OUR BLOG
Some guides learn the bush through books, exams and years on the job. Others grow into it long before they ever wear a uniform or lead a game drive. For Shadrack Mathebula, guiding is not just a profession, but an extension of a life lived close to the land, shaped by memory, movement and a deep cultural understanding.
December at Baobab Ridge is pure summer. While much of the world prepares for snow and scarves, we celebrate the festive season with long golden days, balmy evenings, glowing sunsets and the joyful chorus of birds and insects thriving in the heat.
Summer is on its way. The Klaserie has tasted the first drops of rain at last, soaking into thirsty earth and turning the dust a deeper shade for only a moment before it disappears below the surface. The change is already dramatic.
There’s something about the Klaserie that gets under your skin. It’s not just the wildlife (which is exceptional) or the landscapes, which roll out in wild, golden silence. It’s something quieter. Something older.
When people dream of an African safari, it is usually the predators that come to mind first. There is something magnetic about a lion’s powerful stride, the gleam of a leopard’s eyes in the half-light, or the sudden acceleration of a cheetah across the plains. These moments seem to capture the very essence of the wild.
As the sun sinks below the horizon over the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, the bush shifts into a different rhythm. The air cools, and the colours fade from golds and greens into deep blues and inky blacks. Daytime animals settle down, and the wilderness begins to stir in ways that can only be experienced after dark.
The Klaserie Private Nature Reserve offers a dynamic environment, where wildlife rhythms change with each passing month. For visitors, understanding these seasonal shifts can elevate a safari experience, offering a deeper connection to the wildlife and landscape.
The dry, winter season in the Klaserie is like nature’s canvas waiting to be painted in vibrant shades of gold, russet, and brown. It’s a photographer’s dream, with landscapes and wildlife that shift dramatically as the season unfolds. From sunburnt grasslands to dense riparian woodland and permanent waterholes that attract life, this time of year offers a different kind of magic.
At Baobab Ridge, we're blessed to have a team of talented safari guides on hand to enhance the safari experience... But - our safari guides are more than knowledgeable experts behind the wheel of an open safari vehicle - they are the interpreters of the land, the eyes that read between the lines of the African bush and a bridge between generations of bush wisdom and visitors enjoying wild Africa for a fleeting moment. Let's find out more...
