Awesome Autumn in the Timbavati – The Best of Two Seasons

Interested? Read more to find out why autumn (from mid-March until early June) is always a wonderful time to visit the Greater Kruger.

It was only when I had to get the step ladder out to grab – and blow the dust off – my jacket from the back of my cupboard last week that it dawned on me that autumn had arrived. This year is a little odd; it is usually in April that we begin seeing a change in seasons as summer's green cloak gradually begins to give way to the more characteristic dusty African shades of winter. This process is subtle at first; the grasses begin to direct their energy to seed production, and as the inflorescence dry at the start of autumn, they bring a magic feeling to the grassy surrounds that is not matched in other seasons – especially in the late afternoon light. As the rainy season ends, the grasses begin to dry and a month or so later autumn's paintbrush colours our deciduous vegetation in golden-orange colours before these species let go of their leaves and enter their dormant winter period.

Looking out of my window as I type this in early April, I still see nothing but green. This is only due to the fact that we have had an exceptional summer of rainfall, and the moisture that usually starts leaving the system in April is still in abundance, keeping everything very green. As a result of everything still looking like summer, this year's start to autumn made me more fully appreciate one of the best aspects of the season – the mild nights and crisp, fresh mornings.

Autumn is arguably the best weather period of the year; days are warm to hot, usually sitting between the mid-20s to low 30s Celsius (low 80s to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day). This allows for your midday period to be spent soaking up the sun at the pool, or having a siesta. However, as soon as the sun sets, the temperatures drop. It would be a stretch to call it cold, but it is fresh enough that an extra layer is needed. By the time you return to camp, you look forward to the warm facecloths and a drink around the fire.

During the evening, with your sliding doors opened, you will not need the aircon to get a good night's sleep. Without that background hum, you will be able to more fully appreciate the night sounds as you cuddle up under the duvet and enjoy a welcome sleep. And it is a good sleep – with morning drives starting later, and afternoon drives returning to camp earlier than in the summer months, one actually gets a proper amount of rest.

It is a sleep that is still brought to a welcome end as the guides rouse you for the early morning drive. With the sun rising later, we are able to get out a little before it pokes up over the eastern horizon and enjoy a sunrise over the African bush. The morning drives themselves are crisp, but not cold – there is no need for hot water bottles and extra blankets just yet, and by the time you stop for morning coffee, you will be happy that you wore short trousers and a t-shirt.

What can you expect to see out on drive? Tanda Tula is based in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, which boasts great game viewing year round – it really does not make a big difference when you visit, you will always be spoilt with great sightings. Autumn, though, is the season of change from the wet season to the dry season, and as the greens begin fading and trees shed their leaves, visibility improves, making game viewing a little easier. With the rainfall subsiding, the smaller pans and waterholes also begin drying up, which leads to animals visiting the larger waterholes more regularly and channels them towards particular areas where water is available year-round.

The cooler weather allows animals to remain active later into the morning, and these very waterholes often provide some wonderful scenes in late autumn mornings as herds gather to drink under blue skies.

Autumn is also close enough to the birthing season to still have a number of young animals around, and certain species like buffalo actually drop the majority of their babies at the end of summer, leading to many small calves finding their feet in autumn.

For other species like impala, it is baby-making season – the rutting season. This is always a fascinating time of year during which to observe the antics of the impala rams as they run around chasing anything that looks like a receptive female, or an intruding male. The sounds they belch out during the rut make for one of the most unique elements of autumn. Unfortunately for the impala, we are not the only ones enjoying their roars – this constant commotion alerts any nearby predators to the potential of a slightly easier meal in the form of a distracted male, and most of the predators feast well during the rut.

The landscapes may not have the verdant vibrancy of mid-summer, but they provide a great mix of greens and browns, and this makes for wonderful photographic backdrops. If we venture to the northern mopane woodlands, you may even get a glimpse of a landscape that reminds you of a northern hemisphere fall – oranges, reds and golds paint the scene, and a real feeling of autumn can be felt.

With the sun crossing the sky more obliquely, this extends the golden hours around sunrise and sunset, allowing for wonderful photographic opportunities. Combine this with the drying grass seeds and you get some uniquely autumnal scenes that make for eye-catching images.

As the sun sets earlier, one is able to spend a little more time exploring the Timbavati after dark in the hope of seeing some of the rarer nocturnal creatures, or spending time with the larger predators as they begin their evening hunting session. Even though we use spotlights to illuminate the nocturnal scenes, the cooler evenings result in very few bugs flying about – and for those averse to their presence, this is a major plus for this time of year.

The magic of autumn is best experienced when turning the lights off – the night sky. While we are able to enjoy spectacular stars year-round, this season is one of the best to look up to the heavens; the air is not yet hazy with winter's dust and no bush fires are adding smoke to temper the sparkle, so the stars are about as crisp as they will be all year. The earlier sunset also means that you don't need to stay out extra late to get a pitch-black sky. And if you are armed with an iPhone, this guide will help you capture some spectacular shots of the night sky.

Hopefully these factors have put an autumn visit to Tanda Tula on your radar – it is difficult not to want to visit us anytime, but especially in autumn. This time of year is also usually seen as the last lull before the winter high season, and Tanda Tula often runs specials during this period to encourage guests to come and experience this magical season for themselves. So get in touch, and hopefully we will be seeing you before the autumn is up.

Until then, cheers!

Chad