July 2025

It seems to me that strife in our world is ever-increasing. Nowadays I am reluctant to watch TV news bulletins as I am invariably depressed. Strife has even entered my personal world via the beloved game reserve that has brought me much happiness and such a warm sense of fulfilment.

Tremisana Lodge, our flagship accommodation venue, is part of the Olifants West Nature Reserve, OWNR, that, in turn, is one of the regions comprising Balule Nature Reserve, BNR, that forms part of the Association of Private Reserves, APNR, that agreed to drop fences with the Kruger National Park, KNP,  and forms part of what is termed the “open system”.  Any animal in the open system can move between Tremisana Lodge and Mozambique or Zimbabwe or any of the many private game reserves to the west of the original Kruger Park. It is wonderful to know that elephants have been given greater areas in which to forage.

The strife in OWNR revolves around who is responsible for the overall management of the reserve. I have no doubt whatsoever that BNR must be our Management Authority. It is abundantly clear to me that any fragmentation of BNR will not only lead to dilution of  common goals but also have very serious consequences that certainly will engender a substantial drop in land values in OWNR.

In a previous newsletter, I told of an invitation Sandra, my wife, and I received to a private screening of the first two episodes of the docu-series about Balule. We were swept away by the BNR staff’s gallant efforts to reduce rhino poaching in our region. I am pleased to advise that the entire series is now available. I strongly encourage all readers of this newsletter, which I am told now exceeds 20 000, to watch this wonderful description of the work done by BNR to combat this sick genocide of such a wonderful animal.

BALULE BATTLE FOR RHINO

Please be so kind as to watch the BNR film and act upon it in the way you know best.

 I am still heartsore every time I see a dehorned rhino. I think back of the fantastic photos I took of normal rhinos and feel a hollowness in my gut.


Fully horned rhino in the good old days


You will note that we deliberately do not give the sightings locations in the captions of the photos of rhino. Better to be safe than sorry for having aided poaching.

GAME VIEWING REPORTS FROM OUR GUIDES

BNR = Balule Nature Reserve

KNP = Kruger National Park

LUKE, Head Guide, sent the following: 

Monthly Report for July 2025

I have been away for a good part of the month on long leave, catching up with family. It ’s good to be back in the beautiful bush, with all the wonders of nature. 

The second half of July has been busy, with guests arriving from all parts of the world. 

I have a few memorable moments that stand out this month, most of which have involved the larger mammals. The rhino sightings have been amazing, both black and white.


White Rhino during sundowner drive, close to the road grazing, BNR

A favorite moment this month took place during a sundowner drive. We had stopped with a beautiful view of the Olifants River and a sun beginning to set to the west. 

The first surprise came in the form of a herd of elephants, who appeared from the east. They spread out on the river’s edge for a drink of water. 


Elephants along the Olifants River, during sundowner drive. Rome 3/4, BNR.

At this stage, we were all quite content with the entertainment provided, when once again from the east came another surprise. 

Three black rhinos appeared out of the bushes, a male, female, and a calf. We cautiously moved closer to the vehicle, black rhino are well known for their curious nature. 


Black Rhinos during a sundowner drive, watching us while we enjoyed our snacks and cold beverages. BNR

The three black rhinos remained in the same position for our entire drinks stop, keeping their eyes fixed on our position. An incredible experience, one I will never forget. 

The bushwalks have also been packed with excitement, mostly because of the number of elephant encounters that we have had this month. 

The river is becoming a vital source of water as winter continues. This means the chances of finding animals moving through our walking area towards the river is higher. 

The herds of elephants have kept our minds in the game , thinking about each move. Elephants have great hearing and sense of smell , which means it’s important to be quiet and always check the wind direction before approaching. 

On one walk, we managed to approach three separate elephant herds, two of which had moved up from the river and the last on its way down to drink. 

With regards to the cats, the lions have been hard to find, but we have had a few great leopard sightings. 

The best one took place on a sunset drive. We spotted the big cat up in a knob thorn tree, feasting on an impala kill. It was dark, but we still had a wonderful view of the beautiful leopard.


Leopard on an impala kill, during sunset drive. Marula Extention BNR


MARC sent the following:

Game viewing in July has been exciting once again. I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen close up sightings of all the big 5 on several occasions which has left our guests jovial and extremely satisfied. 


Buffalo on Olifants Main, BNR


Rhino rolling around in the mud, BNR


Tower of Giraffe, BNR

One particular sighting which will certainly be up there with one of my most memorable happened during a Sundowner drive early on in July. 

The very first animal we found on the drive about 1km from Tremisana Lodge was a big male Leopard on a fresh impala kill. The kill was so fresh that the Leopard had not started eating on it as yet, as he was still trying to recuperate and catch his breath back.


Leopard with Impala kill, BNR

We stayed with this sighting for a good 30 minutes and watched him start to feed before we continued on our drive.

Later, on our way back to Tremisana we went past the kill once more. The satisfied Leopard was still there lying next to a half eaten Impala. We then noticed a secondary female leopard across the road in a not too far off Leadwood tree busy watching on.

As the sun set and darkness swept in we decided to leave the Leopard in peace and slowly make our way back to camp. Just before we turned towards Tremisana we then found 7 spotted Hyenas on the road busy sniffing the air and walking with some intent in our direction. I immediately realised these hyenas must be picking up on the scent of the dead impala and must be on their way to the leopard and a potential feast.

I immediately told the guests that we are going to be late for dinner as I turned the vehicle around and drove directly back to the leopard sighting waiting in anticipation.  Of course the guests were truly enthralled and told me they were extremely happy to be late for dinner especially if I believed we were about to witness a once in a lifetime experience out here in the African Bushveld.

A few minutes later my tracker Whian picked up the Hyenas heat signatures on his thermal scope. All of a sudden we saw the panic sweep across the face of the leopard as the Hyenas had arrived at the scene running in with intent and sounds of hysterical screeching and laughter as the leopard gave one big growl and then relinquished his kill and disappeared temporarily into the night. As big as this male Leopard was, he was certainly still no match for 7 hungry Hyenas who immediately started feasting in a feeding frenzy on what was left of that impala carcass. 

A few moments later the brave leopard did attempt to salvage some of his meal as he ran back towards the hyenas. He snarled and surprised some of the younger Hyenas who then scattered in every direction. For a brief moment the leopard had an opportunity in deciding what to do with his kill. Unfortunately there were just no tall trees nearby so this moment was cut short by the hyenas who were now running back at him and finally chased him away for good.

During the next 5 minutes we witnessed grinding of bones and meat as the hyenas fought with one another and devoured every last bit of carcass until nothing was left over except the spinal column and skull which was then dragged away into the bush by who I presume was the alpha female.

We were all truly enthralled at this incredible once in a lifetime sighting.

Some of this crazy sighting was captured on video and can be watched on our Facebook and Instagram pages @Viva Safaris. 

Until next month..

Marc


CHARL sent the following:


Elephant bull early morning, BNR


Double-banded Sandgrouse chick, Marc’s Camp


African Wild Cat seen again near Tremisana, BNR


Rhino bull drinking at night, BNR


RAYMOND sent the following:


Near Pagamisa, BNR


Near Tremisana, BNR


Tremisana Lodge, BNR


BNR


BNR


Uncle Raymond taking new staff Whian and Dumisani under his ample wing


VICTOR sent the following:


Buffalo bull Rome 1, BNR


Mating pair S126 KNP


Female leopard Barnard’s, BNR


Spotted hyenas near Girivana waterhole, KNP


ANDY sent the following:


This leopard was spotted during Sunset Drive, BNR


This Honey Badger spotted at Tremisana, BNR


 New tracker/guide Whian gets a close experience with lions near Tremisana BNR


BNR


SMILY sent the following:

1st July: 3 beautiful giraffes, KNP



Southern Ground Hornbill, S39 KNP:



15 July: Male lion on Barnard north of Ngwenya dam, BNR



21 July: Two White Rhinos, BNR




ROCKY sent the following:


BNR


A pack of Wild Dogs, S125, KNP


Breeding herd of Buffalos, H7 KNP


Cheetah H7 near Satara KNP


Rocky near lioness at Tremisana, BNR


QUINTON sent the following:


Buffalo seen at Marc’s Camp


White Rhino mud bath seen from the tracker seat on afternoon drive BNR


Greeted by Elephant bull upon arrival with guests at Tremisana


NHLANHLA sent the following:


Young lions KNP


Collared lioness, KNP


Leopard KNP


Lion, KNP


WHIAN sent the following:


Leopard, Marula Road, BNR


African sunset BNR


Olifants River during bushwalk, BNR


Marc and Victor with guests near Rhino, BNR


Really close  to Lions, BNR 


DUMISANI sent the following:


BNR


Male leopard Rome 3, BNR


Two honey badgers spotted near Campfire Dam, BNR


PIERO sent the following:

Sandra and I had the privilege of having all 4 of our children with their families at Tremisana at various times while we were there this month. We managed to get a photo of 9 of our grandchildren.



They were fortunate to collectively see the Big Five.



I spent some time with Greg, my oldest grandson, teaching him how to drive a geared vehicle. Some 25 years ago I did the same with his mother, Michelle. As with Michelle, Greg provided a harrowing moment or two…. 

I took a training trip to Kruger Park. We have appointed a new guide, Nhlanhla Godi, who worked previously at Kapama.  He needed training on Kruger Park, including its historical and cultural significance, size and geography, conservation efforts as well as the meanings of the names of the various camps, rivers and hills that we pass. 

I took a walk from the OWNR staff quarters (built on the land Viva Safaris leases to OWNR) and the front gate and collected two armsful of litter.


 
I sent the photo to Gerhard Stimie, chairman of OWNR, with a note to encourage his staff to do their bit for conservation.

In last month’s newsletter, you will recall that I wrote about photos that I have in our home. I took a lovely photo of the Olifants River on the Rome 1 property. I intend to have it printed on canvas and hung up near my desk, along with a similar photo taken by Wynand Britz Junior.

NEWS FROM OUR LODGES

TREMISANA
 
NYARAI, Office Manager, reports :

Tremisana Report July 2025

The month of July has come to an end quickly for me. A lot of warm afternoons that made the cold bearable. There were a lot of animal visiting the lodge. The elephants always are number one compared to other animals. We have fencing around the Boma at the Lapa that gives the guests a close yet safe view of the elephants. The number of guests steadily increased throughout the month, with large numbers at the end. We have now installed a flat screen television at the Lapa showing our fantastic photo collections. This definitely made conversations during meals more interesting. 




Elephant at Tremisana parking

I have started taking walks around the lodge after work. Outside would have been fantastic but being in a big five area, safety comes first. So inside it is. There is a relaxing quietness at Tremisana complemented by the comforting sound of the water features. I took the picture below from the pathway that leads to the gazebo on the right side. I have walked there a lot of times during work time and never realized that it was a beautiful view. Tremisana is one of my happy places. They say happiness requires something to do, something to love and something to hope for. This place provides all three for me.



I came across a short story about happiness seven years ago on a page dedicated to African proverbs on Facebook. “There is an ancient story about a time when humans abused happiness so much, so the Wisemen decided to take the secret of happiness from mankind and hide it where they will never find it. The problem was where they could hide it. At first they considered putting at the top of a high mountain, but reasoned that humans would eventually be able to find it. One wise man suggested they hide it in the darkest forest. But this was not accepted since they figured someday somehow man could find it. Another Wiseman also recommended it be put at the bottom of the ocean this was not also accepted for the same reason. Finally, an idea struck one of the Wisemen: “I know the perfect place. We will hide the secret of happiness in the deepest depths of their own hearts. They will never bother to look there.”  

I believe that happiness is a choice, a combination of what we love. What is your source of happiness? Is it the unique sound of animals in the bush, the view of a glorious sunset or a pride of lions mid hunt, elephants drinking water or reading a book by the poolside? If any of the above ticks your boxes of happiness, it’s time for another safari.



SOUTHERN CAMPS

CHARL, Manager, reports :

This month has been a very busy one with lots of activity outside of the eyes of the general tourist. We have been hard at work across all the camps: we kicked off by renovating the kitchen at Marcs Treehouse Camp when we had a day between bookings with no clients and I decided to use the opportunity to repaint and varnish the kitchen. We started by removing everything after the clients were out and then it was all hands on deck with one team painting the walls and the other team off on sanding and varnishing the cupboards.


Chef Walter in upgraded kitchen





We didn’t really have enough time for everything to completely dry luckily the next day we only had two clients checking in so I challenged new chef Walter to cooking them their entire dinner on the fire he even managed to serve them breakfast the next morning off the fire I was pleasantly surprised by this.



Walter is very happy with his freshly painted kitchen and is excited to cook up a storm. The main building team that was building the storage room onto my house has now moved across to Masango Camp where we have begun with major renovation.



I really am looking forward to the completion of this job as it will bring a new fresh look to the camp. We are extending the bathrooms and completely closing up the rooms by removing the reed walls that helped for ventilation with brick and nice new windows and door frames. Speaking of fresh looks our building teams and ground teams have all received new working clothes looking very dapper.

As for Katekani, it’s been a very quiet month and this allowed staff members to take their annual leave of 21 days. We look forward to welcoming Margaret back from her annual leave well rested and ready to jump back in to work. The property next door, previously owned by Bundox that we had an agreement to drop fences with, has unfortunately sold – fortunately for us though, it is to the other neighbours who are a Big 5 game reserve. This last week we have noted that they have begun the process of re-erecting the fence. I really look forward to this as I would love to remove some of the thick sickle bush from in-front of the rooms allowing all our future clients a lovely view from the deck into a Big 5 game reserve – you never know what you may see while just relaxing on your deck or from your private splash pool.


PIERO reports:

I spent over 2 weeks in July at the lodges. I was very pleased with all the facets of our operation. All the guests with whom I spoke were extremely pleased with the packages they had booked with Viva Safaris and were happy with their accommodation.

At Tremisana, elephants are once more becoming a problem. It is great to see them closeup, but we do not want them breaking in again !






 
I am grateful to our building staff. At the Tremisana Lapa, a covered area has been developed to accommodate a lounge suite. Work at Masango Camp is impressive : the refurbished chalets will not only have an enlarged bathroom but will also have an additional front room in the form of a lounge area. I shall send photos of both the above projects in next month’s newsletter.

NEWS FOR OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS

We have had an above-average July.



Not only are our numbers up, but our income has also increased. I researched this issue with the consent of our accountant. What I found is that many tourists are booking longer packages. It makes sense to add additional days if the daily price differential is less than what one would pay for comparable accommodation in Johannesburg.

For example, the additional cost for staying an additional night at Tremisana Lodge is in the order of R 2500 p.p.

This includes meals, accommodation and wildlife activities. At Marcs Camp, the daily differential is in the order of R 2000 for treehouse accommodation and R 1200 for tented accommodation.
 
Our most expensive packages staying at the 4 star Katekani Tented Lodge offer daily differentials in the order of R 3000 p.p.

A large part of my job as GM is essentially quality control. I look at the rooms, the vehicles, the facilities in general and engage staff for their input. Perhaps the most important thing I do is to talk to our guests and receive their valuable feedback. I am pleased to report that Viva Safaris is doing well in all respects. Guests that I spoke to appreciate two things the most : the friendliness and professionalism of our happy staff and the structured organization of the various activities.

I asked Marco, our esteemed Webmaster, to investigate the role that AI plays in marketing.

He told me that he asked Grok AI the question : “Who are the best companies for a safari in Kruger Park ?” He advises that Viva Safaris is presently rated the second best company.

Even more pleasing was our position achieved in response to the question : “Who offers the best value for money safaris to Kruger Park ?” I was thrilled to learn that Viva Safaris  comes first !!!! 

I am not at all clued-up on AI, but understand our success is due to the exceptional reviews Viva Safaris gets.

Thanks to all our staff for helping me to efficiently run this outstanding operation.


The following reviews were posted in July 2025 : 

“Second Trip with Viva Safaris – Even More Incredible Than the First!” from TripAdvisor
Courtney Bassett, UK
We traveled with Viva Safaris last year and had such an incredible experience that we simply had to return—and once again, it was beyond amazing!

This time, we upgraded from a 7-day tour to a customized 11-day itinerary, thanks to the fantastic team at Viva who tailored everything perfectly. We stayed again at Tremisana Lodge, where the warm hospitality, excellent food, and friendly staff made us feel completely at home. Huge appreciation to Mama D and Mama B — your cakes are unmatched!

While last year gave us some amazing animal sightings, this year was something truly special. We saw animals that had eluded us before, and the encounters were unforgettable. Marc was determined to find us a leopard—and he delivered not one, but two sightings, including one where a leopard and a rhino appeared in the same frame! It was surreal. We had a stunning cheetah sighting in Kruger with Ray, and an extraordinary black rhino moment with Smiley – Hakuna Matata! 7 out of the 11 days included lion sightings – WOW! Every guide we spent time with—Marc, Ray, Smiley, Luke, Andy, and Rocky—brought their own passion, knowledge, and energy to each drive. They genuinely go out of their way to make every guest’s experience unique and unforgettable, and their dedication to both the wildlife and visitors is the reason I cannot recommend them highly enough!

To everyone at Viva Safaris—thank you for another wonderful trip – and yes, we’re already planning the third!!

“Incredible authentic Safari led by a team of incredible people” from TripAdvisor
Ian, UK
I went on the 6 day Safari with Viva Safaris as a solo traveller. From the very first journey from Johannesburg, I was in great company with the drivers Welcome and Suli, who were so friendly and welcoming towards us all on the tour. With amazing scenery, the full day transfer to Tremisanna Lodge in the Oliphant reserve went very quickly and was very entertaining. The first evening on arrival was the first of many game drives and a BBQ supper in the bush. An incredible, authentic african experience with wonderful hosts!

My room for the night was very nicely presented and very comfortable. This complex has all the amenities required and is beautifully laid out with reception,pool, and restaurant area in close vicinity. Again, with the most welcoming and friendly staff members. After a great nights sleep, we were up at daybreak for a bush walk with one of the armed rangers! Thrilling experience with so much knowledge given to us by Luke along the way as we made our way on foot to the Oliphant River to see the Hippos! The rest of my Safari adventure transferred to Marc’s Treehouse Lodge. Set by the Klaserie River, this treehouse accommodation is stunning! So comfortable and very nicely fitted out with a viewing deck balcony! The sound of the river flowing made for such a relaxing nights sleep as the Lions and Hyena calls gave the evenings a perfect crescendo! Breakfast was delicious! Catered for all guests in a picturesque setting by a watering hole. The evening meals were also served nearby to the pool and reception area by Walter, the incredible chef, every meal was delicious! A nightcap by campfire finished off the evening perfectly.

The following days were filled with more game drives into the Kruger National park and surrounding areas, where i was privileged to see such incredible diversity of wildlife, including all the big 5 on more than one occasion! Personal highlights for me were the Hyena pups and cheetahs! I felt just as privileged to have met some great guests from many different parts of the world but more so the team of staff members from Viva Safaris. Each member went above and beyond to give us all the most memorable and fun time during our whole stay, not only with their vast local knowledge but their great fun personalities which made me feel very close what is quite clearly a very close knit group of amazing people!

Thank you all who gave me the most incredible experience during my holiday to South Africa!

It’s a 12/10 for me! Book this now, and you’ll have an experience of a lifetime!

“Amazing, staff, accommodation, safari, everything.” from TripAdvisor
Ruth, UK
Could not recommend this place more if I tried. Everything was perfect.

The staff are amazing and go above and beyond for everyone!

We saw the big 5 within 2 days and everything else on top of that! The guides don’t give up until you see what you want to see! They’re so friendly and informative.

The accommodation is spot on, really comfy beds, everything clean and comfy.

The food was surprisingly delicious and hearty, you definitely won’t go hungry!

I would recommend viva safari to anyone wanting to do a safari in Africa. I couldn’t fault it

Thank you for looking after us so well!! ❤️

“Full on, fun and exciting experience” from SafariBookings
Zoe, UK
Very well organised – we were picked up from our hotel on time. Trf from Jo’berg to Tremisana does take most of the day, but you stop for lunch in a lovely little town, at a great restaurant. As soon as we arrived at the lodge, we were straight out on a sunset game drive, and then on to the bush bbq – make sure you wrap up warm for the drive (I’d recommend a hat, scarf and gloves if you can stand to take things like that on holiday!)

The next day was an early start for the sunrise drive, but then we had some chill out time during the day, which was much needed by that stage. Sunset drive was great, with a some drinks and nibbles, and a lovely lookout point to watch the sub go down.

The next two days were less hectic – sensible get up time for the approx 1 hour drive to Kruger, with full day drives on both days. The rest stop and restaurant is great – lots of choice on the menu.

Our final day was the drive back to Jo’berg, but via the Blyde River Canyon, which is spectacular. A real treat and a good opportunity to get some final souvenirs.

All of the rangers and guide were very friendly and knowledgable. Mama D is a legend – lovely food and they were able to cater for vegetarian and vegan needs in our group (although a couple of times the vegan dessert was a piece of fruit). Be mindful though – dinner is served quite late and then we tended to go straight to bed. That combined with being driven everywhere and I felt my waistline grow every day!

Accommodation at Tremisana is okay – a bit basic and nothing to write home about, but then you don’t spend much time in your room anyway. The site itself is lovely, with a communal dining area (the Lapa) that overlooks a small clearing – we had hyenas and honey badgers there most evening and were treated to a full herd of elephants one morning.

Drinks are reasonably priced, as are the food prices in the rest stops in Kruger.

I’d really recommend this safari to anyone. 5 days seemed perfect to get the most from Kruger. We saw a few packs of lions and a couple of rhinos, as well as the usual elephants, giraffes, zebras etc. No leopard unfortunately – maybe next time?!

“Tutto perfetto” from GetYourGuide
Simone, Italy
Tutto perfetto, precisi con gli orari e servizi. Staff eccezionale, esperienza assolutamente da fare. Safari molto autentico

“Eine sehr empfehlenswerte Safari” from GetYourGuide
Marvin, Germany
Eine sehr empfehlenswerte Safari, alle dinge die man sich vorstellen kann waren dabei, die Guides haben alles gemacht um jedes Tier zu sehen. Man hatte gute Möglichkeiten um sich im Restaurant eine leckere Pause genießen zu können! Die Schlafmöglichkeiten waren ebenfalls gut, nur im Marcs Camp war der Weg von der Rezeption bis zum Zelt eine Reise mit dem Koffer.

“We really had the best time during our time at Tremisana lodge” from TripAdvisor
Romy V, Netherlands
The rooms are so nice, we also had a view in the park so in the morning we could see the elephants from our window. The game drive’s were so much fun everyone who guided us were so nice, so full of knowledge and great stories about the animals. We totally felt safe during all the trips and had loads of fun also when we were not seeing a lot of animals.

The people who work in the lodge seems to have a lot of fun together as well, and are at least as much excited to see the animals as you are what made the experience so much better!
In our time we ate the best food, prepped by also the nicest lady’s!

Tremisana lodge it is not just a lodge it is a family. We are genuinely sad to leave this beautiful place!

“Viva Safaris ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️” from SafariBookings
Diana, USA
I just returned from a 6 night safari with viva safaris. It was a trip of a lifetime. There were too many WOW moments to count.

From bookingsafari.com, to Patti from viva safari who helped with the booking process. Patti was awesome, answered all of my questions promptly.

The staff and guides at Tremisana Lodge were all top notch!

Highly recommend this company!



Until next month, 

With kind regards,
Piero
General Manager
Viva Safaris