National Geographic Traveller

As winter’s chill gives way to the vibrant warmth of spring, South Africa’s bushveld awakens with life. Spring is a magical time to embark on a safari adventure, and there’s no better place to experience this than at Makumu Private Game Lodge. Nestled within the vast Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park, Makumu offers an intimate and exclusive wildlife experience that captivates every guest who visits.

In celebration of Spring, we’ve highlighted what you can expect during your spring safari at Makumu Private Game Lodge.

Why an Unfenced Safari Experience at Makumu Private Game Lodge in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve is Unlike Any Other.

One of the many questions we are asked by travellers seeking an authentic and immersive wildlife adventure, is why the unfenced safari experience is unlike any other. Unlike traditional safaris, the untamed wilderness of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve – home to our Makumu Private Game Lodge - offers a rare and thrilling opportunity to connect with nature in its purest form. Let us take you through the adventure!

We are moving into that time of year when the grass is all yellow and the leaves are just starting to change colour. Animal paths are forming all over and watering holes are getting busier. I was pleasantly surprised to see how quickly the bush has changed after returning from my off days and according to Shelley I say this every year. I just find it crazy how quickly this happens, but I have to say we have had a few very warm autumn days. The mornings and evenings are cooling down nicely though.

Even though the cold weather is slowly moving in, we are still lucky with a luscious green bushveld after the big floods in February. The water dams and rivers are still full and flowing strong. Welcome to another update from the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve and Makumu Private Game Lodge, your home away from home. I will be covering some of the exciting things that we encountered over the last month.

February has been a rather interesting month. I have not seen so much rain in a very long time. We had nearly 360mm of rain in less than a week and just over 400mm in less than a month. The bush is beautiful, so lush, so green and the river has been flowing from one bank to the other. We even had 3 or 4 days where we could not even cross the drainage at the lodge or cross the river. With all this beauty comes its challenges, like limited areas to drive, and vehicles getting stuck. We had 6 vehicles stuck in our traverse area in two days, including a tractor. For the genuine bush lovers, this did not stop them, they were still out there with us enjoying what nature had to offer, even though sightings were a little slower than what we are used to. There is just so much water at the moment in the bush and small drainages, no animal is forced to go to the river or a watering hole.