Category Archives: Guided Tours

Manyeleti Magic 2024: Hunting with Painted Wolves

One of the absolute highlights (yes, another one!) of our 2024 Manyeleti Magic photographic safari and workshop was the time we got to spend with three hunting African Wild Dogs – or, to translate their Latin scientific name, Painted Wolves – and a bunch of opportunistic Spotted Hyenas who had much trouble keeping up. We followed along for many, many kilometers and were astounded not only by the dogs’ fascinating behaviour but also by how well our guide Beckson knew the Manyeleti’s roads and tracks and how expertly he anticipated the dogs’ movements, time and again putting us (Hannes Rossouw and myself) and our guests in perfect position to photograph the frenetic action!

African Wild Dogs in playful mood before starting their hunt

African Wild Dog, or Painted Wolf

Painted Wolves on the hunt

Spotted Hyena looking a little winded from trying to keep up with the dogs

Spotted Hyena

We’re already taking bookings for our 2025 Manyeleti Magic Photographic Safari and Workshop, to be conducted out of Buffelshoek Camp again in June of next year in conjunction with Hannes Rossouw Photography. Contact us if you’d like to join this one, or if you and a group of family and friends are keen to do something similar on other dates we’d be very glad to accommodate you!

Manyeleti Magic 2024: A Leopard Surprise!

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Midday on the last full day of our 2024 Manyeleti Magic Photo-Safari this past June we were whiling away the hours in Buffelshoek Camp, our base for the trip, photographing a variety of birds including a pair of very obliging Pearl-spotted Owlets, a pair of Red-billed Hornbills feeding their chicks in their mud-cell nest, and a family of Cardinal Woodpeckers. Our group of eager photographers were certainly kept very entertained and busy!

Red-billed Hornbill at the nest

Red-billed Hornbill nest, opening almost entirely enclosed by mud

Yellow-billed Hornbill

Cardinal Woodpecker

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Pearl-spotted Owlet (showing eye-spots on the back of the head)

It was the commotion of a group of Vervet Monkeys that moved through the camp just minutes before that first alerted us to the fact that something dangerous was about. We soon picked out the shape of a Leopard moving through the long grass, headed for the waterhole just outside of camp. Pretty quickly we were all – cameras at the ready – in the open safari vehicle and on our way towards the beautiful but very shy animal. It didn’t drink long and crept down into the drainage line, disappearing from sight.

Leopard

We searched high and low for it for several minutes, but the leopard vanished just as quickly as it appeared. If this little Three-banded Plover, who was at the water’s edge the whole time, knew where the big cat went it wasn’t giving up the secret.

If this little Three-banded Plover, who was at the water’s edge the whole time, knew where the big cat went it wasn’t giving up the secret.

Manyeleti Magic 2024: Rhinos and Oxpeckers

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With poaching still an enormous concern in South Africa it was wonderful to enjoy a couple of great sightings of white rhinos during our 2024 Manyeleti Magic photographic safari in June.

White Rhino

White rhinos

White Rhino cow and calf

White Rhino

Invariably the rhinos we saw were accompanied by both red- and yellow-billed oxpeckers that were not at all shy about the intimate spaces they were inspecting for ticks!

Red-billed Oxpecker inspecting a White Rhino’s ear

Red-billed Oxpecker diving into a White Rhino’s ear

Red-billed Oxpecker

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Red- and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers sharing a rhino

Manyeleti Magic 2024: Cheetahs

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We had two terrific late afternoon Cheetah sightings during our 2024 Manyeleti Magic photographic safari at the end of June. Our guests were most appreciative of these two beautiful models!

Our first cheetah sighting of the trip was courtesy of this male patrolling and marking his territory. We could follow along for quite some distance and our guide positioned the vehicle expertly for great shots, even in the fast-fading light.

Cheetah

Our second cheetah sighting of the trip was of another male using a fallen Marula tree as a vantage point from which to check for prey or danger – we never figured out which it was as he disappeared from view in a thorny thicket shortly after jumping off.

Cheetah

Manyeleti Magic 2024: Abundant Buffaloes

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The Manyeleti Game Reserve has a large population of buffaloes and we encountered several enormous herds of these bulky bovines while exploring the reserve on our recent Manyeleti Magic photographic safari. Being able to venture so close to animals this intimidating is always a thrilling affair.

One buffalo from a herd several hundred strong

A Buffalo standing on a dam wall gives an unusual perspective

Buffalo taking a little longer to chew this prickly grasshead

Old Buffalo bull

Buffalo cow with interesting headdress

Buffalo calf

Alert Buffalo bull

Buffalo cow

Young Buffalo bull

Manyeleti Magic 2024: A massive serpent in an idyllic location

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Late afternoon on the third day of our 2024 Manyeleti Magic photo-safari we were driving through a most beautiful spot of towering trees lining a stream and waterhole, with the most glorious golden light illuminating the scene. It was a little slice of paradise filled with various animals and birds and it is hard to describe just how blessed we felt to be there in the moment.

Giraffes congregating at the water to drink

Giraffe checking out the water before drinking

Nile Crocodile basking on a sandbank

Hippo eyeing us from the waterhole

Hippopotamus cow and calf

Hippopotamus calf

Our guide Beckson was the first to notice an enormous Southern African Rock Python slithering across the two-track road we were on. It was a magnificent specimen and must’ve only very recently shed its old skin as it was now resplendent with shiny new scales amplified by the golden light of the afternoon sun. With pythons, especially this size, being a rare sighting we all got off the vehicle and our guests had a chance to photograph the enormous snake from all angles before it moved underneath an old leadwood stump and disappeared from view. A most memorable encounter; the kind of which we’ve learned is pretty much par for the course in the magical place that is Manyeleti!

Shiny new scales on a Southern African Rock Python encountered on our Manyeleti Magic Photographic Safari

The head of a Southern African Rock Python encountered on our Manyeleti Magic Photographic Safari

Just look at the size of this Southern African Rock Python encountered on our Manyeleti Magic Photographic Safari!

July ’24 update from Rietvlei Nature Reserve

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As I was away on other tours for most of June I didn’t spend enough time at our local Rietvlei Nature Reserve to warrant a month-end update from there at the end of last month, but having now spent quite a bit more time guiding guests on drives and walks through Rietvlei this past month there’s lots to share since the previous update at the end of May. Winter’s cold has really gotten its claws into Rietvlei now – we measured a minimum temperature of -10°C (14°F) at one of the river crossings at sunrise one morning! It was therefore really surprising to see the cold blooded Nile Monitor Lizards still out and about and not hibernating. The deciduous trees have lost their leaves and the grass is now dry and brown and much thinner, making game-viewing a lot easier.

Nile Monitor

Buffaloes striding through the shallow water of Marais Dam

Rietvlei’s birds are always a treat, even when some of them sport frosty plumage in the early mornings – check the back of the wattled lapwing in this gallery! The count of bird species seen during our July drives and walks tallied to 79 (there’s a complete list at the end of this post) but, with the male Long-tailed Widowbirds starting to cultivate their summer finery already, that list should start expanding in the next month of two as the summer visitors arrive.

Arrow-marked Babbler

Reed Cormorant

White-breasted Cormorant colony

White-breasted Cormorant

Red-knobbed Coots

Black Crake

Red-eyed Dove

African Black Duck (photo by Joubert)

Yellow-billed Duck

Yellow-billed Duck at sunrise

African Fish Eagle

Bokmakierie

Common Fiscal

Egyptian Goose

Little Grebe (photo by Joubert)

Pied Kingfisher

Helmeted Guineafowl

Sacred Ibis

Black-winged Kite (photo by Joubert)

Black-winged Kite

Northern Black Korhaan male

Northern Black Korhaan female

African Wattled Lapwing covered in frost

Cape Longclaw

Common Moorhens

Common Moorhen

Common Moorhen (photo by Joubert)

Neddicky

Ostrich head

Ostrich feathers (female)(photo by Joubert)

Ostrich foot

Southern Pochards

Southern Pochard

South African Shelducks

Cape Sparrow (female)

Cape Robin-Chat

Swainson’s Spurfowl

African Swamphen

Spotted Thick-knee

Cape Wagtail

African Reed Warbler (photo by Joubert)

African Reed Warbler

Long-tailed Widowbird

Male Long-tailed Widowbird starting to sprout his summer plumage

These Pied Starlings using a White Rhino bull as a catwalk for showing off was a rather amusing sighting!

Pied Starlings on their Rhino catwalk

As per usual Rietvlei was not going to disappoint us when it comes to the game-viewing experience!

Cape Buffalo

Curious Buffalo

Cape Buffalo

Eland

Red Hartebeest at sunrise

Hippo

Black-backed Jackal

Black-backed Jackal soaking up the first rays of the morning

Slender Mongoose

Yellow Mongoose

Serval walking away

Springbok

Waterbuck

Black Wildebeest

Black Wildebeest carcass – perhaps fell prey to the cheetah?

Plains Zebra

List of birds I’ve seen at Rietvlei during June and July 2024:

Scientific	Afrikaans	English
Acridotheres tristis	Indiese Spreeu	Common Myna
Acrocephalus gracilirostris	Kaapse Rietsanger	Lesser Swamp Warbler
Afrotis afraoides	Witvlerkkorhaan	Northern Black Korhaan
Alopochen aegyptiaca	Kolgans	Egyptian Goose
Amblyospiza albifrons	Dikbekwewer	Thick-billed Weaver
Anas capensis	Teeleend	Cape Teal
Anas erythrorhyncha	Rooibekeend	Red-billed Teal
Anas sparsa	Swarteend	African Black Duck
Anas undulata	Geelbekeend	Yellow-billed Duck
Anhinga rufa	Slanghalsvoel	African Darter
Anthus cinnamomeus	Gewone Koester	African Pipit
Ardea melanocephala	Swartkopreier	Black-headed Heron
Bostrychia hagedash	Hadeda	Hadeda Ibis
Burhinus capensis	Gewone Dikkop	Spotted Thick-knee
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus	Gryskopmeeu	Grey-headed Gull
Circaetus pectoralis	Swartborsslangarend	Black-chested Snake Eagle
Cisticola fulvicapilla	Neddikkie	Neddicky
Cisticola juncidis	Landeryklopkloppie	Zitting Cisticola
Cisticola tinniens	Vleitinktinkie	Levaillant’s Cisticola
Colius striatus	Gevlekte Muisvoel	Speckled Mousebird
Corvus albus	Witborskraai	Pied Cow
Crinifer concolor	Kwevoel	Grey Go-Away Bird
Curruca subcoerulea	Bosveldtjeriktik	Chestnut-vented Warbler
Dendropicos fuscescens	Kardinaalspeg	Cardinal Woodpecker
Dessonornis caffer	Gewone Janfrederik	Cape Robin-Chat
Dicrurus adsimilis	Mikstertbyvanger	Fork-tailed Drongo
Dryoscopus cubla	Sneeubal	Black-backed Puffback
Elanus caeruleus	Blouvalk	Black-winged Kite
Estrilda astrild	Rooibeksysie	Common Waxbill
Euplectes orix	Rooivink	Southern Red Bishop
Euplectes progne	Langstertflap	Longtailed Widowbird
Falco peregrinus	Swerfvalk	Peregrine Falcon
Fulica cristata	Bleshoender	Red-knobbed Coot
Gallinula chloropus	Grootwaterhoender	Common Moorhen
Icthyophaga vocifer	Visarend	Fish Eagle
Jynx ruficollis	Draaihals	Red-throated Wryneck
Lamprotornis bicolor	Witgatspreeu	Pied Starling
Lamprotornis nitens	Klein Glansspreeu	Cape Glossy Starling
Laniarius atrococcineus	Rooiborslaksman	Crimson-breasted Shrike
Lanius collaris	Fiskaallaksman	Common Fiscal
Macronyx capensis	Oranjekeel Kalkoentjie	Cape Longclaw
Microcarbo africanus	Rietduiker	Reed Cormorant
Mirafra africana	Rooineklewerik	Rufous-naped Lark
Motacilla capensis	Gewone Kwikkie	Cape Wagtail
Netta erythrophthalma	Bruineend	Southern Pochard
Numida meleagris	Gewone Tarentaal	Helmeted Guineafowl
Oena capensis	Namakwaduifie	Namaqua Dove
Passer diffusus	Gryskopmossie	Southern Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer melanurus	Gewone Mossie	Cape Sparrow
Phalacrocorax lucidus	Witborsduiker	White-breasted Cormorant
Plectropterus gambensis	Wildemakou	Spur-winged Goose
Ploceus velatus	Swartkeelgeelvink	Southern Masked Weaver
Porphyrio madagascariensis	Grootkoningriethaan	African Swamphen
Prinia subflava	Bruinsylangstertjie	Tawny-flanked Prinia
Psittacula krameri	Ringnekparkiet	Rose-ringed Parakeet
Pternistis swainsonii	Bosveldfisant	Swainson’s Spurfowl
Pycnonotus tricolor	Swartoogtiptol	Dark-capped Bulbul
Saxicola torquatus	Gewone Bontrokkie	African Stonechat
Scleroptila gutturalis	Kalaharipatrys	Orange River Francolin
Sigelus silens	Fiskaalvlieevanger	Fiscal Flycatcher
Spatula hottentota	Gevlekte Eend	Blue-billed Teal
Spatula smithii	Kaapse Slopeend	Cape Shoveler
Sphenoeacus afer	Grasvoel	Cape Grassbird
Spilopelia senegalensis	Rooiborsduifie	Laughing Dove
Streptopelia capicola	Gewone Tortelduif	Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia semitorquata	Grootringduif	Red-eyed Dove
Struthio camelus	Volstruis	Common Ostrich
Tachybaptus ruficollis	Kleindobbertjie	Little Grebe
Tadorna cana	Kopereend	South African Shelduck
Telophorus zeylonus	Bokmakierie	Bokmakierie
Threskiornis aethiopicus	Skoorsteenveer	African Sacred Ibis
Trachyphonus vaillantii	Kuifkophoutkapper	Crested Barbet
Turdoides jardineii	Pylvlekkatlagter	Arrow-marked Babbler
Urocolius indicus	Rooiwangmuisvoel	Red-faced Mousebird
Vanellus armatus	Bontkiewiet	Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus	Kroonkiewiet	Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus	Lelkiewiet	Wattled Lapwing
Zapornia flavirostra	Swartriethaan	Black Crake
Zosterops virens	Kaapse Glasogie	Cape White-eye

List of mammals I’ve seen at Rietvlei during June and July 2024:

Scientific	Afrikaans	English
Alcelaphus buselaphus	Rooihartbees	Red Hartebeest
Antidorcas marsupialis	Springbok	Springbuck
Canis mesomelas	Rooijakkals	Black-backed Jackal
Ceratotherium simum	Witrenoster	White Rhinoceros
Connochaetes gnou	Swartwildebees	Black Wildebeest
Cynictis penicillata	Witkwasmuishond	Yellow Mongoose
Damaliscus pygargus	Blesbok	Blesbuck
Equus quagga	Bontsebra	Plains Zebra
Herpestes sanguineus	Swartkwasmuishond	Slender Mongoose
Hippopotamus amphibius	Seekoei	Hippopotamus
Kobus ellipsyprymnus	Waterbok	Waterbuck
Leptailurus serval	Tierboskat	Serval
Syncerus caffer	Buffel	Cape Buffalo
Taurotragus oryx	Eland	Eland

If you’d like to join me on a guided tour of Rietvlei – on a hike or on an open vehicle drive – you can book through melanie@rietvleicoffee.co.za / +27(0)74-820-9926.

Come along on a boat ride on the Chobe River

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During our tour of Botswana in June we set off on an afternoon boat ride from the launch site in Kasane, following the Chobe River upstream into the Chobe National Park and later returning along the main channel – the border between Botswana and Namibia – around Sedudu Island by sunset. Game-viewing and photographic opportunities from the boat was excellent as we floated low to the water to almost within touching distance of Nile Crocodiles, Hippos, Buffaloes, Elephants and a wide array of other animals and birds which were all surprisingly unworried by our proximity. Certainly an experience to savour and never be forgotten!

The Chobe River at Kasane

Schalow’s Turaco

Guinea-fowl Butterfly

Spur-winged Goose

Big Red Lechwe ram

African Darter

Nile Crocodile

Nile Monitor

Nile Crocodile

Pied Kingfisher

White-crowned Lapwing

Banded Mongooses

Banded Mongoose

Nile Crocodile

Pied Wagtail

Game-viewing by boat on the Chobe River

Cape Buffalo

Serenity on the Chobe River

African Darter

African Fish Eagle

Cape Buffalo

Baboon of subspecies Papio ursinus griseipes

Baby Baboon of subspecies Papio ursinus griseipes

Baboon of subspecies Papio ursinus griseipes searching for seeds in elephant dung

Baby elephant

Elephant youngster

Hippos

Cape Buffalo

Cape Buffalo and cattle egret

African Spoonbills

Yellow-billed Storks

Red Lechwes

Great Egret

Black heron “canopy feeding” on shoals of small fish disturbed by the moving buffalo

Game-viewing by boat on the Chobe River

Resting hippos

Spur-winged Goose

Red Lechwes

Marabou Stork

Waterbuck family

Marabou Stork

Pink-backed Pelican

Water Thick-knee

Goliath Heron

Namibian fisherman in a traditional mokoro

Red Lechwes

Large flock of Black-winged Pratincoles settling down on an island for the night

Sunset over the Chobe River

Come along on a game drive through Botswana’s Chobe National Park

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We made an early departure from Senyati in order to be at the entrance gate into Chobe National Park by the time it opened at 6am. One of the first animals we saw was a leopard stalking a herd of impala, a good indication as to the quality of the game-viewing we enjoyed for the morning we spent exploring the park.

Leopard seen early morning in the Sedudu Valley

Sunrise over the Chobe River

Lechwes on the bank of the Chobe River

Red-billed Spurfowl

White-crowned Lapwing

Buffalo feeding in the Chobe River

Meyer’s parrot

Baboon of subspecies Papio ursinus griseipes

Puku

Red-billed Spurfowl

African Hawk-Eagle

Swamp Boubou

Tropical Boubou

Baboon of subspecies Papio ursinus griseipes

Impala

Bradfield’s Hornbill

Little Bee-eater

Neddicky

Warthog

Vervet Monkey of the race C. p. ngamiensis photographed in the Chobe National Park

Serene scene on the Chobe River

Plains Zebras

Plains Zebra

Giraffe

Puku

Nile Crocodile

Great Egret

Elephants making their way to the Chobe River

Nile Crocodile

Hippo

Elephants on the banks of the Chobe River

Elephants making their way to the Chobe River

Elephants drinking from the Chobe River

Squacco Heron

Kudu cows

Kudu cow

Impalas congregating next to the Chobe River

The highlight of the day was finding three lions strolling across the Puku Flats. At one point they flushed a roan antelope from a patch of long grass, but it made a safe retreat. Eventually the lions found a shady spot in which to rest and we moved along.

Lioness

Young lion male

Lioness

Roan Antelope

Young lion male

Lioness

Young lion male

Lioness

Young lion male

We made it as far west as the Kabulabula Peninsula before we had to turn around and head for the gate again, as we had another exciting excursion booked for the afternoon. More about that in the next post!

Back from Manyeleti Magic

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I am fresh back from our Manyeleti Magic Photo-Safari & Workshop hosted in conjunction with Hannes Rossouw Photography out of Buffelshoek Tented Camp, and what a trip it was – without a question one of the best I have ever had, and with 40+ years of visiting South Africa’s wild places that takes some doing! Of course I will be telling you all about it in good time, but here’s a little taste of what you can look forward to.