The last month of the season couldn’t be more spectacular in Ruaha National Park.
We are captured by the stunning beauty of the park at this month of the year, we breathe the joy, and we absorb the energy. Ruaha is a SPA. We get regenerated.
The wildlife we see is an extra gift and it has been incredible:
wild dogs, cheetahs, leopards, lions, bat eared foxes, caracal, honey badgers, oribi…
After saying goodbye to the last guests of the season, we started to close the camp and planned staff long holidays.
Once inventory were made and stores were closed, we look at the surroundings of the camp and our gaze lingers on the profiles of the friendly plants, on the lines of the familiar landscape, on the well-known paths beaten daily. We take a deep breath and memorize the smells. Another look around and we say goodbye to Sikio Mbovu and to all the other pachyderms, to the impalas and zebras, to the giraffes and to all the lions and leopards that are watching us but that we don’t see right now. See you all in June!
Thanks to Ayoub Yaledi Nyang’ango, to Sosten Victor Mwikalila and to guest Raffaella Scuderi for the pictures and videos.
We hope to see you soon.
Mdonya Old River Camp Team
A bumper newsletter this month with lots of action, hopefully this will wet the appetite and get you all back in the bush with a return to Lake Manze Camp.
This season has flown by in a flash. We have experienced it all. The abundant dry season and now the lush green part. Sightings throughout the year have been extraordinary with an amazing month in February. A bit wet but sightings have been great.
The lake is brimming with water and the birdlife is prolific. The male and female African Paradise flycatcher are building this tiny nest on one of the branches in our Marula tree in front of the dining. It is fascinating to see them build and then take turns to lie in the nest to check the comfort of their efforts.
A great video of the Northern Carmine Bee Eaters by our guest Drew Reece shows many of them flying next to the vehicle trying to catch any insects that jump up as the vehicle disturbs their daily routine.
The wild dogs have been out and about and have given many a guest the chance to observe them in their natural habitat doing what dogs do. Our guests Jane and Robert Fairclough got a video, again, of the dogs talking in a howl. Great shots and video of them by Zach Mligo our guide as well.
Elephants out in the bush have been special. A great video of the Elephants crossing the channel in numbers by guests Jane and Robert Fairclough is a sight to behold. It is nice to see how the numbers have increased with a creche full of little ones joining in on the crossing.
Unfortunately, there is a circle of life and the hyenas take full advantage of a dead hippo as they feast to get to the tasty morsels. Full bellied hyena still gorging, while others are rolling around on their backs. Thanks, Zach Mligo, for the great footage this season.
The milkweed, although poisonous, is growing in abundance and creates this flowery garden around the lake. The animals do avoid them but forage on the sweet grass growing in between them. You see the old Buffalo with two broken horns testing the theory. It must have been a great tussle for him to break both his horns. Win some, lose some.
The survival of the fittest. A young impala strolling by, giving a glance backwards, shows off his scar on his left butt. There is a survival story to tell but only he knows the story line.
The season is ending, and we hope to see many of our guests back for another bash in the bush next season.
Safe travels.
Shaun, Milli and the Lake Manze Camp team