As the sun began to rise, casting a warm, golden glow over the bush, Joy and I, accompanied by our eager guests, embarked on our morning game drive. Our mission for the drive was straightforward: to find the Ntsevu Pride and their nearly 10-month-old cubs in the eastern reaches of the reserve. Little did we know that a herd of elephants would turn this into an unexpected and remarkable morning.
While driving through the rolling hills in the southeastern part of the reserve, we saw some beautiful animals both big and small. We encountered a dazzle of zebras drinking water, their black and white stripes presenting a pristine reflection on the glasslike water. We also saw giraffes, tall and elegant, fighting with their long necks twisted together to show dominance.
Young male giraffe show off their strength in a playful ‘necking’ display right next to our vehicle
The clearings were full of impalas, dancing gracefully in herds as they woke up to the cool morning air. We watched many of the males chasing the herds of females around to ensure they were accounted for and didn’t drift away towards other males’ domains.
But it was the humble dung beetle that stole the show. With the warming weather, these industrious little creatures have emerged in droves. A massive ball of elephant dung rolled down the road ahead of us, a testament to nature’s intricate balance. We took a closer look and noticed two dung beetles on the ball. One doing all the hard work rolling the ball along the road and the other just holding on for dear life.
The dung beetles have been out in swarms and make for fascinating sightings! Generally, you will see a dung ball being rolled by the male, with the female clinging to the side,
After enjoying the show from the dancing dung beetles, we followed the telltale signs of fresh dung along the road, and it became evident that we were closing in on a magnificent encounter. The heart-pounding anticipation was palpable. We ventured further, rounding a bend, and there they were—thirty or more elephants, silently grazing in their natural habitat.
Their direction was clear. Slowly but steadily, they made their way towards a large watering hole. With an eager smile, I turned to my guests and told them,
“These elephants are heading directly towards a waterhole, for a drink!”
Guiding the Land Rover to the far side of the waterhole, positioned with the sun beautifully at our backs, we readied our camera lenses and iPhones, poised to capture the mesmerising spectacle that awaited us.
The first elephant arrived at the water’s edge and filled its trunk to pour the water into its mouth!
And then a mother and calf ambled up to the waterhole to quench their thirst.
As the minutes passed by, more elephants joined the scene, all eager to secure their position near the water.
And before we knew it, the rest of the herd stormed towards the water. This was a breathtaking moment observing 30+ elephants unperturbed by us and completely drawn by the waterhole.
The elephants approached the waterhole with great determination. From cute little babies to subadult males, all the way to the older and wiser females, they queued up patiently for their turn to drink. The rhythmic sounds of sipping and splashing filled the air, as they drank and enjoyed themselves in the water.
Slowly but surely they all had their fill of water.
A frenzy of pushing and shoving ensued by the young elephants to get to the muddy edge of the watering hole. There were elephants everywhere we looked.
After taking several trunk fills of water, a young bull posed for us before walking off into the bush.
As the day continued to warm up, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. I watched with delight as these gentle giants had a good time in the cool waters, a privilege of nature that left my guests and me in awe.
When you get the chance to spend a lot of quality time with a herd of elephants, its a great opportunity to focus on the finer details of their body parts like their toe nails and the tips of their trunks.
We watched as the last member of the herd had its final sip and then walked off into the bushes leaving us in complete awe!
Time spent with Elephants is certainly never time wasted at all!
I love spending time with elephants in the bush because they are incredibly entertaining, and sincere and have a huge presence. Just being around them can be breathtaking. They remind me of the rawness of the wild, and I’m grateful for the unique connection we share with these gentle giants.
Though we may not have found the Ntsevu Pride on this particular morning, such a sighting of elephants always brings an enormous smile to my face. It’s a testament to the unpredictable beauty of a game drive at Londolozi.
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I so agree with you, Nick – there’s nothing to beat a close encounter with a big breeding herd of ellies. I’m always fascinated how such large creatures can seemingly appear from nowhere too.
Elephants are so amazing to sit and watch. Thank you for the pictures.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the pictures, Sandra.
Nick, I also love elephants. Thank you for the pictures.
Thanks William.
Wonderful story and beautiful images! Spending time with elephants is always entertaining, especially when young ones are present, but my eye was really taken by the dancing dung beetles, just rolling along with their ball of nutrients!
Hi, what a spectacular view! It seems incredible they may feel fear sometimes, as they are so large and powerful. From the steady, dominant females to the clumsy and funny babies, they offer such a special time. Funny and relaxing. Thank you
My favorite part of our safari (Tsavo) was watching two large herds racing to a waterhole and drink for like an hour! They are just the best! Fantastic photos!
I also love spending time with elephants. They are such wonderful animals interacting with each other in amazing ways. Great photos!
Nick you got the elephants instead of the Ntsevu pride. But I am sure you and your guests enjoyed the elephants drinking water and seeing so many at one water hole is exquisite. They are certainly entertaining especially when there are so many of them, not forgetting the calves.
Nothing better than elephants at a waterhole – unless they’re IN the water! Outstanding sighting andstory, Nick!
Thank you, Mary Beth! Elephants and water do make a fantastic combo.
Nick, what a fantastic sighting! Your photos are beautiful and the scene with them all drinking is a classic! We are wondering if that was the watering hole we saw the lions at on one of our last drives?
Hi Guys, thanks for the comment!
This sighting was at a different waterhole! in the Deep South eastern parts of Londolozi.
Wow! Great fortune and amazing images Nick. Thank you!