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Xobega Island Camp : Okavango Delta’s Remote Paradise

The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta comprising an intricate network of swamps, crystal clear rivers, narrow channels, lagoons, islands, floodplains and permanent marshlands. Such a diverse natural habitat gives rise to high concentrations of big game, rare birds and aquatic animals. The scenery is mind-blowing and the sunsets unforgettable.

The Okavango Delta is a low-grade alluvial fan fed by the waters of the Angola highlands and filters onto the large, arid Kalahari landscape in the northern reaches of Botswana. Pristine waters fill the dry depressions in the land, creating interesting tributaries and inlets fed by the Okavango River. This natural world heritage site has a network of both permanent and seasonal river systems and is nothing short of a geographical marvel due to the entire intact water system not flowing into the ocean.

The best way to explore the Okavango Delta is to stay on a remote, uninhabited island. Of course, there are many unexplored islands floating in the depths of the Delta, but we love the remote and untouched Xobega Island. An island hugged by waterways and framed by sausage trees, this slice of paradise is untouched by commercialism.

Xobega Island Camp is an authentic, hidden gem which appears to be a rustic, forgotten paradise. There isn’t much water traffic coming past camp because it’s so remote. Upon arrival, you’ll see a quick gap in the lush vegetation and staff stand on the banks waving the motorboat in with warm welcomes.

The rustic yet supremely comfortable tents provide the perfect hideaway from the world. The lounge, relaxation corner, boma area and safari dining tent provide all the amenities you need while indulging in the spoils of paradise. With 10 Meru-style safari tents with en suite open-air bathrooms, this truly is the ultimate wilderness experience.

Palm trees, papyrus reeds, sausage trees, lily pads and grasses hug the waterways. Wildlife harmoniously functions together within this confusing network of water systems. During the dry season the Okavango River floods, bringing with it a change in wildlife behaviour. Endangered African wild dogs, cheetah, leopard and lions all roam freely in this expansive area.

Wildlife unique to the area includes the lechwe, Pel’s fishing owl and the rare sitatunga. There are over 400 species of bird and in one boat journey you will probably see a bounty of birds of prey while listening to the unmistakeable call of the African fish eagle, a sound synonymous with Africa. Deep beneath the surface dwells the shifty looking Nile crocodiles, bloats of hippo and over 71 species of fish including tiger fish, tilapia and catfish. Another common sight is that of the African elephant. The huge herds love the abundance of water and easy access to vegetation.

Xobega Island Camp will take you out on sunset cruises and morning boat rides to view the aquatic wonder of this untouched part of the Delta. Xobega is a must for an authentic water safari experience in the Okavango Delta.

African Wild Dogs Chase Wildebeest at Umkumbe

Right place, right time! Umkumbe Safari Lodge guests witnessed this unforgettable sighting as African wild dogs chase wildebeest as they try and target a weak link in the protective barrier of horned antelope – a rare and awe-inspiring act of the wild only a fortunate few get to see in action.

The African wild dog is a fascinating and unique predator – not to mention an endangered species – and their classic hunting method often involves them tiring out a particular animal or harassing a herd until it splits making it easier for them to get at a vulnerable individual. It is evident in this video, recorded by a guest at Umkumbe, that the wildebeest herd is also displaying a classic defensive technique of creating a circle around the young members of the herd. Watch how the adults make an impenetrable unit before some individuals break away to charge at the predators. This was a very lucky sighting for guests, and it certainly goes down in the books for Umkumbe!

New Wild Dog Den with Pups in Klaserie

Last year we were lucky enough to have an African wild dog den established near to Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp, and for a period of time we got to enjoy the adorable presence of a couple of wild dog pups stumbling around the den and being fed regurgitated meat by the adult members of the pack (it was still adorable…). Now, a year later, we have been privileged enough to once again find an African wild dog den in the area! This small pack of only 3 adults has been in seen frequently over the last couple of months, and recently it was discovered that these endangered predators had set up a den for, reportedly, 9 little pups!

We treat the area with extreme caution, steering well clear of the den itself and never pushing boundaries. Up until this week we had seen the adult dogs hunting, drinking, feasting, and generally fussing over one another, but then, this happened!

This glimpse of the wild dog puppies was fleeting, but nonetheless a breath-taking experience for guests on board the game viewer! These pups stay hidden in the den during the first 3 weeks of life before emerging into the outside world for the first time and suckling as well as beginning to eat meat. During the first 3 weeks, the mother dog will stay in the den with the infant pups and the other pack members will bring pack partially chewed meat in their stomachs, which they will regurgitate for her to eat. African wild dogs are incredibly social animals and all members act to look after the young.

These hunting dogs land about 80% of the kills they attempt, making them much more successful hunters than lions or leopards. Wild dogs use their incredible stamina to tire out their prey and they work to separate herds of impala or wildebeest to catch the vulnerable members off guard. Once an animal is taken down, it is only a matter of minutes before the whole carcass has been devoured. A unique and remarkable method that has actually given these specialised predators a bad name, due to the fact that they don’t suffocate or ‘kill’ their prey before digging in and eating the flesh.

Watch the fantastic video recorded by Bjorn while on drive with his guests from nThambo Tree Camp – they arrived on the scene after the wild dogs had killed an impala and were just finishing off the last of the carcass. We are very lucky to have these highly endangered animals living naturally right here on our traverse in Klaserie!

Leopard Leaps to Kill Impala at Umkumbe Safari Lodge

For most people, it’s a once in a lifetime experience (if that) to witness a leopard land its prey in a successful hunt. These solitary, independent, territorial cats are elusive and careful, and primarily hunt at night, so the chances of catching them making a kill are low. At Umkumbe Safari Lodge, however, one’s chances are somewhat higher, considering the location in the famous Sabi Sand Wildtuin where leopard sightings are on another level. Umkumbe guides, Mauritz and Johan, were out on game drive recently when they saw ‘the best sight of my life’, according to an ecstatic Mauritz. Tatowa, a young leopardess, planned and executed the perfect kill right in front of their eyes, and luckily for us, Mauritz captured it all excellently on camera…

It was after dark and towards the end of the game drive when Mauritz stopped to watch two impalas chasing each other, and suddenly he saw Tatowa was on the scene too. Secretively, she positioned herself on an animal footpath in the darkness, and waited for her chance. It was as if she had anticipated the impala’s next move, and sure enough, the female impala got tired of being chased around and headed along the footpath to escape.

It wasn’t until she found herself only a foot from the crouching leopard that she noticed her presence, and in typical fashion she leapt into the air to avoid her. Unfortunately for the impala, leopards leap just as well, and Tatowa had planned this so perfectly that she couldn’t miss. As the impala was air-born directly above the leopard, Tatowa made her move and clamped her jaws down on the impala’s throat, flung through the air in a complete back-flip and landed faultlessly on top of her prey. The impala fought back and jumped up immediately; however Tatowa had her grip secured, and the two stood in absolute silence until the impala finally collapsed.

Once Tatowa ensured that her prey was dead, she proceeded to take it up into a tree, which is text book leopard behaviour, and it is truly incredible to witness. The strength required to pull a fully grown impala up into a tree is astounding, and Tatowa did it with ease. Leopards feast in trees and store their carcasses in trees to keep their food safe from scavengers, such as hyenas. It was the perfect ending to an act of nature Umkumbe guests could not have expected to see unfold. As Mauritz said, “No alarm calls and no sound besides their bodies hitting the ground. The perfect kill”.

Week in Pictures: A Safari Smorgasbord

Another working week in the African wild has come to an end, and now there is the weekend to look forward to; but when your working week is spent on safari, there seems no need for a weekend at all! The folks at our bush camps and lodges have sent through their highlights of the week to share with the outside world what wondrous wildlife exists in untamed Africa. From the biggest big cat on a buffalo hunt, to the smallest owlet all puffed up against the winter chill; there has been a smorgasbord to choose from when it comes to selecting our Week in Pictures photographic favourites.

Featuring Umkumbe Safari Lodge in the prestigious Sabi Sand; Ezulwini Game Lodges in the incomparable Balule Nature Reserve; Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp in the unparalleled Klaserie Private Nature Reserve; and Tuskers Bush Camp in the undiscovered exclusivity of a private Botswana concession. Take a look at the Week in Pictures: A Safari Smorgasbord!

Tuskers Bush Camp, Botswana

See more: 7 Reasons to Stay at Tuskers Bush Camp

Umkumbe Safari Lodge, Sabi Sand, Greater Kruger Park

See more: Prehistoric-looking Pangolin Spotted in the Sabi Sand

nThambo Tree Camp, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

See more: Leopardess Cleo Poses Perfectly for Photos

Ezulwini Game Lodges, Balule Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

See more: Singwe Pride Lions Visit Ezulwini River Lodge

Africa on Foot, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Greater Kruger Park

See more: Mapoza Male Lions on Camera Trap Doing… What?

Mapoza Male Lions on Camera Trap Doing… What?

Every week we are amazed by what we find on our hidden camera trap reels. nThambo Tree Camp guide, Bjorn, has made it his personal mission to record what goes on in the Klaserie while nobody is watching, and yesterday’s weekly video post featuring the results revealed some great wildlife activity. We were excited (as always) to see a male leopard make an appearance in the dead of the night, and just when we thought that was our top camera trap sighting for the week, this happened! The Mapoza males arrived at Twin Pans, around about the time guests would have been sitting around the dinner table back at the lodge. The lions’ behaviour was certainly something interesting, too!

After both males walked into full view of the camera trap, they crouched down to drink from the pan. What we saw next was the older, bigger-maned male step over the younger one and stop just outside of the camera frame. Then, the younger male turned and mounted his coalition brother, and simulated mating with him. We can see the activity take place just to the left of the frame, and after a few seconds he dismounts and turns back to the pan to drink and the older male gets up and walks across the frame.

This is actually very typical behaviour between male lions. It is a part and parcel in the life of a male lion to establish a dominance hierarchy, and when a coalition is formed like this one, there is generally a dominant individual. Dominance is established, most often, according to strength and size, so it is generally the bigger, older male that will be dominant in a case like this. In this instance we see the younger male doing the mounting – taking his chances at building his position in the coalition.

Eventually, the bigger male circles the pan and looks into the darkness, while the younger male stays put and watches. Once the big male turns to leave the pan, the other gets up to follow.

It’s fascinating to see this sort of behaviour play out in the wild, and we have Bjorn’s camera trap to thank for that! The Mapoza males are clearly making their mark in this territory that, up until recently only belonged to the Trilogy. Times are changing in the lives of Klaserie lions! Watch this space for developments…

Weekly Camera Trap Footage from Klaserie

This is the second instalment of a video blog series dedicated to what our rangers capture on camera traps around Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp and at the surrounding pans and waterholes. It was a busy week at Twin Pans, which is where nThambo guide, Bjorn, positioned his camera trap, and thanks to this fantastic piece of technology, we have an exclusive glimpse into the secret life of animals. Some animals are particularly shy, some are nocturnal, and others are endangered, and this hidden camera lets us see them living wild while they think no one is watching.

Bjorn has kept a close eye on the hidden camera, checking it daily and setting it up once again, ready to capture the next member of the wild approaching the waterhole. Numerous herds of elephant came and went, lathering themselves in mud and drinking litres and litres of water in typical fashion; and a pair of giraffes took the plunge and dipped their heads down to ground level to drink before something spooked them and they ran off. Zebra, kudu, more elephants, and finally, a leopard all made an appearance at Twin Pans! Back at Africa on Foot last night, guide Mike came face to face with White Rock, a female leopard whose territory runs right through Africa on Foot camp! This magnificent leopardess snuck around for a few minutes and before Mike could gather his guests to enjoy the sighting, too, she vanished into the night.

Just as we thought capturing a leopard stalking through the night was the best sighting of the week, Bjorn sent in a report of last night’s camera trap findings… You’ll have to wait and see what that is!

Leopardess Cleo Poses Perfectly for Photos

One of our all-time favourite leopards seen regularly on our traverse is this natural beauty, Cleo, and yesterday during our weekly #livebushfeed game drive, we bumped into her doing what we have seen her do over and over again: resting on a sunny termite mound.

Typically, leopards like to climb trees or recline on anything at a height, and termites certainly fall into that category. Cleo is not bothered by the presence of the Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp vehicles, and allows us to sit and admire her for ages. The late afternoon sun is pleasant at this time of year when temperatures are cooler, and she seemed to be enjoying the last of it before the call of the night gets her up to hunt. Just another fantastic leopard sighting for the books!

New Lions in Klaserie: Enter the Mapoza Males

Earlier this month, we reported the presence of two unknown male lions intruding on what we know to be Trilogy lion territory. This pair of males entered the equation right in the middle of a tense couple of days, as the Mabande male (also a newcomer) had staked his claim by mating with the Ross Breakaway lionesses and fighting with the Trilogy males. Amid all this excitement, these two males were spotted looking very wary and keeping a low profile. Since then, we learned that these two lions are known as the Mapoza males, and they have decided to stick around…

There is no confirmation on where exactly these two male lions came from when they arrived on Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp traverse, but it is safe to speculate that the pair wandered in from the Kruger National Park. There are no fences between the Klaserie and the National Park, and the skittish behaviour of the lions makes us think they have probably come from an area where not a lot of commercial activity takes place. The males are estimated to be between 4 and 6 years old – one looking slightly older than the other, and it is likely that they are relatives/cousins from within the same pride.

They go by the name ‘Mapoza’, which means ‘those that chase’ in Zulu. This is a fitting name, seeing as the two males managed to chase the Mabande male out of his comfort zone getting snuggly with the Ross Breakaways in Trilogy territory! Mapoza is also a name that poachers are known to use for Field Rangers, which is apt because Field Rangers make it their business to chase poachers far away. So, that’s that: the Mapoza males is what the two lions go by, and we got acquainted with them on the weekend when they killed a buffalo not far away!

On Friday morning, both Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp came across the Mapoza males on a freshly killed buffalo kill. One male – identified by his thinner mane – is notoriously skittish and remains well hidden from sight, while the bigger, blonde male is more relaxed around the vehicles. That night, guests got another look at the Mapoza males and discovered they were being harassed by the ever-pesky hyenas, making for an unforgettable sighting in the dead of night. We are certainly keeping out noses to the ground with these guys, and we look forward to seeing how the Trilogy and Mabande react to the presence of these guys in the territory…

Trilogy Male Lions & Ross Breakaways Stalk Buffalo

Ultimate warlords, the Trilogy male lions, were seen this morning at first light accompanying the Ross Breakaway lionesses on a potential buffalo hunt. These 4 lions are a formidable force, and they were determinedly following a herd of buffalo, which is likely to result in a good meal for the foursome! Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp both got lucky with the sighting, as the lions were on the move.

One of the Trilogy males separated from the rest of the group and was seen for a long while as he paced through the bush, clearly keeping on that buffalo scent. The second male lion and the two females weren’t in sight for very long after they were seen following the buffalo herd at a dam nearby. When lions hunt, they try and keep a close eye on their target, so as the buffaloes moved, so did the cats!

This particular Trilogy male has shown a level of dominance among the coalition. When there were still 3 living Trilogy males, this scarred male was the most frequently seen and he was constantly mating with various females. After the limping Trilogy male died, the remaining two kept their ranks in order and continued to dominate the Klaserie. This male’s noticeably swollen elbow does not seem to have slowed him down in any way, and even after a fight with the Mabande male, the Trilogy males remain strong.

Now, there are the Mapoza males to contend with… Stay tuned for the next blog on the lives of Klaserie lions later today to find out more on the Mapozas!