Staring into the crackling fire, we sat on our director’s chairs in the dry riverbed, hanging on every word of our guide’s fascinating stories of the African bushveld and wildlife. A ring of paraffin lanterns marked our circle of firelight; the melodic whistling song of the fiery-necked nightjar, the yip-yip of two jackals, and the eerie call of a distant hyena punctuated the inky blackness of the darkness beyond. This was my first night ever in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and, as we soaked up the atmosphere under the breathtaking African night sky, I remember thinking that I had surely found paradise on earth.
As our “bush & beach” dinner progressed through pudding to coffee, our guide’s stories focused more and more on the many leopard encounters that he and several others had experienced on the Bateleur property. Frequently described as the most elusive of the Big 5, these powerful and graceful big cats are often amongst the most sought-after sightings for the average visitor to the African bush. As one of his leopard encounter stories was reaching its climax, our guide suddenly stopped talking, gently rose to his feet, and whispered, “Look behind you.” These are not the words you really want to hear at night in prime Big 5 territory about 100 meters from the comforts of camp, but his calm demeanor bred both courage and intrigue.
The large male leopard stood proudly at the very edge of the firelight, about 20 meters away from our wide-eyed group of diners. A nonchalant glance in our direction quickly gave way to focused scent marking against the rocks and bushes at the base of the dry river’s far embankment. Satisfied that all nocturnal visitors would know who was boss in this neck of the woods, the beautiful big cat casually sauntered off, wandering down the dry riverbed towards our camp, his tail bobbing in the spotlight shone by our beaming guide as we slowly followed at a very respectable distance.
That first taste of Bateleur Safari Camp might not have been for traditional tourism reasons (which explains the highly unusual dining arrangements), but it sparked a connection that has grown and deepened with each passing year. This is prime, untamed Africa and one of the last places on earth where you can immerse yourself in the pulse and rhythm of the true African bushveld, largely undisturbed by human intervention.
Since that memorable first night, I have had the privilege of many more visits to Bateleur Safari Camp, and many of them have included significant leopard experiences. Incredible sightings during the guided game activities. Chance encounters on the road right outside the camp. Listening to that distinctive, deep, rasping call as a leopard slowly pads through camp during the darkest hours of the night. Nothing is ever guaranteed in the African bush, but Bateleur is a special place, and the leopards seem to agree.
Recent Sightings
The Timbavati is primarily a summer rainfall area, and we received very little rain during the month of August. As a result, the terrain is quite dry, the vegetation is thinner, and the wildlife gravitates more towards the fewer dams, watering holes, and pans for drinking water. This often has a very positive effect on our wildlife sightings, and the last week of August provided some truly spectacular sightings!
Our guests enjoyed six separate leopard sightings and witnessed hyenas and jackals eating an impala that they had stolen from a leopard that was just not quick enough to get its kill off the battlefield in time. The Sark lion pride also featured prominently in the fireside conversations, and our guests enjoyed two sightings of the 3 Sark females and an amazing four sightings of the Sark pride with its 7 cubs! We also saw the Mayambula lion pride with its cubs and enjoyed four separate sightings of male lions that were either alone or in pairs. It was indeed a spectacular big cat week at Bateleur, but perhaps it was the dogs that actually stole the show.
A reasonable estimate puts the total number of African Wild Dogs in the whole of Greater Kruger at around 350-400 individuals. Wild dogs regularly move through the Timbavati, often crossing between Kruger, Timbavati, Klaserie, and Umbabat. In the last few days of August, Bateleur guests enjoyed four different sightings of a large pack of African Wild Dogs. In one instance, the presence of the painted wolves attracted a lot of attention from hyenas and jackals that were looking for a free meal. Our guests were ecstatic!
Not a day went by without multiple significant elephant sightings, including lone and paired bulls and many breeding herds. On one of the afternoon drives, we encountered a large elephant bull right on the Bateleur entrance road. And on a morning drive, a lone bull obligingly posed for around 45 minutes while the Bateleur guests sketched and photographed him. But the elephant highlight of the week transpired during a routine sunset drinks stop, where our guests were treated to three waves of elephant herds walking right past the vehicle to get to the waterhole for their own sundowners.
Our guests enjoyed several excellent rhino sightings and two quality sightings of 8 “dagga boys”, the name given to grizzled old male buffaloes that are generally too slow to keep up with the herd and stick together for protection, often wallowing in shallow muddy pans. Marco’s Dam proved to be a safe bet for viewing hippos, and it also provided a wonderful sighting of an African wildcat one evening after sunset.
Some of the Timbavati’s other weirdly wonderful nocturnal creatures also made an appearance, providing balance and intrigue to a week that was jam-packed with sightings of the larger diurnal animals. East of the camp, our guests spotted a white-tailed mongoose, the largest of the mongoose species and sporting much longer legs than other mongooses. Two genets were observed chasing each other in the road with their tails bushy, a break from the norm for these solitary and agile hunters that spend time both on the ground and up in the trees. Two porcupines were seen foraging together, and some of our guests were even treated to a sighting of a pangolin! We enjoyed several hyena sightings throughout the week, and one of our groups got to observe 3 hyenas at their den site in the early morning.
Plains game was in abundance throughout the week, and our guests also enjoyed excellent birding, including Southern Ground Hornbills (the largest hornbill species in the world) and a majestic Giant Eagle Owl.
There is no time like late winter to be out in the Timbavati bush on foot, especially during the first few hours after sunrise. Several of our guests benefited from the Bateleur guides’ extensive experience as they interpreted the signs left behind and imparted their tracking knowledge. Under the watchful eye of your armed guide, it is a life-changing experience to follow the same footpaths used by all creatures great and small, learning about the daily dramas of their lives. It grounds you, awakens all your senses, and immerses you in the pulse and rhythm of Africa.
Breathe Africa – Bateleur Safari Camp.