looking a little worse for wear and sporting a few more battle scars on his face.

Back at camp the nThambo team had once again produced a lovely meal, which was enjoyed with small amounts of wine and beer. We then went to bed, with thunder and lightening on the horizon, our fingers crossed that the storm would not hit us overnight.

The Ross Pride of Lions – majestic. Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

The Good from the Ross Pride – Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

4.30am wake-up call arrived, and no rain, so off we set, our sights set on finding buffalo and a leopard, to complete the ‘Big 5’. We came across the 2 male lions, who had been calling all night. They had finally caught up with each other, both moving a little way down the road to meet up. They were both very lazy, one hiding in the grass sleeping. We left them in peace, and carried on our quest, coming across zebra, giraffe and elephants on our way. Finally after a little rain, we finally found a large heard of buffalo, lying in the deep bush. We waited whilst they woke up and crossed the road in front of us. Carrying on we were all looking for leopard. However we couldn’t keep our eyes in the bush, we were on spider lookout – large golden webs crossing the roads! Scary, but also very funny to see all our faces and yoga movements to make sure we avoided them. So no leopard today, but still hoping for later.

Cape Buffalo emerging from the bush – Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

Spotting elephant herds while on a game drive

Guest Blogging: Mike and Fiona Clark Arrive at Camp

Mike and Fiona Clark are regular guests at both nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot camp. They are avid wildlife enthusiasts and love nothing more than to send us blog updates about their daily life at while at camp. While they’re out tracking the Big Five I am sitting in an office behind a computer – I would far rather be walking with wildlife in the Kruger !

Here is their first hand account of day 1 at the camps:

“Hello again everyone. Yes we are back here at nThambo and Africa on Foot. The weather when we arrived was sunny and hot, but there was a lot of rain. Our first game drive would have been better in a boat to start with – there was a lot of water on the roads! However, we did get to see some nice relaxed white rhino at one of the dams. They let us get close to them and watch them graze – and luckily we didn’t get the Land Rover stuck! We stopped for sundowners and got some nice photos of a giraffe at sunset.

This morning we were woken up to the roar of lions, and the hunt to find them was on. After much driving (following more roaring) we finally found them doing what lions do best – sleeping in the road. There were 5 lions from the Ross pride – 3 females and the 2 males. We could hear roaring in the distance from the remainder of the pride, but unfortunately they chose to stay where they were and not join the rest of the pride. One of the male lions finally got up and drank from a puddle right in front of the vehicle (we were right by a dam full of clean water, so why he chose a dirty puddle is anyone’s guess!). After he drank the puddle dry he returned to rest. We left them all there, sleeping behind some bushes, hoping that they would still be there later for our evening game drive.

Back at camp we sat down for a hearty breakfast at nThambo. The breakfast area overlooks the bushveld. While we were eating we saw movement in the distance – 2 saddle billed storks walked right in front of the lodge. How nice to see these rare birds thriving in the Klaserie. The weather at the moment is a little cloudy and humid so fingers crossed the rain will stay away and the roads can dry a little. We’ll keep you posted”

Ross Pride of lions relaxing close to camp. Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

Ross Pride female relaxing in the Klaserie

Ross Pride female watching the game vehicle. Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

Ah. One of the Ross Pride boys ! Our favourite lions. Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

White rhino spotted grazing in the in the Klaserie – Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

Sundowners with guests and rangers. Our normal spot at the dam ! Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

The incredible giraffe spotted while on safari – Image taken by Mike and Fiona Clark

Botswana Pre & Post Indaba Educational 2014

Sun Destinations are hosting a pre & post Indaba educational capturing the highlights of Botswana. Agents will have the opportunity to visit a variety of lodges in the Delta, Kalahari and Chobe regions. Each lodge offers something different and unique.

Click here to download the Sun Destinations Pre Post Indaba Educational PDF

A quick snapshot of the educational to Botswana:

We Have Named the New White Lion Cub Xihangu

We have finally named the new white lion cub born into the Ross Pride of lions. White lions are a rare species and need to be revered. Therefore the cub’s name needed to bear significant meaning. It was Enoch who spotted the cub while out on a game drive with Darryn and Africa on Foot. The honour of naming the cub was bestowed upon Enoch, our much loved tracker from Africa on Foot.

Enoch is one of our Shangaan trackers who has the ability to spot a needle in a haystack! Equipped with an incredible sense of humour and gentle nature; he is loved by guests and rangers alike.

After much banter between Darryn and Enoch, Dave (our videographer) suggested we call the new cub “Snowball”. Enoch said that in his life he had never seen snow in the African bush and that “Hailstone” is more appropriate. In Shangaan (the local dialect of the region) the word for hailstone is “Xihangu”, pronounced “She-an-gu”.

There’s a certain synchronicity with nature and the name. White lions are rare and so are hailstorms in the Kruger.

The latest pics of our white lion cub, Xihangu – Image by Sarah Davis

Xihangu wanting to see what the big, wide world has in store – Image by Sarah Davis

Xihangu our new white lion cub – Image by Sarah Davis

White lion cub, Xihangu, taking a nap – Image by Sarah Davis

“I wonder what is out there in the Klaserie?” – Image by Sarah Davis

Lions Walking Through nThambo Tree Camp in the Kruger

Recently, we have had phenomenal sightings of the Ross Pride of lions. Yesterday something remarkable happened at the nThambo Tree Camp. The entire Ross Pride strutted through the nThambo Tree Camp obvlious to the fact that guests and rangers were about. We hope you enjoy the pics !

The Ross Pride – Probably on Their Way to Camp

Meet the Ross Pride and Cubs Relaxing Close to Camp

An Incredible Moment. The Ross Pride Make Their Way Through Camp.

Dave’s Wildlife Safari Videos of nThambo Tree Camp

If you are thinking about going on safari in January in Kruger and you are not sure what to expect in terms of game viewing, then watch Dave Jackson’s wildlife safari videos. Below is collection of videos he prepared while staying at the nThambo Tree Camp in the Kruger. nThambo is in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve which borders on the Timbavati Reserve and Kruger National Park.

The below videos were taken in January in the Kruger.

The Ross Pride of Lions: The Good and the Bad Return

Over the past couple of years the Ross Pride has grown from strength to strength. At the moment one of the females has just given birth to a white lion cub which we hope will grow to maturity. The Good and the Bad are the two dominant males within the pride and one of them is rumoured to carry the white lion gene. They have quite a large area to traverse and have not been seen in the vicinity recently. The below video highlights a moment when Dave managed to see our two favourite boys back in their area.

Wildlife Moments Caught on Camera

The Klaserie is not only fantastic for Big 5 sightings but great for birdwatching, snake spotting and tracking small mammals. There are creatures that you might not even know exist – have you ever seen a Dwarf Mongoose? They are delightful and inquistive creatures. Watch this video and uncover a few of Africa’s hidden secrets.

Summary of My 3 Days at nThambo

I love it when Dave Jackson compiles these types of videos. He always manages to capture and collate some great wildlife footage. Here are his 3 day highlights from time spent at nThambo Tree Camp.

Behind the Scenes on a Game Drive

Our primary focus is to entice visitors to the Klaserie for an incredible safari experience and to enjoy game viewing in the wild. Part of the experience is to hang out with the trackers and rangers. Most of the time we update you with wildlife sightings but it’s nice to see a few “behind the scenes” photos.

Here are a few pics of what happens behind the scenes on a game drive. Christina, the camp manager, took these photos of Faffa and Enoch during a sundowner stop.

Faffa the Game Ranger Trying to Find Frogs – Photo by Christina (Mufasa)

Faffa and Enoch leading the way – Photo by Christina (Mufasa)

Sundowner drinks with guests – photo by Christina (Mufasa)

December Game Viewing Highlights in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve

Last month we produced a blog post about game viewing in the Klaserie during November. It’s time now to summarize our December sightings. We often get asked by potential guests when it is best to go on safari in South Africa. During the Summer, which is the rainy season, the density of the vegetation affects our ability to see animals. However, even in the Klaserie there are always a plethora of sightings.

Thanks to Christina and the rangers for their consistent updates and recordings of sightings, we can now bring you our December game viewing highlights in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve.

Summary of 3 days spent at Africa on Foot

Summary of 3 days spent at nThambo Tree Camp

4 Dec: Lions – The Good is spotted while on a game drive

Chad, from nThambo, reported: “Today ‘The Good’ and one of the Ross Pride females were spotted while on a game drive. There were also two other females and two sub adult males. ”

The Good Spotted on a Game Drive not far from the nThambo Tree Camp

8 Dec:

The rangers from Africa on Foot and nThambo report yet another sequence of incredible sightings. A pack of wild dogs were seen hunting and making a kill. Chad, from nThambo Tree Camp, spent over an hour with the pack and observed them trying to dig a warthog out of its burrow. After little success with the warthog they decided to run down an impala.

17 Dec

Today delievered a surprising sighting. The rangers came across an unknown pride of lions, believed to be the Timbavati Lion Pride. They were located We came across this unknown lion pride in our drive the other day. Hope you enjoy our video of the Timbavati Lion Pride.

20 Dec: The day the white lion cub was discovered

To date, this has probably been our most exceptional sighting. We have recently confirmed that the new White Lion Cub in the Klaserie belongs to the Ross Pride of lions. Click here to find out more about this white lion sighting.

Fantastic Sighting of a White Lion Cub in the Klaserie

24 Dec: An emerging big Tusker appears next to camp

An emerging big Tusker (collared) was discovered close to the Africa on Foot camp and Dave (our videographer) caught it all on camera.

27 December: Lion sighting – Giraffe males spotted close to nThambo Tree Camp

The rangers from nThambo Tree Camp managed to photograph a few of the Giraffe males close to camp. They have been seen on quite a few occassions in and around camp. This could get interesting !

One of the Giraffe Males Spotted Outside of the nThambo Tree Camp

28 December: Four leopards in one sighting at Africa on Foot

Today Christina and Darryn spotted four leopards devouring an impala carcass. Cleo, the female was seen with her two cubs and the father, Shaka was also spotted. For more information about this sighting please revert to our blog post about leopards in the Klaserie.

Cleo the Leopard Spotted on a Hunt

Cleo the Leopard Kills an Impala in the Klaserie

Shortly before Christmas, the rangers at Africa on Foot reported a massive leopard kill which saw four leopards feeding on an impala. Cleo, the female leopard was spotted dragging a carcass past the vehicle; closely followed by her 2 sub-adult cubs and the adult male, Shaka. Shaka is believed to be the father of the cubs – this is evident based on the fact that Cleo shared her kill with him and allowed him close to the cubs.

Our rangers witnessed Cleo dragging the kill up the tree and lapping up water to cure their thirst from devouring the impala. Darryn Murray managed to capture a few moments on camera but could not photograph all 4 because they crossed over into a neighbouring property.

To date, both Christina and Darryn have recorded this as being one of their top wildlife sightings of 2013.

Cleo – the female leopard who killed an impala in the Klaserie – image by Darryn Murray

Cleo – image by Darryn Murray

Cleo dragging the impala kill to a tree to hide it from other predators – image by Darryn Murray

Cleo dragged her impala kill into a tree – image taken by Darryn Murray

New White Lion Cub in the Kruger’s Klaserie

Spotting a white lion in the wild is one of the most rare sightings for guests on safari in the Kruger. There are many spiritual connotations attached to a sighting of white lion because it is believed to be a reincarnation of spirirual masters. Whatever your belief, seeing a white lion roaming freely in the wild is an occasion never to be forgotten.

With this in mind, we have some exciting news from the rangers at Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree camp. This morning, while out on a game drive with guests, the rangers spotted a white lion cub playing with a sub-adult male ! We know for a fact that the Ross Pride has recently given birth to 3 tawny cubs so this comes as an additional surprise. Although the cub was seen in the heart of the Ross Pride territory we have yet to confirm if this bundle of joy is part of the Ross Pride. One of the two dominant males (the Good and the Bad) is rumoured to carry the white lion gene. Darryn Murray managed to take photos of the elusive lion cub seen this morning.

This is an incredible Christmas present for the Klaserie, which has had quite a tumultuous history with its resident lion prides. The mortality rate for lion cubs is high due to pride dynamics and the threat of predators. Lionesses often have to leave the cubs alone while joining their pride on hunts.

One of the Ross Pride females gave birth to two white lion cubs in 2012. Unfortunately, the first cub was killed and eaten by an old injured female right in front of guests on a morning safari. The reason for this is that the lioness was badly injured and her only means of survival was to prey on other lionesses’ cubs. A few months later the mother gave birth to another two cubs which meant a second white lion cub for the Ross Pride. One night they hunted a giraffe bull and during the hunt the mother was badly hurt and rendered unable to feed her young. The condition of both mother and cubs deteriorated rapidly. The mother was unable to return to the cubs to move them to the rest of the pride and thus the white lion died some time later. We are hoping that this new cub survives – we could do with another white lion in the Klaserie.

The Ross Pride are making themselves known. The past ten years we have seen the pride splinter off and the numbers dwindle, but these kings of the Klaserie are making up for their fragmented pride history and showing us what true survival is about.

If you’re wanting to see lions and white lion cubs – get yourself to the Klaserie !

White lion cub in the Klaserie – photo by Darryn Murray

White lion cub spotted in the Klaserie – Photo by Darryn Murray

White lion cub spotted in the Klaserie – part of the Ross Pride – Photo by Darryn Murray

New white lion cub born into the Ross Pride

Could this be the latest edition to the Ross Pride? – Photo by Darryn Murray