Hello there. I hope you are doing wonderfully well and had a great weekend! Here in the South Luangwa, all our camps are now open and in full swing, and while I already have lots to share about that, today we’re hopping across the border to Zimbabwe, where John’s Camp head guide Mark van Zuydam has had a rather busy start to the season. Over to you Mark:
“Mana Pools is still quite green for this time of year, thanks to some late rains—our last bit of rain came on the 4th of May. The pans are still holding water, and the wildlife is lapping it up (quite literally).
We spotted a little Grysbok up on the airstrip the other day, always a treat to see one of these shy antelope out in the open. And then came one of the real highlights—lions with cubs, stretched out and sunning themselves in full view. Always a special thing to see! A few days ago, we had a pride of lions wander down for a midday drink at the small pan just behind the star deck at John’s Camp. Just goes to show—you don’t always have to go far to be part of the action.
Yesterday morning’s game drive turned into a bit of a thrill. In the Chiruwe area, a herd of buffalo barged in and accidentally disrupted a pair of mating leopards who were tucking into a meal—likely an impala, though it was hard to see through the thick bush. I didn’t manage to get any photos (bit busy with the action!) but guests with me snapped some great ones and even got a few videos. We have also had some strapping eland bulls making regular appearances close to camp.
The wild dogs have been a regular feature this season, which is always exciting. I’ve had some brilliant sightings of them both on walks and game drives. The Sapi Pack was spotted near Lung Fish Pan recently, and the alpha female is looking very pregnant. Fingers crossed they’ll pick a den soon—can’t wait to see pups later in the season!
Also had a great encounter with a particularly playful side-striped jackal—it put a smile on all our faces!
As always, the birdlife in Mana Pools is off the charts. I managed to snap a lone lovebird with the rising moon in the background (one of those lucky moments). We’ve also seen plenty of white-fronted bee-eaters, wire-tailed swallows fish eagles and more. We also had a fantastic of a Spurwing Goose, which does not happen often.
Elephants are everywhere, but this time of year is extra special with all the little ones about. Around camp, we’ve had two of the collared bull elephants hanging about—always a pleasure to see these gentle giants up close. Watching them wade through the floodplains in front of camp never gets old—it’s proper soul-food stuff (https://youtu.be/QrPaZJzRjmY).
And while the big game has been stealing the spotlight, we’ve had our fair share of smaller, but equally wonderful, sightings too. A leopard tortoise ambled by while we were out on a walk and showed us that they’re not as slow as we think (https://youtu.be/O5yOZCXLDUI).
During a drive we also came across a beautifully camouflaged puff adder on another—always a reminder to keep your eyes peeled.
Just a few weeks into the season and we’ve already ticked off so much—I can only imagine what’s still to come. And rest assured, I’ll be ready with the camera to capture it all.”
Thanks, Mark! We’ll be keeping an eye out for your next photo drop. And to those dreaming of Mana Pool’s magic—maybe it’s time to come and see it for yourself!
That’s all from me for now—so I’ll leave you to get on with your week and look forward to sharing more updates with you next Monday!
