The Klaserie is bursting at the seams with new life!

When the storm clouds began to build towards the end of October we couldn't believe our luck! An early start to the annual rainy season has meant that the parched browns and dusty earth of winter have been transformed into a wonderland of 50 shades of green in a matter of just a few weeks,  and summer is definitely here...

While it may only officially start on 1 December, when the woodland kingfishers return and fill the bush with their trilling calls you know that summer's here and the time of plenty has begun. Indeed, the Klaserie's bird list has increased dramatically as the summer migrants arrive by the day. 

First up were the Wahlberg's eagles and yellow-billed kites, then came the Levaillant's cuckoo and the red-chested cuckoo, known locally as the "Piet my vrou" with  its distinctive call that always seems to announce impending rain. The European rollers have also arrived with the European bee-eaters hot on their heels and then there's the lesser kestrels and amur falcons as well as the beautiful Diederik cuckoo. Let's not forget another of our favourite summer birds - the beautiful African paradise flycatcher with its amazing rusty red and blue grey colouring and the male's splendid long tail feathers.

The migrant birds choose South Africa as their summer home and nursery, nesting and hatching the next generation here in the Rainbow Nation. For the mammals of the Klaserie it's also baby boom time as multiple species give birth to their little ones. We've already seen our first impala lambs of the season, as well as warthog piglets, and the zebra foals won't be far behind. Even the dwarf mongooses have had their first litters of gorgeous little pups!

Of course, the temperatures are steadily rising as well, making our sparkling swimming pool the main attraction with guests at this time of year! Indeed, our pool deck is perfect for chilling out on in between game activities and allows you lots of time for birding and watching out for animals that may come to drink at our waterhole. 

So what's it like to be on safari in the summer? Many people seem to think that the Klaserie is just too hot and wet to be an enjoyable destination at this time of year, but actually, nothing could be further from the truth. Summer is a wonderful time to be on safari, because of the abundance of life all around us here at Baobab Ridge and the undeniable beauty of the bush when it's lush and green. 

Yes, game viewing can be a bit more challenging when the bush is so dense, but with all the babies of all descriptions around it's incredibly enjoyable, hugely rewarding and makes for awesome photography. And it does get hot, but your body soon adjusts and as long as you stay hydrated, use lots of sunscreen and wear a hat (and maybe lightweight, long sleeves for extra sun protection) it's not unbearable. Our beautiful guest suites are all air-conditioned for your added comfort, so sleeping is easy, no matter what the mercury is telling you the outside temperature is!

We do have some spectacular summer storms at this time of year, but they usually happen in the late afternoon and evenings. While we do sometimes have rainy days, it's not really an issue because it cools the bush down wonderfully when it comes, so is something to celebrate. We have great waterproof ponchos on our game vehicles to boot!

Of course, there are a lot more insects during the summer, and mosquitoes can be an issue, so we always recommend anti-malarials just to be on the safe side, but if you use insect repellant as soon as the sun starts to go down you should be able to keep the bites at bay! 

The pros of a summer safari definitely outweigh the cons, then! So we hope to see you very soon!