Endangered African Wild Dogs now starting life in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park
We are living in a time where conservation organisations, safari operators, wildlife protection agencies, law enforcement, and national parks and reserves have made considerable progress towards rescuing, rebuilding, and rehabilitating Africa’s greatest wildlife areas. Most recently, we have been following the progress of an iconic African wild dog relocation from South Africa’s Kwazulu Natal to Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park. This landmark move is the result of the professional collaboration between the Endangered Wildlife Trust and Gorongosa National Park, and has employed the expertise, teamwork, and support of WildlifeACT, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the KZN state veterinary department, Maremani Game Reserve, LEDET, and The Bateleurs. On Monday 16 April, 15 African wild dogs were transferred by air from Kwazulu Natal to Gorongosa National Park, which will be there new home. This is the first ever translocation of wild dogs to anywhere in Mozambique, and as a result it is a moment in history and a clear signal of how successful the effort of these conservation groups really is. Of the 15 dogs, nine are male and were earmarked for relocation from Mkhuze Game Reserve by the KZN Wild Dog Advisory Group (KZNWAG), and five are free-roaming female dogs from the same region. Gorongosa National Park is recognised as one of Africa’s last truly wild places and it has recovered from decades of poaching and demolition, which much of Mozambique was subject to during the years of civil war, which surged on for almost 20 years before finally ending in 1992. Today, this national park is celebrated for its unique biodiversity and becoming the first home to a pack of African wild dogs is a moment in history both for Mozambique and Gorongosa. Once the dogs had landed safely, they were transferred to their boma, which was ready and waiting for them. They will spend six to eight weeks in the boma getting to know their new environment and the other members of their new pack, and after the initiation period, they will be released into the greater wilderness to establish their new range. “It took weeks of preparation here in Gorongosa before we received our Wild Dogs… here is the team that designed and built the 0.5ha enclosure where the dogs will live for the next few weeks prior to their release. The Park’s Operations team did an outstanding job supporting us every step of the way. Our Sanctuary team – led by Zembe, whose family has been part of the Park’s restoration for 3 generations – included young men from neighboring communities who were trained in construction and electrics by Louis Van Wyk. Spirits were high every day and together...
We’re nominated for the World Travel Awards 2018!
For the sixth year in a row, Sun Safaris is nominated in the category of World’s Leading Safari Company for the prestigious annual World Travel Awards. We are so pleased to have received a nod alongside only five other companies leading the pack in African safari travel planning. It is an honour to be recognised in the field as one of the best, especially as we consider our job our passion, and we are delighted to know that our guests and colleagues are receiving some of the best service in Africa. Thank you World Travel Awards for the nomination. Now, we call upon our supporters to take us to the win! We would be humbled and honoured to take the cup this year and receive the title of World’s Leading Safari Company, and to get there we need those votes. The process is simple and hassle-free, so we’d like to invite you to tick the box and cast your vote for Sun Safaris to win the category! Here’s the link that will take you to the voting page where you will be asked to login in with your email address and password if you are already registered. If you are not registered, the steps to register are seamless and take no time at all. Simply click ‘register’ and enter your name your name, email address, and a password, and then check your email for the verification mail. Once you have verified your email address you can enter your newly acquired login details (email and password), which will give you access to the voting page. Here, you select the Region you want to vote in – click on Africa – and then scroll down to the category titled Africa’s Leading Safari Company (number 54 if this is the first category you are voting in). Simply click on the category and it will take you to a page with the six nominees, where you can wave your magic wand (cursor) and tick the box next to our name! Every year when we announce our nomination, we take the opportunity to say a word of thanks to our guests, our friends, and colleagues in tourism. We are all working in a field that promotes responsible tourism in Africa, helping to share her greatest assets with people who love and appreciate the unique beauty she offers. To our repeat guests: thank you for choosing us over and over again; to our first time guests: thank you for choosing us now and may we give you the experience that will keep you coming back; and to our suppliers and partners: thank you for providing...
Walking Safari Magic at Mwamba Bush Camp
Walking safaris were born in Zambia where pioneers trekked and tracked through the Luangwa Valley encountering leopard and hippo, wild dog, and giraffe, elephant, lion, and buffalo on foot. Imagine the thrill of meeting these wild African residents on foot and watching them from your position on the ground; senses standing to attention, adrenalin pumping through the veins, every smell and sound a pungent trigger to remind you of this primitive activity. In the greater scheme of things, the vehicle is a modern invention, and before safari game drives, hunter-gatherers and explorers would traverse these wild territories on foot. Plenty of our guests request the walking safari experience, and we know that there is no better place in Africa to send them than Zambia. Right now, Mwamba Bush Camp is all the magic we need, and these photos are proof of that. Mwamba is a little slice of serenity in South Luangwa National Park, on the banks of the Mwamba River. It is blissfully exclusive and simple with only 3 chalets built simply from reeds under the shade of large tree canopies. Each chalet has a spacious en suite bathroom, which is open to the sky and perfectly equipped with hot bucket showers and flushing toilets. Above each bed, a skylight is shaped out of the reed ceiling and covered with mosquito netting, offering unique bedtime star gazing without pesky bugs. The rest of this relaxed and informal camp fits the mould with a wonderfully rustic, yet properly stocked, bar area, which is built underneath large trees and always accompanied by birdsong. The beauty of this remote and wild little camp is its perfect blend of modern comfort and wildness. And we haven’t even started on the safari activities… There is a little sleep-out platform, which overlooks a waterhole and the incredible horizon that lights up at sunset and stains the sky all shades of tangerine and watermelon. Romantically draped in a mosquito net and raised high off the ground, this place makes for one memorable honeymoon destination! Mwamba has a well camouflaged hide, which is built from natural reeds and is positioned along the riverbank, offering a secret spot to sit in silence and watch as some of the roaming wild animals stop by for a drink, none the wiser of your presence. Each day, there are three optional activities to take part in: walking safaris, game drives, and sessions in the hides. Morning, midday, and evening offer something different, so that you will have no reason for fomo! Setting off on foot at first light might be the best way to start the day, drinking in the...
White Lion Cub Born into a Pride in Timbavati Nature Reserve
The legend lives on: a white lion cub is reported to have been born in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve of the Greater Kruger Park. This news broke yesterday (March 13th), and the first images of this incredibly rare lion were posted by private guides, Mike Sutherland and Daryl Dell, who were hosting guests at Ngala Safari Lodge. The cub was born to one of the Birmingham lionesses and potentially fathered by the elder of the Giraffe pride males (this is unconfirmed). There are 4 cubs in the litter, and only one is leucistic, which gives it its enigmatic, white appearance. It is not albino, as is a common misconception. The white lions of the Timbavati are famous, and particularly the Giraffe pride, which was the resident pride of two female white lions who grew to adulthood and had cubs of their own. Sadly, as is common in the wild, these lionesses saw their end, and none of the white cubs which were born to them survived infancy. Since the last white lioness died last year, this cub is the first and only white cub known in the region, and at only 2 weeks old, it has no idea that it is different or special any way. The news was released to the public yesterday, but guides at Ngala Private Game Reserve discovered the tiny cub over a week ago when it was only about 5 days old. One white and three tawny cubs squirmed around blindly in their den site, which is unknown and is remaining undisturbed. The images captured by guides, Daryl Dell and Mike Sutherland, were taken from an entirely unobtrusive position, and their delivery to the public has been met with much appreciation and awe. Here is what these guys had to say about this once-in-a-lifetime sighting, and of course, here are the photos… “When you spend 17 hours of the day on Safari and have been guiding for more than 15 years you will be rewarded with a lioness carrying a 4-day old white lion cub. A once in a lifetime moment, a moment that you will never forget and always cherish. As if this wasn’t enough at first we saw her carry one Cub, then this white one and then a third, I would have been blown away with the first cub!” – Daryl Dell, Painted Wolf Images. “A moment that I will never forget, was on a recent safari to andBeyond Travel‘s Ngala Safari Lodge. We were fortunate enough to witness this baby white lion cub, the only one know in the wild currently. When we viewed it last week, we assumed it...
9 Different Safari Spots in 8 Different Countries
This great continent of ours has unlimited room to explore in the lifetime the average person has on this planet, and every corner has its unique pull and appeal. When we talk about safari spots, of course we think of elephants and leopards navigating the savannah, but we might also be thinking about somewhere good to snorkel and watch the colourful marine life go by, or perhaps somewhere great to hike and discover the human and animal history that came before us. The appeal of Africa is in its cultural wealth, its wide open spaces, its density of wildlife, and its diversity of landscape and terrain. So, in order to cover all bases, we’ve picked 8 countries in southern and east Africa and pin pointed one great place to stay in each one… (two in Malawi because we couldn’t resist). Imagine a trip that would take you across the continent? If we had all the money in the world, you know where we would be. Mvuu Lodge – Malawi Malawi is a huge focus for conservation achievements at the moment as we watch years of hardship be overcome by hard work and perseverance. On our blog we have featured the cheetah relocation project of last year and now only last month Malawi’s Liwonde National Park welcomed its first lions in several years. So now the big cats join the great African elephant in Liwonde, contributing to the diversity of species this park is welcoming once again. These images from Mvuu Lodge in Liwonde show not only the epic elephant sightings possible, but the diversity of activities and safari experiences. This place deserves to be rediscovered, supported, appreciated, and nurtured. Ai Aiba Lodge – Namibia Surrounded by living history, embraced in the boulders that were the very canvases of the early Bushman of Namibia. Ai Aiba Lodge is a fascinating and spine-tingling getaway in the Erongo Mountains Nature Reserve, where protected fauna and flora thrive between mind-boggling granite formations. Renowned rock paintings adorn cave walls offering us modern day folk a glimpse into the story of the land before our time. This is a destination with a difference. Changa Safari Camp – Zimbabwe Changa Safari Camp and its poolside views are all the inspiration we need as we are transported to the banks of Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba in Matusadona National Park. A pastel sunrise in the dawn sky above the lake oozes a feeling of peace and tranquility, and its hard not to feel entirely in tune with nature from this perfect position at the pool. Only 8 luxury tents keep things private and exclusive, while the renowned wildlife population...