June 2025
For me, the expression “A picture is worth a thousand words” evokes many emotions and memories. On the walls of our home, my wife Sandra and I have various items. These include photos of family, paintings of places we have visited, religious items such as a crucifix and a painting of Jesus as well as photos of wildlife and bushveld scenes.
The photos of family that have passed on allow us to remember the joyous occasions we experienced with our parents and grandparents and say a short prayer for the repose of their souls. The photos of our 4 children and 11 grandchildren remind us of our responsibilities towards our living family. We have a painting of Mykonos as well as one of Venice that recall the wonderful times we shared in these amazing places. The crucifix and painting of Our Lord remind us that we are Christians. The paintings of wildlife and bushveld allow us to temporarily escape from our daily routines and attendant hassles and be transported to a place we so love.
I have been writing these Viva Safaris newsletters since 1999. Marco, our Webmaster, has posted newsletters going back to December 2013 on the Home Page of our website, www.vivasafaris.com. Some photos on these newsletters are nothing short of brilliant.
Our rangers are trained to allow guests to maximize their photographic opportunities. This means that the vehicle should be positioned in such a way that the photographer has the very best opportunity to take a great shot. In a previous newsletter, I explained that our guides need to exercise both empathy and patience. If a tourist wants to take 100+ shots of the backside of an impala on the very first game drive, let it be. Do not advise that we shall shortly get a better full-frontal impala shot – allow the tourist to enjoy and live the present moment, although we are certain that all 100+ shots will be deleted.
We had a visit from Tim Feherty, professional photographer, who will be conducting our new product, the14 day Professional Wildlife Photography Course. Below I include some photos of the 600+ he took :
Luxuriant gardens at Tremisana
Smiley showing guests debarking of tree by elephants during Bush Walk
Magical experience at Marula Boma
Guests at dinner at Marula Boma
Watching Hippo in Olifants River
Lioness close up
Elephant close up
Dinner at Tremisana boma
Interior of treehouse at Marc’s Camp
Treehouse 2 at Marc’s Camp
Our guides are doing their very best to emulate Tim’s example as witnessed in their contributions below:
GAME VIEWING REPORTS FROM OUR GUIDES
BNR = Balule Nature Reserve
KNP = Kruger National Park
LUKE, Head Guide, sent the following:
Monthly Report for June 2025
The grass has mostly died back and turned brown while the deciduous trees have mostly lost their leaves. This makes it easier for us to spot animals like leopards in the thick bush. The waterholes are drying up and quickly becoming mud puddles, great for the Elephants and Rhino to wallows in.
This month’s biggest highlight for me did not involve a member of the Big Five, but rather one of the Secret Seven. The Aardvark made a brief appearance on one of my sunset drives. We had just passed a small herd of Zebra when my tracker Dumisani spotted a strange creature underneath a marula tree. I couldn’t believe our luck. The last time I saw an aardvark was back in 2014. What a magic moment. 
Aardvark on Rome 3/4 during sunset drive. BNR
The lion sightings have been good, especially on Campfire and Rome 4. Our territorial male might not be the king for too much longer. We have been seeing a younger male infiltrating his territory from the east on a regular basis. A few mornings back, I witnessed the young male chasing the older male – a sign that change is on its way. 
Lions on the move, Campfire property. Sunset Drive. BNR
We’ve had a few wonderful leopard sightings on Campfire, Rome 1, Rome 3/4 and Barnards properties. My favorite one for the month was a big male resting in a marula tree not far from Olifants Road. We sat and watched him resting in the afternoon sun, legs and tail hanging down from the branch, a wonderful sight. 
Leopard male in a Marula tree, on Campfire property BNR.
The elephants have been all over the reserve, even during our bushwalks along the Olifants River. With grass being in short supply, they are targeting trees for their roots and the cambium layer beneath the bark. We have witnessed a few elephants simply gripping the tops of small trees and pulling them out of the ground. 
Large Tusked Elephant Bull on Olifants road,Sunset Drive BNR
The buffalo herd made its way through Campfire and then disappeared to the south in search of good grazing areas. This always brings excitement, as the lions tend to follow the buffalo, hoping to pick one off for dinner.
Another great month in the bushveld, looking forward to the next one.
MARC sent the following:
I’ve always enjoyed being in the bush in June. The colder winter days start creeping in which makes my wife Suné and me really appreciate a good bottle of red wine coupled with frequent cuddling to embrace the chilly nights.
We had some return guests in June which is always pleasing to see as it means they have enjoyed their first experience with us and have chosen us once again to enhance their African Experience once more.
Some particular guests who were returning were Courtney, Sharon and Simon Bassett. Instead of our usual packages they wanted to come for 11 days so we customized a package specifically to suit their needs.
If you follow our social media pages you would have seen several of Courtney’s impressive videos of their experiences with us shared on our Facebook and Instagram pages. There is also a video on our website that Courtney made of her previous visit in 2024. 
Elephant in Kruger Park
Their previous trip with Viva Safaris yielded many amazing animal sightings, however they unfortunately missed out on seeing the elusive Leopard. Even though it’s not all about seeing all the animals, I made a mental note of this and if I got to take them on a drive I would make it my main objective to try find them a Leopard.
On the 6th of June I had them on my roster for a sundowner drive. It was day 3 of their 2nd Safari with us and they still hadn’t seen a Leopard as yet. It was a hot afternoon, close to 30 degrees so I decided to go directly to the Barnards property to try my luck at their several Waterholes.
I went directly to Kambaku dam, which has now become a very famous leopard spot for me as I’ve seen a particular male there very often as of late. But this time round he wasn’t at the dam. I tried to search beyond the dam wall and again still no luck. As I drove away from the dam I saw 2 Swainsons Spurfowls busy sand bathing in the middle of the road. As I got closer to them I turned off the engine to watch them a bit more. Then out the corner of my eye I saw some movement in the tall grass, and there he was, a big male leopard walking slowly in the grass.
Leopard seen at Barnards Kambaku Dam BNR
It took me just 23 minutes into my first drive with the Bassets and I found them their very first leopard. I felt really proud of myself and of course they were really happy. It wasn’t the greatest sighting as the leopard was far away and he moved off quite quickly, but at least everyone saw him.
I continued on the Sundowner Drive but I wasn’t entirely happy with the sighting we had of the leopard. So something inside me made me want to turn back and try relocate him again for a better experience.
I took a nearby road and drove very slowly searching up and down. Then there he was again, this time round in a clearing just behind a fallen Knob-thorn tree busy watching some nearby impala. We spent 20 minutes watching him relax and then get up and stalk impala until he moved off into another thicket.
On the 8th June, I had the Bassets again for a Sunset Drive. They had now seen almost everything and were truly happy. When I mean everything, they had seen several up close Lion sightings, Cheetah on the road, Wild Dogs, Rhinos, Hyenas and hundreds of Elephants and Buffalo. But once again they had only seen that one solitary Leopard sighting that we had a few days earlier.
Male Lion seen on Rome 4 BNR
Another Male Lion seen on Sable Road BNR
The Sunset Drive didn’t start off very well as I struggled to find much general game. Not much signs of Impalas, Zebra nor Giraffe.
Some days we really get to see everything and on other days the animals seem to just disappear. It’s all about timing and being at the right place at the right time.
Luke was on the other Sunset Drive and he had reported seeing some White Rhinos nearby. I quickly made my way to see if I could also get to show my guests these Rhinos. As I arrived, the Rhinos had already made their way into a thicket and the visual was not so good. All we could see was 3 white Rhino bums. It seemed like they were heading to a local waterhole so I rerouted once more and took a loop to see if I could intercept them at the water. On my way there we found a lovely breeding herd of elephants with some young bulls trumpeting as we drove past.
As we got to the waterhole as I thought there the 3 Rhinos were busy drinking. We spent a very special 10 minutes watching them up close whilst they were all drinking.
White Rhinos at the waterhole just before the leopard popped up BNR
It was almost dinner time so as I started the engine to head towards the Marula Boma for dinner, all of a sudden out popped a big male Leopard from behind a tree and walked right in front of us. Courtney captured the Leopard and the Rhinos in one video which can be seen on our social media pages.
What an exhilarating experience having 2 of the rarest of the Big 5 drinking at a Waterhole together and having the opportunity to show the Bassets their second leopard on only their second drive with me.
The rest of June was special with many sightings of more Leopard, Lions, Rhino, Buffalo and Elephants.
The one morning during a quick morning drive I witnessed 10 lions walk right past our vehicle. A video has also been posted onto our social media platforms of this incredible encounter. If you would like to see more of these pictures and videos please like and follow us @VivaSafaris on Instagram and Facebook. Here you will be kept up to date with news and daily sightings from our various Safari activities.
Pride of 10 lions walking right past us BNR
Until next month..
Marc
CHARL sent the following:
Crested Barbet very relaxed at the day visitors parking KNP
Lion on S36 KNP
Lionesses on S100 KNP
Buffalo KNP
ANDY sent the following:
Lions on BNR
These Honey Badgers were spotted near Tremisana, BNR
On Olifants road BNR
White Rhino, BNR
This pride was spotted at Rome 1 near the waterhole, BNR
QUINTON sent the following:
Dominant Impala ram brought his harem to drink water at Masango Camp
Giraffes seen on Bush Walk at Marc’s Camp 
Wild Dog seen on early morning bushwalk at Marc’s Camp.
RAYMOND sent the following:
Near Ngirivana waterhole KNP
Near Nsemani Dam KNP
Close up of Cheetah S36 KNP
Rome 1 BNR
ROCKY sent the following:
2 Elephant bulls H7 KNP
Lioness hunting for baboons KNP
A Cheetah crossing the road at Sweni Bridge KNP
Wild Dogs on H7 KNP
VICTOR sent the following:
Female Cheetah near Satara KNP
Wild Dog near Satara KNP
Male Lion near Girivana waterhole KNP
Buffalo bull BNR
SMILEY sent the following:
14 June: We drove to Kruger National Park where we saw a beautiful Tawny Eagle on a dry Leadwood tree.
19 June: We drove to Kruger where we saw a tower of giraffes on S126. Welverdiend waterhole.
20 June: We had an amazing sighting in Kruger Park. On S36 we saw 5 lionesses crossing the road in front of our vehicle.
On the same day we saw Hyena cubs on H7
NEWS FROM OUR LODGES
TREMISANA
NYARAI sent the following :
Tremisana Report June 2025
It feels good to be back home after my annual leave. We are now in the middle of winter. It is an act of bravery to wake up each morning considering the cold weather and late sunrise. “Even when there is no rooster, the morning will still start”
My favorite place this winter is the boma next to the Lapa. The evening fire reminds me of winter holidays at the farm. We would build a fire outside, and mum would make bread over the fire. A lot of beautiful memories were created. If you have read our newsletter over the years, I am sure you realise my love for this place and how it is filled with reminders of my other home.
We have started repainting our rooms and also clearing the office. I cant wait to finish up. The guys are doing their best to keep the Tremisana gardens green and alive. Winter has always had the power to cause plant damage that becomes more visible in Spring.
We have had a lot of elephants come to the lodge. They are always a pleasant sight for our guests during dinner.
Steve, the hyena comes to visit as well. My top sightings for this month was some zebras.
The month ended on a good note with a high number of guests
Until next month keep warm and take care.
SOUTHERN CAMPS
CHARL sent the following :
This month I don’t have much to report on as I was on leave for two weeks. During my time away from the lodge most of the time was spent relaxing on a farm in the Hoedspruit area. I did however manage to get a long weekend in the mix with my leave where we managed to go to Kruger for 3 days with some friends staying far down south. We had some amazing sightings over those 3 days with a record breaking 21 Southern Ground Hornbills seen over 3 days – a very rare bird to see that is also quite endangered. We also were very lucky to have an amazing leopard sighting with a female leopard walking across the road and stalk impalas on the side of the Sabie River. Unfortunately she wasn’t successful and was spotted just before she could make the final dart to catch.
While I was away the staff have been busy at the camps using the quiet period to get some maintenance done and out of the way with the floor in the toilet for tree house 10 needing to be replaced due to it lifting. This project was competed just before I returned and now we have begun with a new project of renovating and building at Masango Camp. We have started by removing all the old reeds to brick up the area allowing the air conditioning to work properly now that it will be completely sealed off in the rooms. I really do look forward to seeing how they are going to turn out.
New storeroom at my house
Dinner at Marc’s Camp
At Katekani I have asked Mandla to open up the view a little from the splash pools at suite 4 as it has a lovely view of the neighbouring Kapama property where one could possibly get a view of a Big Five animal while relaxing in the pool during the Summer. I definitely look forward to the Summer rolling around again as the early morning Bush Walk can be quite cold when waking up at that time.
UPGRADE TO ROOMS AT MASANGO CAMP
We have started a project to enlarge and upgrade the bathrooms of the 8 units at Masango Camp. Under Charl’s enthusiastic leadership, these will be completed by August 2025.
NEWS FOR OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS
I have spent time trying to calculate the annual increase as agents and clients have been asking for the 2026 rates. I hold a B.Sc. degree that includes a Maths major, Physics, Chemistry and Stats. This might sound impressive but means very little when there are so many unknowns and difficult-to-quantize variables.
There is no way anyone can predict how the world economy is going to proceed. With the ongoing wars and geopolitical uncertainties, it is difficult to confidently predict 2026 tariffs. I did my very best and the rates were sent to all our agents on 20 June.
I took time to examine each and every one of our 33 packages with the intention of making them more user-friendly.
We have instituted the following changes:
1. Luxury Lodge Packages
In the past, on day 2 we would take our guests on a full day safari to Kruger on the Open Vehicle. We would return somewhere around 19h00 and then still need to transfer the guests to Ezulwini arriving there usually after 20h00. The guests then had to rush for dinner and it became quite a long and arduous day.
We now have changed day 2 as follows:
With the ever-increasing popularity of the Bush Walk along the Olifants River, guests will from now on do the Bush Walk, return to Tremisana for brunch and a short siesta and then be transferred to Ezulwini in time for lunch.
We have gone a step further: We are now also offering luxury lodge packages at the popular Kapama Game Reserve. The program will be the same as that for Ezulwini except that guests now sleep at Kapama.
2. Six Day and Seven Day packages visiting Moholoholo.
In the past, guests were transferred to Tremisana after the Moholoholo Rehab visit.
From now on, guests will be transferred to their base camps for lunch and siesta. We have had numerous guests tell us that they never really had an opportunity to appreciate the rustic beauty of Marcs and the facilities of the luxury suites at Katekani. Further added value is to be had in that the 2h Afternoon Drive will be replaced by a longer Sundowner Drive.
Marco has chosen the following reviews posted this month :
“7 Day Safari with Viva Safaris” from TripAdvisor
deanncamm, UK
I do not normally provide reviews but on this occasion decided to provide potential Viva Safari visitors with an insight as to our experiences.
I booked the safari directly with Viva Safaris rather than going through a tour operator. From my first emails, Patricia Landau was exceptionally prompt and helpful in her responses. I asked many questions and was provided with all the information I needed. We selected the 7 day safari based at the Tremisana Lodge. We were picked up promptly at our Johannesburg airport hotel and driven to Kruger in time for our first sunset drive. Amazingly we saw 3 of the big 5 on that first drive. Once back at the lodge we checked into our accommodation which is rustic and comfortable. During our week we were driven by numerous of the Viva team. All were very informative about the animals and were keen to enable us to see as many different species as possible. We found Andy and Marc to be extremely enthusiastic, every day seemed an adventure for them too.
The schedules are packed each day. Having been on a safari previously we were delighted with the amount of time out in jeeps on this Viva safari. We must have averaged over 7 hours per day actually tracking animals. We managed to see all the big 5, with the highlights being 8 lions walking beside the jeep literally 5 minutes from the lodge, a cheetah walking beside the jeep in Kruger, 3 hyena cubs lazing by the road in Kruger and 14 giraffes walking beside the road totally ignoring us, a boa constrictor sunbathing in a tree and 2 male wildebeest fighting for territory and breeding rights. With regard to the lodge itself, the team worked hard to ensure we were well fed, the food was good, plentiful and filling and the chefs added their own cakes, cookies and desserts. Each mealtime the visitors met at the Lapa restaurant to discuss their sightings, share experiences and add to the enjoyment. Just outside the perimeter of the Lapa (literally 20 metres from our seats) we had daily visits from hyenas, a family of 5 warthogs, honey badgers, elephants, guinea fowl and numerous other birds.
At Tremisana we met many fun loving people from all over Europe, Asia and America which all added to the experience. What a fantastic holiday. It was definitely a 5 out of 5 experience.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to spend their safari holiday actually viewing animals rather than sitting beside a pool.
“Wonderful Experience” from TripAdvisor
Peter B, USA
My adult daughter and I recently completed the 7 day safari with Viva. We had a great experience. One should note that it’s a 6-7 hour drive from Johannesburg to the lodge. There are two rest stops and a lunch stop. Our room was basic but did the job. Do note that there is limited storage space. There is an in room safe and the A/C works well. There are coffee making facilities in the room. The beds were comfortable and I slept well. The food is basic and good. The lodge personnel were very helpful. We had two days in Kruger Park which is about 1 1/2 hours from the lodge. The days in the lodge consisted of an early morning drive and a sunset drive. We did a half day visit to an animal rescue facility that was interesting. We also did a morning bush walk. I can’t say enough good things about our guides Rocky, Victor and especially Luke. I am 81 and handled everything with no difficulty though I’m in pretty good shape. I thought that the safari was an exceptional value. Also we made a lot of friends along the way. A very laid back experience. I would highly recommend!
“What a great experience” from TripAdvisor
Aaron C
Our stay stay at Tremisana Lodge and 6 day safari with Viva Safaris was such an amazing experience that I don’t know where to begin.
The Viva staff are incredibly warm, welcoming people who really made this experience something to remember for a lifetime. Everyone, the office staff, the van drivers, the cooks, the housekeepers, the gardener, and the guides are all top-notch professionals. Staying at Tremisana is like staying with family, and they make you feel right at home.
The food was tasty and plentiful, and the drinks were very reasonably priced. The grounds are beautifully kept, with many places to relax, and the rooms are very comfortable.
Extra thanks to: Luke, Rocky, and Victor for going above and beyond in their dedication to find the animals. We spotted the big 5 on multiple occasions and had close encounters with animals that went WAY beyond our wildest expectations.
I would 110% recommend Tremisana and Viva Safaris. I can’t wait to go back to Tremisana!!!
“Sechstägige Safari im Balule Game Reserve & Kruger Nationalpark – ein wunderschönes Erlebnis (Juni 2025)” from Google
Katrin Zoncsich, Austria
Unsere sechstägige Safari im Juni 2025 war ein durch und durch beeindruckendes Erlebnis, das uns mit vielen besonderen Momenten, Begegnungen und Eindrücken bereichert hat.
Ein absolutes Highlight waren die Game Drives, die jeden Tag aufs Neue faszinierend waren. Selbst die längeren Touren – zum Teil bis zu acht Stunden – waren nie langweilig, sondern spannend, lehrreich und sehr gut organisiert. Unsere Guides waren kompetent, engagiert und voller Begeisterung für die Tier- und Pflanzenwelt. Wir konnten eine Vielzahl an Tieren beobachten – darunter Elefanten, Giraffen, Löwen, Büffel, Zebras, Impalas, Kudus, Warzenschweine, Hyänen, Schakale, Paviane sowie zahlreiche Vogelarten. Besonders eindrucksvoll war auch der Besuch eines Tier-Sanctuarys, wo wir Leoparden und Geparden aus nächster Nähe erleben konnten.
Die erste Nacht verbrachten wir in der Tremisana Lodge, die im Vergleich eher einfach ausgestattet ist. Die Zimmer, die wir gesehen haben, verfügten jeweils über ein Doppelbett und zwei Einzelbetten sowie ein kleines Badezimmer. Für eine Nacht war das vollkommen in Ordnung – insbesondere durch das freundliche und äußerst bemühte Personal, das stets darum bemüht war, uns den Aufenthalt so angenehm wie möglich zu machen.
Den Großteil unserer Safari verbrachten wir in der Katekani Tented Lodge, die deutlich komfortabler und stilvoller ist. Die Unterkünfte bestehen teils aus Zeltstoff, teils aus gemauerten Wänden und liegen wunderschön mitten in der Natur. Auch wenn es im südafrikanischen Winter nachts eher kühl ist, haben wir uns dort sehr wohl gefühlt. Besonders positiv hervorzuheben ist, dass das WLAN in den Zimmern zuverlässig funktionierte, was nicht selbstverständlich ist.
Ein großes Lob möchten wir Quinton, dem Manager von Katekani, aussprechen. Er war jederzeit freundlich, hilfsbereit und hat uns mit seinem Wissen und seiner Aufmerksamkeit beeindruckt. Man spürt, dass ihm das Wohl der Gäste wirklich am Herzen liegt – seine Anwesenheit hat unseren Aufenthalt zusätzlich bereichert.
Fazit: Diese Safari war eine wunderschöne, intensive Reise mit eindrucksvollen Tierbegegnungen, sehr gutem Service, abwechslungsreichen Unterkünften und einer rundum gelungenen Organisation. Für uns war es ein ganz besonderes Erlebnis, das wir uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen können.
“What a team, what an experience” from SafariBookings
Robbert, The Netherlands
Communication with Viva Safaris up to the safari itself was pleasant: Patti responded quickly and helped me in getting the perfect package. The safari itself was to die for: driving on the savannah during sunrise, seeing the whole sky turn orange and red, passing a group of zebras while hearing the roar of a lion further away from the vehicle. I kept thinking ‘this won’t be my only safari’.
The team itself was nothing short of amazing too: very kind and helpful, amazing food (especially dinners were my highlight, though I would recommend getting something like protein shakes or bars if you want to stick to your daily protein goals. It is possible to reach 100gr on a daily basis, but with the available South African diet you go way up in calories as well. I.e. Billtong has +30gr of protein but is also easily +400 in kcal per 100gr) the catering staff always had the biggest smile on their faces and the rangers/ drivers were always willing to explain during the drives. Also, I had my stay in the Tremisana Lodge and it was very comfortable. A/C available but not needed since I went un June (at night temperatures would be around 12-15C), small fridge, good shower and more than enough space for 2 people.
I would def book again with Viva Safaris, my safari has been amazing thanks to the team and the savannah!
“Très bien organisé” from GetYourGuide
Anonymous, Belgium
Très bien organisé. Mais un peu court. Les arrets pour observer les animaux étaient ouvent fort courts. Et il faut avoir de la chance de tomber sur le bon guide. Mais tout a très bien été. Nous avons vu les big 5. Le trajet en voiture depuis Jobourg est long, 6heures. Acceuil tres sympa partout. Trres bonne formule ces voitures ouvertes pour bien voir les animaux sans etre enferme dans une voiture
“Go with this company, you will not regret it!” from TripAdvisor
Kyle, USA
Too many great things to say about this company/tour in 1 review. From the morning I was picked up from my hotel, the staff were all incredible and the transportation was seamless. The first night at Tremisana game lodge was great, the bush BBQ was so much fun! The evening game drive we got to see a leopard, and the tour guides were so knowledgeable. The following morning we were lucky enough to see a male lion on the bush walk, Luke and Andy made sure we all felt safe and comfortable the whole time. The time in Kruger was AMAZING, Victor was such a fun and knowledgeable guide. We were lucky enough to see the other 4 of the big 5 in Kruger, and had SUCH a fun time on this tour. The food was amazing, all the staff, every detail was planned perfectly and seamless, I was so impressed with this company. Would love to return!
“Wow!” from GetYourGuide
Hannah, UK
Wow!!! The most amazing 4 day safari thanks to viva safaris!!! We loved every minute, saw the big 5 as well as loads of other amazing animals. The guides and staff were amazing, and the communication and punctuality was flawless. We had so much fun and it was great value for money. We loved being able to visit the public area of Kruger as well as the private areas for a more exclusive look at the animals. Would definitely recommend!
Until next month,
With kind regards,
Piero
General Manager
Viva Safaris
