The first would be Winston, the big male Hippo that seems to enjoy the deep pool in the Mkuze River opposite the lodge. He first came to us in the summer of 2010, but left us for ‘greener grasses / deeper pools” as soon as the winter-cold came upon us. He came back in November, and then disappeared for a few weeks when all of a sudden he was back again. Many nights he would delight us by joining us for dinner……well, dinner with a deck and electric fence between us and him!

The other visitors were a small herd of elephants. For two weeks they stayed in the valley just south of us, coming down to drink water every evening at around the same time as the game drives would return.

The group that really had everyone talking was our Southern Pride. For an entire day these three cats were just relaxing on the big rocks in front of the lodge. From 07:00 till after sunset they were here, drinking water, yawning, playing, grooming and just being their lazy selves!

Our last visitor is something that we don’t see too often. The very shy Brown Hyena.  Most people know the Brown Hyena’s spotted cousin and don’t care much about them either, but to actually see one of nature’s best cleaners, wow, it was incredible! So ugly, but unique and special in its own way!

Looking for a quick getaway ?

Well here is a great last minute  special especially for our SA RESIDENTS !!! .

PAY ONLY  R 1785.00 per person per night sharing, fully inclusive:

Normal rate R3300.00 pppns SAVE R1505.00 PER PERSON

Rate Includes:

- Accommodation in our luxurious River Suite

- 3 Meals excludes drinks.

-2  game drives per day with qualified  guides

VALID TILL 15 May 2012 , for NEW  bookings only, South African Residents only, min two night stay subject to availability and BLOCK dates apply.  T&C apply

Amakhosi Safari Lodge – Pongola  – South Africa  Phone 034 4141157 -

Email:  info@amakhosi.com

- Mandie -

During the festive season we’ve had good times with lots of laughter; we shared gifts and had some unexpected surprises….

One incident stands out which I would love to share with everyone.

This is Ranger Gert’s very exciting Sundowner Stop…

“Whilst admiring the setting sun’s magnificent color display in the west with the sound of cicadas competing with sizzling kebabs, another sound was heard….
Within a few seconds there was havoc! Very quickly, everyone was on the vehicle while Gert packed up and Mandla got the spotlight out. We were in the midst of a stampeding herd of Wildebeest!
On the vehicle, no one made a sound as we listened and felt the earth vibrating with hundreds of hooves galloping past us at full-speed. .
To our left, we heard the heart-breaking cries of a mother Wildebeest, while on our right; a calf gave its last bellow before being silenced by four male cheetahs….
In the now complete darkness, hesitant to switch on the spotlight in fear of ruining the moment, we watched in the ambient moonlight and listened in silence to the rapped breathing of the four cheetahs, followed by the crunching of bones and tearing of flesh.
We edged out of the sighting with pounding hearts, and slowly made our way back to the lodge where we were welcomed with a much needed ice-cold drink to calm the nerves….”

Since Cheetahs are diurnal hunters, they do not have the same reflective layer in their eyes as lions and leopards, thus should not be disturbed at night with a spotlight. Cheetahs rely on their speed to obtain their meals and any injury that slows them down could essentially be life threatening, which is why they tend to give up a meal rather than fight off another predator….

Imagine relaxing by the pool with a breeding herd of elephant just a few meters away, curios little bush babies on the deck at dinnertime and the hair-raising cry of a Walberg’s Eagle just outside your air-conditioned room….

This summer, we want to encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and take a walk with our experienced Rangers. Put on your walking shoes and get out there! From the vehicle, you are able to see, hear and sometimes even smell the animals, but on foot, you become one with nature!
All your senses come to life; you feel vulnerable and confident at the same time, knowing that there is nothing between you and the animals!

“As soon as we cross the grid, we find ourselves in Big 5 territory. At a steady pace, we walk north towards a little ‘koppie’ from where we will scout the area for the grey blotch of an elephant’s back amongst the green foliage of Acacia trees. Every few minutes we stop and listen, it seems sound is amplified when one is not in a vehicle. The cicadas, birdcalls, even the slight breeze rustling through the leaves are audible! We find our first signs of elephant – fresh tracks, dung and broken branches!
The smell of elephant dung is unmistakable and inside it is still moist….meaning he cannot be too far away!
After 45 minutes of tracking (every one admiring the Ranger and Trackers’ skills), we see him in the distance! Making sure we have the wind in our faces and sun on our backs, we approached the 4-ton animal. At 50m, he is unaware of our presence and continues with his daily tasks – breaking off branches and feeding. We admired the powerful bull for 20 minutes before heading back to the lodge. After an experience as we just had, one can only be grateful for the opportunity and appreciate the beauty of nature!”

Trust your Ranger to show you the bush at its best – it is exhilarating, it is scary, but it is worth every minute!