Londolozi Life

The Lodges of Londolozi by Ryan Graham

by Rich Laburn October 31, 2011

Renowned photographer Ryan Graham was recently at Londolozi taking pictures of everything from the rooms to the wildlife to the members of the Londolozi family. In this post, we showcase Ryan’s stunning images of the Londolozi Lodges, interior details and cuisine…

John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 3

by Rich Laburn October 27, 2011

John Varty (JV) is an acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, musician, author and one of the founders of Londolozi Game Reserve. He has dedicated his life to the conservation of Big Cats, most notably the leopard. During the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s JV’s wildlife films drew attention and awareness to the beauty, behaviour and lives of these phenomenal cats of which Londolozi is proudly home to. JV’s most recent film, Leopard Queen, is currently being screened on Nat Geo Wild and features two decades worth of footage of the famed Londolozi leopard ‘3:4‘. In this the third of a series of interviews with John Varty, he talks about how 3:4 responded to her cub being eaten by an African Rock Python…

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John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 2

by Rich Laburn October 18, 2011

John Varty (JV) is an acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, musician, author and one of the founders of Londolozi Game Reserve. He has dedicated his life to the conservation of Big Cats, most notably the leopard. During the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s JV’s wildlife films drew attention and awareness to the beauty, behaviour and lives of these phenomenal cats of which Londolozi is proudly home to. JV’s most recent film, Leopard Queen, is currently being screened on Nat Geo Wild and features two decades worth of footage of the famed Londolozi leopard ‘3:4‘. In this the second of a series of interviews with John Varty, he talks openly about 3:4′s life, behaviour and her phenomenal life as a Leopards of Londolozi…

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Safari for the Soul

by Rich Laburn October 11, 2011

There’s a line from a poem by Mary Oliver that asks: ‘What is it that you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’ Those words have a habit of hitting me in the gut, which is why I leapt at the opportunity to join the African STAR (Self-transformation Adventure Retreat) hosted by Londolozi in June each year. The retreat invites people to experience the healing power of nature during a week of intensive coaching…

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John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 1

by Rich Laburn October 6, 2011

John Varty (JV) is an acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, musician, author and one of the founders of Londolozi Game Reserve. He has dedicated his life to the conservation of Big Cats, most notably the leopard. During the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s JV’s wildlife films drew attention and awareness to the beauty, behaviour and lives of these phenomenal cats of which Londolozi is proudly home to. JV’s most recent film, Leopard Queen, is currently being screened on Nat Geo Wild and features two decades worth of footage of the famed Londolozi leopard ’3:4′. In this the first of a series of interviews with John Varty, he talks openly about his relationship with 3:4 and a life spent with the Leopards of Londolozi…

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The Good Work Foundation – Now LIVE

by Rich Laburn October 4, 2011

The Good Work Foundation is committed to doing just that, Good Work. For many of the travelers to Londolozi, you would have experienced first hand the amazing work that the GWF is doing by bringing positive educational interventions to the rural South African communities in and around Londolozi. Over the course of 2011, the GWF has continued to expand rapidly with the development of the Madlala Digital Learning Center as well as the newly acquired Hazyview Learning Centre…

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Meet the Blog Team: David

by Rich Laburn September 20, 2011

The bush is a long way from the world of finance and few men manage to bridge the gap successfully. David ‘Doyle’ Dampier is one of those men and with a knack for capturing spectacular photographs of Londolozi’s most renowned and elusive leopards, he is one of the secret weapons in the Londolozi blog team.

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Motherhood in the Wilderness

by Kate Imrie September 11, 2011

It’s not a hard and fast rule, but most guides leave Londolozi having made a connection with a specific animal and that invariably turns out to be a leopard. Stoff watched 3:4 from the moment she was born, Alex Van Den Heever loved the Tugwaan Female, Rich Ferrier is always hunting for the Nottens Female and Mike Miller is still carousing the north for the Manyeleti young Male… I love the leopards but truthfully I’d swop every leopard sighting I’ve ever had for the time I’ve spent with the Tsalala tailess lioness…

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The Tsalala Super Pride

by Rich Laburn September 5, 2011

The current low water level of the Sand River is allowing the Tsalala Pride to be a little more adventurous in their movements. Spending more time south of the river, they have increased their hunting grounds substantially. As spring envelops us the days are getting hotter and the river is a hive of activity, especially in the mid afternoon as animals come down for a refreshing drink. The Tsalala sisters are well aware of this and are using the river and it’s flood plain as a highway to speed up their movements and increase their chances of a successful hunt…

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Star in Your own Safari

by Rich Laburn September 2, 2011

Imagine being whisked away to Londolozi Game Reserve on a mission to write and present a multimedia travel story about your experience. Sound good? The reality is that all you need to do is enter the ‘Star in your own Safari’ competition proudly sponsored by Safari Interactive Magazine and Londolozi Game Reserve to stand a chance at winning this prize. Safari interactive Magazine and Londolozi Private Game Reserve are offering one subscriber and partner a two-night private photographic safari in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa. You’ll be sent off to Londolozi and met by a professional media crew so all you’ll need to do is enjoy it, tell us about it and become the star in a full feature about the experience in an upcoming issue of Safari…

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Meet the Blog Team: Talley

by Adam Bannister August 30, 2011

Talley Smith may be relatively new to Londolozi but she certainly is no novice to the guiding world! Talley has been guiding in the Sabi Sands for 4 years and has a great understanding of the ingredients needed to make a sublime safari. She is without doubt one of the hardest working and dedicated people you will ever meet and wildlife and the photography thereof is her greatest passion…

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Spotted Hyenas : Love them or Hate them

by Adam Bannister August 14, 2011

We all have our own opinions about hyenas…Some think that they are the most foul things in the world ; conniving, silly and dark (an image enhanced by their portrayal in the Lion King). Others are their biggest fans and preach about the good they do for the health of an ecosystem. Often operating in clans, it is thought that they developed this social behavior in response to increased pressure from rivals on carcasses, thus forcing them to operate in teams. At Londolozi we have a very healthy population of Spotted Hyena and whether you like them or not one can’t help but acknowledge their entertainment value!

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The Day I Nearly Died

by Dave Varty August 2, 2011

We rode down the rapids in our life jackets miraculously avoiding a head-on collision with the many rocky outcrops that punctuated the rapids. One canoe snapped in two. One of the guys in it went missing for several hours: we thought he had drowned. It was to be the first of many close shaves with Africa. Eventually, bedraggled and shocked, we pulled ourselves out onto the north bank of the river, altogether forgetting about the Zambezi crocodiles and the fact that we had now illegally crossed an international boundary. More was to come…

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Safari in Syd Afrika!

by Rich Laburn August 1, 2011

Johanna Hagman visited Londolozi in January 2011 together with her family, including her grand parents and her cousins. This is an article she wrote for the WWF Panda Magazine in Sweden…

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My Friend Jerry

by Tom Imrie July 29, 2011

I’ve written before about Jerry’s specialness as a person and I frequently introduce him to guests as the nicest person on the planet. Spending as much time as I do with Jerry is a privilege and I’ve subconsciously added him to my shrinking list of close friends…

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The Emsagwen 6:4 Male Leopard

by Rich Laburn July 25, 2011

There is a battle brewing in the northern parts of Londolozi. The Emsagwen 6:4 Male Leopard is starting to extend his boundaries westwards into Marthly reaching out into the heart of the Marthly Male. We watch with interest as to whether anything will develop between these two brutes of the leopard world…

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Tutlwa Female’s New Leopard Cub

by Rich Laburn July 18, 2011

Last October the Tutlwa 4:3 female leopard gave birth to a single cub. Denned between large granite boulders in a thin tributary close to the Sand River, both cub and mother were elusive and infrequently seen. Months later, the details surrounding the demise of her cub are still a mystery. Spending much of her time [...]

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A Southern Boy in Southern Africa

by Rich Laburn July 7, 2011

I was a long way from home when I stepped out of the twin-engine prop plane that delivered me to Londolozi on the morning of Saturday, June 18. Trying to distinguish myself from the arriving guests, I skirted the ranger greeting line and approached a group of trackers, hoping someone would know where I was to be taken. Other than my name, I had no answer to who I was or what I was doing here. All I could tell the tracker was that the Varty’s were expecting me, and shortly after, Dave Varty, one of the few familiar faces in a very foreign place, pulled up to the airstrip to pick me up…

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The Week in Pictures # 2

by Talley Smith June 24, 2011

The week in pictures at Londolozi Game Reserve from 18 to 24 June 2011…

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The African STAR Retreat 2011

by Adam Bannister June 23, 2011

We sit in absolute silence gazing into the hazel eyes of a 5 ton elephant cow as she carefully and methodically uses her trunk to pick up dead pieces of wood, placing them to one side. She then proceeds to eat the grass previously hidden to other grazers. Moist, soft and green, she rumbles in delight! The scene unfolds bit by bit. I glance down at my watch and realize we have been here for 45 minutes and still not one word has been spoken. I slowly start the engine and we roll away heading for a raft of hippo that are stirring in a watering hole not too far away. Words would have added nothing to the remarkable experience we had all just had.

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Best of the Best – Pioneer Camp 1926

by Rich Laburn June 20, 2011

Pioneer Camp 1926 Londolozi has been selected by Robb Report’s editors as a “Best of the Best” Resorts in our just-released signature June issue. This 23rd annual “Best of the Best” edition culminates an entire year’s search for the luxury world’s most exceptional new products and services and we are delighted that Pioneer Camp is in it…

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The Wacheche Leopard Cub – Photographs

by Rich Laburn June 16, 2011

The moments passed slowly as we waited for the cub to walk out on the road. Shy yet curious it eventually followed its mother, The Wacheche Female, onto the road and walked down the road behind here. With territory in the deep south of Londolozi, she is not frequently seen but when she is, her cub is usually with her and thus presents a truly memorable sighting…

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Male Leopard Hoists and Leaps with Impala

by Rich Laburn May 30, 2011

The Short Tail male needed to act quickly, hyenas were rife in his territory and his quarry needed to be hoisted. Dragging the carcass to the trunk of a big Marula tree, one swift jump sent him and the limp carcass clawing steadily up the tree. Spectacular to watch, quintessential in meaning and vibrant in excitement, Short tail proceeded to spend the next 5 minutes shifting the carcass around trying to find a suitable branch to begin feeding. Unsatisfied, he once again gripped the carcass in mouth, nearly dropping it, before leaping midway across the established tree to stash the kill on a more open branch. Here he settled down and began to feed…

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Ranger of the Year

by Rich Laburn May 18, 2011

“A true, professional ranger is not only a competent ornithologist, tracker, protector, botanist, behavioral specialist and inquisitive naturalist but also a patient, well groomed, kind, passionate, selfless and enthusiastic people’s person who dedicates 18 hours of his or her day to creating the perfect wildlife holiday experience for someone else.”

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How Wild Dogs Behave at a Kill

by Rich Laburn May 16, 2011

Despite the nature of the Wild Dog’s approach to hunting and killing, the dynamics at a kill make for interesting observation and much can be learned about the depth of this specie’s social structure. The below video gives you a good indication of how these dappled creatures truly behave around a kill…

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Just how exactly does a Giraffe Mate?

by Rich Laburn May 11, 2011

Have you ever wondered how Africa’s tallest terrestrial animal mates? With long gangly legs, an extremely long neck and the most innnocent of eyes, one could be forgiven that ‘the stork’ just drops off a baby giraffe and saves this elegant animal from an otherwise awkward process. Nature, however is sometimes cruel and the giraffe needs to mate just the same as every other mammal on this planet…

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Londolozi Winter Calendar

by Rich Laburn April 8, 2011

Londolozi is excited to announce the Winter Calendar. Now in its 6th year, the Winter Calendar is all about offering you extra activities on your safari, allowing you to maximise your experience at Londolozi and to enjoy the beautiful balmy days during the months of May, June and July…

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A Magical Experience

by Rich Laburn April 6, 2011

I did not know what to expect, I was nervous, I was shaken from the trip (literally). These feelings all vanished the instant I saw the security guard, Mr Humphrey Thiledi, armed with a big wave and a warm smile (not to mention other slightly more intimidating weapons). He greeted, signed me in, opened the boom gate and let me through. This was Londolozi…

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Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Means Business!

by Adam Bannister April 1, 2011

The Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Male is becoming a force to be reckoned with. We followed him for over an hour watching him scent mark, urinate, scrape and call numerous times as he proceeded to walk deep into the territory of the Camp Pan Male. By the time he reached Fluffies Pan he had worked himself into a frenzy. Calling for the Camp Pan Male Leopard to come and face his challenge. He was readied for combat…

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Remembering the Shaw’s Male

by Adam Bannister March 23, 2011

Remembering the past often helps to explain current events. Hence, I feel it useful to wind back the clock a few years and write about a great lion of the past: The Shaw’s Male, aka The Rollercoaster Male….

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Update: Tsalala Pride Cubs

by Rich Laburn March 16, 2011

A few weeks ago we published the first ever footage that taken of the four new Tsalala pride cubs. Spending much of their time up on the rocks at Marthly Pools, the new pride have continued to use this area as a den site and now, more aptly, a play site…

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NOW LIVE: The Leopards of Londolozi

by Rich Laburn March 14, 2011

The Londolozi Leopard dynasty has been chronicled over the past 31 years by the many guides and trackers, past and present, who have worked here. From this documentation we are proud to announce an online platform entitled ‘The Leopards of Londolozi’. It is a documentation that is the result of their combined efforts and of yours, the reader. It is a record of the family lineages, identities, photographs, videos and stories of the various offspring and independent leopards that have been part of Londolozi over the past three decades…

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A True Wilderness Experience

by Rich Laburn March 4, 2011

The lions had just finished roaring when we began walking. In the soft light of dawn, a chorus of birds marched along with us as we began the epic journey up the artery of the Sabi Sands Wildtuin. Our destination was the western fenceline of the reserve, the exact point where the Sand River would enter the reserve before beginning its mighty charge down into the untamed wilderness below. It was 45 kilometers away and as the dust settled in the wake of each new track, the Sand River hummed softly to our right. This river was to be our guide, our teacher and the lifeblood of a true wilderness experience…

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First Ever Footage of Tsalala Pride Cubs

by Adam Bannister February 24, 2011

Two days ago we announced that one of the Tsalala Pride lionesses has just given birth to four small cubs. For the last two days, all of our rangers have at some stage or another spent time at the den site, patiently waiting for a glimpse of the cubs. In between sporadic views, the lioness finally brought them out for us to enjoy…

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BREAKING NEWS: Tsalala Pride Has Cubs

by Adam Bannister February 22, 2011

One of the Tsalala females was seen with four brand new cubs today. Stashed away in the rocks by Marthly Pools, we had suspected she might be denning there, now we know for certain the reason why…

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The Demise of the Tsalala Pride – An Update

by Rich Laburn January 13, 2011

It’s been 6 months since The Majingilane Males arrived in Marthly and overturned the proverbial apple cart. Male lion takeovers invariably have disastrous effects on lion prides as new territories are drawn and cubs with previous bloodlines are dispatched. The Tsalala Pride haven’t escaped this. One of their pride males was eaten, the other returning to the safety of his brothers in the west (and doesn’t look to be coming back any time soon.) Of the 8 cubs that the 3 Tsalala lionesses were raising only 4 sub-adult females remain and the pride has split yet again….

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A Guide: The Birds of Londolozi

by Rich Laburn January 4, 2011

Before I was a game ranger, my impressions of Londolozi were that of a destination renowned for high-profile game viewing. It was only after beginning my guiding career here, that I have discovered it to be a hidden birding treasure as well. Nestled right in the heart of the Lowveld, Londolozi is home to many birds, many of which are quite daunting for guests to begin to understand. As a result I have put together this basic guide of the more noteworthy birds…

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The Season of Abundance

by Rich Laburn December 14, 2010

We are in the season of abundance… and after witnessing the extraordinary sightings around Londolozi at the moment, it is not hard to see why. A few months ago the weather warmed up, the humidity began to rise and the rains started to fall. With water in the ground – grasses, plants and trees flourished, providing a large quantity of food for the herbivorous population. Owing to this amplitude of food, herbivores such as impala, warthogs, wildebeest and zebra give birth to their young at this time every year. With plump herbivores, newborns and dense bush; the predators have an abundance of game on which to prey…

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An Even Quicker Way to Forget Your Worries

by Rich Laburn December 6, 2010

It is easy to be skeptical about most things in life. Ignoring our hopes and expectations prevents disappointment and gives us a reason to say ‘I told you so’ when something doesn’t go the way we wanted. More often than not, the idealistic stories that sound charming and interesting are the ones in which I am the most skeptical, especially when they come from Tom Imrie…

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Londolozi Christmas 2010

by Rich Laburn November 30, 2010

IN APPRECIATION OF YOUR EFFORTS AND IN THE TRADITION OF OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS VIDEO: WE PRESENT………FROM THE BUSHVELD FILM STUDIOS OF LONDOLOZI, SOUTH AFRICA ……. TO OUR FRIENDS ACROSS THE WORLD……..THE LONG AWAITED, THE INCREDIBLE, THE UNFORGETTABLE, THE UPLIFTING…….NEVER BEFORE SEEN ON SCREEN —– “ LONDOLOZI…CHRISTMAS VIDEO 2010”

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Coming Soon – The Leopards of Londolozi!

by Rich Laburn November 17, 2010

Recently a very good friend of Londolozi went in for such a major operation and it got us thinking about all those people who are far away from home dreaming of being someplace else right now. It is not always easy being alone, yet sometimes the smallest thing can make the most positive difference. So for all of you people, wherever you are and however you are feeling we dedicate this blog post to you…

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Wild Bushfires: Behind the Scenes

by Rich Laburn November 2, 2010

The fire ripped through the dry grasslands. Fueled by a steady breeze and the heat of a scorching Monday morning; what began as the result of a lightning bolt was now a treacherous inferno. The smoke on the horizon was ominous enough and so the lodges of the central Sabi Sands mobilized to fight the rampant bushfire. Habitat teams, game rangers, Landrovers and water trailers raced towards the blaze, determined to contain the wild fire…

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Nine Lives – Memories of a Maverick Conservationist

by Rich Laburn October 25, 2010

He’s swum across crocodile-infested rivers. He’s hunted silently through dense bush alongside wild leopards. He’s been attacked by charging hippo bulls and hungry lionesses. He’s taught an orphaned lion cub how to hunt. He’s watched helplessly as the Mother Leopard, whose life he shared for twelve years, died after being mauled by lions. Nine Lives chronicles the adventures, trials, mishaps and triumphs of John Varty’s astonishing life, tracing his progression from hunter to film maker to environmentalist…

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Three Points for Technically Great Wildlife Pictures

by Rich Laburn October 15, 2010

Friday Photography: There are three simple points to remember when using your SLR camera in the field. If you gain an understanding and mastery of these three aspects of camera use, you will be able to add a solid foundations to your photographic repertoire…

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The Demise of the Tsalala Pride

by Rich Laburn October 11, 2010

She was discovered in a heap by the hyena den. One of the young Tsalala lionesses was badly beaten up, bleeding, drifting in and out of consciousness. Barely able to stand, she would muster a growl only when the six hyenas surrounded her. A kilometer away, her three sisters lay out in the open on the airstrip having run from the violent encounter the previous night. Fragmented, beaten and lean from the winter months, a once formidable pride of lions is now struggling to regroup. Could this be the demise of the Tsalala Pride…

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The End of the Line

by Rich Laburn October 4, 2010

“This is arguably one of the biggest problems in the world!” Really? How much of a problem can seafood be? I thought to myself whilst beginning to watch ‘The End of the Line’, a brand new documentary written by British journalist Charles Clover. Well it turns out quite a significant one…

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An Elephant Birth for an Elephant Whisperer

by Rich Laburn September 30, 2010

Martha Beck must have a strange attraction for elephants. The last time she was at Londolozi she had an interesting conversation with our ‘resident’ bull (Nightshift) and this time around she watched an elephant cow give birth in the Sand River right beneath her room. Whatever this attraction is, we don’t mind as it allows us to gain greater insight into the lives of elephants and enhance our already respectful relationships with them…

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The Difference: 1990 and 2010

by Rich Laburn September 23, 2010

The 24th of September is South Africa’s National Heritage Day. It is a day which encourages South Africans across the spectrum to celebrate the rich and diverse heritage on which our country exists. There are many things to celebrate from the cultural traditions and historical buildings to the unspoiled wilderness making this day a significant event in every South African’s calender. But the bigger question that I am usually asked by my guests is what South Africa is really like at the moment….

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EXCLUSIVE – New Leopard Cub Caught on Camera

by Rich Laburn September 10, 2010

Serendipity is a funny thing…at once exciting yet at the same time a mystery giving us new opportunities when we weren’t looking for them, it wafts in and out of every individual’s life at one or another time. It is at the heart of Newtonian Theories, the Slinky, Microwave Ovens and Corn flakes. It is the propensity for making fortunate discoveries while looking for something unrelated….and there has been a lot of it raining down on Londolozi as of late…

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