Situated on the edge of a gorge in Zambia, is the inimitable Taita Falcon Lodge. Taita’s claim-to-fame is its mesmerising views of the famous Bakota Gorge and its dramatic surroundings. Although Taita is secluded, it’s also conveniently located a short distance away from the world-renown Victoria Falls. With its vast viewing platform, open-air bar and lounge perched over the sheer cliffs, Taita’s owners have certainly showcased the dramatic views. Owned by the hospitable Faan and his wife Anmarie, Taita Falcon exudes the warmth and personality of its owners. Faan and Anmarie poured their heart and soul into the building of Taita, and developed it into the lodge it is today. Business-minded Anmarie keeps things running in the background, while charismatic Faan keeps guests entertained and looked after with his antics.
Find out more about the “heart” of Taita Falcon Lodge by reading our interview with Anmarie below:
When did Taita first open?
15 March 1997
Why is it called Taita Falcon Lodge?
The lodge is named after the Taita falcon, a rare falcon that breeds in the Batoka Gorge and a few other places in Africa. It’s only sighted at certain times of the year if you are lucky. They are shy and fast and can easily be confused with the Peregrine falcon.
Is there wildlife in and around the lodge?
We have leopard (not sighted often but heard at night), baboons, klipspringers, and small antelope like duiker. Elephants and buffalo wander through especially in the rainy season. We also have loads of raptors and birds. A few examples include: Black eagles (used to nest in front of the Lodge but unfortunately moved), Augur Buzzards (also nesting in the gorge in front of the lodge), brown snake eagle, black-breasted snake eagle, Peregrine Falcons, Taita Falcons, and more.
Did you build the lodge yourselves or buy it?
When Faan came to Zambia he was looking for farming land. He met chief Mukuni (the local big chief) who offered him land on the gorge. Faan walked the gorge from about Rapid R14 to R25 (distance in the gorge measured from rapid to rapid) and when he passed the area where the lodge is now (above R17) he tied his handkerchief to a tree because the gorge opened up here and offered stunning views. He saw the land was not good for farming and decided to build a lodge. As there was not even a road out there, the first time I saw it, I was not interested. But in 1996 when he could give me a proper toilet and shower I joined him! I must say, without Faan’ s hard work and tenacity it would not have happened!
What’s your favourite part of owning a lodge?
The lodge is our “baby” and with blood, sweat and tears and very little money we built it so we like all of it. But most probably the views, nature and the sound of the river are our favourites.
What do people love best about Taita?
Most probably the views and our hospitality.
What’s your personal favourite activity around Vic Falls?
The actual Falls, sunset cruise and elephant cafe.
What is your speciality dish at Taita?
No specific one – all our meals are hearty and home-cooked – no pretty food for us! What we offer is good food!
Do you do anything special for honeymooners?
Make their room special with seeds, flowers and bubbly. We first do dinner in a small private lounge with lots of candles, making it romantic.
What makes Taita a top choice and stand out from other lodges?
Our view! We are the only lodge on the edge of the gorge in Livingstone. A different view of the Zambezi river from any other Lodges. And our ambiance and hospitality!
Over the past year, our frequency of blog posts took a nosedive. But now we’re back, and we owe everyone a bulk load of updates from the camps and destinations within our coveted portfolio. In addition to picking up where we left off with blogging, we’ve updated our blog with a fresh look. To kick off the relaunch of the Sun Destinations blog we are going to introduce a series called the #DirectorsChair. One of our directors, Courteney Blunden, is going to write a monthly blog post about the happenings in the Klaserie. It’s always nice to read an informed piece from an expert guide who has his roots firmly entrenched in bushveld life. First up, straight from the director’s chair, is an update about the Vuyela male lions of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve.
Courteney’s update is below.
The Vuyela males have been making their dominance in the Klaserie more and more prevalent over the last eighteen months. We have been very privileged to spend a lot of time with them over the last year, albeit without our usual international guests. The coalition of five males also has a sister who has been with them since we first noticed the pride in our area.
The name Vuyela means ”to return” or “to come back”, and what a return it has been so far. The Vuyela’s seem to be making the sections of Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Ross, Joubertshoop, Fife, Charloscar their territorial home. From time to time they venture further afield into the Timbavati.
The last five months have seen an interesting dynamic play out. A small pride of five lions has been seen regularly crossing into the Klaserie from the Timbavati and interacting with the Vuyela Pride. This small pride seems to have been made up of two adult females, one sub adult female and two sub adult males. It has been suggested that these five individuals could be a breakaway group of the Giraffe Pride but these facts have yet to be confirmed.
In addition, over the last month, the Vuyela Pride has been joined by two adult females. The two young males have not been seen again and may have been displaced from their family unit by the five dominant Vuyela males. Young male lions will run away from territorial adults and begin the toughest most deadly stage of their lives. The young lions will venture off into the wilderness, grow and learn as a team, hoping to one day take over a territory of their own. This is how genes are spread through the wild ensuring that only the strongest survive.
Unfortunately, a sub adult lioness was found dead close to Africa on Foot camp. She sustained bite marks to her neck and spine area, and had a few light injuries on her legs. It is thought that the young female was still trying to stay with what may have been her mother or her aunts, and got in between the adult females and males while they were mating. She is too young to mate successfully and – unfortunately – when it comes to a pride taking over, overspreading of genes is what a male lion desires most. What may have started off as rough mauling by the two big males, may have resulted in her being killed. The big males were found at her carcass, still approaching and licking her body in a confused manner.
The loss of any lion is always a sad occasion and to witness it is even worse. The silver lining here is that the Vuyela Pride has two more adult females and the chances of the pride’s growth is now becoming a reality.
Now is the perfect time for South Africans and SADC residents to take advantage of the myriad of safari specials on offer from Sun Destinations. Just because we’ve lowered our rate for locals, doesn’t mean we’ve lowered our standards! We still offer stellar hospitality, a range of amenities, world-class guiding, and immersive safari activities. It’s the perfect time to experience an exclusive wilderness experience in a private reserve with minimal visitors, for a fraction of the price. Zero crowds, apart from the summer migrant birds and dense elephant populations!
Why choose our specials? For starters, each camp in our portfolio has a unique selling point. Something that makes it stand out from the crowd and provides a sense of added value to the standard safari experience. See below for our Southern Africa & Kruger Safari Specials for locals, and find out why each establishment is a cut above its contemporaries. In addition to the below specials, we are offering huge group discounts on travel to selected camps. For group discounts, mail reservations@sundestinations.co.za.
The one where you can…
The Special is :
R2500 per person per night on a full board basis.
IF YOU BOOK AND PAY IN FULL FROM NOW UNTIL 31 MAY, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EXTRA 10% OFF THE SPECIAL RATE!
- Ts & Cs Apply
- Rate excludes drinks, conservation levies & gate fees, and items not mentioned
- All meals, game drives & bush walks (please request walks), teas & coffees
- Subject to availability
The one where you can…
The Special is :
R2500 per person per night on a full board basis.
IF YOU BOOK AND PAY IN FULL FROM NOW UNTIL 31 MAY, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EXTRA 10% OFF THE SPECIAL RATE!
- Ts & Cs Apply
- All meals, game drives & bush walks, teas & coffees
- Rate excludes drinks, conservation levies & gate fees, and items not mentioned
- Subject to availability
The one where you can…
The Special is :
R2500 per person per night on a full board basis.
IF YOU BOOK AND PAY IN FULL FROM NOW UNTIL 31 MAY, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EXTRA 10% OFF THE SPECIAL RATE!
- Ts & Cs Apply
- All meals, game drive, teas & coffees.
- Rate excludes drinks, conservation levies & gate fees, and items not mentioned
- Subject to availability
The one where you can…
The Special is :
R2500 per person per night sharing on a full board basis.
- Ts & Cs Apply
- Rates include all meals, game drives, teas & coffees
- Rate excludes drinks, conservation levies & gate fees, and items not mentioned
- Subject to availability
The one where you can…
The Special is :
R2500 per person per night sharing on a full board basis.
IF YOU BOOK AND PAY IN FULL FROM NOW UNTIL 31 MAY, YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EXTRA 10% OFF THE SPECIAL RATE!
- Ts & Cs Apply
- All meals, game drives, teas & coffees
- Rate excludes drinks, conservation levies & gate fees, and items not mentioned
- Subject to availability
The one where you can…
The Special is :
R2500 per person per night sharing on a full board basis.
- Ts & Cs Apply
- Rate includes all meals, local soft & alcoholic drinks, bush walks & game drives, teas & coffees
- Rate excludes drinks, conservation levies & gate fees, and items not mentioned
- Subject to availability
The one where you can…
The Special is :
R2250 per person per night sharing on a full board basis.
- Ts & Cs Apply
- Rate includes all meals, two game drives, teas & coffees
- Rate excludes drinks, conservation levies & gate fees, items not mentioned
- Subject to availability
The one where you can…
There are a range of specials for Taita (click here to view the full specials PDF), and the Full Board Special includes:
Rate Includes :
- Accommodation
- All meals
- Gorge Hike – bird and bush walk on Taita Falcon property
- Wifi
- Laundry
- Welcome drink, coffee, tea and sunset snacks
- Tourism levy
Rate Excludes :
- Accommodation
- All transfers
- All other activities not mentioned
- All beverages (alcoholic and non – alcoholic)
- Gratuities
- Items of personal nature
- All other items / services not mentioned in above included
The one where you can…
The Special is :
US$ 280 pppns on a full board basis. Special based on 3 night stay with min 3 tents booked.
Rates Include
- Accommodation
- All meals
- All activities
- All local soft and alcoholic beverages.
- Teas & coffees
- Park fees & taxes
Rates Exclude
- Imported premium alcoholic drinks
- All items of a personal nature
- Moremi Park fees if self driving (payable in cash at the gate)
- Any item not described above
It’s the start of Sun Destinations #AfricaTravelTuesdays and we’re excited to launch our very first guest feature in the form of a visual safari blog, provided by UK photographer Meg Donati. In today’s blog, Meg talks about the nThambo Tree Camp guest experience, covering each and every aspect of her stay last year, from her initial welcome to her amazing wildlife encounters…and everything in between.
We love to hear from our guests and now more than ever we want to encourage everyone to get digging in those holiday archives and to share their safari stories and memorable moments with us. To not only be featured across our online platforms but to also get involved by sharing the wonders of Africa with the world, keeping the travel inspiration alive.
> Get in touch to get involved <
Scroll down to see more from Meg’s glorious gallery and to read today’s guest feature blog.
Hey, Meg here! I’m a photographer from the U.K whose always felt a connection to Africa and I have always dreamed of visiting South Africa to go on a safari. Waking up to the sounds of lions roaring, witnessing the most beautiful sunrises and seeing wild animals in their natural habitat is what I have always imagined a safari to be all about. I had the most incredible time at nThambo Tree Camp and I would love to share my journey into the wilds of Africa with you.
As soon as we arrived at nThambo it felt like a piece of paradise. The front of the lodge has a beautiful garden full of cacti, succulents and flowers. The first thing that caught my eye was the incredible amount of butterflies that were fluttering around the garden. I had never seen so many butterflies in one place! There was a cheeky Red Hornbill trying to catch them who was clearly going to have a great breakfast!
nThambo was already feeling magical.
Game drive time! >> If you have ever been on safari you know how exciting each game drive is. If you haven’t experienced one then take my words and multiply the wonder by a thousand, because words will never do this experience justice. The beauty of being on a true African Safari is that the animals have complete free range. Never knowing what you might see on your drive just adds to the excitement.
nThambo also offers night drives which gives you a whole perspective of the bush. The bush is a whole new world at night, so I thoroughly recommend this experience. We saw Chameleons, a Spotted Genet and the sounds of the bush alone are enough to take your breath away. One night as we were enjoying a drink in the lounge, elephants came to drink at the camp water hole (great minds think alike ey?) So we sat there and just enjoyed watching them as we had our nightcap.
nThambo Tree Camp as its set in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in the Greater Kruger region of South Africa. A great factor here, that you may not have thought about is that there can only be a limited number of vehicles and guests in the reserve at one time. Which in turn means with most sightings you get to be the only people with the animals making your safari truly special and private.
Instagram : @megsdonati / @megandonatiphotography
Click here to view my website : www.megandonatiphotography.com
Roaming photographer and videogapher, Teagan Cunniffe, was recently on assignment at Roam Private Game Reserve. She caught up with the team from Roam, and documented the darting and GPS collaring of one of the male cheetah. In her video she interviews Don from Roam and Dr Willem Burger from EWT. The darting and fitting of the collar was quite a procedure, with all hands on deck.
Below is Don and Abi’s update and account of the collar fitting.
Over the last few years, with the help of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), Roam has successfully introduced three cheetah onto the reserve. At the moment we’re keeping our fingers crossed for cubs. Any cubs born on the reserve will be re-introduced to a EWT cheetah program, which aims to expand their range and conserve these majestic cats.
The first to be introduced, two years ago, were a coalition of two brothers. On their own they don’t add value to the EWT conservation goals of diversified genetics so we introduced a female last year in the hopes of them reproducing. Female cheetah become sexual active at around 3-4 years old, which is the age bracket our female fits into. It is however extremely difficult to keep track of cheetah on Roam due to the landscape, so we needed a way to monitor how often she is meeting up with the coalition.
Upon introduction, all our cheetah were fitted with tracking collars and while the radio component (VHF) battery lasts for years the GPS component has a very short life, about 18 months. These collars also have the added benefit of helping us find the cats with guests when we track them on foot!!!
With the aid of the GPS collars we are able to track the cheetah remotely and download historical movement data. Not only does this give us an idea of where to find them when we need to, but it shows us how often they are in the same vicinity and how long they remain together. When mating cheetah should remain together for a few days and will mate regularly during this time. If mating was successful cubs would be born about three months later.
The GPS collar on the coalition needed replacing to ensure accurate monitoring of cheetah movement and meet ups. We called in Dr Willem Burger who specializes in big cat veterinary work and is our go-to vet for our cheetah. He successfully darted and fitted the largest male in the coalition with the collar last week! During the time of collaring, the smaller of the brothers stayed on the horizon watching and calling to his sibling throughout.
Photographer Teagan Cunniffe, who was on assignment at Roam to document the darting, and captured the entire day – including the heart-warming moment of the two reuniting.
The bustling hubs of city centres are in a comatose state. Industry has come to a stand still and human beings have retreated into their enclaves to comply with government lockdown rules. Across the world, one thing has become evident : Human beings are battling, but nature is recovering. The natural world is a choir of sounds normally drowned out by the chugging of trucks and assault of car horns.
Colours seem brighter, and amidst the fear and panic, our natural surrounds seem to be providing a sense of serenity. The Kruger bushveld is naturally a pristine, uncrowded and quiet part of the world. It appears our cities and residential areas are experiencing what we do on a daily basis : the calming effect of the natural world’s silence. When the busyness resumes, we encourage you to visit the bushveld to get in touch with that stillness.
Today, our Week in Pictures delves into the archives of our landscape and wide open spaces images. This is to show appreciation and gratitude for wide open spaces. When the madness has ceased we will never take our surrounds for granted, and will always take the time to look at things with “new eyes”.
Governments around the world are imposing stringent measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The travel industry is facing many challenges when it comes to this global pandemic. Communities are thwarting large events, and choosing to self-isolate to prevent further escalation of this worldwide pandemic. Today it’s our job to provide fodder for your armchair travelling – although confined, you can still let your mind wander. For this week’s “Week in Pictures” we’ve decided to provide visual inspiration and encourage you to start plotting your next safari to Africa. Your grand plans to see the big 5 might not come to fruition within the next couple of months; but you can use this time to start plotting and planning your safari to Africa in the upcoming months or 2021.
These are 4 of our favourite highlights to emerge from our Kruger camps:
Here are a few images to ogle over during your period of isolation. Keep updated by checking our Facebook page – it’s our aim to keep you occupied and inspired.
This week we’re celebrating Women’s Day by showcasing our female photographers’ images of the wild. The bushveld is rife with powerful females paving the way for the younger generations. Elephants are raised in matrilineal herds comprising all related females born into leadership positions, lionesses are protective over their pride yet they are powerful and ruthless killers, hyena clans are led by an alpha female and even ant colonies are led by a queen. Nurturing, strong and feminine – the female of the species is powerful. So here’s to celebrating this week’s images from the archives of our female photographers who rule the roost for this week’s “Week in Pictures”.
Naturally, for this week’s “Field Guide Feature (#FieldGuideFeature)” celebrated on our Instagram stories, we’ve chosen Angele Rouillard from Ezulwini Game Lodges. Angele is a contributing photographer at the luxurious Ezulwini River Lodge, and her photography is going from strength to strength. She consistently contributes photos and is certainly making strides with the field. Head on over to the Sun Destinations Insta account to view a portfolio of her images.
International Women’s Day is on March 8 and celebrates women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.
This week we thought we’d keep it brief and shine the spotlight on just two major sightings. Walkers Bush Villa is ideally located in the big cat country in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, and is no stranger to unique lion and leopard sightings. Videographer Rogan Kerr filmed the dominant Black Dam male coming face to face with his sons, the Monwana males. It appears that the coalition of youngsters want to oust this local legend. In Rogan Kerr’s video of the Monwana males and Black Dam, you will see the tensions building.
The other highlight to have emerged was from the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, and this was a sighting of the African wild dogs. The dogs are notoriously nomadic, so seeing them is always cause for celebration. When the team found the painted wolves, they were just relaxing in the low lying shrubbery, conserving their energy. No major activity, but a noteworthy sighting nonetheless.
To wrap up, we’d like to wish every women out there a Happy Women’s Day – and GIRL POWER to you !
For travellers looking to induce some travel envy on their Instagram timelines, nothing beats the African bush. At Chacma Bush Camp in the Greater Kruger there are five particularly Insta-worthy locations that will have your followers swooning.
The private and secluded Maseke Balule Game Reserve boasts some of the most staggering views in the whole of the Kruger, and especially so around Chacma Bush Camp. You will lose your heart at this charming little lodge in the wilds of the lowveld, so make sure you capture loads of memories and take lots of mementos in the form of photographs and videos.
Chacma Bush Camp is named for the koppie that stands sentinel directly behind camp, which is home to a large troop of chacma baboons – and the odd klipspringer. In fact, the koppie is one of the perfect viewpoints from which to enjoy a bush sunset, G&T in hand. And don’t forget your phone or camera because this is one photo op you wouldn’t want to pass up. Once you’ve scrambled up (it’s not too high and nearly everyone should be able to make the short climb) sublime three-sixty degree vistas of the reserve await. The panoramic views mean you have a good chance of spotting some big game meandering through the foliage from here too, so keep an eye out for the hulking grey forms of big pachyderms.
The focal point of the camp, and a location where you would likely spend the majority of your downtime at Chacma, is the eminently inviting pool deck. Not only is the beautifully sparking pool a welcome reprieve from the searing bushveld heat, the deck is also a great vantage point from which to spot game at the waterhole directly in front of camp. So, while you’re soaking up sun on a lounger with your nose in a book, be sure to keep an eye on the waterhole for elephant, antelope and even lion coming for a sip, and have your camera at the ready to capture any such chance visitors.
If you’re lucky enough to book the Steenbok chalet (ideal for couples, while the Klipspringer and Grysbok suites are more suited to families) you’ll be privy to prime waterhole frontage. The Steenbok suite has a patio that practically spills on to the waterhole (don’t worry, a small fence keeps the bigger game at bay), securing the best view of whatever game decides to come down for a drink. The verandah is also completely private, so these front row seats are exclusive to guests of Steenbok, to be enjoyed in the morning over a cup of coffee, in the evening with a sunset tipple or at night when elephants might come for a noisy midnight splash. Keep a camera handy for these occasions, as this is as close as you’re likely to get to big game in the wild (just remember to turn off your flash!).
Chacma guides have a number of idyllic sundowner spots where they like to stop at during afternoon game drives. Of course, game drives are all about spotting wildlife and birds, but these sunset locations are an absolute highlight in themselves, one of which is high on an outcrop that overlooks the green undulations of the reserve, and a big glassy waterhole at the foot of it. In the gloaming after sunset, as the bush is plunged into an otherworldly pink, animals like to flock to the little waterhole far below, so keep an eye out – you might even get to see some of the shier sorts, leopard included. By then your guide will have laid out a spread of snacks and poured your libation of choice with which to clink and celebrate the rare beauty of this place. And remember to record some memories for the ’Gram while you’re there!
Another game drive haunt that Chacma guides like to frequent is a particular spot on the lush banks of the Olifants River. Huge fig trees line the bank here, providing plenty of shade and a cool place to have a mid-morning coffee or sundowner. It’s also a highly prolific location for bird watching. Look out for a variety of kingfishers – from malachite to woodland – and of course fish eagles, but also rarities such as Pel’s fishing owls, giant eagle owls and African spoonbills.
On the far bank you’re likely to see a row of sunbathing crocs, while hippos also like to loll about in this stretch of the river. It’s a magical site, so take your time here and make sure to get a couple of good snaps, because they’re sure to drive your Insta followers crazy with envy.
The Jellicles prance and dance around on stage, putting on quite a performance for their audience. CATS is a sung-through musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and has been going strong since its first show in May 1981. In the Kruger we have a live CATS performance most nights – whether it’s hearing them advertising territory during the dead of night or seeing them during diurnal hours; they’re consistently taking centre stage in the Kruger. Our “Jellicles” are the real deal, but they’re often just as dramatic as Broadway’s feline protagonists. This week has certainly been a week of cat sightings, a permanent life long show in the Greater Kruger.
This week, our participating camps include nThambo Tree Camp, Africa on Foot, Ezulwini Game Lodges and Walkers Bush Villa.
Let’s start with our favourite Panthera sighting of the week. This goes to Walkers Bush Villa in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. Shirell and Charles spotted the Savanna female leopard with her two tiny, tiny little cubs. The mother wasn’t seen mating with any males, so we don’t know who sired the cubs. Lions have been spotted around the villa, and there have also been close-up sightings of an African wild cat.
Ad Break : Our camp of the week is Walkers Bush Villa, and our guide that is going to be featured in Field Guide Feature on Instagram (@SunDestinations)is…drum roll…Charles Delport. Charles and Shirell manage Walkers Bush Villa, and Charles is an experienced guide and photographer. Over recent months Charles has sent through a plethora of images and Walkers is rocking the sightings at the moment !
Klaserie camps Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp have – yet again – enjoyed prolific sightings of the Vuyela lions. This coalition, together with their lioness, have certainly staked a claim on the camps’ own backyard. A definitive CAT week in the Klaserie !
Ezulwini continues is steady stream of sightings and Angele is constantly at the helm of things, taking photos whenever she heads out on drive.
We trust these images have created the perfect memory.
