Sun Destinations

Colossal grey giants flay their trunks in time with the gentle breeze that sweeps through the Balule. Crunching can be heard from their eager debarking of trees and uprooting of arid vegetation, but we barely hear them trundle through the ‘veld because of the micro-morphology design of their cushioned feet.  The splashing of elephants is a noisy affair, but one that we love. Soaking up litres of water and spraying their bodies with fresh, natural water is part of their daily routine. Elephants also enjoy indulging a massive swimming session – it is here where young bulls will play-fight to establish dominance and other members of the herd will smother their delicate hide with mud packs to protect their bodies from the harsh rays of the sun.

That crunching sound that punctuates the tranquil, almost silent surrounds; the familiar pops of powerful jets of water hitting bodies of water, and joyous trumpeting are all sounds synonymous with elephants going about their daily business in the Balule.

Rangers from Ezulwini love to track elephants and always deliver memorable sightings for guests. Ezulwini is in the enviable position of having a lodge that is frequented by elephants, so if you don’t spot them while out on morning or evening game drive you’re bound to see them in the confines of the lodge property.

Billy’s Lodge has a skywalk that snakes its way across the bushveld and towards a small waterhole. Elephants often lumber over obstacles and trundle under the skywalk, giving guests a bird’s eye view of the herds. At River Lodge there is a small elevated wooden walkway that also gives rise to some spectacular views. River Lodge is on the banks of the Olifants River, which is also a major drawcard for our giants. There have been resident majestic bulls that frequent the camp – elephants have an exceptional memory and take comfort in an established routine.

For those that love elephants, Ezulwini Game Lodges is the place to visit. If you’re curious to find out more the emotive of the big five species, here are three interesting facts about elephants :

• A young calf is raised in a matriarchal herd where all of the females aid the calf in its development. The related females and sub-adults will help the calf to navigate obstacles, and the young will always have the protection of the herd. Young bulls will lead a bachelor lifestyle when they reach the age of 13 – 14 – up until then they spend their formative years within their natal herd.
• Elephants have a dominant tusk and are either “left tusked” or “right tusked”. Generally the tusk that is the most worn down and deeply etched with grooves is the dominant one.
• Elephants are purveyors of pristine water and have been known to travel miles in search of the perfect water source. If access to water is scarce, elephants will dig small pits to access underground water. This is turn creates small pools of water for other wildlife.

These images below are just of the sightings we’ve enjoyed with the elephants of the Balule.