Greater Kruger at its best

The legendary Kruger National Park is undeniably one of Africa's greatest wildlife destinations. It really offers everything from some of the most informative and exciting wilderness trails to game lodge experiences without rival. Regardless of ones interests, it is sure to deliver. We have hosted a safari to some of the premium lodges in the area namely Londolozi and Singita Lebombo. Although within the same region these two properties are significantly different and offers some of the best wildlife out there.  

Our first stop was Londolozi and upon arrival, we basically encountered all of the big and charismatic animals, the highlight being a pride of seven lionesses feeding on a day old dead buffalo, a great  portent of what was to follow over the next few days. The total tally of lions alone was 44 animals while we encountered no less than 7 individual leopards.

Increasingly under threat of poaching White Rhino in the Mopani scrubland.  

Thanks to the very active and effective anti-poaching activities whithin the conservancies White Rhino populations are still stable and we were lucky to encounter a few of them.  

A large female leopard emerges from the shadows. 

Londolozi is known for its pioneering work on Leopard habituation and now offers a world class experience with the most elusive of the big cats. This female is reputedly related to the original mother leopard that was initially habituated to game viewing activities in the 70's.

Highly skilled and professional trackers and guides ensures safe yet exciting viewing.

Part if a group of 14 lions of the Shishangaan pride, a single lioness splits off briefly for an afternoon drink in the Nwanetsi River.

Next stop was Singita Lebombo. This private concession on the very eastern corner of Kruger National Park and straddles the Lebombo mountain range on the border of Mozambique. What leds additional appeal is the meandering Nwanetsi river.  With current drought South Africa is really affecting wildlife and wildlife areas tremendously. Although disturbing to see, one still has to keep in mind that this is a natural process that also contributes to wildlife population control. Wildlife viewing can actually be very good during these dry conditions. Watercourses such as the scenic Nwanetsi river is an artery of life and attracts large numbers of grazers while predators follow shortly behind. The Lebombo concession is known for its large lion prides. The Shish pride, for instance split up into ten and 17 animals respectively with four large males ranging over both subgroups.

A young male lion of around 3 years strolls towards us at the break of day. 

And within the Shish pride lurks one of the most enigmatic of African mammals currently to be seen on the continent. A white lion. As luchk would have it we didn't find this rare individual until our second last day. But what a great sighting we had once we located the pride. The arresting vision of a lions glare through unusual blue eyes is something to experience. Words fail hopelessly.

With only three known wild white lions in the world, all of them within Greater Kruger, its a sight never to be forgotten.  

A playful moment. 

And finally, just to show that it doesn't have to be rough out there, here are some images of the exquisite Singita Lebombo Lodge. 

The main lodge with long bar area. 

Pool Area. 

Main bedroom viewed from the veranda. 

If you would like to arrange your safari to any of these destinations please contact us here.

Uganda - Murchison Falls

Stunning savannah landscapes in Murchison Falls National Park.

The flight into Entebbe was an unexpected surprise. For some reason the pilot descended quite low over lake Victoria revealing the lake islands with its fishing communities and seemingly lost fishing boats on the vast expanse of the lake.  After effortless custom procedures, courtesy of Premier Safaris, we proceeded to the Boma Guest house only minutes from the airport where safari guests met up at dinner.

Uganda is a fresh, wonderful, clean and friendly destination with some of Africa's most surpizing experiences. It is fast becoming my favorite safari country. A true Ugandan welcome the next morning during breakfast by the likes of Great Blue Turaco, Black and White Casqued Hornbills, Black-headed Gonolek, Splendid Glossy Starlings and even a trio of Ross's Turacos made us all feel very welcome to this verdant country. Rejuvenated we took on the road to our first destination, Murchison falls National Park in the west of the country. After negotiating the back roads of Kampala we  eventually turned onto the superb roads leading past emerald landscapes to the northern sector of the Albertine or Western Rift Valley. Just before the park the road leads through Budongo Forest, this alone being worth the trek. Myriads of butterflies darted across the dirt road leading through the untouched forest while secretive forest birds (most unfortunately unidentified) darted across our path. This forest alone is worth a few days exploring but our itinerary only allowed brief stops.

From a small rocky island in the White Nile one gets a view into the mouth of murchison Falls, The entire White Nile river crashes through a cap only 7 metres wide!!!

The short detour to the top of Murchison falls is really worth the effort as the White Nile River, (yes the one of legend and myth) passes through the seven meter gap and plummets angrily into the valley 45 meters below. Undeniably one of Africa’s most spectacular places.  One has to cross to the northern bank by  ferry. Getting to this point and seeing the vast river only emphasize the extent of the falls. While not the highest in Africa by any stretch, the mere fact that this huge volume has to squeeze through a narrow gap of only seven meters baffles the mind. 

 Yet another special - Uganda Kob. Every single image from this park has the most amazing luminous green background!! 

Murchison Falls is certainly now my “flavor of the month”. The first game drive revealed Hippo returning to their watry beds, Patas Monkey (a new species for all of us), dozens of Oribi, Buffalo, Rothchilds Giraffe, Uganda Kob and a host of others. But top of the list must be the birds. Murchison is one of the best places to see the enigmatic Shoebill and our first morning produced two individual sightings as well as Abysinian Ground hornbill and a glut of other avian jewels too many to mention.  

In the afternoon we found ourselves ploughing our way upstream against the current past herds of Elephant amongst the pristine riverine forests. Ubiquitous herds of Hippo are scattered throughout although seeing some of the monster crocs proved more difficult than anticipated. An interesting stop was at the red – throated bee-eater colony. Although common with the park these resplendent birds are a Murchison-Falls special and it was great getting close up views and pics of them.

The following morning had us heading downstream towards the delta where the Nile enters Lake Albert. Up until this point this section of the White Nile is known as the Victoria Nile. Once it leaves Lake Albert is is known as the Albert Nile. Top of our hit-list was close up images of Uganda’s prime  avian resident – Shoebill stork.

One of Africa's most sought-after bird. An African Shoebill filling our frames. Even the non-birders gets excited about this one.

And the combination of great local knowledge (and incredible eyesight) from Eric our premier Safaris guide and the boating skills of James who navigated the shallow side channels resulted in more than frame filling images of one of the worlds most bizarre looking and most sought after birds. I would like to think that the above image would go some way toward illustrating our total awe at this sighting.  

Part of the Nile landscape - local fisherman on Lake Albert.

The big cats eluded us thus far though so our last game drive was aimed at finding the big cats. One can be forgiven for thinking Uganda is not a predator destination, yet surprisingly some of the Parks, including Murchison offers great predator viewing.

There are some great lion viewing within the park if time allows you to look for them.

Mission accomplished as we encountered two adult lionesses and six cubs on our last drive, again in the most brilliant green scenery an out in the open – posing beautifully for photographs.

Abysinian Ground Hornbill - another local birding highlight.

Murchison falls national park is wild, big and offers some of the most diverse habitats and activities within a short distance. Dedicated birders, specialist wildlife enthusiast, wildlife photographer or even fisherman. Its all there. Now off to Kibale.

Blyde River Canyon

South Africa's most incredible scenery.

The Blyde River Canyon in the worlds Third largest Canyon and the largest “moist” Canyon in the world. It is also one of the most visited sites in South Africa and a “must see” destination with sites like the Three Rondavels, God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and several striking and scenic waterfalls. This, believe it or not is but a very small part of what the Canyon offers.

We are based on the slopes of the highest peaks of the Canyon and though the years have “discovered” a wide array of exciting and enchanting corners of the canyon. It is here that we prefer to spend our days.

View from Littlebush Private Lodge. The Canyon slopes can be seen in the background. 

Few venture off the beaten track and one literally has the entire Canyon to yourself when seeking out the hidden corners. It offers a wide variety of activities from the very adventurous to the tranquil. Interestingly, as one ascends the mountain the vegetation changes as you gain altitude.  The vegetation gradually  changes from typical lowveld bushveld of acacias and combretum woodland to evergreen forests and eventually Alpine Fynbos. Each biome hosts its own suite of birds and animals. 

The area offers unique images for Landscape Photographers. 

Landscape photographers have endless opportunities. Climatic conditions vary enormously and the mountain weather is continually changing, creating dynamic photographic opportunities. The views are of the best in Africa and the rugged mountainscape produces endless options for striking images. Closed forest canopies allows for photography throughout the course of the day as the dappled light kisses the forest floor.

Hiking trails snake into the belly of the forests where you stand a chance of catching a glimpse of the rare and endangered Samango monkeys or the secretive Red Duiker antelope. Interestingly we have seen Caracal on a few occasions. Birdlife is equally absorbing with the likes of Crowned Eagle, Narina Trogon, Black-fronted bushshrike, Knysna and Purple-crested Turaco’s, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher and host of other birds make their home. Forest birding is of course challenging with birds more often heard than seen but the reward is great when eventually catching up with them.

Klipspringer Pair in the high altitude mountains. 

In the higher lying Fynbos regions Klipspringer are often seen while Guerney’s Grassbird as well as Malachite, Amethyst and Greater Double-collared sunbirds feed on the Aloes and Proteas.

We venture right into the belly of the Canyon to the banks of the fast flowing Blyde river. Swing from a ropeswing into the river or explore the depths of a limestone cave.

All our activities are hosted on a fully exclusive base. You have a private vehicle and guide throughout your stay. We do of course recommend the timing and duration of all activities but it can be tailored exactly to your requirements and pace. We are strategically situated within 30 minutes of the Eastgate airport and combine the Blyde adventures easily with any of the private lodges in the Timbavati, Klaserie, Sabie Sands or Kruger National Park.

And should your safari include Cape Town or Victoria Falls we are only 2.5 hours from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport in Nelspruit, which has daily connecting flights to both Cape Town, and Livingstone in Zambia. 

Wildlife Photography in the Masai Mara.

Cheetah Learning school. An eight month old cheetah hones his hunting skills while mom supervise.

I have just returned from the last of this years Kenyan Migration Safaris. My season this year actually started in May already with a flying Safari through some of Heritage Hotels properties for Africa Geographic magazine. Although this trip took me through Tsavo and Samburu in the North it also brought me to the Mara before the main migration season. Being May, the long rains was in full swing but it did allow me to view the Mara again as I only saw it when I lived there way back in 2004. Wonderfully green with waist high grasses and breeding birds all around. A challenging time to drive a round the Mara’s black cotton soil but also a rare privilege to see the Mara as few see it. Have a look at the article below and if you do not see it in print on the shelves during November click on the image to link to the PDF article online.


Lion Lenses and Little Planes, an Africa Geographic article on flying safaris through Kenya

To quote friend and colleague Greg du Toit, the Mara is a great place to fill up memory cards but a very difficult place to get anything new or unique. It is one of the most photographed parks in the world. With these challenges clearly in mind I set off with guests in tow seeking new and exciting shots.

Although its always very special observing leopards, merely photographing them as a portrait doesn't do the animal much justice. 

A young leopard strolls through the grassland backlit by the setting sun.

In order to capture its true character and although a much trickier shot, opting for a motion blur image is a more accurate reflection of their character in the dense undergrowth where it makes its home. 

A trickier shot but when done well a motion blur image really stands out.

The rising sun illuminating steam from a freshly killed wildebeest carcass provided the perfect backdrop for capturing a familiar scene of feeding lions in a unique manner. Photographing backlit is very rewarding, especially in such dramatic sircumstances, yet I often find that people would rather go for the more conventional front lit shots, even though these have been done millions of times.

A lioness pause momentarily as the rest of her pride devours a wildebeest. The mist in this scene comes from the freshly killed wildebeest.

With its open habitat and clean backgrounds the Mara is a great place to capture action. Having done the “Cheetah on the Termite Mound” images countless times in the past, my personal goal this year was to get some action shots. Throughout the various trips we witnessed a dozen or so kills, ranging from crocs taking wildebeest to lion and the impressive high speed chases of cheetah. Realistically they are often difficult to photograph as it happens too far away or is obscured by grass. A few proved to be in range such as this lioness  below taking a young Topi.

A lioness about to grab a young Topi.

Action wasn’t limited to kills only and playing lions were equally impressive.



Playing Lions are allways very photogenic.

We saw a few servals on the plains, one of which spectacularly killed a young Scrub hare in clear view. Capturing the essence however of a determined Serval hunting through the long grass provided yet another challenge as I wanted to move away from crispy portraits.

Because its allways a rare sight one can be forgiven for doing for the safe crispy portraits of Serval Cats. But Motion Blur captivates the essence of the cat staliking throught its grassy domain.

Also very rewarding is capturing the quieter more pensive moments in the bush and playing with spectacular light allways helps.

Beautifull light and nothing else makes even the misunderstood Hyena look stunning.

We were privileged to follow this mother and her only surviving cub belwo for two weeks. During this time she used our vehicles several times as vantage points to scan for prey and remarkably were were treated to one of nature’s most emotional dramas as she released her kill for the cub to hone its hunting skills (Check out the first pic above). Being such a dramatic event I will post more images in a next post to share the entire event.

Her breath condensates in the cold mornuing air. We followed this mother cheetah and her cub for a few weeks.

Then the Mara is nothing without the dramatic and well known wildebeest crossings. Sitting in the heat of the day with 30 other cars only to get harshly lit images is certainly not my way of having fun on safari. Only a handful of places offer you the ultimate experience and C4 Safaris’ location provided the perfect platform to view our “own” crossings. Yet how does one capture this well photographed phenomenon in a unique way. Here is my latest take on it.

A nice new angle of a familiar scene

The most difficult large animal to see and photograph is Black Rhino. The first two weeks produced not a single sighting and only on the last morning of guests stay they were fortunate so see this animal out on the open plains. 

The highly threatened and endangered Black Rhino

So thats it for now. For those interested in joining us on Safari next year, contact us by clicking on the below links for a wide variety of trips. Cheers Albie 

Private Photographic Safaris throughout East and Southern Africa



Serengeti

We witnessed this entire Cheetah kill from the stalk, the high speed chase over hundreds of metres to the actual kill. Here she catches her breath minutes after her prey expired. 

After our very eventful predator Safari in the Mara we hopped across the border into Tanzania to go and catch up with the Migration which we met in the Seronera region.

 It really doesn’t matter how many times one has seen this spectacle it still remains an incredible sight.

Six week old Cheetah Cubs. 

After the migration it was across to the shortgrass plains and woodlands of Ndutu where the predators put up a spectacular show for us. From the first evening being kept awake by lions roaring though camp to the last morning following four playfull cheetah cubs the action never stopped. Highlights included a female Cheetah killing a Thompson’s gazelle in full view of everyone with four cubs in tow while for me sighting such as Golden Jackal (regular in the Serengeti) and a remarkably relaxed Striped Hyena mom and cub at a den was real treats. 

Although common in the Serengeti it was a highlight for me to get to eye level with this Golden Jackal. 

After keeping us awake for the entire night we caught up with this pride on lions on our first morning. Still wet with dew it was amazing to see steam escape from their bodies as the sun warmed their pelts.

The last stop and very fitting end to our wonderful Safari was the legendary Ngorongoro Crater. 

C4 Images and Safaris - Lake Nakuru Private Photographic Safari

Thousands of relaxed Great White Pelicans epitomise Nakuru and presents lots of fun photographing them. Here Jean gets close enough to a few hundred Pelicans to get some wide angle shots. 

Before starting the Mara predator safari I met up with an old friend and regular C4 guest Jean Manson for a four day private safari to Lake Nakuru. Seeing we were headed to the predator rich Maasai Mara we were more focussed on the birds of Lake Nakuru. Although focussed on the birds we did manage to catch up with three black rhinos, a couple of Lions and a Leopard during our time there. 

The sheer numbers of birds are overwhelming. Here a mixed flock of Ruff and other waders fly part in the late afternoon sun. 

Buffaloes against the Acacia forests on the lake's shoreline. 

The dry, dusty conditions this time of year created stunningly dramatic moods and the sheer abundance of birds kept the shutters clicking.   


If you would like to arrange a private photographic trip contact C4 Here.