Before we kick things off on the newsletter we have some great news :
Dad deserves the bush.
This June, we’re celebrating fathers all month long – with a winter escape offer that’s hard to beat.
📌 Book any 2-night stay at Buffalo Thorn Lodge (for June 2025), and we’ll throw in the 3rd night free.
Whether it’s a solo break, a family getaway, or some quality time with Dad – let us give you one more night under the stars, on the house.
🔒 Offer only valid for bookings made during June
📅 Stay dates: June 2025
📲 Direct bookings only
Subject to availability!
Message us or give us a call to check availability or to claim the offer!https://www.buffalothornlodge.co.za/make-a-reservation/
So as May rolled in, winter didn’t so much knock on the door as kick it open in the early hours with a gust of breath so icy it could curdle milk. It’s cold now. Not the polite kind of cold that makes you want to wear socks indoors, but the bite-you-in-the-face kind that makes your morning coffee less of a ritual and more of a survival strategy.
Strangely, the bush is still clinging to a kind of greenish hue, as though it hasn’t checked the calendar. And just when we thought the last of the rain had made its dramatic exit, May pulled off a plot twist—one final, straggling downpour. The kind of late that only a teenage daughter can manage when you’re already waiting in the car. Helpful? Not particularly. Surprising? Absolutely.
Sightings & Safari Drama
Now to the good stuff. May brought a spectacular run of sightings, beginning with the return of our ever-popular Thabo’s Loop pride to the East. Yes, the East. The pride is back where it all began—and with new royalty in tow. One of the lionesses has two miniscule cubs. We’re talking the kind of tiny that makes grown adults coo uncontrollably. More on them later.
Meanwhile, on our turf, the three nomadic Western breakaway males have been regular guests, loitering around our lodge waterhole like a trio of Harley Davidsons revving up before a joyride. Guests had the privilege of an extremely up-close sighting one evening—memorable, growly, and loud. Exactly the kind of wilderness moment that lingers.
And speaking of wild things lingering… one of these three males needed a collar refit, and Rangers from Buffalo Thorn had front-row seats to the process. Not your usual afternoon activity, but certainly one for the books—a rare opportunity to see conservation in action, face to furry face.
Cheetah? Barely.
Cheetah activity was a bit of a non-event this month. Our duo of formerly teenage males has gone full-blown adult and independent away from Tale, now seen gallivanting across the greater park like millennials on a gap year. Rain’s last daughter—there’s a whisper of hope. A guide returning from town saw her slinking along the fenceline, heading our way. Our eyes are peeled, hearts hopeful, and camera shutters half-pressed.
A Leopard Worth the Wait
Now this is a tale. A young male leopard, spotted deep in the wilderness, put on a solo show for our guests. No vehicles in sight, no radio calls—just us, him, and the silence of the bush. For thirty uninterrupted minutes, it was the kind of intimate experience safari dreams are made of. Most leopard sightings are blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affairs. Not this one. It was a gentle reminder that in Africa, magic doesn’t schedule an arrival time. Of course, nature keeps the balance. The very next morning—enter the cold front. Sub-zero dips in the reserve, and frost thick enough to make you question your life choices. Even the dams steamed like angry kettles. Coffee breaks now double as defrosting sessions, and frankly, we’re grateful for both.
Reptilian Surprise
Just when we’d written off the reptile calendar until September, a 3-metre African rock python slithered into view. Yes, in this cold. A dream for herpetologists, a mild heart attack for everyone else. Sightings like this remind us: the bush never reads the rulebook.
Lion Politics
Back to the lion cubs. Park politics have gotten spicy. Those three nomadic males are hiding out in Black Rhino, but the central males are playing musical territories. They’ve mated with nearly every lioness from every former pride structure. The result? Cubs in the East, and a pride shuffle that has rangers scratching their heads. But for our guests, it means frequent sightings and plenty of drama. So, win-win.
Looking Ahead
June’s cold can’t possibly top this past front. The park is still holding onto plenty of water, a bit of green, and lots of energy. Firebreaks are underway as we prepare for what promises to be a dramatic fire season thanks to months of rain-induced growth and rot. But for now, the sightings are superb, and we’re embracing every frostbitten sunrise.
All in all, May has delivered in style. From lions to leopards, pythons to politics, the bush is alive with stories. We’re grateful, frozen, and as always—ready for what winter throws our way next.
See you out there,
– The Buffalo Thorn Team