“There is a huge elephant that died of a natural cause,” explains Rhulani’s ranger Ralf as he drives towards the place where apparently this colossus was lying in the bushes. It will be one of those unique, unforgettable game drives in Madikwe you are waiting for.

Leopards are quite shy. That means you have to be a lucky to see this big cat on a safari. But it also means that maybe we find an animal that we have hardly seen before. And so a pretty young leopard appeared in our area and offered a show that our ranger Ralf had never seen before.

Did you know that only the female marula trees produce the delicious fruits, which by the way are very healthy and rich in Vitamin C? Rhulani’s manager Riaan tells us more about the versatile Marula trees and their importance for humans and animals.

We suspected it for a long time, and yet it is a shock for us. By far the oldest lioness in the Madikwe Game Reserve, also known as “Mgogo Mika”, died at the end of this week. The proud lioness has reached an age which is almost biblical for the wild. Mika died just a few days before her 20th birthday.

Our guests, who are enjoying the safari looking for the big animals, are completely surprised when their guide Sean suddenly stops and pulls out his camera. He eagerly tries to take a picture of a small bird that stand on the ground and later presents itself once again on a tree. That must be a special bird…

Did you know that the Lilac-breasted Roller with its bright colors is one of the most photographed birds in South Africa? Rhulani’s manager Riaan tells us more about this beautiful bird that is very common in Madikwe Game Reserve; and he shows us a small natural hollow where this bird makes a nest.

Well hidden in the bushes, we find three half-grown lions that pass the time here. As Ralf explains to us, the mother lion went hunting and left the cubs behind. They should therefore stay here until they are called by their mother again.

Did you know that the little zebras have a fluffy fur and look like a teddy bear? Rhulani’s Ranger Alasdair shows us some cute little zebras today and tells us more about the process of how they lose the fluff when they get bigger.

Here on the road we stop and watch an elephant eating a bush next to us. As we learn from our ranger Ralf, this elephant bull is completely relaxed.

Did you know that 20 minutes after birth a baby impala can run almost as fast as its mother? Rhulani’s Ranger Ralf tells us more about the rainy season in Madikwe, when the antelopes have offspring.