Jump to content

Tuludi Camp, Khwai private reserve : dry green season


Bush dog

Recommended Posts

My guide, KG, was waiting for me at Khwai airstrip.  45 minutes later, I arrived at Tuludi Camp.  Tuludi is part of the Natural Selection.  It’s a new camp, opened in July 2019 (more details on their website :  https://naturalselection.travel/camps/tuludi/). The pictures below shows my room and the splendid mosaic of the bar. 

 

20200208_142627.JPG.c76c90be67bbd81af2799fe93e4a0f6b.JPG

 

20200208_142753.JPG.db7d60c59d7693110a473df018c6c67b.JPG

 

20200208_155024.JPG.7515ab56e00a5f9acdf53e041a4ffbe5.JPG

 

When I arrived, among the welcoming committee was a person whom I had met several times during my recent stays at Selinda, the waiter Junior.  The two other guides present in the camp, whom I did not personally know, are alumni of Kwando, Matt and Palipi.  I think @madaboutcheetah and @Wild Dogger should know them and maybe others too. 

 

All the camp units (7 rooms, the bar, the dining room, the kitchen, ...) are linked together by walkways and boardwalks.  The staff is very friendly and competent and the food, excellent.  During my stay, the camp was almost or completely full for a good reason.   At the end of December, Sable Alley, one of the 3 other camps on the reserve, was seriously damaged by a small localized tornado without causing any injuries, fortunately.  It was therefore closed to make repairs.  There were plans to reopen the camp in late February.  All reservations for the months of January and February were transferred to the other 3 camps, including Tuludi, on the reserve.  Here is a photo of Sable Alley, two weeks before reopening.

 

_U5V7518.JPG.1842a92826484eaf75645b13fbf47070.JPG

 

Well why a dry green season?  Believe it or not, during the 10 days I was there, not a single drop of rain fell.  During the first four days, I saw in the distance a few heavy showers and lightnings but did not hear thunder.  The next 6 days, it was an alternation of clouds and sun with a refreshing breeze and a rise in temperature.  The light was gorgeous.  The only drawback for photography is the height of the grass but it can also sometimes be beneficial.  Apart from the large herds of buffaloes and elephants, I did not notice any big differences with the high season.  Concerning the wildlife, I saw 30 different species of mammals and more than 150 of birds.

 

Arrival day

 

A couple of Verreaux’s eagle-owls

 

_98K1080.JPG.860f5c1438ec870f470e95f7cf54d78b.JPG

 

Giraffe

 

_98K1089.JPG.6db03bf78c0a182ba9e0c40aa66641e3.JPG

 

African hoopoe

 

_98K1112.JPG.f7c5d8f6e023b4702b13ea44908beb4d.JPG

 

Cape glossy starling

 

_98K1117.JPG.db626f49e0dd1fb278f7156857aee1fd.JPG

 

Red-billed spurfowl

 

_98K1125.JPG.b8439120a7e3196aafb22c32653ca52d.JPG

 

This leopardess was spotted at dusk.  It is known as Nicky.  It is very comfortable with vehicles.

 

_98K1135.JPG.850208b08039333b4758da2a6de9d40d.JPG

 

_98K1146.JPG.2cce9681e96232c818a21f606b0fccfe.JPG

 

_98K1149.JPG.639a857d7cc00935f6ae561ff08d3789.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

30  different mammals and 150 sorts of birds in the " so called green wet " season and fabulous light on top , especially on Nicky the leopardess and both starling and spur fowl  ; how lucky you were @Bush dog !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

gorgeous photos! Looking forward to seeing more!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amylovescritters

Oh my Nicky is breathtaking... loving thisTR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

madaboutcheetah

Lovely start, Mike .... Matt when at lagoon found a pangolin in 2014 and I rushed to the sighting after dropping my luggage In my room 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Second day

 

We had heard them all regularly roar during the night.  They were not far away.  Time to drink a cup of tea and we left at 5:30 in the direction of calls.  In some places, a light misty bluish veil was still suspended at ground level, conferring a little mystery at daybreak. Along the way we met this young giraffe.

 

_98K1212.JPG.69e777c48db8b5d7bf01924836abdec5.JPG

 

We knew we shouldn't be far away when a roar, this time very close, sounded.  Almost instantaneously, they appeared emerging from a large mass of bushes.

 

_U5V7081.JPG.fbe094bb5014250bc2fd58579c7931eb.JPG

 

For the proper understanding of the narrative, I will call them Black and Red.  Even before the camp was even built, Black ruled with its brother, which was not Red, over this part of the reserve.  They particularly liked this place and its surroundings.  One day, more or less four months ago, its brother disappeared.  We still don't know what happened to it.  Shortly before, Red had been spotted in the area.  Black's dominant position had seriously weakened.  It therefore found itself, in order to keep it, in the necessity of forming a new one.  Red slowly and cautiously approached Black who ultimately accepted it.  A new coalition was born.  By observing them carefully, we can however notice that within this new partnership, Black is THE dominant.  Black is the one who almost always leads the way.  The one who roars most often is Red, its "servant".

 

We followed them.

 

Black

 

_U5V7104.JPG.ab9694a6058d5ec52f0703a68aa17cc9.JPG

 

_98K1249.JPG.0d19da78d1bb6f7601da37329e1efe81.JPG

 

_98K1264.JPG.ccccce5a20aab73ec17755911def88c0.JPG

 

Red

 

_98K1272.JPG.dd19cf6ba23022573dcc7627f28b64f4.JPG

 

_98K1288.JPG.2401b2d5a53437fd913051bc3e17d030.JPG

 

Arrived along a channel, they decided to cross it and we always follow them to the other side.  Red took the opportunity to quench its thirst in passing.

 

_U5V7114.JPG.7902fd86014eff49de87866d2a06828b.JPG

 

_U5V7121.JPG.041bc1eb8f0cc53811f40b6c155826c5.JPG

 

_U5V7125.JPG.99b6b8a5876376f55ffec28136f8aead.JPG

 

_U5V7136.JPG.7e368e16d820809122a5326d16fa7afa.JPG

 

To be continued

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wild Dogger

Love the little Giraffe picture!
Matt was guiding us in Lagoon and Tau Pan some years ago. Very nice guy!!!
Unfortunately he was on leave when we were at Jackal&Hide (sister camp of Tuludi) this November.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Wild Dogger

 

Thanks!

 

Matt is indeed a very cheerful person.  He likes to talk a lot on the radio.  In fact, he was temporarily at Tuludi because of the closing of Sable Alley.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Bush dog beautiful pictures as always, I am very much enjoying your report. You were very lucky with the beautiful light in February.

We have been to Machaba Camp in 2017. Is Tuludi Camp close to Machaba?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Athene

 

Thank you for your comments.

 

I would say that, unless it is continuously raining, the light is always nice at this period of the year.

Tuludi Camp is located as the crow flies at about 20 kilometers west of Machaba Camp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shaping up to be yet another superb report, Mike.  Tuludi camp looks stunning and based on what you have said so far the Khwai  concession appears to be very promising. I have always believed the green season is one of the best times to visit the delta area with everything lush even though the high grass makes finding predators more difficult. And undoubtedly pictures look so much better than than the  Southern African winter. 
thanks for sharing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@AKR1

 

Thanks a lot!

Not taking into consideration big herds of buffaloes or elephants, green season in the delta is always better than in the dry season because there is less water.  You can thus cover more ground before the plains are flooded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Second day

 

Once the water crossed, they headed towards the interior of the island.  Black settled on a mound to scan this part of their territory.  Nothing to report, he continued on his way, Red following him a short distance away.

 

_98K1299.JPG.3a917ec7ad718ca4c8008f609a00254d.JPG

 

_98K1302.JPG.e62b857fd44ebfd8596ff208b686ba42.JPG

 

_98K1313.JPG.13e615cf795d1a1ad63f895bf7002041.JPG

 

_98K1363.JPG.b25fa1492d92029acf04f89b2bdd6b6d.JPG

 

_98K1369.JPG.0028ca3bffb88e8f5f37a3f3d36eada2.JPG

 

_98K1370.JPG.97f94fd717cb59f708fd9703c51cf93f.JPG

 

Black then settled on another mound covered with vegetation, this one offering several possibilities to shelter there from the heat of the sun.  Red soon joined it there.  This is where they would spend the whole day sleeping in order to recover from their night activities.  So we left them there.

 

_U5V7164.JPG.603f887fcdf65a5187a8d642b9a2d70a.JPG

 

_U5V7189.JPG.a82c4ac33fb608ab73aaeeb5480ce6c5.JPG

 

_U5V7194.JPG.520fa6c7fa45c50eb511f4f87de89a8a.JPG

 

_98K1388.JPG.97264132537f4e1f35e11ee3fe5a5b1a.JPG

 

_98K1425.JPG.c2a8410d83f641919481258ad3d6d87e.JPG

 

_98K1435.JPG.8a8fde7375595e22b073dfe3020749fa.JPG

 

_U5V7215.JPG.0c37a58166938316e38ae3f2ef9a2a94.JPG

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Bush dog

 

Those Black and  Red photos are among the best lion series I have seen for a long time !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amylovescritters

Such gorgeous boys. Truly breathtaking images.Glorious light! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

beautiful photos of Black and Red, and Red has such a gorgeous coiffured hairdo. Love the backlit Black (?) against that glorious morning light. 

Edited by Kitsafari
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, BRACQUENE said:

@Bush dog

 

Those Black and  Red photos are among the best lion series I have seen for a long time !

+1. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Impressive big boys. 

Enjoying your TR @Bush dog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Second day

 

Some last pictures made during the morning game drive.

 

Hippo’s territorial behaviour

 

_98K1451.JPG.4a111ff967a3cabd59a04d1ad01132d6.JPG

 

_98K1476.JPG.f4bb06c852023ee3075fbd12ea78baf8.JPG

 

_98K1484.JPG.2b09db6da32cd13f17e3ca4d91d8d6ed.JPG

 

Wahlberg’s eagle

 

_98K1532.JPG.0b21f6ca9e823fdd871949994a93f38e.JPG

 

Scrub hare

 

_98K1552.JPG.73fdead83053e90d23a574fce5f8ff15.JPG

 

White-headed vulture

 

_98K1557.JPG.6e8f657c7d71c740db6a443a5c2d6c69.JPG

 

Woodland kingfisher

 

_98K1572.JPG.0ecf2be18bfab917aab629ac61c768eb.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

madaboutcheetah

Love the Woodland KF!!! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Second day

 

These are some photos taken in the afternoon of the second day.

 

Bennett’s woodpecker

 

_98K1587.JPG.34199271af77ca96b7e85b69128ebfba.JPG

 

Wattled cranes

 

_98K1630.JPG.520a7c6878df959e2eb7d64a66a497ff.JPG

 

_98K1654.JPG.98e9e64c0b8c5a885c33f9ea1a78c228.JPG

 

Sable antelopes from a small herd of a dozen individuals.  They will be seen again a couple of times during my stay.

 

_98K1677.JPG.ac55e1d8d9f03d7d74e800c79eeceb8d.JPG

 

_98K1683.JPG.eb73a6f020fb51d0b048e7cac3e73ef7.JPG

 

_98K1710.JPG.2cd59cb97a84c0e74eca5189e588288f.JPG

 

_98K1714.JPG.5501e5525070d53657f2d68c37dcb124.JPG

 

African fish eagle

 

_98K1740.JPG.e4399dcf77ed5eb1bf654331f01bcb2a.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Safaritalk uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By using Safaritalk you agree to our use of cookies. If you wish to refuse the setting of cookies you can change settings on your browser to clear and block cookies. However, by doing so, Safaritalk may not work properly and you may not be able to access all areas. If you are happy to accept cookies and haven't adjusted browser settings to refuse cookies, Safaritalk will issue cookies when you log on to our site. Please also take a moment to read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy: Terms of Use l Privacy Policy