Your day starts early on a wildlife photo-safari through the Manyeleti Nature Reserve with DeWetsWild and Hannes Rossouw Photography. Coffee and rusks await our early-rising guests in the dining room at Buffelshoek around 15 minutes before we head out in the morning, which is usually about 30 minutes before first light.
Out in South Africa’s wild places an early start is handsomely rewarded more often than not. On our first morning drive our second animal sighting after leaving camp, the Lowveld still shrouded in darkness, was a male cheetah. Eventually we spent about 90 minutes following him through the veld while he was patrolling and marking his territory and making several (unsuccessful) hunting attempts on duiker and impala. Thrilling stuff!
The rest of our morning excursion gave us many opportunities to point our cameras at various kinds of birds and animals before we arrived back at camp.
The break between breakfast and lunch was the prefect excuse to practice our bird photography skills – especially shooting them in flight – from the elevated deck at Buffelshoek.
We got up from the lunch table and got straight onto the game drive vehicle for our afternoon drive. The highlight of our encounters that afternoon was a huddle of six lion cubs hiding in the long grass where their mothers left them when they went off hunting. Considering how boisterous baby animals can be these little lions were very well behaved – perhaps their mothers have this discipline thing all worked out!
After a day packed so full of the most amazing sightings and experiences we cherished the beautiful serenity of the sunset even more!
In the next post we’ll show you everything we encountered on day 3 of our 2025 Manyeleti Magic photo-safari and workshop. The 2026 dates are yet to be confirmed, but do get in touch with us to keep a spot for you!
DeWetsWild 
Wow, Dries – What an amazing adventure. I’m looking forward to more. I absolutely love your photographs.
Wow, some good pics here!
What a spectacular gallery. Trip of a lifetime. WOW!
My koffie het nou ekstra lekker geproe wyl ek julle uitstekende foto’s beloer. 🌻
Lovely, enticing photographs as always 🙂
That lion cub practicing his intimidating stare is so cute. Just like my kitties–only much, much bigger! 😺