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Rare Moments, Carnivore Craziness & Courageous Cubs: July at Umzolozolo

Anyone who has spent time at Nambiti Game Reserve knows that leopard sightings are a rare and sought after experience. During the first fortnight of July, guests at Umzolozolo were treated to one of the more exceptional leopard encounters ever to have been recorded. Field Guides Promise and Siya were driving a group together and had called for standby for a lion sighting. While waiting to view the southern pride, they happened upon a leopard. As the morning unfolded, it seemed that the lions had also spotted the secret hunter and being the more dominant cat, they started to put pressure on it. Not wanting to go down without a fight, the leopard moved closer to the guides waiting on standby and further from the lions. In a moment of clarity, the leopard identified an escape route and disappeared into the thicket. It just goes to show that you should always expect the unexpected and keep scanning around while on standby for a sighting!

With many of the blocks on the north western side of the reserve being burnt this month, the activity in the area has been increasing. Southern Bald Ibis, Jackal Buzzard and Blue Cranes have been seen foraging in the ashes. A few unique species have also been seen, namely Temminck’s Courser and Senegal Lapwing. Herds of selective grazers like blue wildebeest, blesbok and red hartebeest have moved into the burnt sections as well and this entices the apex predators to put their hunting skills to the test. With the carcasses left out in the open, we have recorded an increase in White-backed Vultures in the area.

We have hosted some bush breakfasts down at Hoopoe Dam this month. Sitting in the mild winter sunshine after a chilly morning drive has been wonderful. It has also been a season of proposals at Umzolozolo recently. We are very delighted to be part of our guests’ big moments and congratulate all of the happy couples on their engagements!

To be fair, it hasn’t been the coldest month this year. There was some frost around on a couple of mornings, and thick mist has been more common. I would still encourage guests to bring their winter woolies along. When the sun is down or sitting low, temperatures are freezing and then we have to also consider the wind chill factor of August!

See you out there! Stay warm!

Head Guide Noleen Turner

Bouncing Babies, Big Bull Battles and Brotherly Bonds: June at Umzolozolo

As I write the first official report for winter, the brrrrrrrrr-effect is front and centre. Many mornings have started below zero and frost covers the grasses and the dung! To counteract the colder conditions, we have a few warm treats up our sleeves. Despite the frosty atmosphere, game viewing has been fantastic!

Considering the season we are in, there certainly are many more young baby beasts bouncing around the reserve than one would expect. We have a few rhino calves with their wrinkly armour, a hippo calf that playfully interacts with other youngsters or its mum, two fluffy cheetah cubs that are exploring with energy and keeping mom on her toes, buffalo calves marching along in the herds with their big boots on and even a giraffe calf was born recently!

Field Guide Mark and I visited a sighting of the elephant herd this month where we observed a few of the younger bulls pushing and shoving one another to hone their skills. We have all viewed the tussles between giraffe bulls as they improve their swings. I had the unique privilege of watching two black rhino bulls locked in a face-off that was likely over a female. Neither wanted to relinquish their position and we eventually left them to sort it out without an audience. Fights between younger bulls are preparation for the main event when they become dominant, or look to establish dominance. The practice bouts are a vital aspect of their future success.

We have had some interesting experiences this month. Promise, Siya and I spent some time in the field with student vets from the US. It was an excellent opportunity to see a different aspect of game reserve management. We participated at times and observed at other times. I am quite sure that we gained invaluable experience while working alongside reserve management, the anti-poaching team, a helicopter pilot, wildlife vets and student vets. I am also pleased to announce that I successfully completed my practical assessment to obtain the NQF 4 Nature Site Guide qualification. Thank you to everyone for their support and encouragement!

Around the reserve we are seeing an increase in the burning of fire breaks. The charred sections are already attracting birds and mammals alike. We have observed Pied Crows, Temminck’s Courser and Lanner Falcon foraging in the areas alongside zebra, square-lipped rhinos and warthogs. Within the next few weeks, our block burns will begin as we prepare for the fire season.

If you are visiting us during the month of July, I encourage warm clothing with an emphasis on protection for your face, hands and feet. It is freezing in the mornings!

Hope to see you soon! Stay warm!

Head Guide Noleen Turner

High-speed Hunts and Killer Cats: May at Umzolozolo

Forgive me for waxing lyrical in this introduction to May, but it really is a special month in the bush. We have experienced a few mornings where temperatures have clearly dipped below zero and left frosty evidence on the grasses and piles of rhino dung. Guests have bundled up with thick jackets, beanies, scarves and gloves to fend off the icy conditions, and the coffee stops have stretched a little longer into the morning as we enjoy the mild sun and the warm beverages.

Our big cats have featured brightly this month, and given us much to photograph and video. Blue wildebeest and zebra seem to have been the main target prey items for both the lions and the cheetah brothers. The southern lions (including the two dominant males) started in the second week of May with a wildebeest kill in the south. They followed this up with a zebra foal and a few days later another wildebeest kill that must have happened just before or during the first few minutes of game drive because there was still steam rising off the carcass when we arrived on scene. In the last week of the month, the southern lions moved closer to Umzolozolo. Field Guide Mark and his guests witnessed them taking down another blue wildebeest for breakfast, and on that same afternoon, Field Guides Promise and Nols witnessed them stalk and kill an eland.

The spotted cats showed off their skills with a bit more flair. A few of us were responding to the cheetah sighting towards the end of our morning safari. The two brothers had positioned themselves to the south of a large confusion of blue wildebeest. From stalk to chase, these two speedsters displayed their experience and collaborative skills as they isolated and brought down a calf. It was an epic!

In between the big cat moments, we have also enjoyed excellent sightings of hippos, square-lipped rhinos, kudus, giraffes and buffalo. The hippos are beginning to lie on the banks of the dams during the day, and the autumn shades of yellow have made it a little easier to spot the darker coats of buffaloes from afar. May has also been a good month for leopard sightings. The sightings have, for the most part, been brief, but at least four separate moments have been called in on the radio.

One of the best things about this time of the year is the opportunity for bush breakfasts and boma dinners! The morning temperatures are milder for longer and it is quite pleasant to be seated out in the open with Hoopoe Dam sparkling in the sunlight. In the evenings, with more stable weather conditions, fires burning brightly and the red wine flowing, outdoor dinners are more enjoyable too!

With the last official autumn month complete, we move into winter at Nambiti Game Reserve. Mornings are particularly freezing. We leave for the game drive at 06:30 and extra layers are imperative. Between game drives, it is gloriously mild and the sun is a treat. The afternoon safari starts off warm, but as dusk arrives it gets progressively colder and blankets are absolutely necessary.

Hope to see you soon! Stay wild!

Head Guide Noleen Turner

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

Golden webs and Big 5 visits: March at Umzolozolo

Nambiti Game Reserve is looking fantastic! Our dams are full to the brim, the rivers are flowing, and the vegetation is lush. There is an abundance of everything, from butterflies to wild flowers to wildebeest, and the predators are thriving.

The month has been a tale of two halves when it comes to elephant sightings. They were featured in most of our game drives in the first half of March as they explored the southern dams and valleys. The entire herd popped into the lodge as well. A few bulls sauntered up to the main lodge while the herd stayed around the access road and in the thickets. It made for an interesting evening when guests had to be escorted to their chalets after dinner! The elephant calves are growing bigger and braver by the day. They are full of sass and keep us thoroughly entertained when we find them on the road with the bigger cows around for backup.

Sadly, the herd journeyed into the far north for most of the last fortnight which made sightings fewer and further between.

Golden and Garden Orb spiders have been busy constructing their massive webs amongst the acacia trees. Threads of gold catch the sunlight at dusk while the morning dew reveals the multitudes. The webs are an architectural wonder. It is the large, colourful females who stand in the centre of the sticky traps waiting to wrap up their insect victims. As you can imagine, it is all screams and ninja moves when we accidentally drive into one of the webs!

There has been an interesting shift in the northern pride this month. Two of the young males have split from the pride, and have been moving along the eastern valleys from north to south and back again. They are looking strong and are clearly capable of fending for themselves. On a morning drive, our guests were treated to these two handsome cats strolling right up into camp! We followed them up to the drop-off steps and tracked them down to Hoopoe Loop. It is equal parts exciting and terrifying to know that these apex predators walk along our pathways! Field Guide Nols shared a rare encounter between these two males and a white rhino bull with her guests on an afternoon safari. Taking on a mammal that size is something that only young boys would dare to consider.

Field Guide Mark and his guests had an epic sighting this month when they watched one of the southern lionesses stalk a zebra at twilight. The big cat caught the zebra by surprise in the low light, but the evasive skills and strength of the zebra were not to be underestimated. Both animals ended up airborne at one point as the lioness attempted to bring down the 300kg stallion. It all happened in a few seconds, but it took a while for heart rates to stabilise. The zebra survived, but the wounds it sustained are evidence of its brush with death.

March has been a fabulous month for black rhino sightings. Not only have the moments been more frequent, but they have also been more authentic. Black rhinos have a reputation for being weary and secretive. They are fierce protectors and have mastered the art of a good stare down.

Up at the lodge we have seen good progress on the solar upgrades. The framework is complete and panels have started arriving on site. We hosted a bush boma braai (with Zulu dancers) and a few bush breakfasts this month down at Hoopoe Dam. It was festive and fabulous to enjoy the outdoor space with guests. Speaking of guests, we welcomed back many returning guests this month and it was truly wonderful to make more memories with visitors who have become family!

March has been phenomenal in so many ways. Let’s see what April has in store for us 😉

Head Guide Noleen Turner

Big storms & epic sunsets: February at Umzolozolo

The month of February is becoming more and more synonymous with big storms every year. Our panoramic views from the Umzolozolo deck provide the perfect lookout to watch the cumulonimbus clouds creep towards us from every direction as the tension builds in the atmosphere. As the lightning performs across the sky, the thunder rumbles through the plains and up the valleys. The lodge, however, remains a haven of comfort nestled in the heart of the bush, offering a perfect balance of adventure and tranquillity, a place where the wild beauty of South Africa can be experienced in luxurious comfort.

Nambiti Game Reserve is home to over 200 buffaloes. For the most part, they roam the grasslands and seek shelter in the wooded areas in two main herds. Both herds have experienced a ‘baby boom’ with many young calves skipping merrily behind their tenacious mothers. The vocalisations within the herd as they stay in touch with one another is like a dinner bell to the lions. We have shared a few entertaining encounters with guests as the two species interact. On a recent afternoon safari, the Umzolozolo guides and their guests watched on as a herd of buffalo picked up the scent of the southern lions. The whole herd turned towards the apex predators and proceeded to chase them down into a gully. A wave of 40 buffaloes mobilised to turn the tables on the hunters!

The elephant herd paid us a visit down at Hoopoe Dam. It was a group of bulls that provided the most entertainment as they converged on the dam to have a quick dip and inspect the surrounding vegetation for treats. We were quite surprised when the largest bull scaled the dam wall before dipping his trunk in the water and quenching his thirst. Views from our deck were wonderful as we watched the herd move across the open area and disappear into the foothills. Our elephant calves are doing well and are growing stronger. The youngest has started to master its trunk at the water’s edge, but is still adapting to browsing. They are our truest entertainers!

An update on the two cheetah cubs is that they are full of energy and have started to join their mother when she has a kill. They are exploring their habitat by climbing trees and chasing one another from thicket to thicket. This playful behaviour is honing their skills for stalking and hunting. Field Guide Siya enjoyed a moment with the family on an impala kill. The cubs are still suckling, but are also being weaned onto their carnivore cuisine. While sightings of them are still fairly infrequent, they are special and cherished by all.

Cheetahs are not the only spotted cats that have made an appearance this month. Our Serval sightings have been fantastic! Head Guide Nols shared an unforgettable encounter with her guests as a female stalked and hunted alongside the cruiser. On a morning safari up in the north of Nambiti, guests spotted the small predator to the left of the vehicle. She moved out onto the road, and then used her acute sense of hearing to detect something small in the long grass. As she zeroed in on the prey, she crouched down and then leapt into the air and disappeared into the long grass. We can only assume that she was successful!

At the lodge, there are new things on the go! Our rooms have been upgraded with key card entry and gas geysers. We are in the process of constructing a solar farm that will take us completely off the grid and reduce our carbon footprint. Hoopoe Dam has also undergone a few changes. The dam wall has been raised and there is a new section of road that will improve accessibility.

Umzolozolo welcomes a new guide to the team this month. Mark Steinfeld joins us from NJ More College and Marataba Luxury Lodges in the Waterberg. We welcome the young man to the family and wish him great sightings and wonderful encounters as he begins his field guiding career with us!

Stay wild!

Head Guide Noleen Turner

Golden Sunsets & Wild Encounters: January at Umzolozolo

The new year has arrived, and with it, the wild heart of summer beats stronger than ever on Nambiti. January brings golden sunsets, warm breezes, and the untamed beauty of the South African bush in full bloom. The landscape hums with life – lush greenery, dramatic skies, and an abundance of wildlife thriving in the heat of the season. From early morning game drives to sunset safaris that set the sky ablaze, every moment is a reminder that nature never rests. Join us as we step into another year of unforgettable safari adventures, where each day promises new encounters, breathtaking scenery, and the raw magic of the wild.

Let’s get into it, starting with our two cheetah cubs looking more grown up every time we see them. They are playful and inquisitive youngsters that are gaining in strength and confidence. While sightings have not been as frequent as we would like, they remain extremely special.

A feature of this first month of game drives is certainly the shift of our northern pride of lions. The six big cats ventured much deeper into the southern reaches of the reserve and they are thriving. Surrounded by more dense vegetation and a bounty of herbivores with young, they are hunting with greater success and appear to be in no hurry to move back up into the north. While the three sub-adult males remain with the pride, the time will soon come when they will be forced to leave. Their bond as brothers will be their greatest advantage – hunting together, defending one another, and slowly growing into the powerful forces they are destined to become.

Summer game drives are fabulous for viewing calves, lambs, foals and piglets. The lush greenery of summer provides the perfect conditions for new life, and everywhere you look, tiny hooves and wobbly legs signal the arrival of the next generation. The air is filled with the calls of mothers and their young, a constant symphony of reassurance and bonding. We welcomed a new hippo calf to the family this month. Most of the sightings have been in and around Bass Dam where the mom stays close. Herds of buffalo, wildebeest, and zebra move in synchrony, their young calves sticking close to their mothers in the open plains. Playful warthog piglets scurry between tufts of grass, their tails held high like tiny aerials, while square-lipped rhino babies nag their mothers with a delicate squeal.

While out on drive, we have been encountering a few interesting birds in the south. There are a lot more European Rollers perching on the leafless acacias and European Honey Buzzards soaring above the Ndaka River valley. We counted at least 47 Blue Cranes on the western plains and our breeding pairs have successfully raised approximately four or five chicks in total. The most exciting discovery of the month was a rare Dwarf Bittern that popped up alongside a mud wallow just below Umzolozolo Lodge.

Our guests have enjoyed some wonderful events at Hoopoe Dam this month. We hosted a good few bush breakfasts down there and at least one boma dinner under the stars. The night sky was made even more interesting by the presence of four planets that we could see with our naked eye. In other lodge news, the new door locks have been installed and the key card system is up and running!

With the first month of 2025 in our rearview mirrors, we look ahead to February with excitement! If you are visiting us this month, remember to pack your swimming outfits, sunscreen and a rain jacket.

See you soon!

Head Guide Noleen Turner

Reflection and Resolutions: Busy lodge, Animal updates, and more

The Festive Season is a busy time for Umzolozolo! Christmas decorations adorn the main lodge, setting the scene for guests who are spending the holidays with loved ones on safari! The craziness of December is not exclusive to the indoors, our wild creatures continue to keep us entertained and enthralled with curious behaviour and summer shenanigans. This month has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride with many ups and downs along the way, but it has also highlighted the adventurous spirit of 2024.

While we continue to celebrate the births of many new animals like blue wildebeest, buffalo and giraffe, we are also reminded of the savage nature of the wild. The lambs, piglets and calves have got to avoid the many predators looking to hunt the easy targets. Our cheetahs are experts at stalking and chasing impala lambs and warthog piglets and there have been a few occasions where we got to share this experience with guests. It is brutal but also captivating! I recall two separate sightings that involved cheetah females and impalas. The first was a successful hunt that took place below our lodge at Hoopoe Dam right in front of our eyes. The female showed cunning, planning and raw speed to take down an impala lamb. The second sighting was a failed hunt in the afternoon. We spent time following a young female cheetah that eventually locked on to a herd of impala. She identified a target and pursued it, the hunt took place around our safari vehicle. It was on another level. While she didn’t get dinner that day, we did find her a few mornings later with a fresh impala kill for breakfast.

It would be impossible to write a December report without mentioning our two cheetah cubs! The oldest of our two new cheetah females brought the cub bundles out just after Christmas and blessed many of us with awesome sightings. They are only a couple of months old but they are very cute. Cheetah cubs are born resembling honey badgers which helps to keep them safe. Honey badgers are notoriously feisty and aggressive towards other predators. This mimicry helps keep the cubs safer for the first few months of their lives. It is genius!

Our lions have been keeping us entertained as well. The northern pride have ventured into the central and southern regions of the reserve a bit more. They were feasting on a buffalo recently and also took down a warthog which was a busy sighting. One of the southern lionesses stalked a couple of square-lipped rhinos a few weeks back which was both comical to watch and optimistic by nature.

From the birding side of the reserve, December has been amazing! We recorded a new raptor species this month when a female Montagu’s Harrier was reported. She spent a few days hunting on the western plains and I was delighted to snap a few photos of her before she left the area. We welcomed migrant species to the reserve in much greater numbers this month. Amur Falcon, Lesser Kestrel, European Honey Buzzard, European Roller, Common Buzzard, White Stork and Barn Swallow have been spotted, logged and enjoyed. More than two dozen Blue Cranes have been seen in the grassland areas and they were accompanied by a couple of Grey-crowned Cranes for a few days as well. Three members of our Umzolozolo team participated in this year’s Big Birding Day on 7 December. We logged a total of 139 birds in 24 hours and placed 17th out of about 100 teams nationwide.

The year ended on the best note we could have asked for. A sighting of a leopard on 30 December! The illusive leopard was reported and I responded. It disappeared. I opted to stick around. It reappeared on the top of a hill! It was twilight but we eked out as much time with it as we could. Eventually we left it there in the thicket and headed back for dinner. It was awesome!!!

As we look back on the year, we recognise how fortunate we are to call Nambiti Game Reserve our home and how privileged we are to share this place and all of its characters with our guests. We can only hope that 2025 will be even better!

Happy New Year and stay wild!

Head Guide Noleen Turner

Summer Highlights: Big Cats, New Life and More

As the end of Spring gives way to Summer in Nambiti, the month of November has been truly spectacular! It is quite difficult to single out a few species to highlight, because game drives have been remarkable. I will give it a try.

From intimate moments with our big cats to being surrounded by the larger herbivores, November has had it all. The impala lambs, zebra foals and warthog piglets continue to delight guests with their adorable antics. Impala lambs have been on many carnivores’ menus this month. A sad thought, but a necessary bounty for our cats and dogs.

Both lion prides have been out and about providing us with quality moments to share with new and returning guests at Umzolozolo. We have observed them hunting, feeding, fighting, mating and roaring on a few occasions. The northern sub-adult cubs continue to grow bigger and stronger, with the three males already sporting impressive manes.

The cheetah brothers are thriving. They feature on most of our highlights reels every month, and November is no exception. We were fortunate to see a kill where they both took down a hartebeest calf for dinner, and on another occasion, we spent time with them on an impala kill. Our oldest female cheetah has spent some time in the south and visited the lodge a few times. She even hunted below our dam and successfully captured an impala lamb. We could see her from our deck.

With temperatures soaring into the mid thirties a few times this month, the elephants have been spending most afternoons swimming in the dams. They completely submerge themselves and can be seen splashing and frolicking in the shallows. We welcomed another baby into the family and it is adapting well in the lush conditions.

Our three wild dogs ventured further into the northern territory of Nambiti. They are being monitored closely by the reserve managers and field guides, but the general consensus is that they are adapting well. With just the three of them on the reserve, it is exciting to track them down and maximise our time with them before they explore the more remote areas.

News around the lodge is that we have Cape Wagtails and African Paradise Flycatchers nesting close to the offices. The chicks have all fledged now, but it was fascinating to watch them grow and get fed by the parents.

It is a glorious time to be in the bush, and we cannot wait to bring you more news from Nambiti as the Summer rolls around.

Stay wild!

Head Guide Noleen Turner

Spring Awakens: Wildlife, Colours, and Adventures at Umzolozolo

The sound of Red-chested, Black, Diederik and Jacobin Cuckoos signal and confirm the arrival of most of the migratory bird species in Nambiti. Wahlberg’s Eagles and Yellow-billed Kites have been seen soaring above the plains and valleys as well. There are a few special birds that we are still waiting for, but it is beginning to feel more like spring.

The three African Wild Dogs are doing really well. They have begun exploring the eastern side of the reserve this month while popping back into the south every now and again. The canines are hunting frequently and successfully which is an even more encouraging sign. Their playful natures and energetic antics have kept us all on our toes.

The northern pride of lions have featured on the radio more often this month. The three males are growing bigger and becoming more involved in hunting. One of them has been fitted with a tracking collar as their days with the pride are numbered. The big cats continue to explore the northwestern and central western plains, but have been spotted as far south as Springbok Lodge on one occasion!

Our yellow hues have morphed into bright greens as your eyes fall on the views. Wild flowers, like Purple Verbena, Crinum Lilies, Evening Primrose and Star Lilies are adding a pop of colour to the bushveld floor. The yellow pom poms of the Acacia trees are just starting to bloom, and there are flying insects, dung beetles, milkweed locusts and longhorn beetles all around.

Activities at the lodge have been in full swing for spring. The spa ladies have their hands full, taking rest and relaxation to another level. Room 2 renovations are ongoing as the double suite gets a revamp. Bush breakfasts at Hoopoe Dam are a popular change of scenery with guests enjoying the outdoor experience.

Activities at the lodge have been in full swing for spring. The spa ladies have their hands full, taking rest and relaxation to another level. Room 2 renovations are ongoing as the double suite gets a revamp. Bush breakfasts at Hoopoe Dam are a popular change of scenery with guests enjoying the outdoor experience.

I am quite certain that our next report will feature the baby boom as we have already spotted newborn zebra foals and hartebeest calves on the open plains toward the end of October.

It is going to get even wilder in November!

Head Guide Noleen Turner