Sun Destinations Blog - Page 28 of 116 - Sun Destinations Safari

Photographic Portfolio Showcasing Chacma’s African Wild Dogs

Over the past couple of weeks, the team at Chacma Bush Camp have enjoyed abundant sightings of a resident pack of wild dogs. Wild dogs cover a wide home range and they’re notoriously nomadic, but this pack seems to be quite local and have provided consistent sightings since May this year. The “textbook” sedentary denning period for the dogs is between May – Aug, a period of time where it’s commonplace to see wild dog pups exploring their new found freedom, and a flurry of activity from these co-operative breeders. We don’t know when they will be on the move, but they’ll probably return to the area during the course of next year.

At the end of last week Em Gatland grabbed her bulky lens and headed out into the thickets in search of the dogs. Guides tracked and found the dogs, while Em unobtrusively snapped a few images of these mottled canines engaging in “typical” wild dog behaviour.

These mind-blowing images showcase the various moods of our endangered African wild dogs, and it’s evident that Em has knack for visually documenting the essence of animal behaviour. Fractions of moments frozen in time, giving insight into behaviour. From a few of the images you can see a blur of excitable behaviour synonymous with the haphazard chaos that surrounds the wild dogs’ rather ceremonious greeting style.

Em says, “There are 10 dogs and 6 pups that have been regularly spotted since May this year. They’re always interactive and playful. I love how they’re always all over each other, like naughty siblings. This pack tends to favour the area around the waterhole so we often know where to find them. The pups are exploring their environment and tend to experiment with everything around them – this includes chasing jackals, and even trying to catch vervet monkeys!”

Make it a Double. Gin Tasting While on Safari in the Kruger.

Gin and tonics while on safari go together like a horse and carriage. The age-old drink, initially distilled from juniper berries, is synonymous with safari sundowners. But why? An old wives tale leads us to believe that the quinine in the tonic water repels mosquitoes. Truth be told, you’d actually need vast quantities of quinine to repel those disease-ridden pests. Needless to say, it gave the bushveld locals a reason to throw some gin into the tonic. And boom, you have your safari drink! Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp are renown for pulling out a few surprise events in the middle of the savannah. A couple of days ago the team delighted guests with a recent craft gin tasting session courtesy of Elephant gin, a handcrafted gin that contributes 15% of its profits to various elephant trusts.

South Africans are purveyors of fine gin. We most certainly aren’t the original craftsman of this fragrant spirit, but we do enjoy an excuse to celebrate. The majority of people think that it was the British who were behind the innovative gin idea, but it was actually the Dutch during the 13th century. Gin was called Genever, a hard spirit produced from malt wine. Juniper berries, herbs and other floral scents were added to the strong alcohol to make it more palatable. It was a strong spirit and armies of soldiers would enjoy a quick tipple of the magic juice before heading into battle. It is believed that this is the origin of the popular phrase “Bit of Dutch courage” .

The British popularised the drink and made it more mainstream after encountering it during the 17th century, and distilled their own version. The word was shortened and become the “gin” that we know and love. It became a British thing and up until a few years back we were limited for choice when it came to this elixir. Heavy handed pouring of Bombay Sapphire, sloe gin, Gordons, and Beefeater with mixers such as tonic water or dry lemon seemed to be the choice. We were limited and then some genius went all craft on us. And us South Africans rode the wave like Laird Hamilton back in the day. South African’s cottoned on quickly to the idea of craft gin and have used indigenous botanicals to create a few fragrant masterpieces.

The gin tasting at Africa on Foot involved the sampling of a gin called “Elephant Gin” , an award winning gin handcrafted from rare African botanicals (14 of them) and handmade in Germany. After an intrepid journey to Africa the founders felt inspired to distill their own gin and combine it with conservation. 15% of profits from each full size bottle sold goes to Big Life Foundation and Space for Elephants, while with each miniature bottle sold, 15% of profits is donated to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

This is the #TheSafariLifestyle. No time to mess around – make mine a double and ensure I have a balance of berries and pink tonic water. Thank you.

Introducing Uganda, the Pearl of Africa

The Sun Destinations collection of camps and lodges has expanded its portfolio to include Uganda, affectionately known as the Pearl of Africa. Our intrepid team set out to explore a country renown for its raw and remarkable beauty. For us, it was unchartered territory and an opportunity to go gorilla trekking in the verdant montane forests of Bwindi, and track chimpanzee in the lush tangled vegetation of Kibale National Park. These are Uganda’s main tourist attractions, but the country has so much more to offer its visitors.

Uganda certainly lives up to its reputation as being the “Pearl of Africa” and has earned its place on the on the list of must-see destinations in the world. Uganda is a developing country straddling the equator in east-central Africa. Bordering South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo in west, Kenya in east, and by Rwanda and Tanzania; landlocked Uganda possesses all the natural and wild beauty of its surrounding countries.

Game viewing, scenery and pristine surrounds means that Uganda offers its visitors an inimitable beauty unsurpassed by many other countries. It’s so rare to find a country that remains completely wild, unspoilt and unmarred by mass tourism. Uganda is home to the world’s longest river (Nile), the third highest snow-capped peak in Africa (Mount Stanley), the source of the Nile (Jinja), wild gorillas, the fascinating jungle Batwa (Pygmy) community, tree climbing lions, the equator, jungles, national parks, forests, over 1066 species of bird, 56 crater lakes, and the deepest lake in Africa (Lake Victoria – the central point of capital city Kampala). And that’s not even the full list.

Uganda truly is a world-in-one. The southern region of Uganda provides ample opportunity to enjoy hiking, gorilla and chimpanzee trekking – the major drawcard for these areas. In addition to chimps and gorillas, there are over 20 species of monkey to spot. The lush forest jungle regions of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park (gorillas) and the Kibale Forest National Park (chimps) have the highest number of primates than any other region in the world. The landscape of the national parks greatly contrasts that of the dense jungle terrain. The Queen Elizabeth Park – the most popular game reserve in Uganda – is fantastic for a safari, and you might just spot the tree climbing lions in the southern region of Southern Ishasha sector.

Another national park to visit is the Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest national park. This is where the rare Rothschild’s giraffe can be spotted. Driving through the rural and farming areas of Uganda you’ll notice a plethora of wobbly shacks – evidence that Uganda’s economy is one of great struggle. Despite the circumstances, Ugandans remain friendly, welcoming and humble. A great and proud nation. The hilly and mountainous landscapes are carpeted with tea and coffee plantations, and home to abundant crops.

The soil is volcanic and therefore no fertiliser is needed – there’s not much that doesn’t grow in Uganda. We encourage visitors to sample a few local delicacies such as matoke (steamed bananas), Irish potatoes, chapati, goat stew and groundnut sauce. The hues of green are stark and give away the fact that the country enjoys a tropical climate and plenty of rains. From forest, to jungle, snow-capped mountains and distant volcanoes; Uganda is where the savannah meets the jungle.

Uganda is remote, untouched, pristine and awe inspiringly beautiful.

The country is safe, despite its often corrupt political climate.

People are friendly and welcoming of tourists.

The two official languages of Uganda are English and Swahili.

Entebbe airport is very tight with security.

You may have to remove shoes and belts when going through security scans.

It is customary to hire a driver for the duration of your stay. The roads are mud-soaked, tricky to navigate and there are plenty of hair raising bends up mountain sides.

Do carry cash with you – there are always local crafts to purchase and tips needed.

Malaria and yellow fever prevention is a must.

Uganda is a developing country. Roll with the changes and nuances.

Apply for your Visa online. It should take 3 – 5 working days. It is still possible to purchase a visa at the airport for 50 dollars, but this is subject to change.

There are extremes in temperatures because of the varying degrees of altitude throughout the country.

5 Reasons to go on a Kruger Walking Safari

A walking safari in the wilds of the Greater Kruger is as exhilarating as it is meditative. Here are five reasons to sign up for a Kruger walking safari, pronto.

1) On foot encounters

Seeing elephant, lion, rhino or buffalo from the safety of a game viewer is one thing; encountering any member of the big five whilst on foot, is quite another. Nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like seeing a pride of lions lazing about under a tree less than 50m away, or watching a big elephant bull pass by within spitting distance. The vulnerability one experiences whilst on foot in big five territory puts things into perspective, and the senses tingle with the primal fear our early ancestors must have lived with on a daily basis. Of course, walkers are completely safe, as there are two rifles on trail, but more than that, no animal will bother humans if left unprovoked. We’re just not in their diet, and there has never been an incident where a guide has had to cock their rifle at Africa on foot Wilderness Trails.

2) Learn a thing or two

If you were to test the bush knowledge of the average city slicker, they would probably get a score that would leave them red faced. ‘Why is it called a “white” rhino’?, ‘How do you tell the difference between leopard and lion tracks?’, ‘Which berries are safe to eat?’ If you’re unsure about the answer to any of the above, and feel like you’re the kind of person who needs a bit of bush schooling, nothing will educate you like a walk in the wilderness, especially if you do it with rangers as vastly knowledgeable as those at Africa on Foot Wilderness Trails. Their experience and bush-tuned eyes truly brings the veld to life for the untrained eye. They explain the symbiotic relationships between various species, why a tree was marked in a specific way, which plants humans can survive on, tracking, bushcraft, and much besides.

3) Slackpacking

Africa on Foot Wilderness Trails is the ultimate in luxury slackpacking. The two guides who lead the walk carry extra water, a first-aid kit, snacks and, as mentioned, a large-calibre rifle each. Walkers carry a light backpack, and anything heavier than your camera, water and sunscreen is transported from camp to camp by vehicle. The three camp locations on this mobile safari are chosen carefully for aesthetic and practical reasons, but ‘mobile safari’ means that nothing of the camp structure is permanent. It is set up and broken down each day with ease, has little effect on the environment, and no trace is left behind. The camps are fairly simple: Four dome tents with beds and ‘en-suite bathrooms’ (access to a chemical toilet and bucket shower) are positioned at one end, while the mess tent is at the other. Your meals are cooked for you (and expertly so), drinks are furnished and a game drive is thrown in every afternoon. Life on trail is easy!

4) Breathe!

Fresh air is an underrated commodity. If you live in a big city, you’re not breathing clean air, and your office aircon isn’t great for your health either. A walk in the wild and breathing fresh, clean air will likely rid you of that annoying headache, cough or sneeze you’ve been carrying. A dose of vitamin D will also do you the world of good, and will help combat those mood swings and is said to be crucial in maintaining a healthy heart. But more than the obvious health benefits, a walking safari just improves one’s mental state, rewires the system and recharges the batteries. Bottomline: it simply improves happiness and health.

5) Find your Zen

Speaking of mental health: a walk in the Kruger is the ultimate meditative experience. When you’re on trail, there’s no talking. Apart from communicating in whistles, low whispers and hand signals, or when the guide explains something, walkers remain as quiet as possible so as not to scare away any game or birds.

Some people like sitting cross-legged on a mountaintop and humming to themself, and some like yoga. We prefer a walk in the wild to get our meditation fix. It’s you, your thoughts, your breathing, the light crunch of the veld grass underfoot and the sounds of the bush. It is restorative and healing, and life’s little stresses and anxieties ebb away with every passing day on trail.

The Week in Pictures : Panthera Power

Summer is fast approaching and the arid landscape is shifting from crunchy browns to soft greens. Patches of rain have replenished the Kruger landscape and new life is emerging. There’s a heavy presence of calves, pups and cubs, which always warms the heart. Juicy shoots and leaves are sprouting forth, and the herbivores are delighting in the abundant greens. With the increase in plains game activity, and the presence of vulnerable young, it means that the predators are out in full force. This week it’s definitely power to the Panthera, given that there is such a marked increase in big cat sightings.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

Our sister lodges in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve have enjoyed a flood of both leopard and lion sightings. The unknown pride of lions were spotted in the area they tend to frequent, and the leopards are also making their presence known. The two candidates stealing the leopard show are Nyeleti and Cleo. Guests and guides have enjoyed regular sightings of these cats, and overall the cat sightings in the Klaserie are consistent. The highlight of the week was a rather unexpected sighting of a rare spring hare! One of the trackers from nThambo said he has never seen a spring hare in the Klaserie. A rewarding sighting !

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

The Sabi Sand crew have enjoyed a few heartwarming moments with the wild creatures of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin. The highlight (no, it’s not about leopards) from this past week was witnessing the birth of a litter of hyena cubs! Guide Tanya was there with her camera and managed to furnish us with a few images. So rewarding stumbling across a hyena den site! Tanya also managed to find Tatowa’s cub in a tree with a rather small kill – a little scrub hare. Leopards are opportunistic and will pounce on anything from smalll to medium size mammals.

Chacma Bush Camp

Over the past few weeks Chacma has enjoyed a flurry of lion sightings, with sightings of the Maseke cubs. Last night proved to be a huge highlight for both guests and guides. It was one of those lazy and languid evenings where guests didn’t even need to leave camp to spot lions. While enjoying a dinner on the balcony, two lionesses casually strolled past the waterhole in front of camp.

Needless to say, it made for incredible evening entertainment. One of the burly Maseke males was also hiding out in the thickets in front of camp. Our videographer, Rogan, happened to be at Chacma and filmed this lion king of Chacma. He says he was filming the Maseke male lion from the patio, and the next thing the lionesses appeared right at camp. He said, ” We actually thought that the big boy was going to stroll up the driveway at one point”.

Another highlight from the week was the presence of the African wild dogs. A fantastic week for predator sightings in the Maseke Game Reserve.

Ezulwini Game Lodges

Ezulwini Game Lodges enjoy consistent sightings of big game and predators. Guests at Ezulwini have enjoyed prolific sightings of lions, and the elephant sightings are always rewarding. There are abundant “jumbo” sightings around the Ezulwini traverse, and they will spend hours feasting on edible greens.

The Week in Pictures : The Ebb-and-Flow of Life

A warm welcome to this week’s edition of the “Week in Pictures”, an opportunity to share recent images from our passionate guides and photographers. The wildlife sightings in the Lowveld is full of swings and roundabouts, heartache, happiness and excitement. There’s a certain parallel between the ebb and flow of sightings and the ups and downs of life. This week we enjoyed a few fantastic sightings of commonly spotted species, and took time to enjoy the smaller things. Across the board, the predators made their presence known, and overall it was yet another sublime week in the bushveld. There were no major heartaches and showdowns this week, but rather an incredible ebb-and-flow of bushveld life.

One of our guests at Ezulwini Game Lodges told our reservations team that she’d spotted 23 lions while on safari in the Balule! The Kudyela lionesses have given birth to 10 cubs, all sired by the mighty Machatons. The team at Ezulwini Game Lodges enjoys regular lion sightings, but they’re certainly no stranger to seeing leaps of leopard meandering their way through the wild. It seems that Thuli is the most popular feline

Chacma Bush Camp wowed us with sightings of the Maseke Pride’s lion cubs. The Chacma team have observed the burly male lions mating with available females at any given opportunity, and finally the lionesses introduced new life in the Maseke Private Game Reserve.

The Klaserie Camps continue to spot the unknown pride of lions on their turf, with IDs coming in from various angles. The pride was initially thought to be the River Pride, but the Klaserie team are still debating the ID. Guide Reinhardt said that guests also enjoyed a sighting of Nyeleti the leopard resting close to a recent impala kill of hers. The wild dogs were also out in full force, with sightings of a mega pack of 40 dogs together with their young.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge continues with their reports of leopard sightings and other big game in the Sabi Sand.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Chacma Bush Camp

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

Ezulwini Game Lodges

Collection of Photos of Pangolin Sightings in the Greater Kruger

The shy scaly anteater bumbles through the bushveld in search of termites, grubs and other minuscule morsels to satisfy its insectivorous diet. Sedentary during the day, active at night, and notoriously coy by nature, makes this prehistoric armoured creature one of the most difficult species to spot while on safari. There a number of different pangolin species across the globe, but the ground pangolin (Cape pangolin or Temminck’s Pangolin) is the family of pangolin found within pockets of bushveld in the Greater Kruger. This particular species of pangolin is listed as vulnerable on the The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which is why our camps and lodges celebrate each and every sighting. Besides which, according to African folklore, it is considered a sign of good fortune to see a pangolin in the wild!

Our photographers have managed to spot pangolins in the wild, so we thought we’d share their incredible images. We have decided not to call out the location of the sightings, but rather discuss a few facts about the pangolin, why they are endangered and how you can help.

Let’s start with 5 useful facts about the pangolin :

1. When the pangolin is under threat it seeks comfort in its go-to position, which is a tight ball. These timid creatures can often be seen in this position, but don’t be fooled by its timid demeanour. They’re perfectly equipped to defend themselves with their razor sharp scales. One flick of their tail can also inflict harm, and if that doesn’t work, they’ll quite happily emit a foul smelling gas to ward off intruders! Their tightly curled position is not always because they are under threat – it’s also how they sleep.

2. Pangolins trundle along on all fours, gently swaying their body as they move slowly along. However, they do have the ability to move quickly should the need arise and can reach speeds of up to 5km per hour. Their running style is to raise their bodies upwards and run on their hind legs. They use their tail as balance, just like plenty of other species of wildlife.

3. The pangolin has an excessively long and sticky tongue that can access dark corners of termite mounds and fallen trees. The pangolin simply inserts its sticky tongue into an insect rich area, capturing all traces of termites, bugs and larvae.

Pangolins are endangered because of poaching and habitat loss. Their numbers are on the decline because their keratin scales are used for medicinal purposes (falsely believed that the scales cure ailments), their meat is consumed and their skin is used for clothing.

Click here to help save pangolins : https://savepangolins.org/

A luxury safari like no other: Time to get your hands dirty

A hands-on safari experience at Roam Private Game Reserve allows guests to dive in and get properly involved with the conservation, veld management and all manner of behind-the-scenes goings-on typical of a game ranger’s day at the office. We love a good game safari as much as the next person. Sitting in the safety of the game viewer under a blanket with a warm mug of coffee, whilst snapping a few iPhone pics of impala at the waterhole at sunset is great, but what if a safari could be so much more? Have you ever looked at the game ranger behind the wheel of your game viewer and thought ‘this guy is living the dream, I’d love to have his job’? Well, at Roam Private Game Reserve, you can – for a while. Guests at Roam can opt for an exclusive three- or five-night conservation safari, where they assist the team with their day-to-day fauna and flora management duties, and get to contribute to the conservation of game in the Great Karoo. Pretty cool, right?

It won’t be all toil, of course. In fact, you can still expect all the comforts and luxuries of a regular Karoo safari, but with something like a backstage pass to get a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes on a well-oiled game reserve such as Roam.

A big highlight the participants of the conservation safari can look forward to is the opportunity to track and observe the healthy cheetah coalition that’s been successfully introduced on the picturesque plains of Roam. Guests would assist the team in tracking the collared cheetahs with telemetry and, if there happens to be a very recently introduced cheetah (which, for the first few weeks, is placed in a cordoned-off ‘introduction boma’ before being set free in the wilds of the reserve), guests might get to see the cats fed an animal from the reserve in keeping with their natural diet.

A bit of buffalo soldiering is also on the cards, as guests will assist in the supplementary lucern feeding of the fierce bevy of bovine that call Roam home, as well as the monitoring of the herd. Because the animals don’t have a boundless territory for grazing, their diet needs to be supplemented, and putting out regular feeds is a big part of the conservation efforts at Roam. Getting up close to these beasts is an experience in itself – many a fool has made the fatal mistake of confusing them for docile cattle, where in reality they are some of the African wild’s most dangerous and fearsome creatures.

Guests will also help with the general monitoring of the reserve’s flora and fauna. By means of fixed point photography, guests can help monitor the vegetation cover and species composition, while the fauna (which includes a huge variety of plains game and smaller predators) will be monitored by various methods including camera trapping, incident reports, head counts, meerkat habituation and bird ringing.

Avid twitchers will be delighted to take part in the bird ringing process. Also called ‘bird banding’, it is the procedure whereby birds are captured in mist nets, and then fitted with rings for identification purposes. The species, age, sex, weight and other measurements are all recorded and sent to a central database. This process is incredibly helpful in the protection and conservation of birds in Southern Africa.

When guests are not assisting the Roam team, collecting valuable data, and learning about the fascinating history and geology of the region, they will be enjoying downtime and kicking back to the peaceful rhythm of the Karoo. Delectable dishes are savoured morning, noon and night, and leisurely sunset game drives complement the more strenuous veld activities during the day.

It’s the best of both worlds and, ultimately, you get to make a tangible difference in the conservation of the beautiful biome of the Great Karoo.

The Week in Pictures : Cats, Wild Dogs and Elephants

This week we’ve had another successful week in terms of predator sightings, and the past few weeks we’ve enjoyed a similar pattern of sightings. Wild dogs, leopards and elephants have filtered into the spotlight, providing ample photographic opportunities. Guides have spotted leopards in areas of high visibility, and the wild dogs – although nomadic – tend to be hanging around their local turf. It seems sightings have been similar within the Klaserie, Balule and the Maseke, which makes sense given that they’re in close proximity to one another.

A highlight of the week was the sighting of lion cubs in the Maseke Game Reserve. Guide Ad Van Zyl spotted a litter of lion cubs sired by the Maseke males. The Maseke Pride actually have two sets of cubs – all healthy, happy and thriving! Sticking to the theme of big cat sightings, Ezulwini enjoyed yet another sighting of Thuli the leopardess and a rewarding sighting of an unknown leopard relaxing on top of an elevated area.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sand still enjoys consistent sightings of leopards, with the young Nweti making his presence known on the traverse around the lodge. Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp have also enjoyed predator sightings, with the highlight being the presence of wild dogs.

Ezulwini Game Lodges

Chacma Bush Camp

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

The Week in Pictures : Landscapes and Lazy Days

We’re a day late with our Week in Pictures blog post, but we thought we’d keep you in suspense. We trust our latest gallery of wildlife images fresh from the bushveld will make up for the arduous wait. It’s abundantly clear that the bushveld is experiencing a marked change in weather patterns affecting the landscape, which always makes for textured scenes and vivid colours. Summer is the rainy season in the Kruger, and downpours are interrupted with blistering hot days. The Lowveld is still dry, but evidence of summer is slowly breaking through! It’s not long before we’ll see stormy skies hovering above and deep greens carpeting the lands.

Guests from Ezulwini Game Lodges enjoyed incredible big sightings during the course of the week. Angele said that there are definite signs of new life in the bushveld. She says, “trees are budding and flowering, frogs calling, and insects emerging.”

Game viewing at camps has been quite successful. Umkumbe Safari Lodge seem to enjoy consistent sightings of a young male leopard called Nweti, who is avidly trying to stake claim on unchartered territory. The highlight was watching Nweti with a kill right outside of camp, and observing a cheeky hyena steal the kill. Coupled with the leopard sighting, guests enjoyed rare sightings of wild dog. To top it off, a hyena was attempting to battle it out with a wild dog. Hyenas don’t mind a bit of confrontation if it means a food reward at the end of battle.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp have also had their fair share of wild dog sightings, and have been lucky enough to watch the mottled pups clamber around allen trees. The guides from both camps managed to track and find the Westin Pride of lions. A mega-pride of lions that occasionally makes an appearance in the far reaches of the nThambo and Africa on Foot traverse.

Walkers Bush Villa invited a handpicked selection of guests to the villa for their launch party. The event was a roaring success, and the soft room refurb looks just perfect. While guests were enjoying drinks around the pool, a small herd of nyala visited the lawns of the villa.

Chacma Bush Camp

The elephants continue to frequent the waterhole in front of camp, and week after week we continue to enjoy their presence. Guides have spotted a wealth of other plains game in the Maseke.