Over the recent long weekend I spent two days at Mhondoro Safari Lodge in the Welgevonden Game Reserve, which is in the Waterberg region of Limpopo. This trip amazed me in several ways, the first of which was how close Welgevonden is to Joburg (about two-and-a-half hours), and the second of which was how luxurious and fantastic Mhondoro is. It’s definitely one of the top three nicest (if not the nicest) safari lodges I’ve ever been to.
The third most amazing thing about Welgevonden was, of course, the animals.
I’ll have a lot more to say about Mhondoro in my next post. But I don’t want my cheetah hunt story to get lost in the shuffle of that post so I’m telling it here.
I have been a travel writer in Africa for nearly a decade and during that time I have participated in dozens, if not hundreds, of game drives and bush walks and other wildlife viewing experiences. But the Holy Grail of wildlife viewing — watching big cats on a hunt — eluded me until my trip to Welgevonden.
Cheetahs on the Hunt in Welgevonden
Spoiler alert: I didn’t see anything kill anything else. (I’m not sure that’s something I want to see anyway, as I imagine I’d feel very distressed. But Circle of Life and all that.) I did, however, see a family of cheetahs racing across the plains in pursuit of a herd of blesbok. It was the closest I’ve seen to a live Sir David Attenborough documentary.
And that was it. Our guide later told us the cheetahs caught and devoured their blesbok but no one (at least no humans) saw it happen because it was too far from the road.
We had several more great sightings during our visit to Mhondoro — stay tuned for the next post.
My visit to Mhondoro was complimentary. Opinions expressed are mine.
Also I’m doing Pinterest now. If you like this post, please save the image below.
Incredible photography! I’ve never seen a kill either but I must have arrived at the scene of one just moments after it happened. Mother Nature at work. One can only marvel.
There are so many different crazy things to see on a game drive. I once saw a herd of wild dogs eating an elephant carcass in Botswana. Also not a kill but still insane!
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That is so cool. I’m surprised the comparatively little Mama Cheetah was able to drive off the large lion, though.
Well I think if the lion really wanted to kill her he would. (Although cheetahs aren’t actual lion prey — apparently lions just occasionally kill cheetahs for sport, or maybe for territorial reasons.) She was just doing her best to discourage him from coming near her cubs. It was so interesting watching the cubs — they were on high alert watching her off in the distance while also trying to stay halfway hidden just in case.
I guess he’d have to catch her first. And she’d lead him far, far away from the cubs in the process.
Yeah exactly.
thank you for the beautiful pictures! and how are your two cheetahs, the Melville cat and the Midget? it’s been a while….
They’re good! You’re right they need to post.
Cheetahs are so beautiful. I’m sure it was pure magic to see them up close…and she’s off to conquer these Pintersts lands – ahoy!
Hahaha. Undecided on Pinterest ????
Wow! It must have been a great sight but I am not sure I have it in me to see the kill (even-though I am a true crime fan). I love how unusual your posts are. I know I am always in for a treat whenever I check your blog ????
Aw, thanks so much Kal!