What a spectacular week is coming to an end! We had the elephants visiting our lodge in the evening, drinking half a jacuzzi empty, and ramming a tusk into it at the same time, causing it to having to be replaced now. Guests LOVED the “drama”. What entertainment. Felt like a bunch of teenagers ransacking a bar. 😉 (just kidding!)

In any case, especially in the dry season, elephants love visiting our lodge for a little swimming pool drink (but worry not, they don’t take a swim in it!), and, quite frankly, I think they are sometimes just plain curious and feel like checking out what the buzz about the Vuyani Safari Lodge is all about. Check our Facebook page for regular sightings. Spectacular stuff.

Speaking of spectacular and rainy season … it is slowly but surely coming to an end. September might see first rainfalls before the rainy season kicks off in October. This is NOT a hard rule, as there are large variations from year to year, but we had a couple of mm in August, which is unusal. Early rainy season coming? We shall see.

Rain is usually short-lived and strong (often at night), so not to worry … we don’t get the annoying grey drizzle for weeks on end. It would be nice if we did, but, to our guests’ delight, we simply don’t. Rain events are almost always short-lived events, and we always hope for more. This is Africa, after all!

Sightings have been amazing these days, ranging from up-close elephant sightings, rare birds, cheetahs, lions, and lots more. There is something amazing being spotted every day! But see for yourselves: this week’s sightings. Gives one a very, very good idea. The idea of a safari experience that is second to absolutely none!

While there is much focus on the large mammals that roam our reserve, and understandably so, it is easy to forget that the Moditlo Reserve is also home to many bird species … 400 actually! That makes it the highest bird wildlife density in the world, in all likelihood. So, for you birders out there: this is a destination for you!

So we have the full range: eagles (actually the largest eagle on earth), owls, and hawks, vultures, storks as well as hundreds of other species, some of them the prettiest you can imagine, some of them super rare, and some of them just downright bizarre.

Here one of my favourites. Can you spot it?

Here it is, zoomed in!

It is a lilac-breasted roller, which is in my eyes one of the prettiest birds on earth. 7 colors!! It is spectacular. Birders in general actually don’t like it, because it is very territory dominant, it does not tolerate other birds in its territory. So, pretty it may be, but pretty aggreessive too!

Here another photo!

Of course we also have kingfishers! Simply stunning.

During evening game drives you are quite likely to spot a few of these. Always funny, and interesting.

And then there is the super rare also: the Southern Ground Hornbill. If you stay a week here, you are quite likely to spot them. We have two breeding couples, which is amazing.

They get very old, up to 80 years old, and they only lay eggs every now and then, once every 4-5 years. They need perfect habitat conditions. It takes them years to raise one chick, and the previous chick helps them too. It’s complex, and that’s probably why this bird is severely endangered. I absolutely rejoyce seeing them. It’s a blessing.