Londolozi Photos
Aug 11th, 2008 | 11:47 AM
#1
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 150
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Londolozi Photos
Hi,
I recently spent five nights at Londolozi (6th-11th July). I would probably say it was one of most enjoyable five days I've spent on a trip. Lots of great wildlife viewing and predator interaction, great guide and tracker, brilliant food and fantastic staff. What more can I say!
Photos:
http://africanbigcats.smugmug.com/ga...48918882_8HVfE
Next stop 15 nights in Botswana in September including 3 nights free at Duba Plains!
I recently spent five nights at Londolozi (6th-11th July). I would probably say it was one of most enjoyable five days I've spent on a trip. Lots of great wildlife viewing and predator interaction, great guide and tracker, brilliant food and fantastic staff. What more can I say!
Photos:
http://africanbigcats.smugmug.com/ga...48918882_8HVfE
Next stop 15 nights in Botswana in September including 3 nights free at Duba Plains!
Aug 11th, 2008 | 05:21 PM
#5
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 993
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Hi Tanky
Some wonderful photos. I am really surprised that 3:4 Female is still with us. She looks her age and then some. I believe that she is Sunsetbend Female's sister and she really does not look her age - they really are very different.
The lion that you are calling the half-brother of the Mapago, is that the sixth male and he now seems to be with the Tsalala Pride because they seem to refer to the Mapago Males as 5 when originally they were 6. I was also pleased to see the tail-less lioness. At one stage just after losing her tail, she looked in pretty poor shape as did her 4 cubs. But I think two males made it to subadults at any rate. I believe the male that used to be with the Tsalala pride in 2006 was killed by the Mapago, and they did have cubs then, both females, so they also seem to have died.
I also saw the Xidulu (sp?) Female with her 2 cubs recently and they look in great shape - she is such a beautiful female though not as large as her mother.
Kind regards
Kaye
Some wonderful photos. I am really surprised that 3:4 Female is still with us. She looks her age and then some. I believe that she is Sunsetbend Female's sister and she really does not look her age - they really are very different.
The lion that you are calling the half-brother of the Mapago, is that the sixth male and he now seems to be with the Tsalala Pride because they seem to refer to the Mapago Males as 5 when originally they were 6. I was also pleased to see the tail-less lioness. At one stage just after losing her tail, she looked in pretty poor shape as did her 4 cubs. But I think two males made it to subadults at any rate. I believe the male that used to be with the Tsalala pride in 2006 was killed by the Mapago, and they did have cubs then, both females, so they also seem to have died.
I also saw the Xidulu (sp?) Female with her 2 cubs recently and they look in great shape - she is such a beautiful female though not as large as her mother.
Kind regards
Kaye
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Aug 11th, 2008 | 08:29 PM
#8
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 857
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Oh my gosh, your photos are inspiring and great! They make me want to return to Africa. www.pbase.com/pattyroth
Aug 12th, 2008 | 10:30 AM
#11
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 150
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Divine,
No, I didn't have a private vehicle. I initially shared with two young couples from the US and then with only one couple. However, on one drive I went out alone (they got engaged while they were there) and for a couple of drives the guy was a bit ill so it was just myself and his girlfriend. Both couple were excellent vehcile companions - it was their first visit to Africa and they were always ready to sit with animals - on their very first game drive we came across two of the Mapogo males asleep. We sat with them on the hope they would awake and start roaring. After about forty minutes they did exactly that. Not a bad first game drive for them!
Vns,
I used a Canon 1D Mark III. The lenses I used were a mixture of 100-400 and a 300mm 2.8 (with 1.4 converter sometimes). The Wild Dog photos were taken with the 300mm and 2x converter (and a couple with 1.4 & 2x stacked). We had to watch then from a distance because the den was still under viewing retrictions - they didn't want to stress the dogs into moving the den.
Hari,
Yes, they are the same males. The rest of Sabi Sands refer to them as the Mapogo.
In Botswana I am going to Duba Plains, Savuti, Chitabe, Tubu and Zib.
Cheers,
Gary.
No, I didn't have a private vehicle. I initially shared with two young couples from the US and then with only one couple. However, on one drive I went out alone (they got engaged while they were there) and for a couple of drives the guy was a bit ill so it was just myself and his girlfriend. Both couple were excellent vehcile companions - it was their first visit to Africa and they were always ready to sit with animals - on their very first game drive we came across two of the Mapogo males asleep. We sat with them on the hope they would awake and start roaring. After about forty minutes they did exactly that. Not a bad first game drive for them!
Vns,
I used a Canon 1D Mark III. The lenses I used were a mixture of 100-400 and a 300mm 2.8 (with 1.4 converter sometimes). The Wild Dog photos were taken with the 300mm and 2x converter (and a couple with 1.4 & 2x stacked). We had to watch then from a distance because the den was still under viewing retrictions - they didn't want to stress the dogs into moving the den.
Hari,
Yes, they are the same males. The rest of Sabi Sands refer to them as the Mapogo.
In Botswana I am going to Duba Plains, Savuti, Chitabe, Tubu and Zib.
Cheers,
Gary.
Aug 12th, 2008 | 10:48 AM
#12
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 150
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Kaye,
I thought you desrved a separate reply.
The sixth male is the elder half-borther of the Mapogo. They still have the CC Africa field journals at Londolozi. In the 2002 one he is mentioned and was referred to then as Ngalagalega - The Lonely Lion. According to the entries his fathers were the Shaws Males (unfortunately I can't remember the mothers) but he soon found himself without a pride as a very adolescent male. Undeterred he attempted to join the Sparta(Eyrefield) Pride. The Shaws Males obviously accepted him but the Sparta females apparently used to beat the *!#% out of him. He didn't give up however and finally became accepted into that pride. The journal expressed surprise that he survived the year as at times he was very thin.
He does seem to have separated (or tried to) from his younger brothers. They were responsible for killing cubs of the Sand River pride believed to have been fathered by Ngalagalega. He also fathered cubs with the Tail-less female this year - a six month old cub disappeared just before I arrived.
Although he does tolerate his brothers (they don't attempt to kill each other at any rate) I think he spends most of his time around Londolozi and does not cover the distances they do. On the last morning we came across him with one of the Tsalala feamles who he was mating with. He also had four of his brothers in tow who were keeping a respectable distance given the amount of agression he was showing them.
The Tail-less female is, I believe, the mother of the two surviving Tsalala females. She spends alot of the time around the camp. The history of that pride is described here better than I can manage:
http://www.rangerdiaries.com/index.p...&Itemid=42
It does mention there the Tail-less female has a sub-adult son and that his chances of survival are small. However, he is still alive (saw him a few times) and is now tolerated to some extent by Ngalagalega if not by the younger brothers. His mother is mainly responsible for this...according to the guides she defended him ferociously a number of times when Ngalagalega attempted to kill him. Maybe the older male remembers his struggle for survival in his youth??
The 3:4 female is Sunset Band's sister and she is now 16 according to this entry:
http://www.rangerdiaries.com/index.p...&Itemid=42
She does look old - in some other pictures you can see how bloodshot her eyes are. The young male with her that day is in fact her grandson (Dudley Riverbank's son) who she 'adopted' (kidnapped?) last year.
Yes, the Xidulu female was a beautiful animal. Her cubs looked a bit of a handful...she dragged the bushbuck carcass across the road with one cubs still attached to it!
Cheers,
Gary.
I thought you desrved a separate reply.
The sixth male is the elder half-borther of the Mapogo. They still have the CC Africa field journals at Londolozi. In the 2002 one he is mentioned and was referred to then as Ngalagalega - The Lonely Lion. According to the entries his fathers were the Shaws Males (unfortunately I can't remember the mothers) but he soon found himself without a pride as a very adolescent male. Undeterred he attempted to join the Sparta(Eyrefield) Pride. The Shaws Males obviously accepted him but the Sparta females apparently used to beat the *!#% out of him. He didn't give up however and finally became accepted into that pride. The journal expressed surprise that he survived the year as at times he was very thin.
He does seem to have separated (or tried to) from his younger brothers. They were responsible for killing cubs of the Sand River pride believed to have been fathered by Ngalagalega. He also fathered cubs with the Tail-less female this year - a six month old cub disappeared just before I arrived.
Although he does tolerate his brothers (they don't attempt to kill each other at any rate) I think he spends most of his time around Londolozi and does not cover the distances they do. On the last morning we came across him with one of the Tsalala feamles who he was mating with. He also had four of his brothers in tow who were keeping a respectable distance given the amount of agression he was showing them.
The Tail-less female is, I believe, the mother of the two surviving Tsalala females. She spends alot of the time around the camp. The history of that pride is described here better than I can manage:
http://www.rangerdiaries.com/index.p...&Itemid=42
It does mention there the Tail-less female has a sub-adult son and that his chances of survival are small. However, he is still alive (saw him a few times) and is now tolerated to some extent by Ngalagalega if not by the younger brothers. His mother is mainly responsible for this...according to the guides she defended him ferociously a number of times when Ngalagalega attempted to kill him. Maybe the older male remembers his struggle for survival in his youth??
The 3:4 female is Sunset Band's sister and she is now 16 according to this entry:
http://www.rangerdiaries.com/index.p...&Itemid=42
She does look old - in some other pictures you can see how bloodshot her eyes are. The young male with her that day is in fact her grandson (Dudley Riverbank's son) who she 'adopted' (kidnapped?) last year.
Yes, the Xidulu female was a beautiful animal. Her cubs looked a bit of a handful...she dragged the bushbuck carcass across the road with one cubs still attached to it!
Cheers,
Gary.
Aug 12th, 2008 | 12:48 PM
#14
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 150
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Is there an echo in here? 
I've not forgotten you Tom...
Why do think Londolozi is twice the rate of MM? It's nowhere near...in fact if you don't get the single room at MM it's considerably more.
Using the rates on their sites - to stop five nights at Londolozi Varty Camp (no single supplement for 4 or more nights) it works out at around £325 a night. At MMM if you should get the single room it works out at around £285 a night. However, if you don't get that room it would be around £430 a night.
In my experience of MM Main Camp it doesn't come close to Londolozi in terms of personal guest service and making you feel at home...in fact I think Londolozi would need to be compared to Rattrays for a fair comparison. This would put the MM rate up to around £650 a night.
However, my main reason for choosing Londolozi over MM would simply the standard of guiding. I can't say I was particularly impressed by MM on this score. I know I may have been lucky in my previous travels but MM is at the bottom of my African guiding quality list so far. Not that they could be considered poor - far from it - but not as good as other places I've been.
Overall, MM has a formula that it uses and works for them and many, many guests. It just didn't work for me I'm afraid. Sorry.
I've not forgotten you Tom...Why do think Londolozi is twice the rate of MM? It's nowhere near...in fact if you don't get the single room at MM it's considerably more.
Using the rates on their sites - to stop five nights at Londolozi Varty Camp (no single supplement for 4 or more nights) it works out at around £325 a night. At MMM if you should get the single room it works out at around £285 a night. However, if you don't get that room it would be around £430 a night.
In my experience of MM Main Camp it doesn't come close to Londolozi in terms of personal guest service and making you feel at home...in fact I think Londolozi would need to be compared to Rattrays for a fair comparison. This would put the MM rate up to around £650 a night.
However, my main reason for choosing Londolozi over MM would simply the standard of guiding. I can't say I was particularly impressed by MM on this score. I know I may have been lucky in my previous travels but MM is at the bottom of my African guiding quality list so far. Not that they could be considered poor - far from it - but not as good as other places I've been.
Overall, MM has a formula that it uses and works for them and many, many guests. It just didn't work for me I'm afraid. Sorry.
Aug 12th, 2008 | 01:34 PM
#15
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,215
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Hello, helloo, hellooo - guess there is an echo
I looked again at Londolozi rate page - http://www.londolozi.com/reservations/rates.html But before did not go down to the Varty/Founders camp rates which at 4400 ZAR would be $600 USD and I think MM is now $575 USD. (But going up to $625
). So you're correct.
As for guiding, I've been to MM three times, different guide each time and I've found equal to them but none better. As for general staff "attitude" at MM (main camp), I have been to better.
regards - tom
ps - maybe I'll give Londolozi a try Sep 2009.
I looked again at Londolozi rate page - http://www.londolozi.com/reservations/rates.html But before did not go down to the Varty/Founders camp rates which at 4400 ZAR would be $600 USD and I think MM is now $575 USD. (But going up to $625
). So you're correct.As for guiding, I've been to MM three times, different guide each time and I've found equal to them but none better. As for general staff "attitude" at MM (main camp), I have been to better.
regards - tom
ps - maybe I'll give Londolozi a try Sep 2009.
Aug 13th, 2008 | 03:42 AM
#18
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 150
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Tom,
Some of the MM guides I saw seemed okay. However, some came across as pretty inexperienced (I believe they only have a 3 month training programme) but they do the job that MM wants them to do.
However, at every other camp I've been to I've never come across a guide that was 'too busy' to meet me when I arrived (bearing in mind MM don't have the extra 'support staff' some camps do). Cue mass confusion when his substitute sent me to the wrong dining area...not a good start!
Some of the MM guides I saw seemed okay. However, some came across as pretty inexperienced (I believe they only have a 3 month training programme) but they do the job that MM wants them to do.
However, at every other camp I've been to I've never come across a guide that was 'too busy' to meet me when I arrived (bearing in mind MM don't have the extra 'support staff' some camps do). Cue mass confusion when his substitute sent me to the wrong dining area...not a good start!
Aug 13th, 2008 | 03:46 AM
#19
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Joined: Feb 2006
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rizzuto,
What camp were you staying in? It would have been far cheaper to stay four nights than three - no SS and a reduced rate.
I know the flights from Jo'burg to Londolozi cost me about £150 each way.
Do you know how much the private vehicle was?
Gary.
What camp were you staying in? It would have been far cheaper to stay four nights than three - no SS and a reduced rate.
I know the flights from Jo'burg to Londolozi cost me about £150 each way.
Do you know how much the private vehicle was?
Gary.
Aug 13th, 2008 | 04:28 AM
#20
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,396
Likes: 0
Hi Gary,
This would have been for Pioneer Camp. Interesting point about four nights costing less than three. I see that now on the Londolozi web site, though the agent who quoted me the 3-night price (which is what I'd asked for) didn't mention that 4 would be cheaper then 3.
I don't know the private vehicle cost. At this point, though, I would definitely prefer to have a private vehicle for fewer days than a shared vehicle. I certainly understand and recall well the amazement of 1st-timers, but I don't especially care to stop and and gape at every giraffe, buffalo, and (especially) sleeping lion that one comes across.
This would have been for Pioneer Camp. Interesting point about four nights costing less than three. I see that now on the Londolozi web site, though the agent who quoted me the 3-night price (which is what I'd asked for) didn't mention that 4 would be cheaper then 3.
I don't know the private vehicle cost. At this point, though, I would definitely prefer to have a private vehicle for fewer days than a shared vehicle. I certainly understand and recall well the amazement of 1st-timers, but I don't especially care to stop and and gape at every giraffe, buffalo, and (especially) sleeping lion that one comes across.
