Tanda Tula

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We spent five lovely days/nights at Tanda Tula Safari Camp. The Camp is located in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve which adjoins Kruger National Park. There is no fence between Timbavati and Kruger so the animals are free to roam wherever they want. Tanda Tula, the oldest safari camp in the Timbavati Reserve, contains 12 luxurious tents set off and apart from a central covered patio area. This common area serves as a lounge, bar and dining room. Also nearby is a swimming pool. The Camp is unfenced but electrified to keep Elephants out; however, other animals roam about it. As a result, you can’t walk around camp alone after dark. Security personnel must accompany you.

The schedule at the Camp definitely maximizes your time in the bush. The day begins with the delivery of a coffee/tea tray to your tent at 5:30AM. At 6:00AM, you begin a morning game drive. At the conclusion of your drive, the three camp vehicles (all four-wheel drive) join up for a bush breakfast. The Camp has a dedicated spot where a hot & cold breakfast buffet is offered. Afterwards, you are driven back to Camp. At 1:00PM a light lunch is served. At 3:30PM afternoon coffee/tea and sweets are offered. At 4:00PM, a sunset game drive begins. Just as the sun is beginning to set, you typically stop for “sundowners” – cocktails and snacks enjoyed while watching the setting sun. Afterwards there is a quick “night drive” back to Camp. You can then elect to return to your tent to relax or just to drop off your camera, binoculars, etc. before returning to the main area. Here pre-dinner cocktails are served followed by dinner at 8:00PM. Most nights we were back to our tent and in for the night near 10:00PM after a very full day.

Our game drives typically lasted about three hours (i.e., 6:00AM – 9:00AM and 4:00PM – 7:00PM). Time does vary depending on what animals are being tracked, how long your morning coffee break and evening sundowner break takes, etc., etc. During our stay, we were with the same Ranger/Guide, Formen, and Tracker, Jeff. These guys were amazing in all aspects! We enjoyed incredible animal sightings and learned a great deal in the process. Formen drives the safari vehicle from the right while Jeff sits on a small seat on the left side of the hood (bonnet). Both are constantly looking for game and/or game tracks as we traveled throughout the Timbavati. Obviously, they did a great job as the photographs below attest.

During our five night stay at Tanda Tula, we had the fabulous experience of sighting the “Big Five” – Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros – twice!! We enjoyed wonderful game sightings, great ambiance at the Camp and overall had an outstanding time. We highly recommend Tanda Tula Safari Camp!! If you want more details, please read the longer diary which follows our photographs.

THE BIG FIVE NEED NO TITLES; THE TERM "BIG FIVE" ORIGINALLY WAS COINED
BY HUNTERS TO DESCRIBE THE DIFFICULTY AND DANGER ASSOCIATED WITH
THESE FIVE ANIMALS. WE CONTINUE TO USE THIS TERM BUT NOW AS PART
OF A PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARI ADVENTURE.

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THERE ARE MANY OTHER BEAUTIFUL AND MAJESTIC ANIMALS TO
BE ENJOYED AT TANDA TULA. THESE PHOTOGRAPHS INCLUDE TITLES IN
THE EVENT ONE OR MORE OF THESE CREATURES IS NEW TO YOU.

	A male Kudu
	A Zebra
	A group of Dwarf Mongoose
	A group of Hyena at their Zebra kill
	A White-Backed Vulture sits behind the Zebra kill
	A White-Headed Vulture
	A Lappet-Faced Vulture
	An African Wild Cat (very unusual to see)
	A Steenbok rests in the tall grass
	A Giraffe
	The Barred Owl
	Nyala have such unusual markings
	A Red-Billed Hornbill
	The tiny Flap-neck Chameleon
	A Lilac-Breasted Roller
	Impala with the "Looking Glass Mirror" (a waterhole)
	This Hyena is carrying around a fleece likely lost by some visitor on safari

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Monday, 30 September: At 11:30AM we picked up our cousin Mark at the Eastgate Airport just outside of Hoedspruit. After exchanging hellos and picking up Mark’s luggage, we began the drive to Tanda Tula Lodge, our home for the next five nights. We passed through the Timbivati Nature Reserve Gate and eventually onto a dirt road into the Lodge. We arrived near 1:00PM. Thabo, Head of Guest Relations, gave us a quick orientation about the lodge and how our days would be structured. We were then shown to our respective tents so that we could freshen up before enjoying a delicious lunch prepared by Chef Ryan. Afterwards, we unpacked and relaxed until it was time for our first game drive.

We met Formen, our Ranger/Guide and Jeff, our Tracker, and then joined four other guests in one of the lodge’s safari vehicles. Almost immediately outside of the lodge, the action began. We first came across a female Hyena on the move. Then a Steenbok (small antelope) was lying in the grass so we were able to get a nice photograph of it. Afterwards, at last, we were able to photograph a beautiful male Nyala (medium sized antelope) with incredible horns. Wow, that’s excellent as they are very difficult to find as they prefer thick bushy forests.

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As we continued our drive, Formen & Jeff spotted some fresh Leopard tracks. They got out of the vehicle and followed the tracks until they were out of our sight. When they returned, Formen said they had discovered that a Leopard had left “a kill” in a nearby tree. We drove to the site and were able to see the small antelope stashed up in the tree. After surveying the area Formen and Jeff said the Leopard was not around so we would continue on with the drive and return back to this spot on our way back to the Lodge. We then came across a group of male Buffalo. Formen predicted that the Buffalo were one their way to a nearby waterhole. Just beyond the Buffalo was a small group of Elephants who were grazing. Always amazing to watch! As we continued we came across another Hyena. Again, we were able to get some nice photographs of this powerful creature. When we arrived at the waterhole, Formen’s prediction was accurate – the Buffalo were all enjoying a drink. This was our first time to see them so close and it was terrific. As we made our way back to camp, Jeff spotted a Barred Owl sitting in a nearby tree. Then the guys spotted a Leopard – and it wasn’t the one they believed had made the kill. It was now twilight so photography was really tough. However, it was so wonderful just to see this elusive creature. When we returned to see if the other Leopard was at its kill, we discovered the kill had been removed – likely due to the proximity of the other Leopard. While we didn’t find the new hiding spot for the “kill” we did see the Leopard. She and the Leopard we had seen earlier were exchanging calls. Wow!! Imagine seeing and hearing two different Leopards in one night! Our first game drive at Tanda Tula was unbelievable thanks to the efforts of Formen and Jeff.

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Just as the sun was setting, we all got out of the vehicle and Formen and Jeff prepared us each a “Sundowner” – a cocktail to be enjoyed while watching the setting sun. Enjoying a cold Gin & Tonic while standing in a place where perhaps no one else has ever stood was truly special. When we had finished our beverages, we made a quick night drive (i.e., Jeff held a spotlight and used it to search for “glowing eyes” to see animals en route back (and indeed we saw the usual suspects – Impala, Bush Hares, etc.).

Once back at the Lodge, we wanted to freshen up so Formen walked us to Mark’s tent and then he continued with just us on to our tent. Formen did so with a rifle over his shoulder as Tanda Tula is not an enclosed camp. It is electrified to keep Elephants out but other animals roam about it. As a result, you can’t walk around camp alone after dark. Formen returned to escort us back to the dining area, an outdoor enclosure called a “boma” (the name originally derived as an abbreviation of “British Officers Mess Area”). We enjoyed a gourmet dinner which began with served appetizers followed by a buffet featuring each of a meat, fish and chicken selection along with assorted vegetables. This was accompanied by a fine South African wine (in our case, a wonderful Shiraz). We enjoyed sitting at a communal table interacting with other guests as well as our hosts for the evening, Thabo and Scotch, another guide. As guests finished dinner, they were escorted back to their tent by Scotch. We (being Ed, Lindy and Mark) returned to our tents at 10:00PM after a wonderful day.

[ T O P ]

Tuesday, 1 October: Our day began early as we were up at 5:00AM in anticipation of delivery of a coffee/tea platter to the tent at 5:30AM. At exactly that time, Jeff arrived with the platter in hand. It also included a “rusk” – a hard, slightly sweet biscuit – to be dunked in the hot beverage of your choice. Then, we put on our jackets (it was very cool) and were out in the vehicle and on the road before 6:00AM.

This too was an amazing morning. The day began with a sighting of a group of three Giraffes. After photographing them, Jeff and Formen pointed out a beautiful bird – a Little Bee Eater – which described its size and its food source. Then, Formen told us that a Hyena kill had been found. We quickly drove to the spot and there were about ten Hyena enjoying the remains of a Zebra. Formen recognized this Zebra by the length of its tail – very short – and said it had previously been injured by some predator as it had lost a hoof a few days earlier. The Hyenas picked up on this and attacked it. We watched and listened as the Hyenas devoured their meal of flesh, skin and bones. They were soon joined by Vultures. Actually, three different types of Vultures came to the location – White-headed Vulture, White-faced Vulture and Lappet-faced Vulture. It was unbelievable to be able to witness the entire scene! As we finished the morning, we came across a lone Rhino enjoying its breakfast. This was especially important to Mark since on previous safaris last year he did not get to see a Rhino and this now meant he had seen “The Big Five” (Elephant, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros). Terrific!!

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	One of the Giraffes we saw on our morning drive
	The colorful Little Bee Eater
	The Hyena are enjoying this feast of Zebra
	Another shot with blood clearly visible on the mouth of a Hyena
	You can see how the Hyena eat everything - including the bones
	A White-Backed Vulture looks over the scene
	This White-Headed Vulture looks on anxiously too
	A Lappet-Faced Vulture also wants some leftovers
	A lone Rhinoceros enjoys his breakfast

To our delight, instead of returning to camp, we instead had a “bush breakfast.” Tanda Tula has a lovely spot where an outdoor cooking station and picnic tables are in place. Members of the staff had set out place settings on a table for each of the camp’s three vehicles and then prepared both a hot and a cold breakfast buffet. After washing up a bit with a nice hot towel, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the outdoors.

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	Looking down on our breakfast spot from the area where the jeeps are parked
	The tables are nicely set for our arrival
	The cold buffet options
	That freshly cooked breakfast looks delicious (and it was!)

Afterwards you had the choice of either taking a two kilometer walk back to camp or returning in the vehicle. We choose to take the walk and Formen, with rifle in tow, led the way. En route Formen showed us a variety of tracks and how to distinguish between those of Hyena, Leopard and Lion. He also showed us how to use certain plants for things such as brushing one’s teeth or using thorns as a needle. He also made a small rope from the branch of a plant after he removed its bark. Lindy kept the rope Formen made and turned it into a lovely handmade bracelet. When we returned back to camp, Thabo and his associates offered refreshments. We choose to return to our tent to download photographs, etc. before our 1:00PM lunch.

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Like dinner, lunch is a buffet but seating is done by individual groups. So, we and Mark enjoyed a leisurely light lunch – primarily a selection of salads and homemade bread. We then took advantage of the lodge’s internet access and sat at the bar enjoying some ice cold Diet Coke. We were catching up on finances, email, etc. since we had been without internet access for the prior 19 days. Before we knew it, it was near 3:00PM so we and Mark returned to our respective tents to gather up jackets, cameras, binoculars, etc. in anticipation of our second evening game drive.

Our vehicle was loaded and on the road before 4:00PM. The drive began by seeing different groups of Zebra, Kudu (a large antelope with gorgeous spiraling horns) and Impala – those usual suspects. Then our team (Formen and Jeff) spotted a group of Dwarf Mongoose. We were able to get some photographs of these guys. We also learned one of their favorite foods is snake. They are able to kill one before it can bite them. Then, a first for us (not Mark) – we photographed a beautiful Lilac Breasted Roller. If we hadn’t seen it, we couldn’t have imagined its beautiful coloring.

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Then, it turned into a “Giraffe” night as we came across many of these graceful creatures. We knew Elephant had been in the area when we came across a downed tree blocking the road. Formen explained that Elephants often turn over trees and/or bushes because they like to eat the plant roots (so now that explains what we witnessed in Kruger National Park). Ed got a great sequence of photographs showing the guys moving the tree off the road. We came across a small Buffalo herd. This was not the bachelor herd we saw the prior night but included both sexes plus young babies. Formen explained that Lion had been spotted in the area and these Buffalo had likely been separated from a larger herd when the Lion were stalking the large group (approximately 600 animals per Formen) in hopes of making a kill. We then went to the area where the larger herd of Buffalo had been spotted. Guess what…. we saw male Lions there, probably waiting for the Buffalo to return! This was our first time to see the male Lion on this trip. By now it was too late for photography but it was still a thrill to watch these majestic animals. By seeing these two Lions, we and Mark had now seen the “Big Five” in just three game drives. That’s wonderful!!

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We watched until it was time for our evening stretch out of the vehicle while enjoying a cocktail and snack. We stopped near a waterhole and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. Amazingly, almost everyone in our group caught a glimpse of a shooting star (meteorite). What a wonderful way to conclude our evening drive!

Once back at camp, another treat! Dinner was served in the dry riverbed next to camp. Tables and chairs had been brought down from camp and the perimeter of the area was defined by small, wood burning fire pots. A huge bonfire was in the center of the area. Again, Chef Ryan and his associates prepared a delicious dinner. Our hosts for the evening were Dale, a guide as well as Camp Manager, and Daniel, a staff associate and an individual in training to become a tracker and ultimately a guide. Again, dinner began with a seated appetizer followed by a buffet which tonight featured Kudu as one of the main course choices. It was another wonderful evening and we and Mark returned to our tents at 10:00PM accompanied by Dale who continued on to his own home in the camp.

On an aside, a lovely decanter of Sherry is kept in each tent so that you can sit out after dinner and enjoy a glass while watching the stars without any light pollution. We would have loved to do so (it’s such a nice touch) but we were tired and had already enjoyed wine so that will have to wait for another evening.

Wednesday, 2 October: We were up at 5:00AM and our coffee/tea tray was delivered by Jeff promptly at 5:30AM. Then, we were out in our safari vehicle at 6:00AM.

Formen and Jeff found one of the predator birds for us – a Walberg’s Eagle. Then we saw a lone Bull Elephant. Always a pleasure as long as it’s not aggressive. As we were driving, Formen suddenly pulled over and took out his binoculars. To our delight, he spotted a Leopard in a tree with a kill. He immediately went off-road so we could get a closer glimpse of the Leopard. Unfortunately for us, as we approached the Leopard walked down the tree and off into the brush. To our surprise, there was also a Hyena near the tree hoping for scraps and/or praying that the small antelope would drop to the ground. We did manage to get a good look at the Leopard before it disappeared. We returned back to the kill and discovered it had been eaten (except for a few parts) so we didn’t wait to see if the Leopard would return. As we made our way back to camp, we also saw a large Buffalo and another nice bird - an Eagle Owl on its nest.

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Again, it was another exciting drive followed by a delicious bush breakfast. Once at camp, we happened to run into the owners, Nina & Don Scott, and we told them that we were enjoying wonderful game viewing thanks to Formen and Jeff and great service from all personnel – those we had met as well as those behind the scenes (such as cleaning staff, laundry staff, etc.). Until our 1:00PM lunchtime, we worked on reviewing photographs, sending a few emails, etc. Then, we and Mark again enjoyed a leisurely lunch. Just about 3:30PM, a huge troupe of Elephants began appearing on the far-side of the dry river bed. It was great to watch them from the lovely covered open-air patio at the camp. Then, it was time for our drive.

Our sunset drive began at 4:00PM. Our first stop was a small waterhole where we found two Hyena sitting – one in the water and the other near it – hoping to remain cool until the temperature started to fall. Afterwards, Formen said the huge herd of Buffalo was at another hole so we went there. Seeing them in the daylight (versus twilight the previous evening) gave us an appreciation for the size of the herd. There were hundreds of them! While some drank water, others would finish and move on with the herd. So there was a long procession with a break for a drink.

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As we continued our exploration, Formen said another guide had spotted a Leopard in the laying down in the bush. So, we too went to that area and were able to get some great photographs. The Leopard was being lazy so it wasn’t interested in us. We sat by it for about 30 minutes to see if it would hunt but it decided to sleep instead. By now it was getting late and the light was fading. However, some of our group had not yet seen a Lion so we went to a spot to find them. Everyone was able to get a few photographs as the trackers used spotlights to illuminate areas near their bodies (but they took care to avoid the eye area).

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By now it was dark so there was no “Sundowner” in the bush this evening. We and Mark had previously arranged to spend this evening outside of the camp at a secure hide built near a waterhole. The waterhole was created using an earthen dam but it had been damaged in the January 2013 flooding so the waterhole was dry until the rains come again in a few weeks.

This outpost camp or “Star Beds” is about three kilometers from camp. So en route back to the camp, we were dropped off. Formen and Jeff escorted us to the building and showed us around. We walked up a staircase to the landing outside the first floor. Inside there was a portable toilet. The living/eating/sleeping quarters were on the second level and were accessed by another staircase. Camp staff had previously come to the building and lit oil lamps on the stairway and inside the rooms. They set up three single beds – two on one side and one on the other – for our overnight stay. They also delivered a picnic hamper with linens, glasses, plates, etc. as well as a cooler containing water, beer, wine and our dinner.

The guys left after making sure we were comfortable and took the balance of the guests back to camp. We enjoyed our beverages and dinner sitting on a bench using a storage trunk as our table. During the evening we took breaks and used a portable spotlight to look for game. We did find a Steenbok eating new grass in the waterhole. Two Hyenas also got caught by our light. When we weren’t looking for game, we enjoyed the unbelievable stars. It was so beautiful! At 11:00PM, we called it a night and went to sleep. About 1:00AM we were all awakened by the calls of the Hyenas. They were right outside our hide. Hey, it was great to be in the bush!

Thursday, 3 October: At 6:30AM, Formen, Jeff and our safari companions arrived to collect us. Formen pointed out Hyena tracks all around the hide. As we began today’s drive, we ran into some Elephants – likely part of the troupe that had been at Tanda Tula the previous day. As we were driving along, Formen and Jeff saw a single Rhino track on the road (amazing what these guys see!). They left us in the vehicle and followed the path taken by the Rhino. When they returned, Formen told us they had found a group of three Rhino. Wow! We drove off-road to reach the area. The Rhino were a bit skittish but did settle down for some photographs.

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When we finished at this location, Formen suggested that we go to the area where we had seen the Lions last evening to see if we could find them again. Formen and Jeff discussed which roads to take and then our quest began. We drove only a short distance and then Formen stopped the car and pointed the group out to us. It consisted of both males and females. Wow! It was an amazing sight as these Lions still had blood on them from the prior night’s kill. Formen quickly alerted other vehicles via the radio so they too could view the Lions. After taking our initial photographs, we got some bad news. Formen said we had a flat back-rear tire. Oh no! Thankfully, the guys carry spares. So, after another vehicle arrived and found the Lions, we drove about 30 feet away. Then with our group staying in the vehicle, Formen and Jeff jacked up the vehicle and changed the tire. What a team! We then returned back to the place where the Lions were and got even better photographs before the group decided to wander back into the deep bush. What amazing animals they are and it was more amazing that Formen spotted them and was able to share the information with others!

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	Look at that beautiful face
	Drat, a nasty flat that Formen & Jeff had to change with us remaining inside the vehicle
	Okay, another great view of a Lion
	One of the Lion on its feet in anticipation of leaving
	The guys getting everything ready for a relaxing coffee break

After seeing both the Rhino and Lion, it was time for a coffee break. We enjoyed a very leisurely one during which we asked Formen and Jeff questions about where they grew up, their cultures, how they learned their skills, etc. That in itself was another amazing and enlightening discussion. After coffee it was time to go to our breakfast spot and enjoy our meal. Then, we returned to camp in anticipation of our night drive. Since it was extremely hot, Formen told our group not to arrive before 4:00PM because the animals would not become active until it started to cool off a bit.

On our sunset drive, knowing some in our group still wanted to see and photograph the Rhino, Formen began our drive by dropping Jeff off in the bush with a hand-held radio. His goal was to track the Rhino. While he did so, we made a tour of the surrounding area. Again, we saw lots and lots of Elephants. We also took time out to photograph a beautiful Red-billed Hornbill. Nyala were also about and we saw one that was quite large. In about an hour, we had to pick up Jeff because he could no longer follow the Rhino due to too many Elephants being in the area. The guys really gave it a try.

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We decided to once again return to photograph the Lion pride we previously had seen. En route we were lucky to find an African Wild Cat crossing the road. These are primarily nocturnal animals so this was a real treat! It was quite curious and didn’t run so we got some great photographs. Another wonderful experience!

After our stop for the Wild Cat, Formen and Jeff once again located the Lions. We followed them until we reached an Impala herd. Then we could only see two of the Lions. Formen suspected that these two were lying in wait and that the other two were circling the herd to then make the Impala run towards the two Lions and hopefully make a kill. At this point, we left the area so that the Lions could begin their attempt without our interference. Also we didn’t want to be caught in the middle. As we returned home, Jeff used the lamp to search for nocturnal creatures. Amazingly, he was able to spot a Flap-neck Chameleon. Formen placed it on his arm so we all see it. It was quite small and we were all amazed that Jeff could spot something that size in the dark.

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We returned back to camp for our evening cocktails and another delicious dinner prepared by Chef Ryan and his associates. By 10:00PM we were ready for our accompanied walk back to our tent.

Friday, 4 October: Our day began with a very long drive to the southern section of the Timbavati Reserve in hopes of finding a different pride of Lions. En route we really didn’t see much game. However, a group of Impala at a waterhole made for some good photography since it was quite still and we could see their reflections in the water. As we continued south, a Yellow-billed Hornbill posed so that too helped break up the drive. All and all, it was definitely worth it because we found the pride. It had seven adult members – five female and two male. Also one Lioness had cubs but they were not with the group. We sat and watched these beautiful cats for about 45 minutes. It was a real treat and everyone was very excited.

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	The "Impala Mirror"
	Another pair of Impala pause for a drink
	An impressive Yellow-Billed Hornbill
	Success, we found the pride fast asleep!
	The pride begins to wake up
	A close up of a young male Lion
	These two Lions are now alert
	Another close-up of these beautiful creatures

On our return back to our bush breakfast, we took an alternate route and came across a small herd of Waterbuck, the first we had seen in the Timbavati Reserve. We also saw a small group of Buffalo that were confused and wary. Formen and Jeff agreed that Lion had likely attacked the large herd and this group resulted from a splintering of the large herd into numerous small ones which eventually would rejoin one another (if they didn’t become Lion lunch/dinner). Our final sighting of the morning was Elephant drinking. We learned that an adult Elephant can drink up to 200 liters per day. That’s a lot of water!

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Our afternoon drive held yet another amazing sight. A Lion kill was located and Formen quickly drove us to the spot. Sitting in a riverbed was a lone male Lion that was cooling off in the sand. He had blood on his face and his belly was a quite distended. Once we saw him, our team spotted the actual kill. It was a big bull Kudu which the Lions had taken onto the river bank out of the sun. There were three lions gorging on the meat – two female and one male. Obviously, the lone male previously had eaten and he now was full and sleepy. We watched the feeding for about 30 minutes. The Lions had removed the stomach and left it for later or for scavengers. They were busy eating the flesh. Occasionally there was a bit of a skirmish over which Lion got which body part but basically it was a friendly feed (quite different than watching Hyena fight over the kill). It truly was a great experience.

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	This is the lone male Lion cooling in the shade with its distended belly
	In this close-up you can see dried blood on his face and paws
	Our first glimpse of the "Kudu feast"
	Two Lions have their heads inside the carcass
	This Lion with its bloody face is near the Kudu's horn
	The Kudu carcass has been repositioned for more tasty meat
	You'll note that the Kudu have removed but not eaten some of the internal organs in the foreground
	How about napping as you eat?

After leaving this spot so that other vehicles could access the area, we were in transit when we came upon two bull Elephants. These guys were looking for some female companionship and were definitely not friendly. We had to wait a bit before we could work our way around them. They both were displaying a “fifth leg” (a huge penis). Our final sighting of the day was a known female Leopard. We were able to watch her marking her territory as she walked through the bush until she disappeared. It was the perfect time to get to a nice spot (in this case a nearby unused airstrip) to have a Sundowner. Afterwards, as we began our night drive with Jeff using the spotlight, we came across two Rhino. It was much too dark for photography. However, it did mean that we had seen the “Big Five” in a single day. Wow! That was spectacular and something we don’t think happens often.

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Once back at camp, it was time to enjoy another cocktail – this time with Formen joining us for a beer – to “clink, clink” another “Big Five” sighting. Spectacular! Then, we once again enjoyed another delicious feast prepared by Chef Ryan.

Saturday, 5 October: At 6:00AM we began our final game drive for this visit at Tanda Tula. We first drove to the spot where Formen and Jeff had spotted the Kudu carcass the Lions were eating. There was absolutely nothing at that specific area. A bit up the hill, Formen found the horns of the Kudu and a few vertebras. Amazing how everything else was consumed, even the bones which Hyenas will crush with their powerful jaws and eat! We then came across a lone male Rhino – always impressive. The guys also pointed out another Lilac Breasted Roller. It’s such a beautiful bird but very difficult to photograph due to its of erratic flight pattern. Our next surprise was coming upon a group of three male lions with one female lion, the latter being in heat. Formen said that we likely arrived just after a mating had occurred. Formen said that Lions will mate for about three days usually for only a few seconds but it occurs about every 15 minutes. So, we decided to wait it out. Sure enough we did see the lions mating.

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	This is the site of yesterday's Kudu kill; who could imagine that it could be so clean?
	Formen holding the Kudu's horns and remaining vertebrae
	Another great sighting of a Rhino
	The female lion
	The male Lion
	The mating which lasts only a few seconds but occurs routinely over several days

As we left this area, Formen had to negotiate driving through a huge herd of Buffalo (200-300) who didn’t want to abandon the areas near the road as they were in transit to a waterhole. Intermixed with these huge creatures we also found some Zebra hoping for safety in numbers. Our final sighting of the morning was quite fun. A Hyena arrived at a waterhole holding a fleece that probably was lost from a vehicle. We’re not sure why the Hyena kept the fleece – possibly to use for its den or for her cubs to play with– but it arrived with the Hyena at the waterhole and it left with the Hyena.

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We enjoyed our final bush breakfast at Tanda Tula. Upon returning back to camp, we said goodbye to key staff who made our stay so pleasurable before heading on to our next adventure. We want to thank and recognize the skills of Formen and Jeff. They gave us some wonderful experiences and fond memories. We also appreciate the hospitality offered by everyone. Tanda Tula Lodge is definitely an amazing and wonderful place! Below are a few final shots which capture our lodge experience.

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	The lovely open-air common room & bar at Tanda Tula
	The pool with the "lawnmowers" (also known as Warthogs) busy at work
	Formen (right) & Jeff (left) just inside the Tanda Tula compound
	Our elevated luxury tent
	Looking inside the tent to our bed and beyond to the bathroom
	Our very private outdoor shower
	Formen & Jeff on a very cold morning when we've stopped by a waterhole for coffee
	Our group plus Dolphin, the Tanda Tula representative who coordinated our wonderful stay

	One of the male Buffalo
	A group of Elephants
	This Buffalo is enjoying a drink at the waterhole
	The Barred Owl has great markings
	A fleeting shot of one of two Leopards

	One of the many Giraffe who were out and about
	Formen & Jeff begin to clear the road
	Their joint effort makes it possible for us to continue our explorations
	Sunset at a waterhole

	A Wahlberg's Eagle
	A lone Bull Elephant
	A glimpse of the Leopard fleeing as we arrived at its kill site
	This Buffalo was massize as you can tell from the size of his horns
	The Eagle Owl on its nest

	This Hyena was definitely enjoying the cool water
	Another Hyena is taking it easy too
	The huge Buffalo herd at the waterhole
	A closer look at part of the group

	This Leopard is truly beautiful
	A close-up of the Leopard's head
	An adolescent male Lion illuminated in the darkness
	The hide for our "Star Bed" evening

	This female Hyena was definitely on the move
	The small Steenbok
	A beautiful and unique Nyala

	A large Kudu trying to enjoy the shade of a small tree
	These three guys were very curious about us
	This Lilac-Breasted Roller is stunning

	An Elephant enjoying a snack
	This little Elephant is getting its snack thanks to Mommy
	A large Rhino
	These two Rhino appear to be a mother and calf
	A shot of a Rhino is motion

	A mother Elephant with her baby
	Perfect lighting on this Red-Billed Hornbill
	Nyala have such unique markings
	A Giraffe browsing in the tall trees

	A rare and very beautiful African Wild Cat
	A night photo of one of the two Lions
	The tiny Flap-neck Chameleon

	A Waterbuck (made easy to identify by the circle on its rump)
	Another group of Buffalo
	A group of Elephants at a waterhole
	This Elephant is getting ready for a huge drink

	This adolescent male isn't shy about displaying his huge penis
	The stunning female Leopard
	Another beautiful view of this Leopard
	She's now on the prowl and ready for an evening hunt

	A large Buffalo near our vehicle
	One of the Zebra interspersed among the Buffalo
	The Hyena enjoying some tourist's fleece