Safari Updates

Ben Reports: We went in search of the lions that had spent a fruitless but persistent day hunting yesterday and found them easily before sunrise.During the night they had finally managed to capture a Lechwe ram, and when we arrived they were still tucking into the final remains - a few meagre morsels were all that was left. After a few photos using the spotlights ...                        ... we positioned ourselves so that the colours of the sunrise appeared behind the lions.                                           When they had eaten enough the lions slumped on nearby mounds to catch the first rays of the rising sun. This gave us an excellent opportunity to practice some HDR photography, and as the sun began to rise, we...

Wim Reports: We went straight to the vantage point that overlooks Paradise Island this morning to see if the buffalo would be returning to this side of the wide water channel. When we reached the vantage point the first morning sun rays were beginning to pierce the sky. We started to take photos of the beautiful scene ... and as it became lighter we saw the buffalo.   And not only the buffalo!A pride of lions was using the shadowy light to stalk the buffalo, and the lions had created a semi-circle around their unaware prey.And chaos reigned for the next two hours! The buffalo were chased left and right, back and forth. They regrouped to chase the lions, but the lions were wily, and as the buffalo charged some of the pride members, others attacked from the other side.   The commotion was compounded by the bellows and snorts, and water and...

Ben's News: A beautiful sunrise greeted us again this morning with the different waking animals dotted around the Plains.                          A pod of around 45 hippos had crowded into a very small pond - it was not large enough to be named anything other than a pond - and we sat an watched them for almost an hour as they jostled one another for space, moved around a little irritably, yawned, shoved each other, and generally kept themselves and their companions on the go all the time.                     We were diverted now and then as different birds flew over, capturing images against the beautiful sky. While watching the birds and the hippos we heard lions calling from an area we have not encountered lions before. We headed in that direction and met up...

From Wim: It was still dark when we arrived at the wooden bridge that leads onto the Plains this morning.                                    As we approached the bridge a huge figure loomed up out of the darkness - the large, dominant male from this area - named Skinner. He marched across the wooden bridge, ignoring us as we followed him.As Skinner walked along he roared, briefly glanced left and right, then marched along roaring again. He continued in this way with us close behind until he reached his pride. The lionesses with tiny cubs were overjoyed to see him, and the greetings, licking and grooming one another, were heartwarming to watch.                        Then as we looked we could not believe our eyes!Limping along to share in the greeting...

From Wim: An extra early start meant that we were in Silver - Eye's territory before sunrise, searching for buffalo and lions.There was a breathtakingly beautiful mist over the plains, with glistening water channels peeping through here and there. Elephants, lechwe, warthogs and other game appeared and then disappeared into the mist with the golden rays of the sun shining behind them and creating a glorious scene which we watched and photographed in awe.                         We found the lions from yesterday right on the boundary of  Silver - Eye's territory. They were hastening to catch up with the buffalo, stopping now and again for some playful interactions.                     We were saddened to see that the mauled lioness was not with her pride - and we assume that she has not made it....

From Wim: Today was one of the most eventful and emotional days that I have experienced in my years in the bush.It all started with a magnificent dawn and a Serval hunting in the glorious light giving us a chance for some really successful photographs.The pride of lions from last night were less than 300 meters away from the serval and were within a short walk from the buffalo.As the sun rose the lions were right in amongst the buffalo. The lions were beside themselves with hunger and the next few hours showed their desperation.First they caused some confusion by chasing the buffalos in all directions. The frenzied buffalo were chased again and again - across open plains, through shallow water, and then we realised that there was a plan developing. The buffalo were being chased gradually but very firmly toward a water channel which would slow down their escape.The lions harried...

Ben Reports: We found the buffalo before sunrise even closer than we had anticipated after seeing them yesterday. Within minutes we spotted a pride of lions across a serenely quiet water channel.Realising that the lions were heading toward the buffalo we positioned ourselves to catch not only the river crossing but also the encounter between the two. Our rewards were phenomenal.The river crossing was one of the most spectacular I have seen. The water was incredibly still and reflected the images of the lions like a highly polished mirror. The lions crossed one by one, and between each crossing the water settled again into that reflective surface, meaning that we captured portraits of each lion with unbelievably clear reflections.And now the action started. The lions were clearly hungry and started to hunt almost immediately. They gathered and with their tails whipping they charged, causing the buffalo to scatter in all directions -...

Wim Reports: We arrived at Duba Plains quite late and set out immediately to make the most of the afternoon.Hearing that the last lion kill was more than two days ago we headed toward the buffalo and when we found the herd a search of the area yielded no results. The area was so beautiful that we stopped there ... within sight of the buffalo herd ... to enjoy the sunset with our sundowners.   On the way back to camp we found three porcupines snuffling around as they foraged under bushes and in the grass for grubs. They did not even seem to notice the spotlights on them as we photographed the trio.Back at the Camp, we are sitting around under the brilliant stars, listening to the sounds of hyenas and other animals not far from here.Tomorrow we plan to return to the buffalo herd and with more time available hopefully...

Brendon's News:We were up extra early to maximise the wonderful time we have had on this safari. On the way to the buffalo we found the pride of seven lions ...  and they were in the middle of a meal, having caught a lechwe during the night.The sun provided backlighting for our first shots, and then we moved around to get photographs of the lions not only feeding feeding but also interacting with one another.   Right next to where the lions were eating was as all pond and suddenly an unusual drama erupted out of the water. A young lone hippo has taken refuge here after being kicked out of his pod. And he was guarding his pond jealously and with vigour.                          .     He charged furiously out of the water and sent the lions scampering away. When...

Brendon's News:On the way to the buffalo herd this morning we encountered the pride of lions from last night. We stopped for a few seconds only to capture some photographs against the first signs of the dawn.   After an even shorter stop for an elephant we raced on to catch up with the buffalo before they started to move. As we arrived the sun was rising, creating that magical, diffuse, liquid light and when we could see, there was one of the lionesses from Silver - Eye's pride. Looking around, we saw the other lions also emerge from the lightening duskiness - including the dominant male and one of the subadult males that had been chased by him yesterday. The buffalo stood up and seeing the lions nearby started to move away from the area. The lions followed close on their heels, but made no attempt to hunt. Through water...