September 2026
From a very young age, I have always been very interested in birds. One of the most fascinating species for me is the Cuckoo.
Late September heralds the arrival of the Diederik Cuckoo, Chrysococcyx Caprius, in the Kruger Park. 
It has an unmistakable call and, in my experience, it is heard before it is seen.
What really fascinates me about the Diederik Cuckoo, like all Cuckoos, is its ability to have other host birds rear its chick. In Kruger, it parasites mainly the Village Weaver and the Southern Masked Weaver. The female Diederik Cuckoo has fantastic observation skills. She watches the Weaver hen extremely carefully. She knows exactly when the Weaver starts laying her clutch of eggs. She mates at the correct time so that she can lay an egg in the Weaver nest before the Weaver’s full clutch, usually between 2 and 5 eggs, is laid. Weavers may lay eggs of differing colours varying from white, pink, pale green or blue. What is remarkable is that the Cuckoo hen lays an egg of the exact same colour. This is done to prevent the Weaver hen noticing an anomalous colour amongst her clutch. What is even more remarkable is that the Cuckoo hen can retain her egg for up to 24 hours after it has been encased in shell and is ready for laying. This gives her another advantage : the chick within the egg has already developed for 24 hours. Even more significant is that the Cuckoo incubation period is 2 days shorter than that of the Weaver. Invariably the Cuckoo hatches first and Nature has been kind to the fledgling in that it has a hollow in its back that allows for removal of other eggs.
Only the female Weaver incubates the eggs. The observant Cuckoo waits until the Weaver leaves the nest to feed or drink and, quick as a flash, enters the Weaver nest and lays her egg.
Nature is unbelievably kind. The Cuckoo egg has a harder shell than those of the Weaver so even if the egg rolls down to the clutch of Weaver eggs, it will not break.
It is amazing to me that the adult Weavers will feed the young Cuckoo even when they must surely notice it is so different in colour and size to themselves. I have spent hours watching the parents frantically try to satisfy the voracious appetite of their adopted young.
Nature is so very fascinating and I thank God for the opportunities I have had to marvel at His works.
GAME VIEWING REPORTS FROM OUR GUIDES
BNR = Balule Nature Reserve
KNP = Kruger National Park
To conserve the rhinos, we do not indicate where we enjoyed sightings of these magnificent animals .
LUKE, Head Guide, sent the following:
Monthly report September 2026
The month has been dry, and the bush is starting to dry out again, mud wallows that were once filled with water are now drying out. The trees have shot their new leaves bringing beautiful greens to the bushveld, much appreciated by the browsers. The giraffes have been loving the new leaves. We have been seeing them regularly, especially along marula road and most of the cows have young calves.
Giraffe cow in the rising sun on route to the morning Bush Walk. Marula Road, BNR
Leopard during sundowner drinks break.
It’s not often that one of the Big Five joins you during a drinks break, especially our shy friends, the leopard. It however can happen and it did happen, much to the surprise of my guests and I. We had stopped for our drinks break on Rome 3/4, the sun had set already so we stood next to the vehicle and enjoyed the stars and watched a small herd of impalas.
I turned to grab my torch in the Cruiser, and something caught my eye, it was a leopard’s tail. The leopard was walking about twenty meters away from the vehicle. The leopard casually walked towards a drainage line, the best route to sneak up on the impalas. My guests and I couldn’t believe our luck, we jumped back into the vehicle and continued to follow the leopard until it disappeared into the darkness.
Leopard in the darkness during Sundowner Drive, BNR
Lioness in a tree on route to morning Bush Walk
On route to the early morning bushwalk along the Olifants River, we often find a variety of different animals. On this morning, we had already seen zebra, giraffe, a young elephant bull and to top it off a lioness. It wasn’t your usual lioness sighting, where she is lying in the tall grass or walking down the road but rather, she was high up in tree surveying the landscape.
Lioness uses a tree as a vantage point, on route to morning Bush Walk, BNR
A small herd of Impala stood near the road fully aware of the Lioness up in the tree, they didn’t take their eyes of her and neither did we. The lioness eventually climbed down from the tree and into the thick bush out of sight.
A Rhino bull and Buffalo herd near Tremisana Lodge
The new guests had just arrived and off we went on the Sunset Drive, it didn’t take long, in fact we had only just left the car park when we spotted our first members of the Big Five. A herd of Buffalo slowly moving west, an Elephant bull although a distant visual could be seen heading north and to top it all off a White Rhino bull stood posing in the foreground. An incredible start to the drive and so close to the lodge.
Rhino bull with a buffalo herd in the background, BNR
Bushwalk highlights
Buffalo herd during morning Bush Walk on Rome 1 Olifants River BNR
Buffalo on foot is a completely different experience compared to seeing them from a gameviewer. The approach on foot needs to be done with care, checking the wind direction, lay of the land and making sure your guests are all comfortable with the approach. The Buffalo herd were slowly making their way in our direction from the west; we chose a vantage point that was both safe and gave us a great view.
The Buffalo continued to walk into the drainage line below us and that’s when we took our opportunity to move out and head in the opposite direction. A great sighting and a special experience for all of us.
WHIAN sent the following:
Cheetah, KNP
Leopard Rome 1 Sunset Drive, BNR
Lion Campfire Sunset Drive BNR
Leopard Rome 1 BNR
Leopards KNP
ANDY sent the following:
S126, KNP
H7 , KNP
BNR
H7, KNP
H1-4, KNP
NEIL sent the following:
Sunset Sable Road BNR
Leopard in a tree scanning the area, Marula Boma, BNR
White Rhino BNR
Mating pair of Lions, BNR
KHYLE sent the following:
Leopard at boma on Sunset Drive, BNR
Elephants on Rome 1 during Morning Drive, BNR
Lioness on Campfire, Morning Drive, BNR
Rhinos BNR
Lioness treed by Buffalo herd 2km from Tremisana BNR
NHLANHLA sent the following:
H1-3 KNP
H1-4 KNP
H7 KNP
Olifants River BNR
CHARL sent the following:
Young elephant BNR
Giraffe bull up close to the vehicle BNR
Nyala bulls, Marc’s Camp
Vine Snake, Marc’s Camp
VICTOR sent the following:
Male Giraffe BNR
Rhinos BNR
Leopard Rome 4 BNR
Lions BNR
RAYMOND sent the following:
H7 KNP
Marula Boma BNR
H7 KNP
KNP
SMILEY sent the following:
3 September Rhinos on BNR.
11 September Lion H7 KNP
16 September Elephant at Campfire BNR
20 September Leopard KNP
ROCKY sent the following:
Leopard in a tree KNP
Buffalos on Marula Road during Afternoon Drive BNR
Mating pairs of lions Sunset Drive BNR
Lions on a Buffalo carcass H1-4 KNP
Leopard Sunset Drive BNR
Rhinos BNR
QUINTON sent the following:
Buffalo Sundowner Drive – Rome 1 BNR
Elephant bull Sundowner Drive – Sable Road BNR
Giraffe seen on Sundowner Drive – Marula Road BNR
Nyalas welcoming guests returning from Morning Bushwalk – Marc’s Camp
Giraffe seen at Marc’s Camp
PIERO: I spent a few days at the beginning of the month in the bush. All guests were happy and sightings were good.
Neil near Elephant BNR
Guests close to Elephant at Tremisana Lapa
Guests near Olifants River on Bush Walk
NEWS FROM OUR LODGES
TREMISANA
NYARAI, Office Manager, reports :
September 2026
September has flown by so quickly. It has been a very busy month, but definitely one of the best ones. We have had the pleasure of welcoming many wonderful guests, including some familiar faces returning to Tremisana. A special shout out to Heather Younger, who has now officially become part of the family!
We also celebrated Mama Delina’s 60th birthday. Mama D, as she is affectionately known, has become so much more than a colleague to me. She has been like a mother, always looking out for me and making sure I am okay. Every morning, she makes a point of passing by the office to check on me, and if I happen to miss a meal, you can be sure she will come looking for me!
She is beautiful inside and out, and after knowing her for so many years, I feel truly blessed to not only work alongside her but to have such a beautiful relationship with her.
Cheers to you, Mama D, and to many more wonderful years ahead.
The last days of September have been nothing short of sitting in a hot saucepan. Truly hot days are now upon us.I honestly don’t know what to do with myself. I find myself longing for those cold winter days when I could layer up, complain about the cold, and still carry on with my day.
Now the days are getting warmer. Of course, we still complain, but this time we slap on plenty of sunscreen, drink lots of water and try to stay cool. We never really know what we want, do we?
Despite the hot sun, this month remains one of my favourites. September is Heritage Month, with Heritage Day celebrated on 24 September. Some even prefer to call it Braai Day! Whatever you choose to call it, it is a wonderful time to celebrate the different cultures and traditions that make South Africa special.
There is always such a variety of traditional food to choose from, and I love seeing people dressed in their traditional clothing. The beautiful colours, intricate beadwork and unique designs never cease to amaze me. Every cultural outfit tells a story, and I am always fascinated by the creativity and meaning behind each one.
In honour of Heritage Month this year, I decided to pay homage to my mother’s totem the Zebra.
In my culture, men who carry this totem are referred to as Mazvimbakupa, while women are referred to as Madhuve or Manjenjenjenje. The women are said to be beautiful like the Zebra, with smooth skin.
The Zebra is also a peaceful animal, known for its beautiful black and white stripes, almost as though they were drawn by the hand of God Himself. And if that doesn’t describe what my mum’s beauty was, I honestly don’t know what else does. She was such an embodiment of her totem. Beautiful, graceful, peaceful and uniquely her own.
This Heritage Month, I celebrate not only the beautiful cultures that surround us, but also the people and traditions that remind us where we come from. Some parts of our heritage are worn proudly, some are cooked and shared around a table, and some live quietly within us ,passed down from generation to generation.
I feel that is what makes heritage so special. It is not only about where we come from, but also about the people and memories we carry with us wherever we go.
One of my favourite traditional outfits. A bit of a throwback but it’s still giving fabulous. Traditional accessories that day were sourced from the Tremisana gift shop.
KATEKANI, MARC’S TREEHOUSES, MASANGO AND DUMELA
CHARL, Manager of Southern Camps, reports:
Summer has arrived, bringing warmer temperatures. This month, we’ve been diligently working on the renovation at Dumela. Our main focus has been replacing the wooden shower walls with beautiful brick ones. We’ve completed all seven tents and are now eagerly awaiting the opportunity to install the bathroom tiles. Unfortunately, the tents have been quite busy, which has prevented us from completing the tiles in time for the next booking.
Marc’s Camp: In preparation for the summer season, a few of the rooms have been fitted with new mosquito nets. One morning, I received a call from Chef Caroline requesting my assistance. The resident buffalo bull was obstructing her path to the lodge, so I stood guard to ensure her safe passage to work. The camp is teeming with wildlife. Animals are more active, searching for food, and the bush is drying up further. We’re frequently visited by a large group of giraffes browsing through the camp.
Giraffe at Marc’s Camp
Foam nest frog resting
Nyalas at Marc’s Camp
Kingfisher that got stuck in a room at Katekani
The fresh orange juice, which Katekani has been enjoying, has been a huge hit with our clients. Piero kindly donated his juicer to the lodge, and we’ve been making plenty of fresh juice for breakfast. While we have an abundance of oranges, unfortunately, the export market didn’t go well. However, for the farmers, it’s great to be able to utilise the fruit that would have otherwise been discarded even if it is only a small amount we are grateful to be able to use what we can we even got a trailer full and dispersed it amongst the staff for their families.
NEWS FOR OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS
September was a busy month and our staff worked hard.
We are grateful for the support of our agents. The recent reports of township unrest coupled with the economic uncertainty of the continued troubles in Iran do not bode well for tourism in South Africa.
Viva Safaris has always made safety our priority. From our inception, our policy of picking up our guests from their front doors has been widely appreciated. Our transfers to and from Johannesburg are not conducted before sunrise or after sunset.
Thanks to our guests for the many excellent reviews written this month. Marco has had a headache choosing the best ones.
The following reviews were posted in September 2026 :
“Like being on a Hollywood Safari movie set; Except it was REAL!” from TripAdvisor
Mark B, Italy
Tremendous! We felt like we were on a Hollywood Safari movie set every day; Except it was REAL!
Our first Safari day out we saw all the Big Five. Guides were well experienced, knowledgeable and friendly. A very well organized operation.
Staff was hospitable and welcoming. Accommodations at lodge guest house were spacious, clean, comfortable and in the authentic rondavel style.
Truly, an experience of a lifetime!
Mark and Ginger Biagi
“African Adventure with Viva Safaris” from TripAdvisor
John Q, USA
I don’t know where to begin, other than saying that Viva Safaris checked off another item on my bucket list and did it in a big way.
First of all, they have one of the most informative websites that I have viewed. They pretty much covered everything that you wanted to know but if you had a question they replied in a timely manner. I compared Viva Safaris with at least 5 other companies and Viva supplied more for what you paid. The trip began with pick up at our hotel in Johannesburg. It is a long drive but we made several stops, one being a lunch stop on the way for an enjoyable lunch.
Upon arriving, Ed welcomed us, grouped us based on which package you had purchased and assigned our accommodations. He informed each group what their activity schedule was for the remainder of the day and the following day. Ed did this each evening with each group at dinner. After dropping off our luggage, we began the 1st evening game drive ending in a Bush BBQ. While eating we were visited by several Hyenas.
Accommodations were spartan but were comfortable. I did not go looking for a 5 star resort. Really, you were not in your room that much, considering your days began as early as 5AM or no later than 7AM and ended at 8PM each day. Meals were simple but filling with many local items. You can go to their web site and see what each day’s activity consisted of.
Each day we were trying to find and see Africans Big 5. Since this was not a zoo, there were no guarantees of success, but our outstanding guides, Andy, Raymond, Luke, Neal and Smiley did their best to find the Big 5 plus more. They knew the terrain of Balula Reserve and Kruger National Park had some idea where we would find game. The guides kept in touch with one another and when one spotted something of interest, they would radio the information so other groups could possibly come and see. I can’t begin to tell you all the different animals we saw and under what circumstances, from just grazing wilder beast and antelope to lions feeding on a kill and leopard feeding on its pray in a tree.
A couple of highlights were the 5:30 AM bush walk led by Smiley ending on the Oliphant River where we saw a herd of hippos in the river. Luke also carried us to anther portion of the Oliphant River on an evening game drive where we had snacks and watched a herd of elephants with the sun setting behind them. They were about 300 meters away, but later they started coming our way. When they reached about 100meters away, Luke said it was time to pack it up and go. on an evening drive with Andy, he came across a herd of about 10 elephants. One pushed over a tree blocking our way. A baby elephant practicing his charging techniques approached our vehicle, trunk up and ears out. Of course, he had his mother backing him up. We did more tours with Smiley and we made him work for his money. We had already seen the Big 5, but not on the same day. He accomplished this feat on our last day in Kruger, Smiley was able to show all Big 5 in one day, plus our request to see crocodiles, baboons.
If you want a African Adventure, you can’t go wrong by going With Viva Safaris. More bang for the buck. Many thanks again to the guide and staff
“WOW!!!!!! Hakuna Matata” from TripAdvisor
Adrienne, USA
Thank you for your excellent service during my recent stay at Tremisana Lodge. I had the most amazing experience with Viva Safaris! Ed was the perfect host from communicating each day’s schedule to managing our drink orders and any other need that we had throughout our stay.
Guides Luke, Smiley, Neal, Raymond, and Andy each made sure that we saw the Big 5 and more. The meals were prepared with excellence and attention to detail. All the staff were professional and always welcoming. Special thanks to Solly who realized that a family member left a bag in the vehicle after we were dropped off at the airport. He quickly contacted our party and returned to the airport before our flights departed.
Probably my best vacation ever!
Thank you for the memories,
Adrienne Quick-Wright
“Holiday of a lifetime” from TripAdvisor
Alison, Spain
Amazing from start to finish! From the moment I booked, communication from Patti Landau, via whatsapp, was excellent, answering all of my queries and providing lots of useful information. Thank you Patti!
My pickup by Welcome from Hoedspruit, the local airport, was perfect, he was there waiting after my 24 hours travelling, a most welcome and welcoming sight!
The drive to Tremisana was about 30 minutes, where me and 2 other guests were warmly welcomed by Ed. He was also an excellent communicator, making sure at every mealtime that everyone knew when and where to assemble for their next activity. This was no mean feat, as there were multiple groups arriving and departing on different days and for varying lengths of stays. Hats off to whichever juggler keeps all those balls in the air!
Also, big shout out to Ed for sorting out my (small) plumbing problem within the hour whilst I was enjoying my dinner!
Talking of dinner, massive thanks to all the kitchen staff, delicious 3 course meals every day, the menu was different every day of my 7 day stay. And they were cheerful and welcoming every meal, however late or early.
Lastly, the drivers/ guides are fantastic! All have tremendous knowledge and enthusiasm, and answered all of our ( sometimes stupid ) questions with patience and a desire to educate. What was wondrous to us non- South Africans they see every day, but their enthusiasm and love for what they do never seems to wane.
I saw the big 5 within the first 2 days, as well as many more animals. It was breathtaking to see such beauty in the wild.
A special shout out has to go to Smiley and Whian…on an evening drive, they spent a couple of hours trying to track down a lion they knew to be in the area, but at first had no luck. Then, as the sun was setting, we heard his roar in the distance, and after some thrilling off-road driving from rally driver Smiley, we finally rounded some bushes and there he was! Such a thrill, thanks guys!
Overall, I cannot recommend this trip enough. The accomodation isn’t luxury by any means, but cisy, ckean and comfortable, and the (little) doqntime I had was mostly spent at the lapa looking out for the visiring elephant and hyena.
“We would definitely recommend this safari” from Google
Palbo
We had a great start to our trip with the 4-day safari. The organisation was exceptionally good. Every time I thought of something, they had already taken care of it without us even having to mention it.
The guides were very friendly and knowledgeable, and each guide had their own unique way of explaining things and sharing their knowledge with us.
We experienced sunrise and sunset safaris, walking safaris, as well as a full-day trip into Kruger National Park. We were lucky enough to see all of the Big Five, and there was never a dull moment. The whole experience was a perfect mix of adventure, wildlife and fun.
We would definitely recommend this safari and are very happy that we chose it for the start of our trip.
“Muy bien” from GetYourGuide
Joaquin, Spain
Muy bien, el día del parque Kruger lo mejor. Hemos visto los cinco grandes y los guías intentan llevarte por las zonas donde hay mas probabilidad de encontrar fauna salvaje. Todo el personal muy amable. Gran experiencia y muy recomendable.
Highly recommended for everyone.
“Highly recommended!” from TripAdvisor
Elliot, France
Absolute amazing experience! Everyday at least two game drives so that you have the chance to see many wild animals (lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras).
Our guides Ramon, Rocky, Smiley and Mr Victor were so funny and showed us all the hidden paths of the Kruger Park and Tremisana. They explained a lot about the animals we were crossing.
The host Ed made our stay to be very easy and super well organized.
The food was excellent, the local cookers delighted us with every meal.
Finally, all the team is like a family and they make you feel Part of it.
Highly recommended! Thanks Viva Safaris!!
“Highly recommended!” from TripAdvisor
Bart Vervoort, Netherlands
We, party of three, stayed at Tremisana Lodge for 5 nights / 6 days. The length of the stay was perfect, every day a new program and new challenges, (don’t book a tour less than 4 days). The staff and the game drivers welcomed us like family and it felt like home from the beginning. The accomodation including the daily fresh cooked meals were definitely value for money.
The game drives to Balule and Kruger were experiences not to forget. We were lucky to see the big five multiple times on different days, multiple times it was our game driver who spotted the animals first before other cars came to the scene. The drivers are very professional and know what they are doing. Beside that they are also great people to talk to and to socialize with. (On this SA trip we also had experiences with other game drives and drivers in other parks where we were “handled” as regular tourists being driven around witout any explanation of the wild life or putting in extra effort to find wild life).
Trustworthiness proved itself, before booking the trip all our questions were perfectly answered and all answers and information given was exactely how it turned out during the visit.
We also received the following email:
From: José Luis Quevedo García
Sent: Tuesday, September 8, 2026 12:40 PM
To: piero@vivasafaris.com
Subject: Wonderful stay at Tremisana
Dear Mr. Piero,
My wife and I have had a wonderful few days at Tremisana, which will remain in our memories forever.
Our heartfelt congratulations on such beautiful facilities and such an exquisite programme of activities. Please extend our sincere thanks to the entire team, from everyone involved in hospitality and administration to all those who made the safaris such a memorable experience.
A special mention for Mr. Victor and Mr. Educate, with very best wishes from Mr. Jose.
Naturally, you must have thousands of photographs taken by your guests. Nevertheless, I have taken the liberty of attaching one that I found particularly amusing. I have called it “Shared Road” — ultimately, a little reflection of life itself.
Bests regards,
José Luis Quevedo
Until next month,
With kind regards,
Piero
General Manager
Viva Safaris
