Reptiles and Solar Power take centre stage: April at Umzolozolo
In what feels like the blink of an eye, one quarter of 2025 lies firmly in the rear view mirror! April has been very busy at Umzolozolo. From a guiding perspective, it has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. The start of the month was consistent and intriguing, while the end proved frustrating and intense.
It’s true and fair to say that most people consider any interaction with snakes to be terrifying or avoidable. There are a small percentage who rather enjoy a brief interaction at a safe distance, and then there are the bravest who take interactions to a level most of us steer clear of. The best news for Umzolozolo this month is that the Boomslangs have returned! We have one female residing in the tree above the Curio Shop and a male that spends time around one of the chalets. I shared a super sighting of a Puff Adder on drive with guests and we viewed a deceased Southern African Python near Bass Dam. It seems it ingested a porcupine which inflicted deadly punctures from the inside of the constrictor. Encounters with Water Monitor Lizards have also been on the rise this month.
Nambiti is uncharacteristically muddy for this time of the year, and the roads have been fun to navigate. On a morning drive towards the end of the month, I opted to take a risk and follow up on the cheetah mom and cub. The drive down to where they were last seen was, shall we say, festive! Patience and instinct paid off when the two emerged on the road ahead of us and we spent some quality time following the pair.
Bucket lists are still a big topic and witnessing a kill is often right up on the top of ‘safarians’ lists. I was really fortunate to be in the right place a couple of times this month to capture live kills. Two of the northern male lions took down a blesbok a few metres from the road and dragged it off into the long grass. On another occasion, one of the southern lionesses burst from the long grasses right in front of us to take down a warthog. We were the only vehicle to see it all go down and she was lost in the long grass just moments later.
Fantastic news! This month marks our official transition to solar power, a significant step in realising our vision of becoming an eco-lodge. Our investment in over 150 solar panels is now actively harnessing sunlight to power the entire lodge and charge our battery systems, bringing us closer to complete off-grid sustainability.
In tandem with these efforts, our guiding department is reaching out to our valued guests with a small but impactful request: we encourage you to bring your own double-walled beverage bottle when you visit. This thoughtful gesture will greatly assist us in minimising the use of disposable coffee cups and plastic water bottles during our game drives, further contributing to our sustainability goals.
Game drive times have changed as we move into the colder months. Remember to pack warm attire to keep the chill at bay. See you soon!
Head Guide Noleen Turner