The first two months of 2025 have finally seen the arrival of some much-needed rain in the Lowveld of South Africa. In the pictures below you will see a very green, lush and healthy-looking bushveld with lots of tall grass and dense thickets. More importantly, the wildlife action has been phenomenal.
This week features numerous shots of the Nkoveni Female leopard and her stunning male cub. We found the pair in a marula tree one afternoon and they provided some epic photographic opportunities.
The elephant sightings have been incredible with dozens of large bulls trailing many breeding herds around the reserve. We also had a special sighting of a herd swimming in a waterhole which brought much happiness.
The two Kambula Lionesses feature this week as we found them feeding on an impala before heading back towards an area where there is a potential den. Having split from the pride recently, we predict they have given birth to another litter of cubs which is very exciting. (Look out for an update on this soon as this is a developing story)
The rest of the collection includes beautiful dazzles of zebra, a Monarch butterfly and a Brown Snake Eagle.
Let us know your favourites in the comments section below.
Enjoy The Week in Pictures…
Driving along the Maxebene Riverbed one afternoon, we spotted the Nkoveni Female and her cub in a huge marula tree. What a find! They rested in the tree for a short while before climbing down in fine fashion.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
The Nkoveni Young Male peers towards my lens with wide eyes through the branches. He is getting bigger and bolder by the day, proving to be a special leopard to photograph.
Then a few moments later, they moved about in the tree before the cub dramatically jumped out of the tree! This is my personal favourite of the week.
Due to the increased rainfall recently, we have seen many more elephants across the reserve. Here a large female uses her dextrous trunk to scratch an itch in her ear cavity.
A beautiful dazzle of zebra stands to attention.
A young leopard looks to the skies as he rests in an apple leaf tree at dusk.
To much of the surprise of my guests, a herd of elephants ventured into the deeper section of a waterhole to enjoy a playful swim. This is always a special sighting.
The elephants playfully splashed about in the water.
Absolute elation for these elephants in the water.
A long-distance view of a leopard in a tree. This is a dream find for any Londolozi guide or tracker to spot a leopard resting in a tree while on a game drive.
A Lioness from the Kambula Pride walks across a clearing towards us. I took this opportunity to get as low as possible to capture a unique angle of her as she approached us.
A massive herd of elephants walked away from us as we enjoyed our coffee stop during another exciting game drive through the reserve.
An inquisitive elephant stares at us through the thickets, using her trunk to smell the air around her.
Another menacing stare from the Nkoveni Young Male from the deep green thickets.
A large elephant bull ambled passed our vehicle before reaching high up towards the canopy of a marula tree.
A silhouette shot of a leopard climbing a tree as evening descends.
A pair of zebras nudge faces as they approach a waterhole for a drink.
A young member of the Kambula Pride rests in a refreshing smell of wild aniseed (wild basil) next to the road. If you look closely, there is a tiny pink moth and flies drinking from his tear duct.
A stunning Monarch Butterfly feeds on the nectar in a flower growing amongst the much grass.
The Nkoveni Female leads her male cub across a clearing towards a kill she had made earlier in the day.
A Brown Snake Eagle sits patiently on the lookout for any serpent movement from the ground below. These birds have legs with a protective layer which protects from any venomous snake bites.
An action shot of the Nkoveni female and her cub descending a tree!
Great Compilation of photos once again – But the essence of the black and white photo of the Elephant Bull reaching up in the Marula tree is Stunning!
Thanks Gawie, I enjoyed the elephant trunk shaped dead Leadwood tree.
Pictures of Nkoveni Young Male, zebra pictures and ellie pool parties!!
Hi Nick, as I see the Nkoveni young male my breath stops for a moment, as he’s so marvellous. Very alike his mother but has also some traits from his father. Surely not the “sweetie pie” look of the Three Rivers young female, but, what a leopard! The elephants bathing and having fun in the water are such a beautiful joyful event to watch, of course as soon as they can they like a good bath in good company! Lovely pictures. My favourite is the Monarch Butterfly. I love macro pictures and butterflies, moreover, I don’t see them but know something about their behaviour and migration. Just a magic touch of ephemeral life fixed forever in time by your camera. The most powerful act in nature. Then the nudging zebras, who could watch them without a feeling of tenderness? And the photo is very well done, reflection on the water surface, landscape, shadows and light and all. As usual all very diverse and fascinating. Well done
Thank you very much Francesca. I appreciate your favourite being the monarch butterfly. We are fortunate to see them a lot during the rainy months at Londolozi. South African Monarchs generally have shorter lifespans around 2 to 6 weeks for typical adults. Some individuals may live longer if conditions are favorable. The Monarch’s found in the USA are known for their migration routes from Canada to Mexico and live much longer.
Thank you Nick for a great TWIP, and your favourite of the young Nkoveni male jumping down from the tree is also my favourite! (closely followed by the last shot of both of them). He looks like he’s really flourishing, and has certainly grown since we saw him 3 months ago.
Thanks Suzanne, He is getting very big now and is a favourite amongst the guiding team. It will be sad when he becomes independent and sightings of him will decrease.
My fav
this week is your choice for the topper: blk& white waterhole wallowing Ellie’s! 
Thanks Marcia.
Hi Nick, the Nkoveni female and her cub are beautiful photos. Loved the elephants playing in the water. My favorite this week is the Nkoveni male lying in the thickets. I wonder what his name is going to be, because one these days he has to be named.
Great shots this week, Nick! The reserve looks so lush cloaked in green, so different from its appearance in early October when we were there. My fav image is yours – the leaping leopard and his mother!
Nick, Great to see a post from you and we hope you are doing well! We loved all your images, and added the closeup and our favorite of the one of Nkoveni’s young male!
Thanks Guys! He is such a beautiful young leopard.
Hey Nick, another great TWIP! My favorite pic this week are the two zebras nuzzling with their reflection in the waterhole. Well done.
Thank you, Greg.
Nick, I have to agree with you this week, the shot of the Nkoveni female and her cub jumping out of the tree is an absolute favorite. I also really like the pictures of the elephants in the water, they are one of my favorite animals.
I love these elephants in the water and this wonderfully big herd of elephants.
The photos of the Nkoveni Female and her cub are fantastic. That jump off the tree!
The one of the monarch butterfly is so lovely.
Thanks for all the great photos of this week, Nick!
You’ve put together a fantastic group of photos for this week Nick, and the change in weather is clearly evident by all the water and the green vegetation. It’s always difficult to choose favorites, but the images of Nkoveni and her juvenile male in addition to the elephants enjoying their water hole came out on top for me – especially your portrait of Nkoveni’s young male cub peering at you from the tree. I’ll look forward to seeing the newest additions to the Kambula Pride in a post sometime soon.
So funny to see such big ellies up to their necks playing in the water! My fave this week is the two zebra with their reflection in the water
Thanks Anita!
Thank you Nick for these incredible photos. Amazing. We will be there in 75 days and counting. The fans from Australia.
Hi Lana! Thanks for the comment, and we are so excited to have you back at the lodge in a few months!
My favourite is the 2 zebras with their images reflecting in the water. But so many stunning photos for this TWIP.
Wow!
Great shots. How did you get that low for the Lioness shot?????
I could feel the contentment of those swimming elephants. I loved the portrait of the Nkoveni young male–his eyes are so alive. Interesting about the legs of the Brown Snake Eagle. I hadn’t heard that before, but it’s a wonderful evolutionary advantage.
Dear Nick, thanks for those amazing elefants- they had fun in the water. Incredible shot of the Nkoveni and her son coming up the tree.
Thanks, Jutta!