Early one morning, we came across the Kambula Pride lying in an open clearing. Two of the young male cubs were playfully milling about on a fallen marula tree… we could not have asked for a more perfect photographic, entertaining and enjoyable scene!

With most of the pride lying up in the long grass behind the fallen over tree, the youthfulness and restlessness of the cubs were apparent as they refused to sit still and keep us entertained for the better part of an hour.

The Xinkhova Female has been seen spending more time in the deep southeastern parts of our reserve. After finding her resting in the grass just off the road, we followed her as she eventually led us to the remains of an impala kill hoisted in a big evergreen tree along the river’s edge. Before reaching the tree with the kill, she gracefully positioned herself on a nearby fallen tree to scan around and make sure there were no lurking hyenas or other visitors in the area.

After a brief moment’s rest from the vantage of the fallen tree, the Xinkhova Female reenergized herself with a big stretch before continuing towards where she had hoisted her meal.

Wandering through thick, lush riverine vegetation that hugs the bank of the Sand River, the scene provided some incredible contrast of colour as the Xinhova Female’s gold coat was consistently framed amidst a variety of dark green hues.

While enjoying a dazzle of zebra in the open grasslands, we were surprisingly interrupted by a very large herd of impala that ran between us as if to catch up with the dazzle of zebra. It is very common to see these two species milling about together or in similar areas, complimenting each other’s ability to stay alert and look out for any potential threats.

After spending a morning tracking Nkoveni and her latest litter of cubs, we found them nestled in very thick bushveld with very limited viewing. However, after some time of patiently waiting, one of the cubs curiously wandered into the open giving us just enough time to snap a few pictures!

Another fallen tree, with another leopard! The Three Rivers Female majestically climbs to the highest point possible of a fallen marula to soak up some of the morning’s rays, while using the vantage to scan her surroundings for any potential hunting opportunities.

A high-key black and white edit of two male giraffes that had been ‘necking’. Necking is a behaviour where they use their heavy skulls to bash into one another’s sides. How male giraffes display and assert their dominance.

Spending time with leopard cubs is never taken for granted, and it’s always an extraordinary and mesmerizing experience. Here the Nkoveni Female led her three cubs into the dry riverbed. Two of the cubs became suddenly captivated by a small snake that was wriggling around in the sand.

Spotting an owl in daylight! Backlit by the dappled light peaking through the tree, we came across the largest owl species at Londolozi, the Verreaux’s Eagle Owl.

Driving across one of our open clearings early one morning, we came across one of the Ndzhenga Males, who then decided to settle in the middle of the clearing.

Embrace. Not long after he settled, his brother appeared in the distance on approach, and we waited for the inevitable brotherly embrace.

The pattern on a giraffe’s coat, against a bright clear sky allows for the perfect opportunity to convert it into a high key edit.

A magical sighting of a herd of elephants walking down the road. And yes, that is a GoPro in the road, more from that to come in Sean’s Virtual Safari next Sunday.

One of the Kambula Cubs finds comfort in using a sibling as a pillow to catch a quick nap.

One of the Kambula Pride’s younger cubs entertained us as it stretched its body as tall as it could, claws out, while it grappled with a small stick.

A gathering of zebra while one of them flares its upper lip as part of its flehmen response – a form of communication. There is an organ located between the roof of the mouth and the palate that assists in translating air particles containing pheromones and other scents into chemical “messages”.

Possibly my favourite image from this collection… The Nhlanguleni Female walks in our direction with her tail erect, in response to the incessant chanting and barking alarm of a herd of impala after they spotted her on approach.

Excitement levels rise rapidly when we come across a dead tree covered in perched vultures. Increasing our pace to see what had unfolded, we found the remains of a buffalo cow not too far from where these vultures were perched. Cause of death unknown but the vultures seemed satisfied with feeding on the remnants, and calling it a day.

Nothing better than predators crossing the airstrip, and even better when it is wild dogs on the move! We were lucky to be in a spot to catch them crossing because within a few seconds they had disappeared into the bordering thickets determined to find their next meal.

As the sun dropped behind the Drakensberg mountains in the west, and the clouds turned pink, the Nhlanguleni Female woke up from a rest in the grass to stare straight in our direction.

Right place at the right time. As we drove around a water hole in search of a leopard in the area, we couldn’t help but marvel at the commotion in the water hole. Two males asserting dominance (there was a clear winner) as not long after their embrace, the smaller one on the right was pushed to the edge and conceded before heading off in the other direction. It’s always a fascinating encounter witnessing the sheer strength and size of hippos when we so often see only glimpses of them submerged under the water.

With winter fast approaching, many of the water holes are drying up. On this particular afternoon, we watched as a herd of elephants approached to drink only to quickly decide to turn it into a spraying mud bath. The afternoon light created a magical glisten on the mud as this female sprayed behind her eyes.

All three of the Nkoveni Female’s cubs ventured away from where she was resting to have a drink. Relaxed, playful and restless. Nothing beats this!

After hearing that the Xinzele Female had been found with a kill one morning, we decided to go find her that afternoon hoping she would still be there. She was, and it ended up being a tranquil afternoon sitting with her until dark watching her rest and climb across the tree to go feed on a duiker kill up in a marula tree.