It has been a busy month at Kwetsani and we have had some amazing wildlife experiences and equally amazing guests come through. We have been enjoying many dinners with good people on the main Kwetsani deck, braving the weather's threat of large rain clouds in the distance. Luckily only one meal was cut short by rain. As soon as the rain began our full camp of guests all pitched in and we enjoyed the rest of our drinks in the main area watching the beautiful lightning show in the distance.

This coming month we will be hosting a fantastic wedding! We have been stocking up on goods for the wedding guests and are excited to be a part of something so special. The guests have been very interested in the logistics of this wedding and it has been the topic of conversation at many meals. Many have asked to see pictures and some have even joked about wanting to stay to be a part of the wedding festivities as well. All of Kwetsani will be full of guests, wedding suppliers, managers and staff ready to participate and celebrate this big day!

November was diverse in the weather department. We had typical summer days where the thermometer climbed into the upper thirties Celsius and we had days where it struggled to get into mid-twenties. 

During the first half of the month, the days were hot and the thought of rain lingered in everyone's minds. Every day the clouds would build and threaten with rain, only to disappoint. But as the month progressed, the temperatures dropped daily and we finally received our first substantial rains. On the last day of month the clouds dropped 46 mm of rain in four hours. With all of the rain, the bush has erupted with vibrant green colours making the views around Kwetsani absolutely stunning. 

Around Kwetsani the water continues to drop daily. The added rain will help as we continue to boat in the area. Trips to Hunda Island are still ongoing and boat cruises remain some guests' favourite activities.

The lion drama continues to develop in the areas around Kwetsani. During this month we have had two new young male lions move in. They have spent much of their time around northern Kwetsani but have on a few occasions headed south towards Jao Camp. The two lions are very vocal and are constantly scent-marking but remain wary of the Jao Pride male. Everyone has been holding their breaths, waiting for a confrontation - but the two sides seem to be avoiding each other. 

Early in the month we were seeing a male lion which we nicknamed "The Intruder". He is a beautiful lion with a deep red mane. Even though he looks in his prime he is very timid and nervous and avoids any conflict. One morning he was chased across the Kwetsani floodplains by the two younger male lions. The guests were having early morning breakfast as the chase began and everyone quickly changed their morning plans and jumped into the vehicles to watch the drama unfold. 

For most guests the trips to Hunda Island remain a major highlight. During November, the game viewing was superb. A new lioness with four cubs was seen regularly. It has been some time since lions made Hunda Island a permanent home and we continue to hope that she will stay. The cubs are around one-and-a-half years old and guests have seen their mother trying to teach them to hunt, although very unsuccessfully. 

Another highlight of the month over at Hunda has been the return of the cheetah. Late in the month, a female cheetah and her two cubs were seen. Recently the cheetah have kept away from the Jao Concession because of the amount of water, but with it dropping we expect to see them more frequently. 

As always the leopard on Hunda remain top prize. With all of the new lion activity in the area they have needed to be a little more secretive. This in turn has given the guests a great perspective on the tracking aspect of things. Guests always marvel at the way the guides are able to pick up and interpret the tracks they come across. And when it all culminates with the leopard posing on the termite mound they truly are blown away. 

One of the most exciting mornings we had at Kwetsani was when a female hyaena and her two pups killed a large male red lechwe next to our kitchen. From the evidence and tracks it was a major struggle for the three to pull down such a large antelope. Eventually they were successful and they dragged the kill between Tents 4 and 5 where guests were able to stand on the walkway and watch them feed on their way to breakfast.

As we are now completely immersed into summer, the birdlife is reaching its most magnificent time. The migrant birds have returned to their summer breeding grounds and many have already changed into breeding plumage. 

The large congregations of wattled cranes have arrived in the Jao Concession. It is not uncommon to see flocks of up to 50 of them on and around the floodplains. What a pleasure it is to have such special birds making this concession their home. 

Just around the camp, we have witnessed some interesting birds making kills! One afternoon, we watched as the resident band of mongoose were foraging near Tent 2 when a yellow-billed kite swooped down and snatched up one of the group's babies. The kite flew right over our heads clutching its prize. 

One night as we were walking guests back to their room, we spotted a Verreaux's eagle-owl sitting on a dead tree. Just as we spotted him he swooped down out of the tree and took a mouse and then flew back up to the branch that he had been perched on. A few days later we found the remains of the little creature in the form of an owl pellet on the main deck. Some guests had never seen one before and were very interested in the exciting digestion process of owls.

Managers: Dan Chaknova and Mandy Sunderland.

Guides: MT Malebogo and Florence Kagiso.