The Unexpected Uses of Elephant Dung
Elephant dung might not be the most obvious source of bush medicine, but these large pieces of pachyderm excrement have... Continue Reading
Ranger’s Blog
What to Pack on a Game Drive
Game drives are one of the most fun, exciting, memorable and special experiences of your safari. Twice a day, you... Continue Reading
Family Safari: The Kids’ Program at Manor House
The African bush is an enchanting place for a child: filled with wild creatures and plants that some have only... Continue Reading
Bush Breakfast With Elephants
There’s one important rule to remember in the bush: never miss a morning game drive! Morning in the bush is... Continue Reading
Why Upgrade to a Private Safari Vehicle?
Game drives are an integral—magical—part of the safari experience at Tintswalo. Twice a day, in the early morning and late... Continue Reading
Lions of Tintswalo: The Buffalo Are Back!
The summer rains have arrived, the plains are beginning to burst with grass, and that means one important thing: the... Continue Reading
Songs of the Manyeleti
I’m standing among a group of singers and dancers outside the Manyeleti Game Reserve; as they perform one of their... Continue Reading
The Leopards of Tintswalo
At Safari Lodge, we are lucky to enjoy some of the best leopard interactions and sightings anywhere in Africa. If... Continue Reading
Remarkable Sighting: Hyenas Battle Cheetah Over Impala Kill
As rangers and trackers, we spend many hours a day in the bush, every day. And sometimes you think you... Continue Reading
The Magic of a Dinner in the Bush
There’s nothing quite like a bush dinner deep in the middle of the African wilderness. Losing the four walls of... Continue Reading
The Female Animals Ruling Tintswalo Safari Lodge
In celebration of Women’s Month in South Africa, we decided to look at some of the animal groups at Safari... Continue Reading
The Elephant Whisperer
Anyone who has spent some time with elephants knows they are thinking, feeling and deeply emotional animals. They have the... Continue Reading
Afternoon Lunch with an Elephant
How does one have lunch with Africa’s largest land-mammal? Enjoying a fine meal in the presence of an elephant is... Continue Reading
The Lions of Tintswalo: The Drama Continues
As always, the lions’ dynamics at Tintswalo are like a great soap opera unfolding in the greater Kruger National Park... Continue Reading
50 Vultures Swoop Down on Cheetah Kill near the Kruger National Park
Two cheetah brothers had just made a kill not far from Tintswalo—our luxury safari lodge near the Kruger National Park—and... Continue Reading
The Life of a Tintswalo Ranger – Part II
It’s a unique type of person that chooses the lifestyle of a ranger or tracker, and their reasons for spending... Continue Reading
The Miracle of a Newborn Elephant in the Kruger National Park
It’s always a wonderful celebration when an elephant is born at Tintswalo Safari Lodge. Not just because elephants are often... Continue Reading
The Life of a Tintswalo Game Ranger
Every game ranger has a story about how they ended up in the bushveld; living a life close to nature.... Continue Reading
Rare Sighting of a Caracal in the Manyeleti
By Christof Schoeman It was late in the afternoon in the Manyeleti, and we had just stopped for a sundowner... Continue Reading
Epic Lion and Hyena Clashes in the Manyeleti
Text and images by Christof Schoeman Hyenas and lions have always been age old foes! Although they are enemies,... Continue Reading
Tintswalo’s Legendary Buffalo Hunters
At Tintswalo, we are fortunate to experience some of the most spectacular displays of lion hunting in Africa. It’s true... Continue Reading
A Tribute to Sizanani – Tintswalo’s Legendary Lion King
It was a sad day last month when we learned of the passing of Tintswalo’s most magnificent male lion—Sizanani. One... Continue Reading
Hippo Charges Entire Herd of Buffalo: Sighting of the Month
Hippos certainly hold one of the most fearsome reputations in the African bush. These big, water-dwelling beasts are renowned for... Continue Reading
The Lions of Tintswalo: An Introduction
What would the African bush be without lions? These large, magnificent felines take up such a prominent position in the... Continue Reading
Tintswalo Ranger Diary – April Update
The Lions of Tintswalo Mbiri pride We had two sightings of the Mbiri’s in the three days. They were first... Continue Reading
Where to now for the Northern Manyeleti male Leopards?
It was February 2013, when we first saw a young male Leopard that would the leopard dynamics in the northern... Continue Reading
March 28-30 2017
Lions Mbiri pride and Thanda impi males The Thanda Impi male Lions have continued to stay with the... Continue Reading
25-26 March 2017
Lion Mbiri pride The Mbiri were relatively scarce over the two days, only being seen once. They were... Continue Reading
23-24 March 2017
Lions Mbiri pride and Thanda Impi males Both the Mbiri pride and Thanda Impi male Lions have continued... Continue Reading
21-22 March 2017
Lion Mbiri pride and Thanda Impi male Lions The Mbiri’s spent the 2 days in exactly the same place,... Continue Reading
1-4 March 2017
Lions Mbiri pride We had two sightings of the Mbiri pride over the 4 days. On the afternoon... Continue Reading
27-28 February 2017
Lions Mbiri pride The Mbiri pride stayed north, out of the reach of the Matimba males and... Continue Reading
21-22 February 2017
Lion Mbiri pride We only had the one Lion sighting over the 2 days. And low and behold,... Continue Reading
19-20 February 2017
Lion Mbiri pride We only had one sighting of one of the young Lionesses over the 2... Continue Reading
February 11-12 2017
Lions Mbiri pride The Mbiri pride continued to stay very close to the denning area that they had... Continue Reading
Ghosts of our past!
The last 2 weeks have been incredibly interesting in the Manyeleti, especially with regards to the Lion dynamics on the... Continue Reading
9-10 February 2017
Lion Mbiri pride The Mbiri pride continue to keep their cubs in the area around Zebra pan/Konkoni quarry.... Continue Reading
Trunked up charges
For as long as I can remember, I have fostered a very deep love for the African Bush. One... Continue Reading
6-8 January 2017
Lion Thanda Impi males The Thanda Impi males spent the majority of this time on their Buffalo kill... Continue Reading
Thanda Impi male Lions: Unlikely warriors
All of the guides at Tintswalo Safari Lodge have become quite attached to the Thanda impi males. The truth is that... Continue Reading
3-5 January 2017
Lion Mbiri pride The Mbiri pride have been quite sedentary lately, spending the majority of their time around the... Continue Reading
Leopard dynamics- Is the north up for grabs?
The Manyeleti has seen a fair few changes over the last year or so. We’ve experienced one of the worst... Continue Reading
30-31 December 2016 – What are the Nharhu pride playing at?
Lion Nharhu pride The Nharhu pride were again found deep in Mbiri territory, early on the morning of... Continue Reading
28-29 December 2016- The first time I’ve managed to photograph the Sable bridge female leopard in over a year!
Lion Nharhu pride We had 2 sightings of the Nharhu pride over the 2 days. The were initially... Continue Reading
26-27 December 2016 – The Mbiri mother Lioness takes her cubs to their first kill.
Lion Mbiri pride We had 1 sighting of the Mbiri’s within the 2 days. We found one... Continue Reading
19-20 December 2016 – Rhulani is a very lucky Leopard
Lion Mbiri pride We had one sighting of the 3 young females. We were with Rhulani and... Continue Reading
17-18 December 2016
Lion Talamati pride We had one sighting of the Talamati’s over the 2 days. By the time I got... Continue Reading
13-14 December 2016 – The Leopards steal the show
Lions Thanda Impi male Lions We found both males having a very dozy nap on Catwalk west, so... Continue Reading
11-12 December 2016 – The Mbiri’s bring their cubs out for the first
Lion Mbiri pride There was quite a lot of movement with this pride over the 2 days. We... Continue Reading
2-5 December 2016 – Rhulani has an uncomfortable morning.
Lions Mbiri pride We first had a sighting with 3 of the Lionesses on Vulture pan road, a... Continue Reading
24-28 November 2016 – New additions to the Mbiri pride
Lions Thanda Impi male Lions We had 2 sightings of the Thanda Impi males, over the 4 days.... Continue Reading
8-9 November 2016 – Thanda impi tempers flare
Lions Mbiri pride We had 2 sightings of 2 of the females. The were initially found on the... Continue Reading
6-7 November 2016 – Rhulani gets a free meal
Lion Mbiri pride The Mbiri pride seems to be quite split at the moment, and we think its... Continue Reading
3-5 Nov 2016 – The drought devastates, but the predators still thrive.
Lion Mbiri pride One of the older Mbiri Lionesses was found with Skorro thanda Impi male on a... Continue Reading
29-31 October 2016 – all of the magnificent seven seen, as well as 4 of the 6 cats
Lion Mbiri pride The Thanda impi male Lions have been spending more and more time with the Mbiri’s.... Continue Reading
26-28 October 2016 – A new young male Leopard arrives in the north
Lion Mbiri pride We had 3 sightings of the Mbiri’s over the 3 days. They were initially found at... Continue Reading
24-25 October 2016 – A fever of activity.
Lion Mbiri pride The Mbiri pride moved a round quite a bit over the 2 day period. They... Continue Reading
20-23 October 2016 – A time of plenty for the predators.
Lion Mbiri pride (3) There was 3 sightings of the Mbiri’s over the 4 days. They were found... Continue Reading
3-5 Oct 2016 – The drought is becoming a crippling one
Lion (7) Nharhu pride (2) It was a bit strange, but Lions sightings were quite rare over the... Continue Reading
30 September -2 October 2016 – The first decent rains, but too late for some of the struggling Buffalo.
Lion (6) Mbiri pride (2) The Mbiri pride were found with a Buffalo kill on the morning of... Continue Reading
22-25 September 2016 – Are the Avoca sub-adults and the Mbiri males going to join forces?
Lion Mbiri pride (2) The Mbiri pride were a little bit scarce over these 4 days, and we... Continue Reading
18-21 September 2016 – The Thanda impi consolidate their power, and we had our first decent rains.
Lion (5) Mbiri pride (3) Our resident pride were quite busy, and are definitely having a very successful... Continue Reading
13-16 September 2016 – A Time for the Leopards to Shine
Lions (6) Mbiri pride (5) The Mbiri pride moved around a lot over these three days. They were initially... Continue Reading
11-12 September 2016 – The Thanda Impi Male Lions Tighten Their Grip on the Mbiri Pride
Lion (4) Mbiri pride (2) We had two sightings of our resident pride over these two days. One of the... Continue Reading
1-2 September 2016 – The Xiluva Female Leopard stalks Two Cheetah
Lions (2) Mbiri pride (1) We had one sighting of the Mbiri’s over the two days. They killed a Buffalo... Continue Reading
29-31 August 2016 – Battle Lines Are Drawn by Big Cats
Lion Nharhu pride (3) These were the only Lions we saw over the three days! The Nharhu pride... Continue Reading
26-28 August 2016 – Rhulani Leopard Kills a Warthog at Wild Dog dam.
Lion Mbiri pride (2) The Mbiri pride had a very busy time over this period! They managed to... Continue Reading
23-24 August 2016 – The first migrant bird returns, so summer must be around the corner
Lions Miri pride (2) The Mbiri pride have been maintaining their presence in the central and western parts of... Continue Reading
18-20 August 2016 – A full house on Safari
Lions (5) Mbiri pride (1) We only had one sighting of the Mbiri Lions. They were seen with... Continue Reading
14-17 August 2016 – The Lions are on Fire
Lion (9) Mbiri pride (4) The Mbiri pride spent all their time with the Thanda impi male Lions,... Continue Reading
23-24 July 2016 – Safari Love is in the Air
Lion Thanda Impi males and Mbiri pride We dont have much to report, due to the length of... Continue Reading
16-19 July 2016 – The Thanda impi males chase Mbiri male lions
Lion Mbiri pride (2) We had two sightings of the Mbiri’s in the four days of this blog.... Continue Reading
12-15 July 2016 – The Mbiri & the Nharhu lion pride clash!
Lion Mbiri pride (3) The last few days have been a bit topsy-turvy for the Mbiri pride. They... Continue Reading