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3 Trilogy Male Lions for nThambo Tree Camp

Merciful rain poured down last night after some very hot temperatures yesterday and everyone at nThambo Tree Camp rose with the excitement of a morning game drive in cooler weather. As it turned out, we weren’t the only ones eager to get out and about!

The notorious Trilogy male lions were spotted near Jason’s Dam – all three of the big, bad boys of Klaserie. This is good news as far as the 3rd Trilogy male’s whereabouts are concerned, as his hind leg limp often has people worried about him. This tough male lion is doing well, and when we saw him and his brothers this morning, he was the one guarding a kill!

Photographer, Kevin MacLaughlin, was out doing the rounds this morning and tracked the lions relaxing near Jason’s Dam. Two of the coalition brothers were seen resting in a drainage line, but the bush held one more secret that was given away by vervet monkeys sounding the alarm. Kevin followed the monkeys’ calls and sure enough, there was Trilogy male number 3, panting heavily next to his baby buffalo kill. Soon enough, Matt pulled in his vehicle full of nThambo Tree Camp guests and everyone enjoyed this fantastic sighting.

The male with the limp lay next to his kill and guests got a good look at his impressive frame, and the second male that was in good view was the one recently seen mating with the Ross Breakaway lionesses. He has a seriously scarred face, and looks like a true warrior! Trilogy number 3 kept to himself and lay in the bush out of sight, but we are thrilled to have seen this powerful coalition together again.

Africa on Foot Sunset with Hippo, Crocodile & Buffalo

Every afternoon game drive involves the highly anticipated ‘sundowner stop’, which is a perfectly timed pause on a game-filled safari cruise to watch the sun go down. On Sunday, Africa on Foot guests unpacked their gin & tonics and biltong snacks on the edge of a large dam teeming with grunting hippo and chance-taking crocodiles making for the perfect sundowner stop. The sun shone like a giant gold coin in the sky, and quickly calmed to a soft, candy floss pink just as Mike and Greg took a seat on the sandy banks of the floodplain alongside their guests.

This is relaxing in Africa! Surrounded by nothing but the wilderness, admiring that famous Kruger sunset, and watching the giant jaws of yawning hippos open and close in the water. Drinks in hand, and a lion sighting already under their belts, guests absorbed the last of the day’s warmth, and took memorable photographs (and selfies for the Sun Destinations selfie competition!).

What no one was expecting was that this paradisal moment in the bush, was about to get even better. Out of the thicket emerged a breeding herd of buffalo, nervously stepping into the open and heading for the crocodile-infested water. Mike and Greg silently gathered their guests and everyone took a seat on the ground next to the vehicle, making them appear as one single unit – something that wouldn’t spook the buffalo. Quietly nestled on the ground, the Africa on Foot group watched the buffalo cows and calfs head for the dam and gulp down the refreshing water. These are highly respected members of the Big 5, and guests were enjoying them on ground level without the buffalo even knowing they were there!

Up to 10 crocodiles were seen in the dam, their beady eyes and nostrils gliding through the water undetected by the buffalo, desperate for a young one to take down into the depths. Crocodiles are fast moving predators, and if the opportunity had presented itself, one of those calfs would have gone down without a fight. Luckily for the buffalo, hippos are notorious fighters, and they weren’t putting up with crocodiles sneaking around their dam, so the opportunistic predators didn’t quite get near enough to kill.

What an outstanding way to do sundowners in the bush! Africa on Foot’s traverse has grown, opening even more pristine territory in the Klaserie to explore – and Bateleur’s Nest is the keeper of this fantastic hippo-filled dam.

Hercules Pride Kills a Buffalo at Africa on Foot

This weekend, after guests went off to bed and rangers Mike and Greg were locking up Africa on Foot camp, the unmistakable bellow of a panicked buffalo erupted from the darkness. Grabbing the spotlight and rushing to board a game viewer, the excited anticipation of a possible lion kill set in. Sure enough, not 100m from Africa on Foot, a buffalo cow breathed its last breath as the 2 powerful lionesses from the Hercules Pride claimed their prize.

Of course, as soon as the reality of this exceptionally close lion activity sunk in, guides dashed back to camp and woke the guests up with the exciting news. All aboard the game viewer, the group cruised all of 100m back to the kill site, where the Hercules Pride was beginning to feast. Notoriously timid, the pride, consisting of 2 adult females and 4 subadult cubs, has never been comfortable with game viewers and the lions usually stay deep within their territory. A private farm that forms part of Africa on Foot’s exclusive traverse is where these lions remain hidden, except when they’ve made a kill further out.

True to their reputation, the lions were nervous and we stayed at a safe distance to give them room to feed in peace. The 4 youngsters are just over a year old and are learning from their mothers to be on the alert at all times, never relaxing completely. With patience and respect, Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp have managed to show this incredible sighting to their guests all weekend – the lions stayed and fed on their buffalo all of yesterday and last night offering some amazing night-time viewing.

Our history with the Hercules Pride has been interesting, given their nervous and at times aggressive behaviour. Ultimately, these lions killed the Ross Breakaway lion cubs after the lioness led their 9 week old babies into a Hercules Pride buffalo feast. Tragically, the pride attacked the lionesses and killed their cubs. These subadult cubs were fathered by the Trilogy, although they remain separate from the males, except when the Trilogy is involved with a kill.

All the activity of the staff moving around at Africa on Foot constantly alerted the lions. They looked wide-eyed and curious as they fed on the carcass, while the lionesses stayed hidden in the bush close by. As night fell, the lions became more relaxed and guests watched the adults feeding alongside the cubs.

Week in Pictures: Best of Black and White

Inspiring photography that captures the essence of the big game safari experience. Sometimes it’s the glare of a short-tempered lion, or the flight of a steenbok as it springs weightlessly from the ground in a mad dash to find cover. Perhaps it’s the swoosh of of an elephant’s bristly tail against its leathery skin, or the calcified knobs decorating the face of an aged giraffe. The unpredictable glint in a leopard’s eye, the bounding playfulness of the endangered wild dog, the bellow of a buffalo, or the ripples left behind by a hippo as it dips under the surface of the water.

Whatever it is that imprints on your memory after a safari, it is a vision of Africa. Our talented photographers work to capture those moments in one image, as a still copy of an encounter with nature. This edition of the Week in Pictures is a celebration of safari memories, captured in black and white, tinted with nostalgia, and finished with artistic excellence. Enjoy this collaboration from our outstanding camps and lodges in the Kruger Park and Botswana.

nThambo Tree Camp

Afrika Ecco Safaris

Ezulwini Game Lodges

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Africa on Foot

How Dashing Duma Became the Ultimate Lion Leader

Out of the shadows of the Balule emerges a majestic lion called Duma. With his trademark mohawk golden mane, deliberate jungle swagger and blue steel poses; he’s hard to miss.
Duma is the self-appointed King of the Balule, slightly over confident but a natural born leader nonetheless. At the moment he leads the Olifants West Pride of lions, a pride 10 members strong who was once a mega-pride of lions divided by a Shakespearian style tragedy. We normally only see Duma’s harem of lionesses and sub-adult males; so spotting the king a few days ago while out on game drive with Ezulwini required our attention.

So just how did dashing Duma become the most revered lion leader in the Balule? Let’s disseminate a bit of information here. The Olifants West Pride of lions was a mega-pride of lions in the Balule. After the death of their two prominent leaders, Big Boy and Mazinyo, the pride splintered. It was actually Duma and his brother who fought them to the death. Young, confident male lions have a habit of doing this if they want to take over the pride. Lions live in a warrior world where only the ultimate fighters survive. It’s a cruel and tumultuous world of testosterone where lions strive to reign over a pride.

Duma stayed and emerged as the leader of the original Olifants West pride. Duma in Shangaan means “sound”. He has a loud roar which can be heard reverberating through the land. Currently, the Olifants West Pride comprises 10 members, of which there are 3 lionesses and 6 cubs.

Hear Duma Roaring:

So what happened to Duma’s brother? He is the original leader of the York Pride of lions, which is currently 13 members strong. There are roughly 8 males who have been seen without their female counterparts, of which there are 5. Unfortunately, Duma’s brother has not been seen in quite sometime. Where could he be? We often see the York Pride of lions on the move and they seem to enjoy patrolling the main Olifants road. But Duma’s brother is nowhere to be seen !

Meet Duma’s Brother, leader of the York Pride of Lions:

Split offs from the original mega-pride include the River Pride and the Balule Pride. The Balule Pride is a small pride of lions made up of females and two sub-adult males. At this stage we speculate they are 6/7 members strong. Let’s see what happens with this rather youthful pride !

The River Pride of lions is also 13 members strong and just recently, they had a rather interesting encounter with a porcupine! They’re a young and fearless pride. A burgeoning force to be reckoned with.

The Balule is home to a number of strong, successful lion prides and a safari at either Ezulwini River Lodge or Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge will ensure you bump into these king cats! When you stay at Ezulwini you could be lucky enough to enjoy incredible lion sightings of majestic males, a beautiful lionesses and sub-adults with attitude.

But, in the meantime, let’s focus on our favourite king – Duma. Here is a collection of images take by Jochen, purely for your enjoyment!

The wild dogs are back at Africa on Foot

Remember those “awww” inspiring photographs of wild dogs and their tiny pups that had occupied a den site near Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp? That’s right, how could you forget? The pack has returned numerous times – once they even made a kill inside Africa on Foot grounds after an impala fell into their trap – and on Wednesday we found them on our turf once again. Delighted guests enjoyed the opportunity to view some of Africa’s most endangered predators, and what’s more is they were on the hunt!

This small pack of dogs has provided much entertainment, starting with when they introduced their 2 pups to us back in July. On Wednesday afternoon, Greg bumped into the group of 7 enjoying a shady spot under a tree, waiting out the heat of the day before hunting in the evening. These rare animals are very social, and they are some of the few carnivores that look after the members in their group, while lions will hunt as a team, but when it comes to feeding, it’s each to their own. Wild dogs rely on the strength of a pack, so they will make sure that every dog gets fed and stays healthy.

After viewing the dogs unsuccessfully attempt to hunt an impala and then settle down to drink, the guests moved off in search whatever else the Klaserie had on offer that day. Elephants, buffalo, and plenty of baby antelope! It’s ‘dropping season’ in the bush, and all over southern Africa the rains have produced green grass and a suitable environment for grazers to welcome their youngsters into the world. The unsteady, young impala lambs are easy targets for predators, so the bush is an exciting place to be for those of us wanting to see nature at work.

Later on in the game drive, Africa on Foot guests struck it lucky once again when the wild dogs came running into sight as they charged after one of those baby impala. This time they were successful and the lamb didn’t last very long as the 7 dogs tore into their meal. Out of those 2 tiny pups we saw in July, only one seems to have survived, and at 5 months old he is growing into a handsome young dog.

It’s safe to say we probably won’t see the dogs again this week, as they don’t occupy territories and are constantly on the move, but they will loop back in the future, as this is clearly part of their home range!

Wine Tasting on Safari at Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge

Something that appeals to many guests, either from an interest in wine or an interest in geology, history, and culture of South Africa, is the Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge wine cellar. Owner and founding member of the Balule Nature Reserve, Laurence Saad, conducts a fascinating pre-dinner session in a wine cellar built into a cave beneath the Billy’s Lodge deck. Story-telling of South African history through its earliest rock formations and its first people; this is an evening full of wonder and discovery.

Step down an outdoor stairwell that mysteriously leads you down an uneven pathway through overhanging bush willows until you enter an adorned cave. The cellar is cosy and warm, embraced by walls of wine. Wooden racks cradling bottles of wine surround a glass-topped knobthorn table; and ancient Bushmen artefacts are displayed in the natural crevices of granite rock.

The rock face on one wall of the wine cellar, Laurence tells, is some of the earth’s earliest geological formations, and it remains untouched to be admired in its natural form. Green sprigs of magic guarri – an evergreen bush of the Lowveld – and bright petals of Bougainvilla come to rest in the existing fissures of rock and are illuminated by the softly glowing lights.

Cusioned chairs hug the centrepiece of the room, which is a handmade table, containing, beneath its glass top, a collection of arrow heads, calabashes and ostrich egg-shell beads. The tools of the ancient Bushmen decorate this innovative display cabinet created out of a hollow knobthorn tree trunk, lit up with delicate lights, and encased in glass, forming the table on which place your wine glasses.

Each element of the wine cellar tells a story, having been inspired by the natural surroundings at Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge. The evening wouldn’t be complete without sipping on the nectar of the Gods, and listening to Laurence’s description of his favourite Pinotage – a wine unique to South Africa. Swill your wine, inhale its bouquet, and let its body rest on your tongue during a tasting unlike any other.

When the dinner drums roll, you’ll seal this special place in your mind and memory as you rise above ground again and take your seat around the table surrounded once more by the wild sounds and the stars in the sky above. Your evening at Billy’s Lodge continues, full of delectable food, a flow of wine, and stories of safari until your bed in an African suite comes calling.

4 Of the Big 5 on Safari with Ezulwini

You know you’re winning when your game drives consists of 4 of the famous Big 5, and the only one that evaded you is our shy friend, the leopard. A nocturnal cat by nature, leopard is most frequently seen in the evenings and in darkness (although Ezulwini been very lucky in seeing these cats during the day), but we were distracted enough by a host of other species not to feel too sad about missing out on the elusive leopard.

The Balule is home to a number of strong, successful lion prides; all said to have stemmed off one megapride known as the Olifants West Pride. As a result, Ezulwini guests bump into these king cats all over the place on game drive. The Balule Pride, the York Pride, and the original Olifants West Pride were seen on various occasions over the last few days, and one day in particular, our safari sightings consisted of 2 lion prides, rhino, buffalo herds, and a bull elephant in musth. That’s a solid 4 out of 5 on our watch!

The York Pride, led by 2 adult male lions (one quite a bit younger than the other), was seen covering ground, and possibly on the hunt for something to feed their bellies. With such a large group (numbering 13), they would need to take down something as big as a giraffe to satisfy each member. The second pride we saw was the Olifants West Pride, which has 10 members, led by a fantastic blonde-maned male called Duma. This pride was impressing everyone with their highly typical lion behaviour: sleeping. “Flat cats”, as we like to say in the bush, meaning that it is unlikely that they will become active any time soon.

While it’s not easy to beat seeing 2 large lion prides on one game drive, Ezulwini got that extra bit of luck, and guests heard a third pride roaring from over the river. A sound that leaves you quaking in your boots and marvelling at the wonders of this wild world we live in.

Herds of buffaloes have been moving through the area, and creating quite the spectacle at one of the dams where they almost fully submerged themselves in the cool relief of the water. The heat is tough for everyone, but the recent rains have filled the dams and it is evident that these big bovines were celebrating!

Later on in the drive, it turned out buffaloes weren’t the only ones loving the water. A bull elephant was spotted splashing around in a shallow mud wallow, cooling himself down with layers of the cool dirt being thrown over his leathery skin. This bull was in musth, which is a hormonal stage for a male elephant, and can make them quite temperamental and destructive. Typically, one can tell an elephant is in musth by clear secretions coming from the temples, and streaks of urine on the back legs. This can last any length of time between a few days, to a few months. Ezulwini guests received a fair warning from this male elephant with a shake of the head and a threatening trumpet, and we soon left him in peace.

Fantastic way to wrap up a day on safari at Ezulwini!

Ezulwini’s Top 3 videos of the Week

Our top 3 videos of the week highlight the eclectic mix of videos depicting safari life at Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge and Ezulwini River Lodge. From wine pairing in a luxury cave underneath the Balule wilderness to watching a pack of wild dogs chase a leopard; Ezulwini certainly has been ear-marked as one of our top safari lodges in the Kruger.

Wine Cellar at Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge

We can’t help but love the wine cellar at Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge. Set in natural stone and reminiscent of an ancient cave, it certainly provides a unique underground escape from the world above the ground. If you’re lucky enough, Laurence (owner of Ezulwini) will introduce you to a few of his favourite wines and educate you about the history of the Balule. Here is another great clip from our “cellar collection”.

Kruger Sundowner on Paradise Deck

The Balule Nature Reserve boasts a diverse terrain of rocky outcrops, the mighty Olifants River, thorny thickets, and sandy drainage lines. Ezulwini River Lodge takes its sunsets very seriously and has constructed a rustic, elavated wooden viewing deck which takes advantage of its position. This viewing deck is reserved for the “golden hour” – the time when the sun sinks into the horizon and creates a hue of colours across the endless Kruger sky. The place is called paradise deck and you’ll need to watch the video to find out why.

Male Leopard Escapes Pack of Wild Dogs

An unknown male leopard managed to narrowly escape to wrath of a pack of wild dogs. The dogs were on a mission and decided to eliminate competition for food. They chased the leopard up a tree and then left the scene. Unfortunately, the excitement happened in a matter of seconds so we only managed to capture the latter part of the incident. Wild dogs are endangered, nomadic creatures and sightings are quite rare. But seeing wild dogs chase a leopard up a tree? Well, that’s just unheard of…

Umkumbe Wildlife Images from Ranger Nicki Steenberg

We’ve displayed a fantastic series of Umkumbe ranger images from our khaki-clad men Marius Zeilinga and Mauritz Senekal. Now it’s time to give Nicki Steenberg a bit of air time. Nicki appears to have quite an eye for bird photography and we’re wondering if she’s not an ornithologist at heart! To throw us off the bird trail, she’s also showcased a few leopard images. Then again, Umkumbe is located in the heart of Sabi Sand, which is like a busy train station of leopards! It just wouldn’t be right if we didn’t spin a leopard story or two.

The last leopard report was the sighting of Mxabene “guarding” a warthog burrow. On the weekend Max attempted to take down an impala and used the vehicle as cover. Leopards are cunning, clever and industrious. Max certainly used all available resources to attempt a take down! On the leopardess front, Kigelia was spotted parading in front of guests on Marius’s vehicle. Kigelia is Little Bush’s cub who is now old enough to venture off alone. Leopard cubs lead a solitary life and generally leave their mother’s at roughly 12 – 18 months when they are old enough to live alone. Kigelia appeared to be on the prowl and attempted to hunt a bushbuck but was unsuccessful.

That’s two unsuccessful leopard kills over the weekend. Leopards are opportunistic hunters so they’ll find their next meal soon enough!

Talking about carnivorous creatures, Umkumbe guests have have enjoyed quite the array of raptor and wader sightings. It’s always nice to display a portfolio of bird photos for our keen twitchers. The Wahlberg’s eagle hunts reptiles, small mammals and birds; and it is often found in woodland areas closet to water. The plumage of a Wahlberg’s eagle is dark brown except for grey streak on the underside of its flight feathers. It also has a mohawk looking crest on top of its head and bright yellow legs. Interestingly enough, the Wahlberg’s eagle remains paired with the same mate for years.

Featured below are the marabou stork and saddle-billed stork, our wading birds. The marabou stork is an opportunistic scavenger and feeds off of carcasses. Their odd shaped bill means they actually cannot cut meat and thus prefer to scavenge. The saddle-billed stork is the tallest stork in the world and stands at an impressive 5 feet tall! They are shy but territorial birds preferring large masses of water home to an array of fish. They are easily recognisable by their yellow crinkled, leathery looking belt across their bill.

Thanks Nicki for the images!