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Trilogy male lion roaring into the night

As if a big, dominant, battle-scarred male lion roaring loudly into the night isn’t memorable enough; this particular game drive took place during an African thunder storm, with lightning illuminating the sky and rain drizzling down onto the drying earth. The Trilogy lion coalition is a strong band of 3 brothers, and even though they are not always seen together, they have an unbreakable bond. Here, one of the brothers we have identified by a prominent scar on his nose, calls out loudly to make contact.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp have been viewing this coalition for over a year, since they arrived as strangers and chased away the resident Ross pride that occupied this territory in the Klaserie. Over time, guests have seen these lions mating with lionesses from the Ross pride and the Giraffe pride, which possesses the white gene. The 2 white lionesses from the Giraffe pride were seen mating with another member of the Trilogy coalition, while one of the tawny lionesses from the Ross breakaway duo has seen partnering up with this big male not long ago.

Lions roar like this at night, mostly, when the air is still and silent, and the vibrating sound carries for over 7km. They roar to make contact with their pride members and to declare their territory. Other lions can identify the specific calls and choose to respond or not to respond, making lion pride dynamics even more fascinating. Often, lionesses that have made a kill will refrain from answering to male lions’ contact calls because it is inevitable that they will lose their kill to the dominant pride leader. As much as lions are social cats, when it comes to feeding, its every man for himself.

Elephants get stuck into Savuti mud bath

It is widely known that elephants adore the water, whether it is a brimming dam of refreshment or a shallow mud wallow, elephants get stuck in and their characterful personalities shine through as they splash and bathe and roll their enormous bodies over in delight. It is endlessly entertaining to witness the joy of their experience in the water, and how they engage with one another in mock fights and play wrestling. Babies nose dive into the shallows in order to drink the liquid of life, as they do not yet know how to use their trunks.

From teenagers to the biggest matriarchs, every elephant indulges in some dunking, splashing, stomping, and spraying displays that make for some fun photography. Here at Camp Savuti, elephants gather right in front of the lodge where the Savuti Channel courses its way through this region of Chobe National Park. The Savute Marsh is renowned for epic wildlife sightings, and it seems that in the dead heat of the day, the waterholes are favoured by not only the elephants, but wild dogs and lion prides as well.

This is an account of a herd of elephants arriving at Harvey’s Pan near Camp Savuti, where they toyed and played for hours on end. It is well known that elephants are the favoured source of food for the mega pride of lions known in the Savuti, but it seems that with the presence of water in the Savuti Channel, a more abundant population of wildlife offers lions a choice of food, but the notorious relationship between elephants and lions remains the same.

The evidence of dead elephants litters the land, becoming part of this epic landscape, yet the population of these mud-loving mammals is huge and Chobe National Park is bursting with their majestic presence.

Week in Pictures: An Ode to Lions

This week we’re doing things a little differently. Due to the abundance of lion sightings at our Kruger camps, we’ve decided to dedicate this “week in pics” purely to lions. Our majestic panthera leo species deserves to be celebrated. We’ve selected a few mind-blowing lion pictures for this week’s round up.

Game drives at the Ezulwini game lodges in the Balule have been quite memorable in terms of lion sightings. The Olifants West split pride (13 members strong) was seen drinking from the waterhole. Two lone lionesses from the original Olifants West pride were spotted relaxing in the thicket.

Bruce, from nDzuti Safari Camp, has been tracking the mating activities of the pale female and her mating partner. The male happens to be the same male that took down the dominant male from the River pride. They have been mating for over a week now and we hope they will produce cubs.

We’ve not seen the white lions of the Klaserie/Timbavati this week, but two of the Trilogy were seen roaming around their territory. Three Ross pride lionesses were seen – two of the breakaway females and one from the Ross Pride. Rangers have not seen any lions mating in the past few days. It won’t be long before the Trilogy are at it again – they really are sowing their wild oats with the lionesses of the Klaserie.

The Charleston pride, who are seen on occassion at Umkumbe, have 2 young male cubs. Unfortunately, the team at Umkumbe haven’t seen them yet. Hopefully we will get a glimpse of the cubs in the future.

We’ve also decided to feature the Camp Savuti lions, the Savuti pride drinking out of chanel in the marsh. The area was populated with lions, just waiting to take down and getting on the move to hunt elephant. 13 lions were counted, but there could well have been more. The Savuti was literally littered with lions.

Safari Highlights: 3 Days at Ezulwini

It’s certainly been a whirlwind 3 days at Ezulwini game lodges in the Balule. This unfenced reserve of the Greater Kruger has an unbelievable capacity of game, and guests have just had a string of superb sightings, from an epic lion pride, to elephants rolling in the mud, to a leopard stalking impala, and a precious fleeting moment with a black rhino. Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge and River Lodge explore this highly vegetated reserve home to an abundance of general game, while dodging crocodiles and hippo along the banks of the Olifants River. This is a summary of what has gone down on game drive, giving guests a true wildlife safari experience.

Sightings of the legendary Olifants West lions have occurred on almost every drive! The pride split a few years back when the old leader died a few days after a debilitating fight with his 2 sons and a buffalo hunt gone wrong. Big Boy’s death made way for Duma and his brother to take over, but when Duma’s brother left and took half of the pride lionesses with him, the Olifants West pride became fragmented. Each half is 13 lions strong now, and holding a strong presence in the Balule. The OW Split pride has been hanging around the last couple of days.

The fleeting presence of two very special creatures made the wildlife experience at Ezulwini that much more impressive and memorable. If anyone is wondering where the term ‘leopard crawl’ came from, this is it. A leopard was spotted on the road at night crawling on its haunches, keeping as low to the ground as possible. Guests watched as the leopard stalked impala, but soon after lost vision when it moved into thick bush.

Another astonishing moment was when the critically endangered black rhino crossed the path of the game viewer before disappearing into the bush. Much shier and more aggressive than the white rhino, this elusive creature was a rare treat. With the current status of the plummeting white rhino population due to poaching, it is an honour and a pleasure to enjoy seeing them in their natural environment.

The dead of night was lit by an incredible full moon, which adds such a sense of mystical beauty to a night on safari. Illuminating the sky and blacking out most of the stars, the state of the moon was domineering, and so very photogenic. Genets, jackals, hyenas, and bush babies were spotted in the vehicle’s headlights before scampering into the bush, while a pearl-spotted owlet sat on a branch out in the open and sang its ascending-then-descending whistle into the night.

Day time at Billy’s Lodge can be spent at the viewing platform decked with couches and books about wildlife, while your very own show of mud-bathing elephants takes place at the waterhole before you. There have been some epic sightings at this waterhole over the years that one is almost tempted to camp out at the deck overnight to witness something for themselves… but the story of the epic lion battle that took place there might scare you…

Olifants West Lion Pride Portraits

These protraits of the Olifants West Pride Split have left me speechless. Jochen captured the true comradery and essence of the bond between lions in his photos. The strength and connection of the pride shines through in is photos and evokes quite a few emotions. The more I hear about this pride, the more I like them. They are the true soldiers and there is going to be quite a path ahead for this split pride.

Ezulwini River Lodge is located deep in the Balule and is home to the Olifants West lion pride. The pride was a mega-pride led by “Big Boy” who sadly was killed during battle. What a warrior. After his death, the pride split. The original Olifants West pride has Duma as the dominant male. The split seems to be 13 members strong with 6 sub-adults – quite a young pride. The original Olifants West pride also appears to have 13 members. There is so much potential for both these prides – let’s watch this space.

Below are Jochen’s exceptional portraits of the Olifants West Split. If a picture speaks a thousand words, then these speak a million.

Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge: Wildlife Central at the Waterhole

Located on a seasonal riverbed that attracts a plethora of elephant and buffalo herds, lies Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge. Welcome to the Balule Nature Reserve, where the big five roam freely between the Balule and the Kruger National Park which shares unfenced borders with the reserve. Billy’s Lodge has taken advantage of its position on the riverbed and created a rustic, wooden skywalk that meanders its way from the main lodge to a large, open viewing deck. The viewing deck gives rise to panoramic views of a waterhole in front of the lodge, which is best described as “wildlife central”.

Let’s talk about the thriving waterhole in front of the viewing deck at Billy’s Lodge. The deck is a place that lends itself to hours of lost time while gazing at wildlife in their natural element. What can you expect to see at the waterhole (aka wildlife central)? For starters, there are daily elephant sightings. These gentle pachyderms are often found wallowing in the mud and spraying water everywhere. They are also known for walking under the skywalk when guests are crossing. This seems to be a highlight for guests who delight at the close proximity of the elephants.

The waterhole is also littered with a variety of plains game, such as steenbok, impala, zebra and warthog. Rhino are spotted a few times a week and when buffalo herds come through to drink, you can expect to see herds of 200+. Although the waterhole is predominantly populated by elephant and buffalo, big cats do make an appearance. Lions tend to be seen in the dead of the night drinking at the dam. Guests often hear them roaring when they are trying to sleep. We suspect the lions are the Olifants West pride and the Olifants West split – they are the ones who dominate the area. Leopards are another species of cat seen at the waterhole. The Leadwood female leopard is the cat most commonly seen drinking from the dam. She often contact calls when she approaches the waterhole.

When I asked the lodge owner, Lauren, what the most memorable moment at the waterhole was, she had this to say, “The most memorable moment was when Big Boy, our old dominant male lion, had his last stand against his two sons who were trying to take over the pride. He lost the fight and was killed shortly afterwards trying to hunt buffalo on his own. Big Boy was a Balule legend!”

This is the wild. Just when you think it’s a quiet day at the waterhole, a historical moment happens right in front of the lodge !

The waterhole at Billy’s Lodge is a hub of activity and that viewing deck sounds like a paradise of game viewing. Catch you there!

Male lion roaring on Ezulwini game drive

There are few things more remarkable than the things that occur in nature. The food chain makes the rules, and when it comes to the food chain, lions are pretty much on top. As apex predators, most lion deaths that occur naturally are the result of lion on lion battles, or else, a hunt gone wrong. Buffalo herds turning on a lioness to save their calf from her claws can end in serious injury or death, while a giraffe hoof to the side of the head can end it all. These things are dangers to lions living in the wild, but no animals hunt lions to eat, making them, top of the food chain!

Ezulwini is in the epicentre of lion activity with 4 prides circulating the area, 2 of which belong to the Olifants West pride. Our photographers have spent a few nights at both Billy’s Lodge and River Lodge, and in only a handful of game drives have met all 13 members of the Olifants West Split pride, plus both pride leaders, and a couple of lionesses from the Olifants West pride. What a mouthful! On one occasion, OW pride leader, Duma, lay in the road and roared into the darkness for all to see, hear, and feel. What a magical moment with one of the lions of the Balule.

In the Greater Kruger, we’ve been keeping track of a number of lion prides including a pride with the white lion gene; a trio of battle-scarred males; a pride of lions along the Klaserie River; a duo of lionesses making it on their own; and the return of a pride that vanished a year ago. Now, new to our lion radar are 2 prides formed from one original pride of the Balule Nature Reserve, known as the Olifants West pride. Two brothers went their separate ways after the death of their leader, Big Boy, and the pride of lionesses split to follow them. This is Duma, he remained in old territory and has led the original OW pride since then.

Meet the Olifants West Lions at Ezulwini

When we lay eyes on new lions, an undeniable excitement courses through our veins. Sun Destinations photographer, Jochen van De Perre, locked eyes with the kings and queens of the Balule Nature Reserve recently and we can’t wait to introduce you to them. These are the Olifants West lions – a pride that was divided by the death of their 2 leaders, Big Boy and Mazinyo, and now operate as 2 halves under the dominating presence of Olifants West pride members, Duma and his brother.

Duma emerged as the dominant male of the Olifants West pride in their old territory around Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge, while his brother took off and was followed by a number of the pride lionesses. This half of the pride is now 13 lions strong, including 6 sub-adults, while the lionesses all originate from Big Boy’s inimitable Olifants West pride. Duma stayed with 3 lionesses and 6 cubs – a family born and remaining in the Olifants West lion pride.

The 2 brothers steer clear of each other, even though their prides are akin. Both magnificent males with strong prides, the genes of the original Olifants West pride are carried in both. Duma’s brother and his pride, the Olifants West Split pride (also referred to as Mohlabetsi pride) are seen around Ezulwini River Lodge, which overlooks the Olifants River, while Duma’s clan remains local to Billy’s Lodge.

We bumped into the Olifants West Split pride finishing off a warthog – well, the male had the lion’s share (pun intended) while the pride lay in the shade grooming and greeting each other. A fantastic sighting of this growing family consisting of 6 sub-adult lions. Later that night, the guests bumped into brother, Duma, who put on a remarkable roaring display right next to the vehicle. Then to finish off with a 4th lion sighting in 4 game drives (that’s 100% lion sighting success rate in our books!), guests at Ezulwini Billy’s Lodge saw Duma’s brother with a belly full of warthog on the airstrip.

BeetleCam: Unique Angles of Lions & Wild Dogs

Leading Dutch film director, Herco Van Houdt decided to place a BeetleCam in the wild to capture unique angles of wildlife. The end product was spectacular, with never-before-seen angles of our famous Ross Pride of lions. Herco spent a couple of weeks at two of our camps, nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve.

When using a standard camera for filming and photographing predators it is difficlt to capture unique angles. A BeetleCam offers quirky footage and interesting vantage points of wildlife. The BeetleCam is a camouflaged, armoured remote-control buggy that houses your camera. You can place the BeetleCam in weird and wonderful areas where humans don’t have access.

Herco captured one of the Ross Pride trying to extract a warthog bone from her tooth. She eventually managed to remove the bone. The Ross Pride are quite skinny and malnourished at the moment – hopefully the warthog bone is an indication that the pride made a kill!

The breakaway females from the Ross Pride were also captured on camera. One of the curious females approached the BeetleCam, inspected it and walked away. A pack of wild dog tentatively approached the BeetleCam but seemed to be more weary of it than our Ross Pride !

Enjoy the videos and images.

Photos & videos taken by Herco Van Houdt

Africa on Foot and the 2016 Safari Awards

We are so pleased to say that Africa on Foot has been nominated for the 2016 Safari Awards alongside a number of superb lodges in South Africa. It is an honour to be recognised as one of the best in a total of 3 categories, all of which we are immensely proud: Best Guiding Team, Best Walking Safari, and Best Vaule Safari Property.

We are determined to keep it real, and to offer the most authentic safari experience around, beginning with the early morning bush walks, to lunchtime siestas by the pool (with the elephants), and ending the day around a crackling camp fire listening to the sounds of the night.

Our team of guides has been trained by the best in their respective guiding schools, and upon arrival at Africa on Foot they fall under the employ of camp co-owner, Courteney Blunden, whose passion for the bush has seen him achieve FGASA Level 3 and SKS Dangerous Game qualifications. The admiration the Africa on Foot guiding team has for the bush, and the professional manner in which they conduct themselves is what makes them some of the best in the business. Impassioned, and knowledgable, these guys have chosen their paths of life in the bush, and their enthusiasm is evident.

Walking safaris are perhaps where Africa on Foot stands out the most (it is even in its name). In a category where only 6 lodges in South Africa have been nominated, this is a true speciality field. Rising with the sun and setting off into on foot just as the bush comes alive is an incomparable experience. This is what sets Africa on Foot apart, and it is what makes guests choose to go to this unassuming safari camp over and over again.

As far as a ‘best value property’ nomination goes, Africa on Foot is one of the most affordable safari camps in the Greater Kruger Park, but the ‘value’ part only really counts when guests are receiving an experience they deem exceptional. Co-owner Cecilia Blunden (also armed with a FGASA qualification) possesses the dedication of this intimate safari camp in offering the best all-rounded adventure in the Klaserie. Africa on Foot is proof that it does not need to come at great cost.

In the categories of Best Guiding Team, Best Walking Safari, and Best Value Safari Property, we’ve been nominated to win, so if you find us worthy in any of the above , please cast your vote!