Activities, Tours & Services
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By garryvv, on April 16th, 2012
We had just arrived at the waterhole for breakfast, to find 2 lionesses lying at the water. They suddenly perked up and we saw kudu coming in to drink. The one female moved into cover carefully and lay in wait. The pregnant female crouched at the waterhole. A young kudu cow walked straight up to where they were lying and in a couple of strides, she was caught. She fought, but did not manage to get away. The second female joined in to pull the kudu down, and they lay for ages until the kudu stopped kicking. After a long while the one female dragged the carcass into the shade of a nearby tree, and then they both lay down and ignored it!! Next we saw a warthog trotting down the road further up. One lioness got up and circled the pig, then ambushed her. She managed to get away. Next came her 3 little piglets a little way behind her. The lionesses pounced and caught one, much squealing and it managed to get away. The chase was on. The piglet ran into a thick thorn bush, and the lioness tried to dig her out. We watched in amazement as the small piglet then kept launching herself at the lioness from the bush!!
This went on for quite some time, with the lioness jumping back each time, until finally she caught the little pig in mid jump. Lots of squealing and then silence.
We had 5 guests here, and the cameras were clicking madly! Some fabulous photos all round. Breakfast was almost ignored, tea went cold – far too much excitement!!
The guests stayed to watch for some time and finally the lionesses opened up the kudu stomach, and pulled out a foetus. So sad, but nature at its best.
They did not eat much at all – they just were not hungry – pure opportunistic kills!
I will send the picture of the warthog when I get it off Dave’s camera.
Turned out the little thing had a deformed foot, which shows clearly in the photos.
Some of the guests saw a leopard at the top waterhole yesterday afternoon, and a wildcat, so great sightings all round. The rest are going up there now, so I hope they are just as lucky.
What a day at Dinaka!!
Mel George & Dave
Team Dinaka
By garryvv, on March 1st, 2012
This is our young male (cheeky chops) , who is always up to nonsense.
He grabbed the pig and waltzed
off with it shortly afterwards.
Lions have been here all week severely disrupting work schedules. The females have been lying against the verandah in the shade, so we have to tiptoe past them on the creaky floorboards. Eventually they get irritated, sigh and move a few paces away. They are now all under chalet 2 – watching us down the pathway.
Otherwise all well – just waiting for rain.
Cheers – from Mel, George and Dave
By garryvv, on December 20th, 2011
A very proud Searl Derman… Acting on a tip, he was able to get the Hawks and South African Police out to a garage in Tableview area where 2 Chinese Nationals were arrested for the possession of ivory and various other horns….
  
By garryvv, on November 23rd, 2011
The moment when a straggler form a 300 strong herd of buffalo crossing the chobe river was taken by a croc!!!
Just another average boat cruise with Pangolin!!!!
By garryvv, on November 16th, 2011
Good morning everyone,
Just to let you know we survived the fires yet again. Many thanks to you all that prayed for us in our time of need.
We had to fall right back to the same line as last year. There was no chance of standing against the walls of flame that were pushed along by the wind.
Our neighbours from the north came to help, as we had spent the whole previous day trying to save their farm (it totally burned out in yesterdays fresh onslaught of fire). Deception Valley Lodge joined with our immediate Eastern neighbour and started back burning from the East towards Dave and George, who were burning the same line over 20kms to the west. It only took about 4 hours for them to meet in the middle, and save everything to the south of the line – God is good! The fires were on them just as they finished. The wind stayed with them and did not turn south, which would have spelt disaster.
   
We watched in horror and awe as the sheets of flame shot into the night sky, devouring  everything in their path. There was a red hot line many kilometres
Wide, and the sky was bright red and filled with smoke.
Today, there is a cool breeze blowing directly south, so we will take a drive when the exhausted fire fighters wake up, and check the damage. I really hope that there are enough pockets of grass left for the animals to eat. The landscape is just black. I doubt our many little ostrich chicks survived this, along with the tortoises, birds in nests and lizards etc.
Now the aftermath is black bits in everything until the rain comes. We really need rain now, so that we can get some growth for the animals.
Now to go and see the damage.
From a sunny, peaceful Kalahari
Cheers
Melanie, George and Dave
Dinaka Safari Lodge
By garryvv, on November 4th, 2011
Saving Private Rhino invites you to join us at the first anti-poaching training course
Saving Private Rhino, an initiative established after 2 rhino where brutally killed and dehorned on the Aquila Private Game Reserve has been set up to ensure the future conservation of Africa’s rhino and wildlife heritage. Aspects of . . . → Read More: Saving Private Rhino initiative
By garryvv, on November 3rd, 2011
FALSE BAY – CAPE TOWN
NOVEMBER ROMANTIC GETAWAY SPECIAL!!!
· 2 nights accommodation in one of our luxury self catering apartments · Dinner for 2 at Bertha’s restaurant to the value of R300 · 2 drink vouchers for Bertha’s restaurant in Simonstown · A delicious breakfast . . . → Read More: The View Sunnycove Romantic Special Package
By garryvv, on October 17th, 2011
Latest news from Mel, Dave & George in the Kalahari
Liked the reflections here, but it was getting quite dark by then.
We have so many shots of the lioness and her cubs, but thought this was quite cute. They spent the whole day . . . → Read More: Dinaka Safari lodge – Central Kalahari Botswana – Latest news
By garryvv, on September 21st, 2011
Introducing our resident pride of Lion at Dinaka!
No need to go on a Game Drive!
These cats stayed at the Lodge all weekend, keeping our visitors out of their tents all day. They have been hanging around the . . . → Read More: Dinaka Safari Lodge – Central Kalahari Botswana – Lions in Camp
By garryvv, on September 12th, 2011
WHALE SEASON SPECIAL OFFER
R 600.00 per unit per day for 2 adults.
Valid from the 12th September - 31st October 2011
Each unit can accommodate a minimum of 2 and a max of 5 people. There is a nominal charge of
. . . → Read More: The View at Sunny Cove Special Offer
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