13/07/2025
Today’s morning walk on a fresh winter’s morning was fun. Cold but with the promise of the rising sun and warmth, we set out into this wonder land.
Immediately we picked up elephant and rhino tracks around the water point just outside the lodge. As we head out into the mopani’s, we marvelled at the kaleidoscope of ever changing Mopani tree leaves this time of the year. Used this opportunity to thaw out in the sun which seemed to take forever to warm up!
Out on the sandy substrates, the morning newspaper revealed rhino activity, African Civet, Giraffe, Genet and other general game. We got quite close to a large herd of Impala and stopped to have a good look at them. One ram with maybe 20 ewes browsing peacefully, their coats puffed up in the morning chill. Loved the counter shading on the ram..surely the most beautiful of them all.
As we continued our journey and went down into a drainage line, we saw fresh elephant bull tracks and was certain we would find it. And we did, maybe 400m downstream in a dry riverbed.
As we got closer we saw that he was a senior gentleman with one very large thick tusk and the other, broken off. It was tricky inching toward a better view with the myriad of fallen Mopani leaves but tip toeing around was funny to watch as my four Belgian guests just did as I did..prancing around!! We watch the old man for a good while as he had no clue we were there but would stop and gently turn his head to listen. Amazes me how in tune they always are. He was feeding on a Green Thorn and would reach out into the upper reaches of the tree with a fully extended trunk, mouth gaping open and at one point, we saw him drooling!
We left him in peace and head for the koppies circling around two of them. Koppies are a treasure, you never know what secrets they may reveal. On this occasion, as we made our way back down to the river bed, and without a sound, a lioness stepped out of the bush in full view of us! She had no clue we were there. The guests were in awe and at about 12m, that’s pretty close. She was an adult lioness, her tawny coat beautiful and shiny. She continued walking across the river bed directly in front of us and as instinct would have it, picked us up in an instant and sauntered off with a low growl up the ridge, up up and away. No one got a photo unfortunately, one of those where you appreciate through the eyes only and bank the memory for life. That was breathtakingly close! The guests had never seen a lion. Even on a self drive day safari to KNP. That’s why I love this job..and call it the Joy Division 🫶🏽🦁❤️
We chose this spot for our breakfast break as we heard th Francolins alarm calling so thought there may be more lion around. Not long and we were on our way.
The guests were keen to see rhino so we double backed looking for fresh tracks but those that we did find, had passed through earlier this morning.
An old Giraffe bull’s behaviour where he remain fixated on a certain something led us to the lionesses tracks. No doubt the Giraffe had seen her. She joined the rest of the pride including a large male but they had passed there during the night or earlier part of this frozen but heart warming morning.
And thats the morning story 🐾
Much fun🥳 Much luv🫶🏽
