April 2025

April has come and gone leaving us with noticeably shorter days and longer nights. Our Sunrise is currently at 6:35 and setting at 17:46, allowing for a little bit of extra snooze time before the morning game drives. Our Temperatures averaging at highs of 25’C (77’F) and lows of 13’C (55’F). We have had a few decent showers of rain with a total of 104mm for April.

With the season change there has been a change of pace in terms of game viewing. The animals’ routines have not been very predictable and have made it a little more challenging to find them. But that just makes us appreciate the moments when we do get to find certain animals at certain times of the year. The grass is especially tall this year and spotting animals can get a little bit trickier. I suppose it is a good reminder to slow down, switch off and observe for a little while longer. You could be staring across the open plains where it seems there may be little to no life, until you see the flick of a lion’s tail, or the Wildebeest popping up to sneak a peak at what approaches. Or maybe you will see the Jackals leaping through the tall grass, disappearing and reappearing as the try to keep up with each other. You could even be stuck behind a herd of Zebra, as they refuse to move off of the dry and spacious road and into the damp grass.

It has also been a treat to get what could possibly be a last sighting of the Wild Dogs, as the Alpha female from the Bates pack is very pregnant, and normally by this time of the year they are already lingering close to their den-site and it could be months before we get to spend some quality time with them again.

With the dry season underway, the colours of the bush slowly changing from greens to browns and the thickets getting easier to see through, we look forward to what we may find out there. It really is a beautiful time of the year. The cooler weather is no issue when you have those extra layers and a hot water bottle to accompany you with the beautiful Autumn sunrise to warm your skin as we head out to see what the bush has in store for us. Let’s not forget the nostalgic scent of the fireplace smoke that finds you along the road guiding you back to the lodge for dinner.

Until next time!

The Mateya Team