“This was an incredible sighting. Not only was it the second Pangolin sighting in over fourteen and a half years that I have been in the safari industry, but it was the first Pangolin sighting for three generations of guests.” It hasn’t been long since Daniel joined Rhulani’s Ranger Team as a qualified Field Guide and he is already sharing one of those unique stories the African bush never fails to delight us with.

Bologeka? That’s one of the impressive female lions which hangs around in our region. Alasdair tells us about amazing moments he was able to experience yesterday together with Rhulani’s guests, just in time for the use of his new photo camera. Bologeka delighted us with the presentation of two young little cubs.

A normal afternoon game drive. The sun is on the horizon. Time for sundowners. Alasdair stops in a nice place and sets up the table next to the vehicle. A white tablecloth is also there. Rhulani style. The bar in the bush is set up. The guests stretch their legs, enjoying the peace and quiet out here. Alasdair shakes the mixer for a refreshing gin and tonic. A guest says: “Alasdair, there is a Hyena!”

The sundowners is over. Night falls over the Madikwe Game Reserve. A cool wind is blowing in our faces while we spend the last moments in the bush on the open Landcruiser. Alasdair turns on the spotlight and - as he drives - lights the trees and bushes. This is the moment when we secretly hope to experience a last highlight of a safari day. A Leopard up there in the tree? But we hardly imagine what would happen next.

Early morning, 5:15 a.m. In the pale morning light, our guests sip a black coffee at the entrance table. On the sickle bush, some Go-away birds are waiting for Michael, the night guard, as he brings some breadcrumbs for them, like every morning. A new day at Rhulani. Riaan calls his guests as he wants to show them the Wild Dogs today. Yesterday he was not lucky, but they must be around here somewhere. He starts the engine.

“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…