Kim our Manager and Amos the chef are both extremely flexible. As with all new lodges I have to change some things but they are making the changes with a smile. Breakfast menu had all you could think of and more. Put our laundry out last night. It was back this morning after the game drive!! Lodge experience so far has been outstanding.

All the rangers are excellent. They tell you what is going on and Alfred who I have had before is a wealth of information. So all good here it does not matter who you go out with on the game drive.

Beginning of last year they had 22 lions. Last two years a wild dog den. When I came to check out the lodge two years ago the wild dog den was very active. The dogs were here a few weeks ago scouting out past den sites but have not come back. So they think they are probably denning at Royal Malewane. Timing is everything!! .

Bush is thick which makes game viewing harder. Plus they had heavy rain April into May so the grass is higher as well. The animals seem to be a bit more skittish. The driving area is large and it is a series of private lodges where they have driving rights. So not as many vehicles that may be the reason they are less relaxed. However today we saw a huge bull elephant - massive trunks. He did have five legs but was so relaxed. He walked closer to us but continued to feed. No shaking of the head or aggressive behavior of any kind. Quite impressive. If you have one great sighting per drive I am happy. This was a great sighting.

Today between the three vehicles we saw a big herd of elephant, a group of five hyena, giraffe, rhinos, hippos, Kudu, water buck and of course impala. We heard hyenas “whooping” all morning. So we are seeing game. Today all three vehicles went to the same area as lions had been spotted when the children were being taken to school. Tracks were everywhere. All going in different directions. Royal Malewane contacted the Makanyi rangers saying they had our lions on a buffalo kill just over the boundary line. So close and yet so far!!

However they picked up more lion tracks of the Birmingham pride. This pride has young cubs and TWO OF THEM ARE WHITE. We could clearly see the prints of the small cubs on the road. They led right to our lodge area. So they are just around here close. If we get to see them we will be thrilled. I am excited with just the anticipation of that sighting. Keep your fingers crossed for us.