DeWetsWild conducted a two-week tour of the Kruger National Park with altogether nine people to see out 2025 and ring in 2026 and every day for the month of February I’ll be sharing just a few of the many memories our group collected.
When they’re so docilely chewing their mouthfuls of lush summer grass it is easy to forget just how dangerous our African buffaloes are – that is until they give you “the eye”!
Buffaloes grazing
Buffaloes grazing
Buffaloes grazing
Buffaloes grazing
If you’d like to join me on a guided tour of South Africa’s wild places, of even if you’d just like a bit of help putting your reservations together, don’t hesitate to reach out!
DeWetsWild conducted a two-week tour of the Kruger National Park with altogether nine people to see out 2025 and ring in 2026 and every day for the month of February I’ll be sharing just a few of the many memories our group collected.
We didn’t get to see many buffalo during the trip, despite them being among the mammals with the highest population in the Park. This was probably as a result of the good rainfall the Park was receiving, leading to a flush of green grass and easily accessible water in areas well away from the tourist roads. It was actually during a downpour that we found a small herd just south of Satara. One of the cows in the group was noticeably nervous and on high alert, and while we never could figure out why she was so highly strung it was clear she wasn’t to be messed with!
Very alert buffalo cow near Satara
Very alert buffalo cow near Satara
If you’d like to join me on a guided tour of South Africa’s wild places, of even if you’d just like a bit of help putting your reservations together, don’t hesitate to reach out!
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
Scenery in Mountain Zebra National Park
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
Buffalo
Very nervous buffalo cow – photo by Joubert
Nervous buffalo cow
Nervous buffalo cow
Buffalo herd continuing over the stream and up the hill to get distance between them and the lions
Lioness
Lioness
Lioness
Lioness eyeing us and the buffaloes from the grass (photo by Joubert)
Lioness
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!
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
A Buffalo standing on a dam wall gives an unusual perspective
A Buffalo standing on a dam wall gives an unusual perspective
A Buffalo standing on a dam wall gives an unusual perspective
Buffalo taking a little longer to chew this prickly grasshead
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
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!
The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is home to several hundred African Buffaloes, and they’re especially numerous in the Eastern Shores section of the reserve. They’re such powerful beasts with a well deserved reputation for a dangerous disposition, and it is always exciting to see them at close quarters.
African Buffalo
African Buffalo
African Buffalo
African Buffalo
African Buffalo
African Buffaloes
African Buffalo
African Buffaloes
African Buffaloes
Remember that DeWetsWild will gladly assist you with reservations and guided tours of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park if you’d like to visit this wonderful place as well.
African Buffaloes are social animals that may congregate in herds many hundreds strong. Several such exceptionally large herds roam the Kruger National Park and we were fortunate to encounter some of them during our visit in June ’23. We also came across many lone bulls with their very intimidating attitudes – usually older ones that have been evicted from the breeding herds.
Big Buffalo Bull
Buffalo herd in the Nwaswitsontso River
Two young Buffalo bulls currying favour with a very commanding mature bull
Buffalo bull (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo cow
Buffalo cow with stunted horns accompanied by a bull (photo by Joubert)
Buffaloes (photo by Joubert)
Young but very imposing Buffalo bull
They might be at the water, but they’re not Water Buffalo – these are African, or Cape, Buffaloes
Old loner
Lopsided Buffalo cow
Death stare from a buffalo bull (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo Bull
Buffalo portrait
Buffalo close-up
This short video will give you a sense of the immenseness of these special buffalo herds:
Buffalo lend themselves beautifully to monochrome photography, and the slow passing of the huge herds gave us ample opportunity to play around with our cameras.
There’s no denying that Africa’s mega-mammals are a great attraction for visitors to our national parks, and being in close proximity to these majestic and charismatic animals remains a thrill we cannot ever tire of, no matter how often we have the pleasure to see them up close.
The Cape, of African, Buffalo may not box in the same weight division as the rhinos and elephants that also call Marakele National Park home, but they have a well deserved fearsome reputation, especially the cantankerous lone males, of which we saw quite a few while we were exploring the Park on our short visit last week.
A lone Cape Buffalo bull sauntering along the road in Marakele National Park
An old Buffalo bull staring at us from behind a bush
With our white and black rhinos being so severely threatened by poachers it was heartening to have several good sightings of these prehistoric-looking animals at Marakele, and we realised again what a great debt of gratitude we owe the rangers who keep these animals safe on a daily basis.
White Rhino family in Marakele National Park
White Rhino family in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)
Enormous White Rhino bull walking straight at us (photo by Joubert)
Enormous White Rhino bull walking straight at us
Young White Rhino by its mother’s side (photo by Joubert)
White Rhino family in Marakele National Park
Big White Rhino Bull (photo by Joubert)
Big White Rhino Bull
An elephant roadblock is always a wonderful experience, but in Marakele, where the elephants are less used to having vehicles in their space, it can be downright exciting! It is important to give the grey giants lots of space and respect, so I am grateful that I can trust Joubert to get the shots while I keep the car pointing in the right direction!
Elephant claiming the right of way in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)
Elephant claiming the right of way in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)
Elephant claiming the right of way in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)
Elephant claiming the right of way in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)
Elephant claiming the right of way in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)
Elephant claiming the right of way in Marakele National Park (photo by Joubert)
One afternoon during our recent visit to Marakele National Park, while relaxing on the deck of our safari tent and enjoying the serenity of Tlopi Camp, this sizable herd of buffaloes visited their local waterhole for a drink. Joubert is responsible for all these pictures.
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo herd visiting Tlopi Tented Camp (photo by Joubert)
The grasslands of the central Kruger Park supports several very large herds of African Buffalo, as well as numerous old bulls relegated to solitary lives. Encounters with Buffaloes are always exciting, for even when they’re in the best of moods they still look at you as if you are overdue on money owed to them. Though this is mostly for show and probably as much to satisfy their curiosity as it is a threatening posture (we’ve rarely been charged by buffalo while in a vehicle), these powerful animals deserve their dangerous reputation and should be treated with respect.
Buffalo bull just finished his mud bath
Two old Buffalo bulls resting in the Sabie River on a hot day
Young Buffalo cow
Young Buffalo bull
Buffalo bull
Buffalo bull
Buffalo Bull among mopane shrubs
Buffalo Bull
Herd of Buffalo crossing the road
Herd of Buffalo crossing the road
Herd of Buffalo crossing the road
Herd of Buffalo crossing the road
Herd of Buffalo crossing the road
Buffalo cow
Herd of Buffalo crossing the road (photo by Joubert)
Herd of Buffalo crossing the road (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo Bull
Buffalo cow with oxpecker
Young Buffalo bull peering down his nose over the long grass
Buffalo cow
Buffalo cow
Pregnant Buffalo cow
Buffalo calf (photo by Joubert)
Young Buffalo peering at us over the long grass (photo by Joubert)
Big herd of Buffalo blocking the road between Olifants and Letaba
Big herd of Buffalo blocking the road between Olifants and Letaba
Big Buffalo Bull (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo Bull in his prime (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo cow chewing on fresh grass (photo by Joubert)
Sadly that horrible day arrived when we had to depart for home. Thankfully, as we were on our way to the Park’s gate this morning, Mountain Zebra National Park sent a delegation of buffalo to wish us well on our journey .
DeWetsWild 