Category Archives: Memorable sightings

Manyeleti Magic 2025: Day 4 (15 June)

Our first early morning sighting, of a little Crowned Lapwing chick, shortly after setting out from Buffelshoek was quite suprising, considering how dark and cold it was for the little one to be venturing out from underneath his mother’s wing!

Crowned Lapwing chick

Soon afterwards the sun was rising beautifully over the Lowveld horizon and we couldn’t resist parking and watching in awe as the rich colours tinted the sky, nor could we resist attempting to capture it with our cameras.

Manyeleti sunrise

A pack of spotted hyenas lounging at a waterhole was our first predator sighting of the morning. In the waterhole a hamerkop was trying to catch frogs, not in the least worried about the hyenas all around.

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyenas

Spotted Hyena

Hamerkop

Our next sighting of note was of a breeding herd of elephants accompanied by a very impressive tusker.

Impressive Tusker

Elephant family

Baby elephant

Of course we also saw many other kinds of birds and animals on our morning excursion before getting back to Buffelshoek, where three elephant bulls visited the local waterhole just after we finished breakfast.

Lilac-breasted Roller

Magpie Shrike

Grey Go-away Bird

Rattling Cisticola

Kudu cow

Kudu bull

Giraffe

Elephant bulls

Elephant bull

Our afternoon drive delivered spectacularly again when an off-duty guide sent word of a female cheetah with four cubs, about 7 months old, just a short drive from Buffelshoek. When we arrived at the spot the family lay claim to a termite mound from which they could keep an eye out for both prey and danger. Apparently just the day before we arrived in Manyeleti the mother was hurt in a fight with a leopard and the wounds were still evident on her right front leg, though it didn’t appear to have caused her too much discomfort and she is expected to make a full recovery.

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah Cubs

Cheetah Family

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah Family

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah female

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah female

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah female

With Buffelshoek being so far from all the other lodges in Manyeleti we had the beautiful cheetah family all to ourselves for a considerable time, and by the time vehicles from other lodges joined the sighting we had taken more than our fair share of photographs. We could therefore move on to another of Manyeleti’s special corners, a tranquil spot next to a stretch of water where we could enjoy our sundowners being watched – and serenaded – by hippos!

Grey Heron

Being watched by a hippo

Manyeleti sunset

Back at Buffelshoek my new Scops Owl friend was calling from early on. What a way to end another day in wild Africa…

Scops Owl

In the next post we’ll show you everything we encountered on the final morning 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!

Manyeleti Magic 2025: Day 3 (14 June)

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Out again in the morning dark on day 3 of our 2025 Manyeleti Magic photographic safari and workshop our first notable encounter was with a black-backed jackal just a few minutes after starting our drive. Ever the opportunist this one was trotting along a patch of burnt grass looking for a quick morsel.

Black-backed Jackal

Sunrise in the Lowveld is usually very inspiring and that certainly was the case this morning. A herd of elephant crossing the road in front of us at the right time simply added to the magic!

Sunrise over Manyeleti

Elephants at sunrise

A beautiful stretch of water in Manyeleti Nature Reserve

We soon arrived at the spot where we found the hidden lion cubs the previous afternoon, and now the whole family was together – the six cubs, their three mothers and the pride male. The focus on our photographic workshops are to spend as much time at quality sightings as we can; good light and interesting subjects being much more to the liking of our group of photographers than was covering lots of ground to take in as many sightings and as much of the scenery as is possible in a limited time. Our participants were able to play around with all kinds of camera setting-combinations, aided by Hannes’ expert advice, and with the cubs being much more boisterous now under the safe supervision of their parents than the previous day there certainly was lots to keep the cameras clicking!

Lion family

Lion cub

Lioness

Lion cub

Squabbling lion cubs

Lion cub

Lion cub and mom

Lion family

The proud Lion father

Lion family

Suckling lion cubs

Eventually we had to head back to Buffelshoek for breakfast, and another session of bird photography from the camp’s elevated deck before lunch.

Red-billed Hornbills

Pearl-spotted Owlet trying to hide

Pearl-spotted Owlet in flight

Red-billed Hornbill

Our afternoon drive, extending after dark, was filled to the brim with exciting sightings! White rhinos, a side-striped jackal, a male lion on a mission and a hasty hippopotamus all put in appearances.

White Rhino

Side-striped Jackal

Lion on a mission

Hippopotamus

Our expert tracker Elvis is extremely skilled at picking up chameleons in the spotlight, and this gave us a chance to marvel at this fascinating creature from up close.

Flap-necked Chameleon

Back at camp we were serenaded by an African Scops Owl, who even followed me back to my tent when it was time to turn in!

African scops owl

In the next post we’ll show you everything we encountered on day 4 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!

Manyeleti Magic 2025: Day 2 (13 June)

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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!

Cheetah male at Manyeleti

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.

Lilac-breasted Roller

Elephant bull in musth

Elephant Bull in Manyeleti

Some elephants came so close to us that we noticed the hair around their ear openings!

Elephant bull

Brown Snake Eagle

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.

Yellow-billed Hornbill

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Chinspot Batis

Cardinal Woodpecker

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!

Well-behaved lion cubs waiting for their mothers

The runt of the litter hiding deep in the long grass

Lion cub practicing his intimidating starei

Lion cub

Lion cubs

Lion cub

Lion cub licking his lips

Lion cub

Lion cubs

After a day packed so full of the most amazing sightings and experiences we cherished the beautiful serenity of the sunset even more!

Manyeleti sunset

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!

Manyeleti Magic 2025: Day 1 (12 June)

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At long last our 2025 Manyeleti Magic photographic safari and workshop, hosted in conjunction with Hannes Rossouw Photography, was about to start. A year of planning finally culminating in us and our guests meeting at the entrance gate to Manyeleti Nature Reserve at the agreed time of 11:30 on the 12th of June.

Entry formalities completed we set off for Buffelshoek Camp. Given that Buffelshoek is located in a remote corner of Manyeleti it would take us at least an hour to get there, soaking in the wonderful Lowveld atmosphere again while keeping a lookout for game and birds along the way.

African Elephant

Blue Wildebeest

Hippos and a crocodile sharing a corner of Manyeleti’s biggest dam

White Rhino

Guests can arrive at Buffelshoek from 13h00, which allows ample time to settle into your tent before lunch is served an hour later. Buffelshoek is entirely off-the-grid and very comfortable despite its rustic nature, with the 5 guests tents – with en-suite bathrooms! – spaced well apart from each other for privacy and to allow animals to move through the unfenced camp unhindered (over the next few days we’d have elephants, hyenas, impalas, giraffes, jackals and hares in our midst, and those are just the ones we saw!).

The central building at Buffelshoek has a lapa, viewing deck, lounge and dining room where guests can relax

One of Buffelshoek’s five very comfortable furnished safari-style tents in which guests are accommodated

After lunch we excitedly set off on our first drive, with expert tracker Elvis showing the way while Hannes gave photography tips to our guests and I explained the finer details of the environment and wildlife we encountered. We had regular encounters with various kinds of animals and birds, including some elephant bulls that came very close to our vehicle.

Plains Zebra

Giraffe

Elephant Bull

Damaged ivory

Elephant tusk close-up

Eager photographers

Fork-tailed Drongo waiting for insects flushed by the feeding elephants

Water lilies

The highlight of our first afternoon drive was an encounter with two beautiful male lions just as the “golden hour” descended on Manyeleti. At first they were very lazy but thankfully one of the males – the one with the darker mane – decided to give us some nice poses and scary stares. What a highlight on our first day!

Lion male

Heading back to camp in the dark showed us many fiery-necked nightjars in the road. We also stopped so that the photographers could try their hand at shooting the moon in the dark of night (though my own attempt was a mess it was still great fun to hear everyone’s excitement when Hannes’ suggestions gave them results they could proudly show off).

Fiery-necked Nightjar

Moon over Manyeleti

In the next post we’ll show you everything we encountered on day 2 of our 2025 Manyeleti Magic photo-safari and workshop. The 2026 dates are yet to be confirmed, but do get in touch with us if you’d like us to keep a spot for you!

Common Brown Water Snake

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Lycodonomorphus rufulus

The Common Brown Water Snake is a small snake that on average grows to about 60cm in length, adult females being considerably larger than males. It is of no danger to anything except the small frogs, tadpoles and fish it feeds on, being as its name suggests closely associated with watery habitats where it is an excellent swimmer. The Common Brown Water Snake is non-venomous and kills its prey by constriction. It is placid by nature and rarely bites when handled. Females lay between 10 and 20 eggs in the summer months, with the babies hatching about 2 months later.

We have Joubert’s sharp eyes to thank for seeing this beautifully camouflaged specimen at a stream in the Mountain Zebra National Park. The sighting was rather unusual as these snakes are usually active at night.

Common Brown Water Snake (photo by Joubert)

Common Brown Water Snake

More snaps from our summer days in the Mountain Zebra National Park

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For the majority of local and international tourists the Mountain Zebra National Park is probably one of the country’s most underestimated protected areas. Conservationists and those visitors who have fell under its spell, however, can’t praise the place highly enough. But don’t give away the secret – we love Mountain Zebra National Park for its untrammeled wilderness feeling far from the madding crowds!

During our visit earlier in January I posted a few photographs on a daily basis to give those following along on our travels a glimpse of what we were experiencing. Let’s start this recap with those.

Kudu bull eating sweet-thorn blossoms

Gemsbok

Black Rhino

Springbok ewe (photo by Joubert)

Blesbok lamb (photo by Joubert)

Mountain Zebra (photo by Joubert)

Young Kudu bull (photo by Joubert)

Black Rhino (photo by Joubert)

Speckled Mousebird

Mountain Zebra National Park: Scenery along the Kranskop Loop

Mountain Zebra family squabble

Black Wildebeest

Black Rhino

Springbok

Black Rhino

Ostrich chick

Yellow Mongoose

Ground Squirrel

Marsh Terrapin

Mountain Zebra

Kudu calf

Scenery in Mountain Zebra National Park

Of course, pride of place goes to the population of Cape Mountain Zebra, as saving these beautiful creatures from extinction was the reason behind the Park’s proclamation almost 90 years ago.

Cape Mountain Zebras

Cape Mountain Zebra

Cape Mountain Zebra foal

Cape Mountain Zebra foal being shy

Cape Mountain Zebra

Cape Mountain Zebra mare and foal

But of course, Mountain Zebra National Park is also home to an amazing variety of other wildlife that also finds a home in this beautiful landscape.

Ludwig’s Bustard

Chat Flycatcher

Blesbok

Warthog (photo by Joubert)

Southern African Ground Squirrel

Yellow Mongoose

Yellow Canary

Ammocharis lily

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Four-striped Grass Mouse

Blesbok

Springbok herd on the move

Meerkat

Cape Longclaw

Familiar Chat

I suspect this is Cotyledon campanulata

Common River Frogs

Blue Cranes

Southern Ground Agama

Namaqua Sand Lizard

Springbok (photo by Joubert)

Eastern Clapper Lark

Blesbok lamb

Spike-heeled Lark

Black Wildebeest herd

Scaly-feathered Finch

Bar-throated Apalis

Red Hartebeest

Poynton’s River Frog

Southern African Ground Squirrels

Male Ostrich sunbathing

Blesbok Ram standing proud

Malachite Kingfisher (photo by Joubert)

Grey Rhebok

Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow

Nile Monitor

Male Buff-streaked Chat (photo by Joubert)

Common Brown Water Snake

Female Sentinel Rock Thrush

One of the most exciting sightings of our entire trip occurred early morning on our last full day in the Park, when we came across a herd of buffalo anxiously milling on the road at a precarious downhill stretch on the Kranskop Loop, just where it crosses a small stream. Only after some of the herd passed us, nerve-wreckingly due to the steep slope next to us parked off to the side of the very narrow roadway, we could go around the corner and saw the reason for the buffaloes’ distress – they were being stalked by two lionesses! The cats never went into a full blown attack while we were watching but seemed content to keep following the buffaloes and working on their nerves.

Buffalo roadblock

Buffalo herd on the move – photo by Joubert

Buffalo herd almost forcing their way past our vehicle on a narrow, steep road!

Buffalo close-up (photo by Joubert)

Buffalo

Very nervous buffalo cow – photo by Joubert

Nervous buffalo cow

Buffalo herd continuing over the stream and up the hill to get distance between them and the lions

Lioness

Lioness eyeing us and the buffaloes from the grass (photo by Joubert)

Lioness

Seen high from the Kranskop Loop Road the buffaloes are still trying to put distance between them and the lions

But the lionesses are following patiently behind

We ended our visit to Mountain Zebra National Park with a night drive. The Park is renowned for the quality sightings of otherwise rarely seen nocturnal creatures and our drive certainly did not disappoint!

Scrub Hare (photo by Joubert)

Bat-eared Fox (photo by Joubert)

Aardwolf (photo by Joubert)

DeWetsWild is proud to be a contracted reservations agent for the Mountain Zebra National Park, so whether you’d like us to assist you with a reservation to visit on your own or would like us to include the Park in a guided tour arranged specifically for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Snaps on Tour: More than a thought for the scavengers

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I’ve dedicated this post to the scavenger animals and birds we encountered while touring the Kruger National Park in October. These creatures are often terribly maligned, despite the vital function they perform in healthy ecosystems.

I have a real liking for Spotted Hyenas. They’re nothing like the cowardly scoundrels popular media would have you believe. They’re intelligent and fascinating creatures and spending a little bit of time with them, observing their behaviour and interactions, will quickly convince you of that. I was very happy that we had so many close encounters with hyenas during or October trip to Kruger.

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyena mother suckling her cubs

Hyena on a mission – Maroela Loop near Skukuza

Spotted Hyenas on a mission – Maroela Loop near Skukuza

Early morning at the Hyena den

Spotted Hyena with a wry smile

Spotted Hyena portrait

Spotted Hyena with a wry smile

Spotted Hyena chomping on a buffalo carcass

A parting glance from a Spotted Hyena

Crossing the dry Shingwedzi River on their way home after a night of searching for food

Lazy Spotted Hyena just outside Mopani camp

Our vultures are in crisis. Due to poisoning and habitat loss all the species occurring in the country are now at dire risk of extinction, and it is vital that wilderness’ like the Kruger National Park remain safe havens for these birds fulfilling such a critical task in the ecosystem. We had many sightings of vultures on the wing, pairs at nests and others sitting exposed on the open branches of tall trees, and twice had the pleasure of watching them peck at and squabble over the carcasses of large animals (a buffalo and an elephant respectively).

Lappet-faced Vulture

Hooded Vultures

White-backed Vulture

White-backed Vultures

White-backed Vulture

White-backed Vultures at an elephant carcass

White-backed Vultures at a smelly elephant carcass

White-backed Vultures at an elephant carcass

Some birds and animals are opportunistic more than they’re scavengers. This Yellow-billed Kite is making the most of a windfall spurfowl that was the victim of a hit-and-run on the main road between Satara and Letaba.

Yellow-billed Kite taking advantage of a roadkill spurfowl

Finishing off this post with a few images of another mammal that catches far more of its own food than it scavenges. Black-backed Jackals are the most numerous canid in the Kruger National Park and any visit to the Park will usually yield a few sightings of them. Finding a den however is a rare occurrence, so having the good luck of timing our visit to Satara with the local jackal pair in the family way was wonderful (even if the adorable family caused a traffic jam at the entrance gate to the camp every evening that they played outside just before dark)!

Black-backed Jackal

Black-backed Jackal pups

Black-backed Jackal pup

Black-backed Jackals

Black-backed Jackal

I am a fully accredited and legally registered tour guide (with all the necessary insurance, professional drivers license and first aid certification) – don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like me to arrange a guided tour of beautiful South Africa and all her natural wonders, like the Kruger National Park, for you as well, or even just to assist with your holiday reservations for our national parks and nature reserves throughout the country.

Snaps on Tour: Spotted Princes and Princesses

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In October 2024 I had the immense pleasure of hosting long-time blogging friend John Steiner (of Journeys with Johnbo), his wife Lynn, John’s niece Patricia Broesder and her husband Gary on a tour of Cape Town and the Kruger National Park. In Kruger we were joined by colleagues Hannes Rossouw and Irving Knight, both experts in their respective fields.

Now, you never can guarantee that you’ll see a Leopard; they’re just such experts at camouflage that they can disappear in plain sight. We were therefore all very excited at our first leopard sighting of the trip, in the early afternoon on the main road between Letaba and Satara, though she was certainly difficult to see!

Just look how well this leopard hides in the long grass underneath the thorn bush

Our next leopard sighting was brief but thrilling – we saw a brute of a male strangling an impala he had just caught and then seconds later he pulled the still kicking antelope underneath the dark bush where we could only see glimpses of movement afterwards.

Leopard killing an impala

Another memorable leopard encounter on this trip was that of a female and two well-grown cubs who had their fresh kill stolen by a crocodile, who dragged it back into the Sabie River. All these predators also almost caused a nervous breakdown in a vervet monkey that was anxiously trying to hide in a tree stump whilst making alarm calls. The despondent cats gave us some good views later that afternoon where they lay on the ground and draped over a branch.

Vervet Monkey calling in alarm

Leopard cubs

Leopard cub

Female leopard lying on a branch

Female leopard lying on a branch – just look at the camouflage!

We drove straight past this leopard and all that gave him away was the terrible smell. Just as well that he slinked off to the river, hopefully to wash the blood off his body so that his aroma won’t scare away his next meal!

Leopard disappearing into the thick bush along the Sabie River

Here’s another leopard lying so still and beautifully blended in with its branch overlooking the Sand River that it was almost impossible to see!

Just look how well this leopard blends into its surroundings!

Up north at Shingwedzi we came across this leopard using a gully to stalk a mixed herd of waterbuck and impala grazing in the dry bed of the Shingwedzi River. Eventually though he was thwarted when he was seen by one of the sharp-eyed antelope.

Leopard stalking next to the Shingwedzi River

Snaps on Tour: It’s the Lion they’ve come to see

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Seeing Lions in the wild remains a highlight for anyone on safari, whether it is your first trip or your 100th. I knew that combining Satara and Skukuza on our 6-night trip to Kruger with the Steiners and Broesders would give us an excellent chance of encountering the big cats, and it was wonderful to see our first pride while we were still on our way from the airport at Skukuza to Satara, having just passed Tshokwane on our way northwards.

Lionesses just north of Tshokwane

Next morning, we encountered the males ruling the surroundings of Satara just after we left the camp. The white lion who is part of this four member coalition was also there but we couldn’t make out much more of him than a twitchy ear where he was lying hidden behind a thorn bush.

Male lion just outside Satara

We were still on our way to Tshokwane, where we were planning on having brunch, when we found a trio of lionesses giving up their spot in the shade to try and hunt a nyala bull, without success.

Three lioness hiding in the shade – can you see all three?

Trying to hunt a nyala bull

On the afternoon of our arrival at Skukuza, and after taking a quick detour to collect Hannes’ vehicle from the Skukuza airport where a fire was raging, Irving got a report of a leopard on a kill at De La Porte Waterhole just a few kilometres to the south of camp. When we got there however the leopard had been chased off its prey by a lioness and hyena, who by this time was having a stare-off at the waterhole. A second lioness appeared and the two then headed to a nearby koppie, crossing the road very near to our vehicle.

Hyena eyeing a lioness at a waterhole

Spotted Hyena turning tail

Lioness looking up from her drink

Lioness on the move

Second lioness getting up from her hiding spot

Lioness on the move

Late one morning as we were heading back towards Skukuza along the Sabie River, after having brunch at Nkuhlu, we came across a pride of lions with two sets of cubs born a month or two apart. While the females made an unsuccessful attempt at hunting kudus and impalas right next to the road the cubs came following from behind, trying as desperately as their little legs allowed to keep up with their mothers.

lazy here, these lions attempted a hunt just a few minutes later

Lioness on the move, looking for something to hunt

Lioness locked on her target

Tiny Lion cub

Tiny Lion cubs

Lioness and older cub

Lioness

We found the pride still in the same general area later that afternoon, though now a lot less active.

Pride of lions in the bed of the Sabie River

Taking our guests to the Skukuza airport for their flight back to Johannesburg and ultimately Europe for the next leg of their journey offered one last glimpse of lions just 3km from camp, though we couldn’t stay long for fear of being boxed in by the number of vehicles building up at the sighting.

Glimpse of a lioness lying on the bank of the Sabie River

Up at Shingwedzi there was only a couple of pools of water remaining in the Shingwedzi River at the end of the dry season, and the lions were making good use of this fact to wait for their prey to come to them. Sometimes they were lying out in the open and other times they were hiding in ditches or behind clumps of vegetation, but almost inevitably some time spent scanning the surroundings of the pool would eventually reveal the tawny bodies lying in wait.

Lionesses at the Tinyarhini Waterhole in the Shingwedzi River

Lioness at the Tinyarhini Waterhole in the Shingwedzi River

Well hidden Lionesses at the Dipeni Waterhole in the Shingwedzi River

Lionesses at the Dipeni Waterhole in the Shingwedzi River

Snaps on Tour: Cheetahs that weren’t all that hungry…

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It was mid-morning as we were driving back towards Shingwedzi along the S50 road that skirts the mostly dry course of the Shingwedzi River when we came across three youngish cheetahs on their way towards one of the few waterholes remaining this deep into the dry season. By then we had already seen Africa’s two other species of big cat, lion and leopard (more about them in posts to follow), on that same stretch of road that same morning, so we were thrilled to add the third to our tally even before 09h00!

As the cheetahs approached the waterhole a herd of impala noticed them and started running away, prompting one of the three cheetahs to follow in hot, if unsuccessful, pursuit. The remaining two cheetahs, less energetically, sauntered to the water and then took up a position in the open to wait for the return of their companion. While lying there a family of warthogs almost stepped right on top of them but our excitement at the prospect of an easy hunt for the cheetahs were quickly dashed when they just turned their backs on what looked like easy pickings.