Tau Game Lodge. A seated safari experience

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Enjoy an authentic South African safari vacation in the midst of natural wildlife, complete with great game viewing and luxury private facilities, at our South Africa luxury safari lodge. (from the official Tau website)

 

 

 

Gorillas in the mist? Not quite. Here it was wildebeest and zebra in the dust.

Our arrival at Tau Game Lodge was met with a series of sand storms that swept intermittently across the open plain on the far side of their spectacular waterhole.

But did it faze me? Not at all as it made for some evocative images without me having to get on a vehicle.

This did not seem to bother the herds of wildebeest, zebra, kudu and elephants that came down to slake their thirst, despite enduring the stinging dust particles.

All the images in this post were taken at the lodge waterhole during our most recent visit.

I have called this experience a series of seated sightings.

 

 

 

This is the spectacle that guests get to enjoy daily.

A safari experience without even leaving the deck of their accommodation.

 

 

 

Hitching a ride while Mom does all the hard work?

I don’t mind if I do!

Fun facts about baboons…

The bond between mother and infant baboon is special.

Baboons are powerful animals and have sharp canine teeth similar in length to lions.

The baboon was revered in Ancient Egyptian culture, being admired for its intelligence.

 

 

 

An unusual sighting in Madikwe as ostriches often become prey for the lions that roam the reserve.

Hence, seeing this male stride confidently towards the water filled me with hope.

Did you know?

The flightless ostrich is the world’s largest bird. Ostriches have three stomachs. Unlike all other living birds, the ostrich secretes urine separately from faeces.

Ostriches are the fastest of any bird or other two-legged animal and can sprint at over 70 km/h, covering up to 5m in a single stride.

 

 

 

Given the correct lighting, female kudu can be stunning, even if they don’t have the magnificent horns that their male counterparts have.

How did the kudu get its name?
The kudu derived its name directly from the Khoikhoi, where folklore says that their name is descriptive of the sound their hooves make as they lope away from any predator or danger.

 

 

 

The only predator that came to the waterhole during our stay.

I was informed that lion and leopard have been seen here, but not by me on any of my trips here.

Then again, there is a saying that states “The best sightings are the day before you arrive and the day after you leave“!

 

 

 

Humans will pay good money for a mud-pack facial of this magnitude.

 

 

 

With the heat hitting the mid-30C, a trunkful or two goes a long way to staying hydrated.

How long is an elephant’s trunk?

It is usually around 2m in length, can weigh as much as 140 kg and can hold 12 litres of water.

It is so sensitive that it can pick up a single blade of grass or tear down a huge tree branch.

 

 

 

I was amazed that while I was in camp, none of the animals got stuck in the clinging and cloying mud.

 

 

 

Aaaaargh, that hits the spot.

This corner of the waterhole seemed deep enough for the elephants to almost submerge themselves, hence it was no surprise to me that many of them made a beeline for this spot.

 

 

 

Even the wildebeest got to have a spa moment.

 

 

 

An unusual sighting…a lone Springbok. This is the South African national mammal and it is also the name of our World Champion rugby team.

Although closely related to true gazelles (genus Gazella), the springbok is placed in a separate genus because of a unique structure on its back that it displays when excited, consisting of a patch of white hair that is normally hidden beneath a skin fold but is erected during a special form of jumping known as pronking.

Hence the Latin name for this creature is Antidorcas marsupials, seeing that the white hair is kept ‘hidden’ in a pouch when it is not being displayed.

 

 

 

What is the crocodile smile metaphor?
A smile that is hiding evil thoughts and intentions.
Look at the picture of this crocodile. He seems to be smiling. But he is thinking about his next meal and what animal might have to die to supply that.
Not in this instance as this pair was mating, so the smile was of pleasure.
In South Africa, we only have the Nile Crocodile. There are no alligators.
That being said…
Do you know the difference between a crocodile and an alligator?
One (croc) you will see in a while and the other(alligator) you will see later!
Apologies, I HAD to include a Dad joke.

 

 

Been and gone.

This mother and youngster had been at the waterhole and were now making their way to back the tree line and hoping to find some shade.

 

 

 

Crocs have been known to pull young elephants into water and drown them. However, in this instance, the croc realized that it might possibly bite off more than it could chew.

And the water was not nearly deep enough to get this elephant submerged.

Did you know?

A crocodile smile is a description of a person who feigns innocence and harmlessness but is secretly planning malicious deeds.

 

 

 

Three male kudu walk into the storm.

The males have the largest horns of any antelope species, spiralling up to 2m. Each horn makes about 2.5 graceful twists. Kudu can leap over obstacles that are 2,5m high with ease.

The greater kudu is one of the only animals that is able to thrive on scrub woodland and bush that grows in abandoned fields and pastures.

 

 

 

This was the third of the Big 5 that I saw while sitting at the waterhole.

The only ones missing were lions and leopards.

 

 

 

This male waterbuck figured that if it stood still I would not notice it.

W.R.O.N.G … seen from the deck outside our accommodation.

Fun Fact:

Have a close look at the Waterbuck’s nose. It looks like a heart.

 

 

 

To find out more about what the lodge offers, click on the logo above.

 

 

Travel is the proud winner of this prestigious award from the digital British lifestyle magazine Luxlife. The award is in the category Best Travel & Experiences Blog 2024 – South Africa.

 

 

 

Check out the archived and current interviews… click on the image above.

 

 

 

“Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?”

Edgar Bergen

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