October 2022
Some birds found in South African are named onomatopoeically.
The best known is probably the Hadeda Ibis that makes a loud and penetrating “HAA-HAA-HAA-DE-DAH” call. Hadedas have spread their range in S A to include most urban areas because of increasing tree cover and irrigation in human-altered habitats.
A less well-known species named after its call is the Chukar Partridge. In South Africa, this bird is found only on Robben Island, known internationally for the incarceration of Nelson Mandela.
There are no Chukar Partridges in Kruger Park but I believe that over 90% of Viva Safaris guests also visit Cape Town and quite a few will probably visit Robben Island.
In 1964 a Customs official in Cape Town confiscated 6 Chukar Partridges from a smuggler sailor. Instead of having roast partridge for his next dinner, he arranged to have the birds released on Robben Island which today has over 500 in number.
The Chukar Partridge is a game bird and weighs around 500 grams, about the size of a feral pigeon. It is indigenous to Eastern Europe, China, Russia and most of the Middle East.
It is a favourite target for bird hunters. Thankfully hunting is not allowed on Robben Island which has been assigned national monument status.
The Chukar Partridge is unmistakeable with diagnostic white face with black gorget, rufous-streaked flanks, red legs and coral red bill. Its call is a noisy ‘ CHUCK-CHUCK-CHUKAR-CHUKAR” .
It has been introduced widely internationally as a game bird and feral populations have become established in the US, Canada, Chile and Argentina. Its diet comprises a wide variety of seeds as well as insects.
GAME VIEWING REPORTS FROM OUR GUIDES
YURI reports:
Another month closer to 2023, only 2 months to Christmas. Crazy how time is fun when you are having flies. It’s been a hot and dry month with several days up into the 40’s, but regardless, the game viewing has been awesome!
PAINTED WOLVES
Personally, I despise the name “wild dogs”. It just doesn’t do these amazing creatures justice. I much prefer the Latin name laicon pictus meaning Painted Wolf. They are apex predators and can boast a hunting success rate of around 95%. Lions are at around 35%.
Guests are almost always confused when they see their Guide get excited about finding a pack of these creatures, because they are just “wild dogs”. We often get asked if they are not hyenas. Most certainly not! These wolves were hunted and killed to the brink of extinction because of their nomadic nature causing conflict with humans. Luckily, through education and numerous research and conservation efforts numbers are on the rise.
Hyenas are not Canids, they are actually more closely related to cats than dogs. In fact, the closest genetic match to a hyena is mustelidae and herpestidae , mongooses, honey badgers, civets and genets.
CHEETAH
At last, after a long wait, I managed to get reasonably close to a cheetah and managed to get a few great pictures. Not easy considering how few are left in Kruger.
BEAUTY FROM A DISTANCE
In Kruger Park there is this one viewpoint on the Timbavati River that I really love going to. To me, it is like a magical place. Sometimes I go there and there is nothing, but most times, there is something. The beauty is in the fact that it almost looks like a bit of a desert landscape with a very wide, dry riverbed and only a small water hole to one side and everything is quite a distance from the view point itself.
A few days ago, I went there late afternoon and there were a few elephants that moved on after a drink and a bath. While watching the elephants, out came a fantastic male leopard, totally relaxed, to get a drink himself. Totally out in the open, surrounded by sand. It was awesome.
A SAD SIGHT
It is no secret that I love leopards, and I think they love me, as my success rate with leopard sightings is pretty good.
On 20 October I drove to a dam in Balule and I spotted a leopard sleeping………except, it wasn’t sleeping. It was dead. Killed by lions, whose tracks I found and followed and located not far away, sleeping under a tree.7 in total. This was a female leopard and later it was discovered that one of her two cubs had also been killed, by the same lions.
I have had some great rhino and elephant sightings too and in general, the game viewing has been great.
Cheers,
We congratulate YURI on his appointment as Executive Manager of Klein Jan restaurant at Tswalu Kalahari Game Lodge. We wish him, Nadine and young Dom all the very best.
Thanks for your contribution to Viva Safaris.
RAYMOND reports:
On the 5th in Kruger on the H7 at the junction of S36 and S39 we found two male cheetahs hunting and walking on the road towards Satara for more than five hundred metres. At Nsemane dam we found lots of elephant, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and impalas. On the S127 about one km from the H1-3 we found a pride of lions with cubs. A little further on we had a terrific sighting of the two pride lions sleeping on the road !
On the way out we found the famous Casper at the entrance to Orpen Camp.
White Lion right at Orpen Camp
On the 15th on a morning bush walk at Balule we found a pride of lions with lots of cubs on a giraffe kill. The competition for feeding was not very high as all of them had full bellies even the younger ones.
On Rome we found three White Rhino bulls. During the sunset drive we found a big herd of elephants drinking water at Leadwood Pan and buffalo at Imagine Africa and on the way to Marula Boma we found a female leopard trying to catch an impala. 
On the 24th during the morning drive we found two mating pairs of lions about 50 metres apart.
On the 29th during the sunset drive we found a big herd of Buffalo at Barnards near Ngwenya dam. On the airstrip we found a mating pair of lions. 
On the 30th during the morning bush walk we found a herd of Buffalo next to Tremisana lodge lying down under a Marula tree. At Leadwood Pan we saw a leopard trying unsuccessfully to catch an impala. On Rome 1 while walking we found two male elephants. We approached them close enough to get a good photo. On the Olifants River we got the hippos and a crocodile outside the water.
VICTOR reports:
On the 4th of October we started our game drive from Orpen boom gate to reception we saw zebras and impalas. We continued with our game drive on the H7 and we saw two Ostriches a male and a female near Tamboti turn off. After that we saw two big male Elephants crossing the road. 100 metres east of the S39 we saw two cheetahs lying down under a small Knobthorn tree. At Mudzanzeni picnic spot we saw a big herd of Buffalos drinking water. On the S100 we saw a male and a female lion lying down under a small tree.
After lunch we took road H1-3 to Nwanetsi bridge where we saw a leopard up in a tree. At Nsemane Dam we saw nine Hippos in the water and twenty elephants busy drinking wate. On the S12 we saw a big male lion lying down under a small tree very close to the road. After that we took the S106 Rabelais Road. 300 metres east of Rabelais waterhole we saw a female spotted hyena walking on the road. We saw four of the big five that day.
On the 13th October we started our game drive and saw impalas and wildebeest east of Nghala dam. We continued with our game drive on the H7 and saw a herd of elephants crossing the road heading to Timbavati river. After that we saw two cheetahs lying down under a small tree. 300 metres east of Nsemane dam we saw two lions mating very close to the road. We took the S100 to Shibotwana waterhole where we saw six big old male buffalos.
After lunch we took the S126 and saw six giraffes at the Sweni waterhole. After that we saw a White Rhino wallowing in the mud while two big male buffalos were drinking water at Welverdiend waterhole. On the S36 at Rockvale waterhole we saw two big male Elephants drinking water. On the H7 we saw a female leopard up a tree. On the way out, we saw two spotted hyenas walking on the road. We saw all big five in a day.
On the 24th October we started our game drive from Orpen boom gate to the reception we saw Giraffes impalas and zebras. Further on we saw a big male White Rhino crossing the road. After that we saw a herd of elephants drinking water. At Muzdanzeni picnic spot we saw four big male Buffalos lying down under a Marula tree. On the S 126 Sweni Road we saw wildebeests, zebras and kudus drinking water at Welverdiend waterhole. We then took the S100 to Shibotwana waterhole where we saw two male lions and five lionesses busy feeding on a buffalo.
After lunch at Nsemane Dam we saw eleven hippos in the water and a herd of Buffalos busy drinking and bathing and wallowing. At Girivana waterhole we saw a female leopard lying down under a small tree. We then drove on S106 Rabelais Road where we saw seven wild dogs running along the road. We saw the big five in one day.
ELIAS aka SMILEY reports:
In October we had amazing sightings. I am listing them :
We saw a pride of lions on Zebra Road on Campfire and it was so good for me to see how excited my guest were.
We saw hyenas at Marula Boma while we were eating dinner and that was amazing because we had heard them calling and then they showed up.
We saw 18 hippos during the bush walk on Olifants River and we also saw one big crocodile there too.
We also saw a herd of elephants during a bush walk which was amazing for my guests. We approached close enough to get some great shots.
We saw white rhinos at Tremisana dam. And during our breakfast at the Lapa we saw 4 male elephants drinking water from the trough while the vervet monkeys played around.
We saw a leopard that was on Cambridge 1/2 cutline. When my guests got excited, the leopard quickly went down.
We saw a herd of Buffaloes on Oxford Main near second concrete pan.
We saw a pride of lions on Imagine Africa that killed a leopard and didn’t eat it. It was just to show who the king is. It was very sad to see that.
Just before the bush walk, I spotted lions tracks at Tremisana property and then I decided to follow them. On that day my guests were leaving and the only thing that was left on the big five wish list was lions. I tracked them down up until I found them on Leadwood Pan. It was an amazing experience for my guests to see and to have that experience. 
We saw 4 white rhinos on Barnards.
We saw one female lion on Campfire on Nyarhi Marhambu.
We two white rhinos on Marula extension.
We saw 7 female lions on Campfire. We also saw giraffes, kudu, impalas and zebra.
We saw 3 wild dogs on Oxford Main. 
We saw a pride of lions at Marula Boma feeding on a giraffe. Everyone was excited to see that but were scared so we hurried up the Bush BBQ to go back quickly to the lodge.
It was an awesome month.
PATRICK reports:
On the 2nd October I did a full day in Kruger and sightings were good : lions at Orpen watering hole , white lions at Timbavati, after Tamboti turn off we saw white rhino crossing the road, leopard at Nwaswitsotso loop opposite side of Kingfisher junction. We also saw buffaloes drinking water at Rabelais first stream and elephants at Nsemane and lots of general game on the s100 and h7.
On the 8th October sightings were good as usual : Lions at Rabelais on the road, leopard crossing the road, elephants Nsemane dam and a white lion near there and more lions at Xibotwana s100, buffaloes Nwanetsi bridge and plenty general game on Sweni Road. 
On the 18th in Kruger again, sightings good : Lions on Rabelais road sleeping, buffaloes at Rockvale water hole, after Welverdiend we saw a leopard crossing the road, plenty game on Sweni, zebras, kudu, wildebeest, giraffes and impalas and cheetahs on s36 and s39 junction – it was a beautiful sighting !
On the 26th Kruger again, sightings good: h12 Girivana we saw a leopard, at Nsemane dam a huge herd of buffaloes, elephants s100, and plenty general game on s100.
On our way back 3km before Kingfisher junction we found a leopard next to the road. Further on there was a white rhino on the road. On our way out cheetahs, hyenas, and wild dogs running into the bush – what a great day !
PIERO reports :
Sandra and I spent the first week of the month at the lodges. Various staff issues were resolved and new outfits were bought for all staff.
Caroline smiling sweetly in her new uniform
The lodges are all looking a lot better than they were last time we visited and I thank all the staff for their hard work.
We have acceded to a request from other lodges and have appointed 2 trackers to our staff. Viva Safaris runs a very different operation to all the other lodges on Olifants West Nature Reserve.
These lodges generally offer a 3 h morning drive leaving at around 05h30 and a 3.5 h afternoon sundowner drive leaving at around 16h00 every day.
Viva has a 1.25 h sunrise drive starting at 05h45, a bush walk starting at 05h45 and returning to Tremisana by 09h00, a 2 h afternoon drive starting at 15h00, a 4 h sundowner drive starting at 15h30 and our sunset drive starting at 17h00 with Bush BBQ at Marula Boma at around 19h00 and returning to Tremisana by 21h00. Each afternoon, our drivers are out on game drive before other lodges and often update these other drivers on the locations of sightings. The trackers assist our drivers in locating such sightings.
We had lions around Tremisana the whole time we were there so Sandra had to restrict her walks. The one evening, while I was on a Sundowner Drive with Elias, she decided to walk from the parking lot to the Olifants gravel road (about 50 metres) and back as many times as she could manage before nightfall. Later that night we heard lions roaring and we carefully made it to my Toyota Fortuner in the parking lot and went looking for these lions. We found them not 25 metres from where the Fortuner had been parked !!! She wisely stopped walking outside the fenced lodge area thereafter.
Lion with Tremisana lights in the background.
We saw a pack of three wild dogs very close to Tremisana on a sunset drive. We had two White Rhino on Tremisana property while we were there.
We spent 2 nights at Katekani where we met the Italian consul and his family. We heard lions, hyenas and leopards and I thoroughly enjoyed a midnight dip in the splash pool (temperature at the time around 25 C).
I also had the privilege of meeting Pinella and Gianluca, two Milan lawyers on honeymoon. They certainly helped to clarify any issues/questions I had in respect of Italy’s political situation.
GEORGE has replaced Yuri and sent the following:
On the 24th of October I did a full day safari in Kruger National Park. At the Orpen waterhole we saw a herd of elephants drinking water. At Rabelais we saw Wild dogs and at Nsemane dam we saw a male white lion called Casper. On the h1-3 Nwanetsi Bridge we saw six male buffalos. On the s100 Xibotwana waterhole there was a pride of lions. On the way home on the s12 junction of h7 there was a female Leopard and on the h7 before Kingfisher another female leopard and more general game including giraffe, zebra and wildebeest.
On the 25th of October the game viewing was not good compared to the previous day in Kruger. At Orpen Camp waterhole we saw elephants, zebras, wildebeest, and impala. At Nsemane Dam we saw Hippos. On the S100 we saw a breeding herd of Buffalos and Elephants and some giraffes. There were no big cats on this day.
On the 26th of October from Orpen Boom gate we saw giraffe and hyenas at close range. On the h7 mfene khaya we had one male elephant and on h7 ngwenya khaya we saw a crocodile on the bank of the river. There were some zebra and waterbuck close by. On the h7 we were lucky to see one male lion and then a leopard at Nsemane dam with a nyala in a tree. I was surprised that the prey was a nyala as they are not often encountered around Satara.
On the 27th of October on the H7 between S36 and S39 we saw two male lions. We also saw another male lion on the S41. We had plenty general game as well as a leopard in a tree. On the s127 we saw two cheetahs and three hyenas bathing in the waterholes until a big herd of Buffalo arrived.
NEWS FROM OUR LODGES
Sandra, my good wife, took responsibility of buying new uniforms for all staff.
Elvis and Aron in new uniform
I took the photo of a hyena cooling down in the water trough in front of our Breakfast Lapa. Yuri, Nyarai and Thamia posed smartly.
TREMISANA
Nyarai reports :
The month of October comes to an end as we draw closer to the end of the year. It is still quite dry outside and the sun gives one the warmest embrace especially in the afternoons. We haven’t had a lot of rain as yet so any amount of rain is really welcome at this point. The Tremisana dam has been really helpful to the animals during this dry period.
Dabbling in between temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius and upwards has not been easy. It might be difficult during the day but the one thing I live for are the glorious sunsets in Balule. After a day’s work I find it calming just to sit outside and watch the sun set. It is my own form of therapy and by the time I go inside I feel better.
This month has been a real definition of busy. I wanted things to pick up so much that now it is happening I feel excited and overwhelmed at the same time. My grandfather always said we human beings never know what we want. When things start to happen, we want to go back to what we wanted to change.
I have met a lot of fantastic people this month and I am really grateful. The saddest part of the tourism industry is the part when we always have to say goodbye. This month I had a lot of guests stay for 5 days or more at Tremisana. You get an opportunity to know more about people but sadly they have to go home. We meet as strangers and we say our goodbyes as friends. I was really excited to have a family who came from Penang, Malaysia. A place I called home for a while. It felt like I was back there again. Remembered so many beautiful things I had forgotten. I am sure it is the same feeling of nostalgia the devoted readers of this newsletter get when they see pictures of the Balule plains and Kruger. A reason to come back to the bush I bet.
Animal sightings at the lodge included warthogs, elephants, lions and the most awesome one a rhino and of course the impalas are our usual companions. I hardly pay attention to impalas but this month they have kept me entertained at the guesthouse. I find myself spending time studying their behavior. Maybe this might be a worthy topic for next month after I gather all my facts together.
One morning Aron woke me early before the first breakfast and I am still in my pajamas. There was rhino at the watering hole in front of the breakfast area. I think these past couple of months my timing has been off. By the time I finished dressing up and running to the breakfast area the rhino was gone. The chest pains I felt I cannot describe. I am not sure if it was from the running or from the disappointment of missing such an amazing sighting. They say opportunity does not wake up those who are asleep. If I had just woken up ten minutes earlier I would have made it in time. Lesson learnt the hard way.
I just want to give a special thank you to all the guests that continue to support us and are kind to us, making the job we do easy. To the repeat clients that have come back to have fun with us out here you are a special part of our family and we appreciate the good word of mouth recommendations you continue to share.
Till next month stay safe and know that you will always have a home away from home with us.
CHARL reports :
Bush walks at Marc’s camp have been great with lots of encounters of giraffes and buffaloes. We had an interesting sighting one morning while out on bush walk. I heard the vervet monkeys busy alarm calling. My first instinct was to go and investigate as it may be a predator. I spent some time walking with the guests in the direction of the noise. Spending some time to work through the area, I saw a civet cat moving through the area quite a strange sighting as they are predominantly nocturnal. I did a few drives on Balule this month with a nice sighting of a pride of seven lionesses lying not far from the road giving my guests a great up close and personal view of the big cats. We were also fortunate enough to get close to a group of three wild dog males. I believe these have separated from the main pack and become a nomadic group.
KATEKANI
It has been a busy month this month with lots of maintenance taking place we have built a small concrete dam close to the Boma in the hope to attract some animals with a nice flood light so that the guests sitting at the Boma can hopefully one day sit and have dinner and watch a leopard come to drink.
Thanks to Given we have been doing maintenance to all the decks at Katekani but the biggest task we had was to build a new tank stand as there was a fear that the old one was going to give in. We now will have water for many years to come.
MARCS CAMP
It was a tough month with an unfortunate event taking place with our dining Boma catching fire. Thanks to the help of a lot of fire extinguishers that had just been serviced and the neighbours we were able to contain the fire to only the Boma and public toilet. We are unsure of the cause of the fire as JB had checked the entire camp’s electrics. Perhaps a gecko managed to short the wiring or maybe a rat may have chewed the wires. These are the hazards of the bush. Sylvester, our electrician, has rechecked every electrical point.
We have been fortunate enough to have a few animals in and out of the camp quite frequently with a lovely sighting of a leopard trying to hunt impala on the main road heading to the camp. In the picture of the leopard, you can see the lights from the lodge to show how close she was to the lodge.
DUMELA TENTED CAMP
Charl has done a fantastic job. The pool has been fibre-glassed, the roof of the poolside boma has been rethatched and has new chicken wire added to make it baboon-proof and the main Boma and new kitchen have new canvas roofs.
NEWS FOR OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS
October 2022 has been a very good month. We have re-employed Given ( carpenter ) , Sylvester ( electrician ), Nhlanhla ( driver and tracker ), Ronnie ( painter ) and Nomvula ( housekeeper )..
Rocky has been employed as a tracker.
For me, now in the twilight of my life, it is a great blessing to know that Viva Safaris is getting back to its full complement of staff. There is still some way to go before all staff are re-employed as per pre-Covid times but I am upbeat about the situation.
Our staff have really tried their very best to make our guests feel welcome and cared for. The reviews on Tripadvisor and other platforms bear eloquent and plausible testimony to their hard work.
I reckon that if we please 75% of our guests 75% of the time, then we are doing well. There will always be some tourist that will have some gripe.
One of my concerns is the lack of self-discipline some guests display. Despite recommendations that I have written on the Welcome Letter that all guests receive and despite notices on do’s and don’ts on a game drive and despite a clear and unambiguous pre-drive briefing by our rangers, some tourists believe that they can stand up while on game drive and make as much noise as they like. While we all understand that the excitement of a close-up sighting of an animals can elicit an emotional outburst, it must be remembered that excessive movement or noise may frighten the animal away and thus deny other guests from other lodges the opportunity of enjoying our wildlife. I shall always support our guides in being firm on these matters.
The same applies to guests on Bush Walks. These are not saunters in a local park and it can be dangerous so we expect all guests to obey any instruction from the rangers.
We close our bars at all lodges at 22h00 and expect guests to go to their rooms soon thereafter. Our packages are quite busy so punctuality at activities is key.
Thankfully incidents of confrontation between ranger and guest are very few and far between and Viva Safaris appreciates the cooperation of all our guests in contributing to the well-oiled machine that our operation strives to be.
I include the following reviews posted this month on TripAdvisor :
VIVA SAFARIS
Unbelievable
Tracey Egan
“I genuinely can’t say enough good things about Viva Safari. This was the most amazing experience. Myself and my two children 9 and 11 had the holiday of our lives. Big shout out to KG, Victor and Akunamatata the best guides around ❤️ We saw the big 5 and everything in between. Another huge thank you to mama for the fabulous cooking, I’ve never eaten so well. The itinerary is perfect- totally magical and you will share your accommodation with monkeys, wart hogs and elephants!!!!! God bless Viva Safaris and thank you from all our hearts ♥️”
Amazing unforgettable experience and very friendly staff
Lavender M
“Started my Trip on the 24th of October with a lovely driver Thabo who picked me up on time at the airport with a very nice air conditioned vehicle made the trip very exciting had a lovely meal in Dullstrom where you exchange drivers and vehicles ,got to Tremisana just after 4pm in time for the sunset game drive 🙂
The staff at Tremisana Lodge are very friendly and welcoming made the whole stay feel like home
We did a sunset game drive with Smiley very friendly and knowledgeable guide ,spotted black and white Rhinos ,Giraffes,Elephants,Lions on the sunset game drive,we ended the drive with a lovely Dinner under the stars at the Boma where we had a very nice traditional south african Braai.
The most exciting part was that you get to experience both the private game reserve and the Kruger national park 🙂
the full day game drive on the next day was exciting we saw 4 out of Big 5
Leopard,Lion,Buffalo,Elephants we only missed the Rhino which we had seen already in Balule
the Breakfast was very Lovely
Had the chance to also experience the Treehouse which are nicely built and very deep in the bush with possibilities or bumping into Buffalos and Leopards 🙂
from day 1 to end viva Safari was very Professional, the activities are well planned and overally the whole experience was amazing
Thank you Viva Safaris this was such an Unforgettable safari experience”
A dream vacation
Skates1973
“This was my 2nd time staying at Viva Safaris.
The staff is professional, courteous & accommodating to all guest. I love the African bush. Kruger National Park is amazing.
Viva Safaris goes above & beyond to accommodate each guest. The guides give 100% on each tour, the guides are diligently searching for animals. I was extremely lucky to see THE BIG 5 in less than 24 hrs, The entire staff greeted me daily with big smiles & a happy deposition. The food is delicious, 3 homemade meals a day, breakfast, lunch & dinner .
A few guest were vegetarians & the staff served vegetarian meals. I’m enjoying every day at Viva Safaris. I feel sad because I only have 2 days left. Viva Safaris is an excellent Safari tour guide company. My money 💰 was well spent, there’s a variety of safari packages available for multiple budgets.
Last light, I heard a lion roaring, these animals are truly majestical. The monkeys at the lodge are cute. Please remember to never feed the monkeys & don’t feed wild animals.
Viva Safaris is a dream vacation, animals, good food & fun times. The mattresses are comfy, I sleep like a baby. The shower work well, the rooms are air conditioned. Please don’t hesitate to book your trip, it’s a dream vacation ❤️
I’m in the photo below, Victor a staff member, took the photo during our tour in Kruger National Park. The staff are professional, friendly, courteous & EXTREMELY accommodating to all guest!”
KATEKANI
Viaggio di nozze
Py U
“Il lodge è molto particolare e bello, semitendato aperto sulla foresta, certo bisogna ricordarsi che si è in Africa, di notte si sentono gli animali e anche il vento quindi bisogna sempre avere un approccio avventuriero! Ciò premesso, noi ci siamo trovati benissimo, la stanza è stata pulita tutti i giorni e anche io cibo preparato da Margret era veramente ottimo ❤️ Un ringraziamento speciale al gm Pietro, suafricano con origini italiane, persona molto interessante e con tante storie da raccontare. Consigliato!”
Must Stay Location
Allisson E
“This option with Viva Safaris is a must do. The rooms are large, peaceful, spacious and very comfortable. The private pool, plus inside and outside showers were nice features. The location for meals was comfortable and allowed all guests to mix and share their daily safari stories. This lodge was personal, extremely comfortable, peaceful and relaxing. All meals were delicious and super fresh. Charl and his stories and experiences made the stay even better. All guest really appreciated his service, humour and knowledge. Highly recommend and ensure to maximise your stay with the 6 day tour.”
MARC’S TREEHOUSE LODGE
Amazing if short stay
Birgit J
“I spent 4 days with Viva Safaris one night Tremisana and 2 nights at Marc’s Treehouse lodge. While I enjoyed Tremisana and the drives and bushwalk at Balule with Yuri and Smilie Halali I really was looking forward to my treehouse experience. I was not at all disappointed. Having been camping in the African Bush and desert for the last weeks my treehouse (no 4) was pure luxury and so spacious. I enjoyed my terrace overlooking the river and being greeted by a male Nyala in the morning was amazing. The second night the sound of the bush was almost overwhelming with many animals making themselves heard and hyenas calling very close by. On the morning bush walk with Yuri we indeed found tracks of hyena, buffalo and leopard. The ladies at Marc’s did a fantastic job with tasty dinners and breakfasts around a large table which felt like family meals.
Special thanks go to Patrick for our Kruger drive. We did see a lot of animals and seeing 3 different cats in one day was amazing – 9 lions and the illusive leopard and a cheetah.
My Marc’s Treehouse stay was the perfect end to an amazing African holiday.
I will be back sometime.”
A nice and peaceful place
Charline
“I spent 3nights in a tent and it was wonderful.wake up with monkeys, enjoy the river.
All the staff is super nice and welcoming! The food is really nice and tasty.
Safari in Kruger was amazing! Thank you Patrick
Thank you for this lovely moment in South Africa.”
TREMISANA
Our stay at Tremisana
Ashley S
We’ve just completed a five day safari at Tremisana Lodge I and can’t recommend the place highly enough. The whole staff from guides to drivers, cooks and cleaners were brilliant and couldn’t do enough for you. The location was at the entrance to the reserve so spotting animals without leaving wasn’t uncommon. The place itself was intimate but lovely and perfect for a safari trip where you spend most of the time away. The food was great, cold drinks available at a great price. The main event of course is the safari and it did not disappoint whatsoever. We saw an array of animals in the Balule reserve including all the big 5 in 24 hours, extremely lucky but credit goes to the guides who do their upmost to make it happen and can’t thank them enough. The day trip to Kruger was also brilliant and again, no effort spared from the guide trying to find what you want, asking everyone he can what’s been seen. They truly make the holiday with their enthusiasm, humour and joy they bring, even at half 5 for the morning tours. Smiley was our guide for all the local reserve drives and was brilliant, so friendly and funny and made sure as best he could to show us everything and always with a smile. Victor no different for Kruger, always laughing. So thank you to those 2 but also all the staff the, we felt very welcome and both left with huge smiles and memories to last a lifetime. Thank you Tremisana and Hakuna Matata!
Until next month,
With kind regards,
Piero
General Manager
Viva Safaris
