Tag: Leopard

3 of Africa’s Best Hidden Safari Gems

Posted on by James

One of the hardest things about choosing a safari destination is simply wading through the huge amount of choice you get given. Literally hundreds of lodges and camps spread all over the continent, from desert to mountaintop and everything in between.

Yet every now and then a really special place pops up on one’s radar, somewhere that immediately gets you thinking about a return visit.

We’ve picked three that we’ve come across on our own travels that we simply cannot recommend strongly enough…

Kicheche Valley Camp

There are few safari camps out there that give you an overwhelming feeling of “Yes!” when you walk onto the deck for the first time. Kicheche Valley Camp is one of them.

Tucked discreetly between two acacia-covered hills in the Naboisho Conservancy of the eastern Maasai Mara in Kenya, the camp has a wonderful simplicity to it that instantly draws you into a slower pace of life. Zebras graze within metres of your tent, lions (of which there are plenty in the area) roar in the distance at night, and the camp staff’s warm smiles and enthusiasm for their work are clearly genuine.

Kicheche have a number of offerings in the area (Bush, Mara and Valley Camp), but Valley has to be our favourite; the intangibles there make it evident that nothing is forced, everything is done at your pace, the food is excellent, the drinks are cold, the accommodation makes you feel like are part of the environment instead of excluded from it – whilst still being incredibly comfortable – the guides are excellent, and of course, the wildlife viewing is utterly spectacular.

For those looking for a wildlife destination in East Africa that ticks all the boxes, but most importantly the one about feeling at home, look no further than Kicheche Value Camp.

Notten’s

Neighbour to some of the biggest name lodges in the South African safari industry, Notten’s has been quietly in operation since the 1980s, conducting Big 5 safaris with their own special brand of charm and hospitality.
As part of the Sabi Sand Reserve, Notten’s boasts just as high a density of big game as any other lodge in the area, with a particularly high number of leopards and lions calling the area home. The Sabi Sands is in fact home to the densest population of leopards yet recorded in Africa.

Notten’s has a family feel to it; it is family run and many of its staff have their own families living and working there. This is reflected in the warm welcome that everyone receives, and the level of repeat business that Notten’s can boast (among the highest in the greater reserve) is testament to this fact.

Whilst other destinations close by might be better known, it is Notten’s that will have us going back time and time again.

Nxai Pan

When the Okavango Delta, a world-heritage site and one of the most sought-after safari destinations in Africa is only two hour’s drive away, it’s hard to compete.

Yet Nxai Pan offers a completely different type of safari experience, a highly concentrated one that is difficult to find anywhere else on the continent.
Set in the vastness of the greater Kalahari Desert, the pan itself – and accompanying pans to the south – offer an incredible open reprieve from the surrounding scrubland.
Short grass plains and salt pans stretch as far as the eye can see, presenting incredible game viewing opportunities.

Water is everything here, and with only one or two permanent water sources in the dry season, incredible concentrations of wildlife – most notably elephants – are to be found coming to slake their thirst each day.

Nxai Pan is a unique ecosystem that will leave you in awe at its scale. Baobabs dot the area, and a trip to this part of the world would not be complete without a day trip to the world famous Baines’ Baobabs just to the south.

Although open year round, the game-viewing at Nxai Pan tends to be seasonal in response to water availability, so be sure to connect with one of our travel consultants to find out about the best time to visit.

And with the Okavango just a short safari stone’s throw away, this reserve offers the perfect place to incorporate into the wider Botswana safari circuit…

 

Where to View Leopards in 2023

Posted on by James

In many ways, the leopard represents the African continent best.

Whilst the regal lion may hold the title of King of the Beasts, and the elephant’s great size render it the most impressive African mammal, it is the enigmatic nature of the leopard, and the mystery that surrounds it, that most adds to its allure as an animal to see on safari, and captures the essence of the African continent most effectively.

In large portions of Africa – and particularly in areas where human wildlife conflict has been a factor over the years – leopards can be hard to find. They are there, but remain invisible. Although they occupy almost every habitat from the mountains just outside Cape Town to the open deserts of the Sahara way to the north, for the most part they are unobserved creatures of the night.

Yet in a few wildlife reserves, leopards are eminently viewable. The big cats there have long realised that the game viewing vehicles do not represent a threat to them, and so allow them and the guests they contain into their daily lives.
Although there is no such thing as a guaranteed sighting, these are a few places that will give you your best chance of viewing leopards in the wild:

Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa

Long-viewed as the epicentre of wildlife viewing in Southern Africa, a recent camera-trap survey by the Panthera Organisation firmly established this iconic reserve as containing the densest leopard population yet recorded on the African continent.
With a high availability of natural prey species and perfect habitat in which to hunt and raise cubs, the area boasts leopard numbers that around 12 per hundred square kilometres in the centre of the park.


A number of world-class lodges like Londolozi, Singita and Mala Mala have decades of experience showing guests the wonders of the area, and in particular the leopards. Experienced rangers are well versed in the habits and territorial movements of the resident individuals, and so it is in the Sabi Sands that we feel you have THE best chance of viewing leopards in the wild.

South Luangwa, Zambia

Although not as lauded as other contemporary reserves, the South Luangwa National Park has in fact been providing phenomenal game viewing for years. With the Luangwa River delivering a much-needed source of water during the dry season, the area is able to sustain healthy general game populations, and it is these antelope species  – particularly puku and impala – that the local leopard population favours.

Riparian vegetation along the river and its many tributaries provides the perfect habitat for the leopards to slink through, and large evergreen trees provide safe refuges in which to hoist kills to keep them out of reach of hyenas.

Serengeti, Tanzania

Whilst better known for boasting the largest populations of lions and cheetahs in Africa, the Serengeti/Masai Mara ecosystem in East Africa has no shortage of leopards. Although sightings won’t be quite as regular as in other reserves, it is the setting here that creates the appeal around leopard viewing.


Wide open spaces, unimpeded Acacia woodland; wherever you see a leopard – and in particular photograph it – you are likely to get the sense of space that the greater habitat brings. Vistas like you can’t believe, with the seemingly endless plains of Africa stretched out around you. If you happen to be there during the migration, you will also have the background accompaniment of a million snorting wildebeest throughout the day.
Leopard or no leopard though, the East African grasslands are a wildlife experience like no other.

Laikipia, Kenya

Our final recommended leopard-viewing destination is not what one would normally expect to be included in a list like this.
In fact until recently, it wasn’t really on the international radar as a place to see these beautiful cats.
But over the last couple of years, one or two leopards in particular in a small area called Laikipia in central Kenya, have captured the broader imagination of the safari community.
These are the mythical black leopards.

Photographer: Will Burard-Lucas

A rare recessive gene that codes for an excess of melanin – a dark pigment – results in an animal that is much darker than a normal individual. This is the black panther of legend. Black panthers can be any big cat from the Panthera genus – although they are essentially either leopards or jaguars – and contrary to popular belief they are not all black. One can still see the rosettes in their coats if you look closely.
A few individuals have been born recently in the Laikipia district, and although most of them are skittish and very hard to find, one or two individuals that inhabit the area near Laikipia Wilderness Camp have become accustomed to the presence of game drive vehicles, and spectacular photos like the above one by Will Burrard-Lucas are now possible.

Even without the viewing of this most special of leopards, Laikipia is a spectacular area to safari with its high number of unique species.

Leopards capture the idea of safari beautifully. They are on many safari-goers’ bucket lists, but many visitors to Africa entertain little hope of actually seeing them.

If they are an animal which you really to want to see though, we have a number of lodges we recommend highly to give you your best chance.

Get in touch through info@iconicafrica.com, and let’s start planning your safari…

 

Photography Tips #3: Understanding Composition Basics

Posted on by James

Because photography is an art form, it is objective; a photograph that appeals to one person may not do so for another. However, there are certain guidelines to follow (I say guidelines rather than rules as they work most of the time, not every time) that will go a long way to making your photo leap out of a page or screen that much more.
Without even worrying what your subject is or even what it is doing, by simply placing it at the right point in the frame, you can add immeasurably to the photograph’s visual appeal. How all the elements of a photograph come together (namely subject, foreground and background) is known as a photograph’s composition.

Although there are multiple compositional tools to make your subject stand out, we’ll stick to a few of the more simple ones for now.

Rule of Thirds

Unless the actual scene or subject being photographed is symmetrical, the human eye finds far more visual pleasure in the subject being placed off-centre­. More specifically, along one of four lines, and even more specifically, at the points where those lines meet.

If you draw two imaginary and evenly-spaced vertical lines and two horizontal lines across your photograph, you will have effectively sub-divided it into vertical and horizontal thirds.

The four points at which these lines intersect are known as the power points, and placing your subject on anyone of them will give the photograph more impact.

Having said this, the choice of which line and/or power-point to place your subject on is all-important. The general idea, particularly with wildlife, is you want an animal looking or moving into the frame. It should have space to move into, or at least the suggestion of space.
If it is walking from left to right, place it on the left-hand vertical line. It will thus have two thirds of the frame to move into. And likewise, if it is moving from right to left, place it on the right-hand line.
Getting more specific with close-ups, if you have zoomed into an animal’s eye and it is looking up and to the left, place it on the bottom right power point. This gives it space to look up and across into.
You never want an animal looking like it is squashed up against the edge of the frame. As mentioned earlier, these aren’t hard and fast rules, but if you stick to the basic theory, 90% of the time you will improve your photo.

If you want to emphasise the sky, place the horizon along the lower third line. If you want to emphasis ether foreground and the sky is secondary, place the horizon on the upper line.

In the below photo, although the rule of thirds was not employed, you can understand the basic principle; the sky is emphasised by placing the horizon as low down in the photo as possible.

A prominent tree should line up on one of the vertical thirds, rather than center frame. By simply playing around with this composition when cropping a photo digitally, whilst adhering to the rule of thirds, you will see exactly which position comes across as strongest.

Leading Lines

By using simple methods a photographer can easily direct a viewer’s eye where to look in the frame. Leading lines help to do this, so it is important to look out for them when composing a photograph. A band of rocks, a herd of antelope walking in single file, clouds photographed with a wide-angle lens…

Notice how in the picture above the lines of the subway tunnel are directing the viewer’s eye towards the people in the background.
One sees a similar effect in the photo below of an airstrip in Kenya’s Maasai Mara; the sweeping lines of the clouds guide one’s eye down to the solo tree on the grassland.

Natural Framing

Achieving a natural frame for a wildlife subject can be tricky, especially as it is very much habitat dependent. This isn’t something you should be looking for with each shot, but something you should simply have in your arsenal, so that you know what to look for when the opportunity arises.

An elephant calf within its own herd and framed by other elephants’ legs; a leopard in a thicket framed by the trees; there are multiple opportunities in nature to achieve some sort of natural frame, and the more unusual the better, as it will add more impact to your photograph.

Ultimately in wildlife photography, you should aim to get as much as you can right in camera, ie. when the shot was actually taken. This will greatly reduce the amount of post-processing you need to do afterwards, composition adjustments included.

The more you head out actively looking for leading lines, natural framing, and placing your subject using the rule of thirds and their power-points, the more your photographs will have immediate visual impact.

SA Resident Specials in Big Cat Paradise

Posted on by James

As April draws to a close and lodges across Africa get busier and busier as travellers return, we are delighted to announce that certain South African safari properties will be upholding their resident rates in the short- to mid-term. Mala Mala Game Reserve, bordering South Africa’s world famous Kruger National Park, will be offering these specials right up until December 2022, so make sure you don’t miss out.

It’s no secret that Mala Mala is one of the best places in Africa to view lions, leopards and cheetahs. And not only view them, but have front row seats to some of the most action-packed game viewing on the continent. Leopards in trees, lions moving new-born cubs between dens… it seems like nothing is out of the question here.
It’s not only the cat density on Mala Mala that is so high (a recent study found the greater area to hold the highest density of Leopards yet recoded in Africa) but the general game too, which means that the predators have an absolute buffet of prey species laid out for them.
Witnessing hunts is common, as the unique Sand River frontage (over 20 kilometre of sandy beaches and reedbeds) provides ultimate concealment opportunities for predators on the prowl.

Mala Mala has been one of the iconic Africa lodges since the early days of photographic safaris, opening its doors in the late 1960s. With over 50 years of  experience in the industry it has continued to refine its offering, but its incredible wildlife population has always meant that little more needs to happen than simply driving out into the bush; something will come along, and more than likely a high profile species!

Mala Mala has three camps on offer; Main, Sable and Rattrays.

Main Camp is the largest of the three with 10 luxury suites, 8 luxury rooms and a luxury single suite. Sable, situated right next door to Main, has 5 luxury suites and the Lion’s Den suite (a two-bedroom interleading suite) and Rattrays, lying a couple of kilometres downstream on the Sand River, offers 8 luxury suites.
Main camp and Sable tend to be for families wanting to enjoy the bush together, whilst Rattrays is for the ardent safari-goers and photographers, restricting the number of guests on a vehicle to four, thereby heightening the intimacy of the game-viewing experience.

Whilst the game-viewing is good year-round, seasonal changes meant that different areas and animals become the focus during different months.

May, when these special resident rates kick off, is the impala rut, when rams are jousting for mating rights and as a consequence falling regular prey to leopards in particular.

June through August are the clear winter months featuring chilly mornings and wonderfully mild days. As the dry season tightens its grip, animals of all shapes and sizes flock to the Sand River to drink, and predator activity along its banks is prolific.

October signals the onset of the rains, and the first green flush of spring. More and more rainfall initiates the impala and wildebeest birthing into November and December, when new life is literally everywhere in the bush. No one time is better than another, they are simply different, and finding out a bit more about the various seasons before you book will help you know what to expect. Our consultants will help you with that!

As travel returns to normality, rates are swiftly returning to what they where pre-Covid, so we urge our South African guests not to miss out on this unique opportunity to visit one of Africa’s great safari destinations at these prices.

Get in touch through enquiries@iconicafrica.com to get the ball rolling…

The Dog Ate My Homework (African Version)

Posted on by James

One of our regular contributors, James Tyrrell, spent over a decade living and working at Londolozi Game Reserve. Although he now runs his media operations out of Cape Town, he shared this piece that he wrote when he used to fall asleep to the sound of hyenas and lions calling in the distance…

It’s human nature to become jaded.
The situation in which you’re living, whatever it is, whilst not necessarily becoming completely stale, will inevitably lose a bit of its gloss over time. This simply can’t be helped.

The 100th leopard hoist you see as a guide (that’s pretty excessive; not many hit that number!) won’t be quite as exciting as the first. The 15th pair of running shoes – to use a non-bush example – you buy as a trail-running fanatic will have the emphasis more on function and necessity instead of the thrill of the purchase and the opening of the box when it was your first pair.

The dopamine response we get from these situations loses its strength with repetition of the same stimulus, so that stimulus needs to be strengthened or changed for you to keep getting that same thrill.

Inevitably, as things lose a bit of their edge as you get used to them, comes the nit-picking, the pointing out of how things could be better.
As photographers we know this well: “There’s a branch in front of the leopard’s eye”, or “These lions aren’t doing much”, are things we’ve probably all said at one time or another. Yet by simply taking a step back and contextualising what those complaints are exactly, and the position we need to be in in order to make them, we come to realise just how special it is to actually have the “problems” that we think we do.

The title of this post comes from the fact that I had my favourite pair of bush shoes eaten by hyenas a few nights ago. Totally my fault, as I left them on my porch to dry after wading into the Sand River (no I wasn’t stuck!), and later that evening one of the local clan clearly took a liking to them and whisked them off into the darkness. I still haven’t even found a scrap left over.

Hyenas: a curse or a blessing? I vote for the latter, but I’m sure the local leopard population would disagree, given how many kills of theirs get stolen by the marauding scavengers.

Needless to say I cursed the culprit in the morning when I made the discovery of the missing shoes, saving some reprimands for my own stupidity at the same time, especially because these certainly aren’t the only shoes of mine that have disappeared along the same route. For the rest of the day I vented my anger at the general hyena population to anyone who’d listen.

Then I forced myself to pause and reflect, and ended up giving myself a stern talking to about just how fortunate I am to be in the position of having my shoes stolen by hyenas in the first place. Or my food being grabbed off my plate by one of the resident monkey troops. Or any of the myriad “problems” that come with bush living.

The pair of Lesser-Striped Swallows that nest in the eaves of my porch every year leave quite a mess from the materials they use to rebuild their seasonal home, but what a thrill it is to be able to look out the window and see the industrious parents daubing mud during the construction and then bringing in feathers to line the inside. And if I’m very lucky, I get to see their chicks take their first flights. Who cares about a little bit of mud spatter and some bird droppings on the balcony when that’s the only trade-off for being able to watch something so special play out over the course of a month or two?
They should actually be arriving any day now to start this year’s breeding attempt, and I look out my window daily, eagerly anticipating the sudden flutter of wings that announces that one of them has come in for a landing.

I wrote a post once about the gratitude we need to feel when we miss shots in wildlife photography, as the fact that we’re out there pursuing our passion should be the base reward, and nailing the shot is simply a bonus. It’s the same in our day-to-day. Are the things we classify as problems really problems after all? Or are they simply punctuation marks that reinforce the fact that we are living an incredible life immersed in nature. Glass is half full vs. glass is half empty approach. I’m not trying to be preachy here, these are simply some of my own musings that I use to keep myself in check. Right now I’m watching a painted skink burrow behind a cushion on a chair outside. I’ll probably get the fright of my life when I sit there later – having totally forgotten about the skink – and it rushes out cross my legs. And that’s brilliant.

There’s a great scene in the movie Good Will Hunting in which Robin Williams’ character is talking about his deceased wife, telling Matt Damon about how the so-called imperfections we attribute to people – particularly our partners – are not actually imperfections; they’re the good stuff. It’s the same thing anywhere. There’s no such thing as the perfect place to be or live, it’s just whether or not it’s perfect for you.

I’ll take my shoes being eaten by a hyena in a heartbeat.

Singita Castleton: Leopards, Luxury and Lawn Tennis

Posted on by James

Whilst many would have played a casual game of Sunday tennis and wandered off the court to drink a refreshing post-game G&T, very few would have done it with a pride of lions in attendance, or served for the set with an elephant casually feeding from a nearby marula tree.
Yet both scenarios are a distinct possibility at Singita Castleton, an exclusive-use camp in the heart of South Africa’s Sabi Sand Reserve.

The former home of Luke Bailes’s (Singita’s Founder) Grandfather, Castleton Camp combines the most refined elements of a private safari lodge with the rustic charm of a country farmhouse.
The property sleeps up to 12 people, perfect for larger and extended families, or travelling groups who would like a camp all to themselves. Two Land Rovers would cater for a full camp, covering twice as much ground with double the chances of finding the wildlife for which the area is famed. Of course one doesn’t even have to leave the camp to enjoy spectacular sightings. A large waterhole at the end of the clearing in front of the swimming pool ensures a constant stream of wild visitors, with a resident waterbuck population always in attendance, elephants and rhinos moving through daily to quench their thirst, and the predators often skulking in the shadows nearby. Singita Sabi Sand, of which Castleton Camp is a part, forms part of a greater leopard population that is the densest yet measured in Africa, and sightings of these often elusive cats are common, even from the verandah.

Whats The Difference Between Game reserve And National Park Leopard

The layout of Castleton is a main homestead area flanked by six double en-suite cottages. The extensive wine cellar, country style kitchen and tennis court, as well as state-of-the-art wellness facilities such as a fitness centre, yoga pavilion and double and single massage treatment rooms ensure that guests lack for nothing that is to be found in the larger camps further north towards the Sand River.

The outdoor boma is partially open to the surrounding bush, so dinner under the stars is alive with the possibility of spotting a nocturnal visitor.

Exclusive-use camps like Singita Castleton are swiftly gaining in popularity throughout the industry, and are redefining what the idea of “luxury” is. It’s not just about thread-count, the exclusive wine list or the wifi speed, but rather it’s the ability to have only you and your closest friends and/or family sharing an intimate wildlife experience second to none.
One of the first exclusive-use camps of its kind, Singita Castleton has had years to refine its offering to a point where it really is the industry leader, and one would be hard-pressed to find an offering of similar quality anywhere in Africa.

 

The BEST Way to Find Big Cats When on Safari

Posted on by James

It’s not tracking (although this is certainly effective).
It’s not staking out a waterhole.
It’s not heading out in the middle of the night with a spotlight, hoping to see the eye shine of a feline predator reflected back at you.

No, the best way to find the big cats is simply to look at birds.

The nest of a diminutive Chinspot Batis sits in the for of a fallen tree. And out of focus in the background lies a lioness in the riverbed. Birding and big cat sightings often go hand-in-hand.

Now this may not sound overly exciting to many of you. Not everyone is a birder, and we realise that the Big 5 – its predatory members especially – are the main drawcard for the ardent safari-goer. Yet it is often in the observation of the smaller members of the bush, and in particular the patience and the quiet that goes with that observation, that the clues are discovered that lead you to the predator sightings.

Rangers scan for any clues as to the whereabouts of a skulking leopard.

Ask any experienced ranger or tracker, and they’ll tell you that it is your ears far more than your eyes that will keep you out of trouble in the African wilderness; a branch snapping may indicate elephants up ahead; oxpeckers calling and then descending probably point the way to where a buffalo is hiding in the thick vegetation. And it is your ears  – that you can only really use when the safari vehicle is switched off – that will hear the calls of the big cats or the alarm calls that point towards them.

An impala watches the approach of a lioness intently. Antelope will give off a warning snort or bark in situations like this, and it is only with the vehicle switched off that you are likely to hear these auditory cues.

There is a wide array of both mammals and birds the take fright when they see a leopard or lion approaching, and they will react accordingly by snorting, barking, or giving off some sort of auditory display to warn their con-specifics of the presence of danger. It is these alarm calls specifically that experienced guides are listening for a lot of the time when on safari, as they can be incredibly reliable in the search for the high profile creatures.

Leopards know what the alarm calls of their prey mean; everything will be on the alert. They often head back into cover as a result.

And it is in the simple act of switching off the car to look at a bird that the quietness is to be found that will reveal these audible cues. Simply racing around in the vehicle looking for tracks and the animals themselves is the surest way to delay their ultimate discovery. So slow down, take the pressure off your guide, and work with the bush.
The rest of the wildlife out there have far more acute senses than us humans, so are far more likely to spot a predator moving past. Monkeys with a great view from the treetops will chatter incessantly when they spot a leopard slinking through the undergrowth. Kudus will give off a booming bark when they catch sight of a lion stalking them. And even little squirrels will kick up a fuss and a heck of a chatter when danger approaches. The more you slow down to look at the small stuff, the more of the big stuff you will ultimately find.

Oxpeckers fly up in fright as the hippo they were riding on submerges. Sometimes a good bird sighting combines naturally with one of a high-profile mammal.

So even if animals of the avian variety are not your particular cup of tea, let your guide do his or her thing when pointing them out to you. Something large and feline might be just around the corner as a result…

The Leopards of Londolozi

Posted on by James

It’s been over 40 years since Londolozi first viewed the original Mother Leopard, a young female who for some reason was more relaxed around the Land rovers than her predecessors or conspecifics on the reserve at the time.

For the next decade, Londolozi co-founder and Tracker Elmon Mhlongo would follow her life, watching as she raised no fewer than 9 litters of cubs to independence; a feat that has not been recorded in a leopardess since.

Londolozi offers the perfect leopard habitat…

The early years at Londolozi did not feature leopards as part of the standard viewing on a game drive. Conflict with man over the course of the previous half-century had made them skittish, wary, and extremely distrustful of anything unnatural in their environment, which included vehicles and people on foot.
Tracks in the sand, the remains of a kill stashed high in a tree or even a fleeting glimpse in the spotlight after dark were all the evidence the early visitors to Londolozi had of this elusive predator.

A female leopard comes scurrying down from the canopy of a marula tree.

Yet when the Mother Leopard arrived and allowed people into her secret world, all that changed. Her cubs grew up recognising that a Land Rover parked at a respectful distance was neither a threat nor a food source, and their cubs in turn did the same. From that first female came generations and a subsequent dynasty of habituated leopards, which quickly put Londolozi on the map as the place to view them; a reputation it continues to enjoy to this day.

A male leopard stares right back into the camera while drinking…

Not only does Londolozi currently sit in the heart of the densest leopard population yet recorded in Africa, with the bulk of the cats completely ignoring the presence of the game drive vehicles, but the rangers and trackers – many of whom have lived and worked on the land for decades – have an intimate knowledge of most of the individuals.
Life-histories, relatedness, matrilines, territories… it has all been recorded in one of the most closely documented records of a leopard population known on the African continent.

A leopard cub peers cautiously out from behind a tree as its mother moves away from it.

Although there is no such thing as a guarantee in the African bush, Londolozi is as near as can be going to provide leopard viewing the likes of which you’ve never experienced before. The almost supernatural skill of the Londolozi trackers and rangers is almost certain to give you front row seats to what has to be some of the greatest wildlife sightings on earth, with the enigmatic leopard more than likely taking centre stage.
It’s an experience that has guests returning year after year to follow the lives of these magnificent cats, and one that is certain to redefine the way you view the symbiosis between man and wild…

Londolozi: A Return Home

Posted on by Terri

It has been 26 years since I first journeyed to Londolozi Game Reserve, yet every time I visit I still feel the same sense of giddy excitement I did on that initial visit so long ago, the same sense of nostalgia when I climb up into the Land Rover for the opening game drive of the trip, and the same overwhelming sense of sadness when I leave.

It’s not just the amazing sightings of leopards in trees, lions wading through the Sand River, or being surrounded by the 7th herd of elephants for the morning. It’s far more than that.
This for me was where my true love for the bush began, as I began to see exactly what type of experience it could – and should – be.

My first visit to Londolozi, 26 years ago (I am standing centre). Ranger Julius Ngwenya (sitting in front) has his son now working as a tracker at Londolozi.
And our latest trip, out on game drive waiting for lions to wake up in the evening.

This is what Londolozi does so well. There’s no formula. That went out the window long ago. Yes there is a framework within which the lodge operates – out before sunrise each morning to catch the dawn chorus, night drives following lions on the hunt, bush walks to make you touch, smell, and truly listen – but the reality is that each safari, each time you venture out of the camp gates in fact, is tapered to suit your specific needs.

One of the many herds that inhabit the reserve wade across the Sand River (Pioneer Camp is just out of picture to the left).
The winter months are an especially good time to see elephants in the South African bush.

Birding is your thing? No problem; the focus shifts to the myriad different habitats that the reserve features, with the guide and tracker fully aware of which species are to be found where. Photographically inclined, wanting to capture that magical silhouette shot of a leopard outlined against the vivid reds of an African sunset? The tracking team will find that leopard, and – conditions permitting – the ranger will know exactly where to position the vehicle and what camera settings to use to make sure you nail the shot. There is no such thing as homogeneity in the Londolozi experience. It’s always unique and always special.

You never know what will be around the next corner at Londolozi…

I try to get back there once a year, except these days it’s not just me and my husband but my kids as well, and my brother and his wife regularly accompany us.
We try to stay in Pioneer Camp each year, the most westerly of the Londolozi camps. One of Londolozi’s three Relais and Chateaux camps, Pioneer only has three rooms, perfect for a family of our size. The adults go into two of them while the kids squeeze into the third (which is connected to ours by a discreet walkway).
And for a magical ten days, the camp becomes home.

The camp manager this year was Shannon Dawson, the most wonderful person you could ever wish to meet, and she shares a similar history with us in that she has also been visiting Londolozi with her family since she was small. And now she calls it home too.
Nothing was ever too much for Shannon, and her delightful smile was always there to welcome us home after game drive, morning and evening.

This leopard was waiting for us just off the edge of the Pioneer Camp deck as we returned from game drive one evening!

Travelling out from Atlanta, GA, where I live these days (having moved from South Africa in the 90s), it makes far more sense for us to come for a longer trip, so ten days is usually the least amount of time we will stay. I cannot emphasise enough the value of a longer stay. It allows one to truly sink into a place, to adjust to the flow of the African bush, and get to know the ranger, tracker and camp staff far better than one would in what would traditionally have been a three night adventure.

Our coffee stop one morning in a treehouse overlooking the Sand River.

 

A young leopard cub peers down nervously from the boughs of a marula tree, still uncertain of the best way to descend.

Particularly for those coming from further afield, long stay safaris are slowly starting to replace the three night visits, which travel trends are definitely starting to reflect. The idea it seems, is to go deeper, not broader. Rather than hopping between lodges, discerning travellers are preferring to remain in one place, getting the absolute most out of a visit that they can.
This is certainly what we try to accomplish each time we visit Londolozi.

Tiny wild dog pups emerge from their den as their mother calls them out.

This was our first time back in a couple of years, Covid-19 and other circumstances having prevented us visiting since July 2018.

The best thing for me was just how easy travel was in these times: flights were not a problem, covid-compliant and everything almost seemed easier than normal, especially given that airports are far less crowded. A hop, skip and a jump, and back in Londolozi we were…

And what a return it was.
Lions taking down a buffalo on our first morning, male leopards roaring back and forth at each other, a female leopard with her cubs just learning how to climb, wild dog pups emerging from their den for the first time… The sightings were incredibly varied and seemingly endless.
And in between them was the Londolozi fun; Wimbledon-themed dinners, soccer games for the kids, tracking lessons from Joy Mathebula… Whenever we least expected it, there was something new and exciting on the cards.

Tracker Andrea Sithole – who our family have known for years – celebrates a goal with my daughter Brodi in a soccer game organised for the kids staying in camp.
One of the dominant male leopards that Londolozi is so famous for, drinking only a few feet from our vehicle.

Londolozi doesn’t just thrill with the wildlife. They take you into their world and open your eyes. You get to see what this one wild life we have all been given should really be about: fun, connection, intimacy with nature and ultimately finding the best version of yourself.

I know I find that person whenever I’m at Londolozi.
And you can too…

 

 

Africa is Opening Up!

Posted on by James

Africa is opening up again!

For those of you who have been yearning to satisfy that travel urge over the last 15 months, the thrilling news is that you can do that sooner than you think.
Right now, in fact.

United Airlines recently returned to South Africa with its direct flight from New York to Johannesburg, and this route is set to continue as a daily service. Just as exciting is the anticipated resurrection of the New York to Cape Town route, set to launch in October, which will give visitors direct access to South Africa’s Mother City, right on the southern tip of the continent.
Current US Rules allow those fully vaccinated with the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson jabs to return home without having to undergo any period of quarantine, so the worry of getting back home can essentially be forgotten.

Photograph courtesy of Getty Images

For those wishing to head on a breathtaking African safari, there has literally never been a better time.
With most operators offering once-in-a-lifetime specials, fairly quiet lodges, and the game viewing unaffected by what has been happening in the greater world and just as spectacular as ever, the only question seems to be, “Why not?”
Rwanda is open for gorilla trekking, and incredibly sophisticated COVID-19 protocols (everyone in the tourism industry has been vaccinated) make this one of the safest countries to visit.
Botswana’s Okavango Delta is still – as ever – performing its own rendition of Eden, and the leopard viewing in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve continues to be unrivalled anywhere in the rest of the continent.

South Africa’s Sabi Sand Reserve is world-renowned for its leopard viewing in particular.

Iconic Africa director Terri Abadi recently flew out to South Africa to visit Londolozi Game Reserve, a place that has been close to her heart for over twenty years, and had this to say about her experience in getting there:

“I flew out just before the New York flight opened so I routed through Amsterdam, and my family flew out after me on the direct NY flight.
Both of our experiences were absolutely seamless. The airlines have adjusted completely to the new normal and to be honest it almost felt like nothing had changed since before COVID-19.

My layover was only two hours in Amsterdam and before I knew it, I was on the ground in Johannesburg and transferring to my flight down to the bush.

I’m excited to see what this means for travel, as once people start to realise how easy and most of all safe it is to get out to Africa, I anticipate people clamouring to go on safari once more!”

Terri Abadi and family enjoying the sunrise on a misty morning at Londolozi Game Reserve.

With the worldwide tourism industry having suffered through the bulk of 2020, but now slowly starting to turn a corner, we are thrilled to be able to contribute in our small way to helping the continent get back to its feet in the travel sector.
The new normal of travel is about responsibility; the awareness of the difference you are making to both the people and the wildlife in the places you visit. Sustainability, reduced impact, boons for local conservation projects and the socio-economic upliftment of communities are all part of the new jargon of travel.

Our destinations and packages are carefully picked to fulfil both a unique and life-changing African experience for the guest, as well as make a positive impact in the areas they serve.

We look forward to welcoming you to this stunning continent.
She is waiting…

Graham Wood Returns to Londolozi 

Posted on by Lexi Hall

What better way to end the year than with another remarkable collection of videos taken by our very own, great friend and photographer, @grahamwoodphoto. His wildlife images are always worth a thousand words and his videos inspire the wanderlust in us all. Let these 3 short videos subdue your safari cravings until you make your next trip to Africa to see the wild dogs, leopards and the rest of our exquisite wildlife.

A Collection of Leopards in Trees – Limited Edition

Posted on by Lexi Hall

There’s nothing quite like the utter excitement, pure adrenalin and overwhelming joy that is felt when getting up-close-and-personal to a leopard – especially when in a tree. James Tyrrell, friend, safari guide and expert photographer knows this feeling all too well and has captured it expertly here:

For more of James Tyrrell’s incredible photographs follow him on Instagram @jamotyrrell.