January Safaris Through Our Lens

Can you believe that the first month of 2025 is already behind us? It has been a fantastic start to another safari season at Tanda Tula Safari Camp, and after enduring a hot, dry December, we were beyond delighted to receive our first good rains. We recorded 135mm in parts of the Timbavati, while other areas of the Greater Kruger received as much as 235mm—making for a great start to the year.

It was remarkable to see how quickly the landscape and vegetation responded. A single downpour was enough to fill up the waterholes that had been dry for many months.

Machaton Dam begging of January

Machaton Dam from same view point at the end of January

This rain also led to the rivers flowing for the first time in nearly two years. What a sight it was to wake up to the Nhlaralumi River flowing past our new camp for the first time!

A kudu crossing the Nhlaralumi

riverbeds in flow after rain in Greater Kruger

The water, unfortunately, subsided within a couple of days but left the entire region draped in an incredible new green outfit

Verdant landscapes

Everyone loving the greenery and the abundance of life it brings—from jackals to elephants

The vibrant colors of summer made the Timbavati an absolute joy to explore. Migratory birds were abundant, dung beetles busied themselves with the treasure trove of dung left behind by elephants, buffalos, zebras, and more, while terrapins and tortoises trudged along in search of new homes and feeding grounds. These smaller elements added so much to making this another special summer season, but of course, it wouldn’t be the same without our regular stars. So, what did they get up to this month?

Sark Breakaway Pride Sets Up Shop Around Tanda Tula

With the River Pride moving east, the vacuum they left behind was quickly filled by the Sark Breakaway Pride, which ventured deeper into the Timbavati than ever before. This was great news for us, as it meant the pride centered their activities around Tanda Tula. The 16 members provided near-daily sightings, especially in the latter half of the month.

Not everyone was thrilled about the Sark Breakaways moving in

This pride is growing in strength with each passing month

The Mayambula Pride appears to have had a couple of new litters under the custodianship of the Vuyela males. Though we didn’t see the cubs directly, we saw signs of at least a handful moving around the southeastern sections. The Vuyela males remained active beyond our borders and into Kruger National Park, but we caught up with them during their territorial patrols after the rains.

Three of the five Vuyela males

The Giraffe Pride was far more active in the western sections this month, and we spotted 13 members on several occasions—most notably after they took down an adult giraffe, which kept them well-fed for days. The Birmingham Breakaway males and some members of the Giraffe Pride were regularly reported in close proximity to one another. However, with such great lion activity closer to Tanda Tula, we seldom ventured west to see them.

Giraffe Pride with a giraffe kill

Leopards on Show

Despite the thickening bush, we had a fantastic month of leopard sightings. Thanks to our skilled trackers, our guides located the majority of leopards seen in the central Timbavati. Dzindza and Rihati were present early in the month, but later sightings featured our familiar favorites, as well as some new faces.

N’weti had one of her best months, appearing most weeks, sometimes with baby impala kills. Nyeleti was also spotted with a few kills in the east—outside her usual territory. We expect her to have cubs in February, so it will be interesting to see where she chooses to den, especially now that Nkaya female is showing up in the east more frequently.

Dzindza scent-marking profusely—possibly a sign that she is coming into estrus

N’weti with an impala lamb

Ximpoko male with an unusually large kill—a baby giraffe!

Nkaya Dam female (not to be confused with Nkaya female, who was named when we thought the original Nkaya was no longer around) was highly active in the west this month and is doing an excellent job raising her daughter. She provided her with regular kills.

Several male leopards were also seen throughout the month—from Mondzweni in the west to some new faces in the east. Nkhari male expanded his territory and pushed into Tanda Tula, while the Ximpoko male was found with a giraffe calf kill! Another unidentified male leopard was close by, and, at the same time, a different male leopard had taken down a zebra foal. We also saw a new female, the Airstrip female, a few times near the marula trees by the airstrip. All in all, it was an excellent leopard month!

Nkaya Dam female dragging an impala kill to her daughter

Nkhari male with an impala kill stolen from Nyeleti

Nkaya female—it’s amazing to have her back after five years away

Water, Water Everywhere!

After the rains, the abundance of wallows led to some phenomenal sightings of larger animals cooling off in the mud, keeping the biting insects at bay. These moments provided incredible scenes of wallowing giants! The returning water even brought a few hippos back to the area—wherever there was water, there was life.

A buffalo bull wallowing in the mud

Splish splash!

Water = life

It was great to have a few hippos back in the now-full dams

Rarer Predators

Although cheetah sightings were not as prolific as in December, we still managed to spot the single remaining Moya male at the end of the month. Interestingly, he is now being monitored by Kruger National Park as part of a project tracking around 1,000 individuals from 15 different species to understand seasonal movements and responses to environmental changes. This also allows researchers to study how animals react to disturbances, from fires to predator pressures and human activities.

The large wild dog pack was active in the area during two week-long periods, providing fantastic sightings as they made multiple kills in our presence. A smaller pack of six also passed through the central area a couple of times—interestingly, the alpha male seemed very intent on mating, which is unusual at this time of year.

We also enjoyed numerous sightings of black-backed jackals this month. While not rare, we don’t often get the privilege of watching such relaxed families of jackals. Currently, three skulks of jackals provide excellent viewing and photographic opportunities.

Wild dogs getting ready for action

The single Moya male cheetah

A skulk of jackals in a green field

The Scenes of Summer

Ultimately, what made this month so special on safari in the Timbavati was the rain. The bush exploded into an array of colors—not just from birds but also from flowers and breathtaking sunsets. It reminded me once again why this is my absolute favorite time of the year and why summer safaris are so special.