Sun Destinations

As 2016 heads off into the sunset, we bid a farewell to a year that saw plenty of endearing and heartbreaking wildlife moments. As we gradually move into an exciting blank canvas of 2017, we’d like to celebrate the wild by showcasing our top sunset photos. As the sun sinks into the horizon and puts the day to rest, we’ll do the same to 2016!

Our camps and lodges are dotted throughout Botswana and Kruger; and each one offers a unique sunset setting. Ezulwini Game Lodges have an elevated paradise viewing deck, where the much anticipated golden hour is celebrated. This is exclusively set-up for absorbing the beauty of the Balule Nature Reserve. Drinks, snacks and endless views of the horizon

nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot offer a more ground level sunset appreciation. Eager rangers will take you to an open area with views over the waterhole or the flat landscape. Here you will see the acacia bushveld, Tamboti, mixed thorn and marula trees forming silhouettes against the brazen sky.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge enjoys a similar landscape to the Klaserie, but is home to a wealth of drainage lines that attract plenty of leopard. Of course, the marked difference to where nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot are located, is the river on the Umkumbe traverse. Having a spectacular flowing river while the gentle rays of the sunset bounce off the water and riverine forests, provides a depth to the sunsets.

Xobega Island Camp and Tuskers Bush Camp in Botswana offer two very different settings for sunsets. With the newly built bush bar at Tuskers Bush Camp, the setting is ideal for sunset gazing. The dry bushveld is a gentle reminder of Kalahari landscapes speckled with shrubbery and mopane woodlands.

Sunsets are set against purple, hazy skies and mirages make you feel cocooned in the Botswana atmosphere. Xobega Island sunsets are exceptional. The bright blood orange sky lit up by the golden ball of sun greatly contrasts the calm waters of the Okavango Delta’s waterways. Diamond reflections and sparkling waters bounce off the mesmerizing sunset.

Here are a few facts about sunsets :

•  There’s an ancient saying that goes “red at night, shepherd’s delight and red in the morning, shepherd’s warning”. The bright red colours mean that the air is clear and will be good in the morning. A red morning sky represents low pressure weather – a clear indication that storms are approaching.
• You often see mind-blowing sunsets in the city. This is because the pollution particles filter out colours.
• Sunsets are caused by the earth’s atmosphere. Molecules and small particles in the atmosphere scatter the light and cause the rays to filter in many directions.