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January 2023 Wildlife Report

The bushveld is blooming in the summertime. Loads of beautiful, colourful flowers. The water dams and rivers are full and flowing strongly. And there are plenty of wildlife babies. Welcome to another update from the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve and Makumu Private Game Lodge, your home away from home. I will be covering some of the exciting things that we encountered over the last month. All images in this article were taken by Stefan Breuer, the owner. Wild dog: With newborn baby impalas everywhere in the bushveld, it truly provides a great opportunity for all predator species to hunt. Wild dogs, who are amazing hunters, rarely miss when a hunting opportunity arises. This was the case the past month as we have had many encounters of the wild dogs successfully hunting impalas. Lion: A standout sighting from our river pride this month was from a breakaway group of sub-adult individuals who had spent a few days right in front of our very own Makumu, at our watering pan. The guests really enjoyed this as they could sit and watch the lions from the comfort of their own room decks. And as we were having dinner by the boma you could hear the lions roaring and contacting calling very loudly. It truly sends shivers down your spine. Hyena: A very sad but unique sighting we had was a newborn blue wildebeest wandering around on its own. It had sadly lost its mother to a clan of hyenas. They, unfortunately, killed her right after she gave birth, so they used that opportunity while she was still very weak and tired. The newborn was very lost and was not too sure what to do or where to go so it used our vehicle as a safety point in all the chaos, and tried to avoid the hyenas. But after some time, the hyenas did spot the newborn and sadly killed it too. This is the sad reality of wild nature. Leopard: It has been so nice witnessing Manzi’s cubs growing up over the past year. We are also slowly seeing the progression of them becoming more independent by moving on their own more frequently and exploring surrounding areas by themselves and moving away from their mom. Elephant and Buffalo: With the summer months comes big rain storms. And in this rainy season we get a lot of grazing and browsing herds almost everywhere. In the summer these herds are very dependent on drinking lots of water and cooling themselves down with water and mud baths. One afternoon we were extremely lucky to have big herds of both elephants and buffalo sharing one waterhole.

Home Food & Travel: Unforgettable African safari Adventures

Find unforgettable African safari adventures at the award-winning Makumu Private Game Lodge, a one hour and 30 minute drive from Hoedspruit in Limpopo. This wilderness oasis, surrounded by expansive unspoilt views of the African bushveld, offers an exclusive blend of absolute comfort, style and privacy.  Makumu Private Game Lodge is a luxurious game lodge situated in the ‘Big Five’ Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. The reserve is a part of the greater Kruger National Park and is one of the largest privately owned nature reserves in South Africa, covering some 60 000 hectares. Expect luxury safari experiences combined with amazing hospitality. Accommodation at Makumu Private Game LodgeAccommodation at the lodge consists of six suites – three King Suites and three Impi Suites. You will find that each set of a King and an Impi Suite has been uniquely designed according to one of three African tribes – the Bushman, Ndebele and Zulu tribes. Inside the spacious, luxury King Suites, you will find large comfy beds, walk-in closets, full en-suite bathrooms with both a shower and a perfectly positioned ‘tub with a view’. The King Suites are designed for couples and romantics and come with a wooden deck offering a hammock, perfect for those lazy afternoons. The Impi Suites are also spacious and luxurious. Unlike the King Suites, these feature a sitting area and an en-suite bathroom with a shower. They also have wooden decks with spectacular views of the bushveld. Amenities in all the units include quality duvets, thick towels, bathrobes, hairdryers and various toiletries. There are ceiling fans, mosquito nets, and international plug points. There is free Wi-Fi accessible throughout the lodge. Facilities at Makumu Private Game LodgeEnter a world of wonder. You will find that everything at Makumu has been designed with the authentic African safari experience in mind. Their iconic Boma, set high above the leopard river and the endless views beyond, offer a stunning location for candlelit dinners, stargazing and warm campfire story-swapping. On hot summer days, you can cool off in their refreshing swimming pool. It was built to neatly blend in with the surrounding bushveld. From the pool, you can enjoy magnificent African sunsets or watch the local wildlife converging at the watering hole below with a cold one in hand. There is also an upper lounge with a warm fireplace and viewing deck. The lounge features games for family and children. Makumu boasts some amazing cooks. Dining is done on the boma or at various other places around the lodge, weather dependent. Expect your taste buds to be tickled with amazing cuisine and fabulous wines. On offer is a small gym area with a treadmill and rowing machine, to ensure you don’t miss your workout routines. There is secure parking for cars at Klaserie HQ, where you will be collected in a Landrover by one of the Makumu team. No private vehicles are allowed into the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. A laundry service is available. For those looking to relax, our on-site therapist offers amazing treatments amid stunning views and luxurious surroundings. She will have those knots loosened in no time. Activities at Makumu Private Game LodgeThere is plenty of activities and things to do over your stay at Makumu Private Game Lodge. Game Drives are conducted twice daily (early morning and late afternoon), in open Land Rovers with an armed ranger and a tracker. Or if you really want to experience the African bush, you can join their highly skilled guides and trackers on a walking safari! There is also a Photographic Bunker, iThumbela (loosely meaning ‘place to hide’ in the Shangaan language), which offers the opportunity to be at eye level with the water to take spectacular shots of wildlife visiting the watering hole. It’s your vantage point for the perfect shot! Alternatively, some quiet time in the hide overlooking the watering hole and watch as the wildlife come and go to quench their thirst. Optional additional experiences include reptile demonstrations and flying safaris – a Blyde River Canyon Scenic Flight or on microlights with the nearby Leading Edge Flight School. See the full article here. 

Tourism Update: A unique perspective on photographic safaris

Makumu Private Game Lodge in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve has introduced its new subterranean photographic bunker. Unique to the safari scene in the Greater Kruger region, the underground bunker offers Makumu guests the opportunity to photograph, at ground level, wildlife coming to the pan to drink or cool down. Being able to photograph wildlife at eye-level provides a completely new perspective to a shot. The bunker has been named iThumbela, which, loosely translated from Xitsonga, means ‘place to hide’. Located a mere 20-minute drive from the lodge, iThumbela has a small staircase into the bunker, where facilities include a couch and photographic counter with bar stools, a selection of drinks, tea- and coffee-making facilities and photographic resource books. “What I often find missing on safari is the opportunity to get very close to game in a relaxed environment without them being aware of my presence,” said Owner, StefanBreuer. The bunker is eco-friendly and made from a submerged, camouflaged container, to avoid disturbing the surrounding fauna and flora. Breuer has always had a passion for photography. In 2006, together with renowned photographer Michael Poliza, Breuer undertook an epic nine-week photographic adventure in his bright red helicopter from Hamburg, Germany, to Cape Town. Their journey was captured in a series of 25 000 images of landscapes, people and wildlife, and a never-been-done-before photographic journal in the form of a coffee table book, Eyes Over Africa. iThumbela is an exciting addition to Makumu’s safari offering, situated on the edge of one of the area’s most active waterholes. The pan is directly in front of the bunker, where game come regularly to drink or bathe. From elephant, giraffe, zebra, lion and hyena to leopard, wildebeest and a variety of bird species, this ‘place to hide’ offers a morning or afternoon well spent. Read the full article here. 

Tourism Update: Video of the week

This week’s video is sure to put a smile on your face. It shows staff at Makumu Private Game Lodge in Hoedspruit, like staff at many other accommodations around the country, getting ready to welcome back guests. The friendly faces of South African tourism are saying #SAisTravelReady! View the article here.

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