Animals we encountered in 2024

December 2024

It is now almost a year ago that we gave an overview on our blog about all the animals we saw in 2023. Our wish then was that we hope to improve on the animal sightings in 2024 (read here).

Did we manage to get it right? Well, we think so! Our visits to game lodges and two different national parks this year gave our animal sightings a bit of a boost.

Even though you’ve seen most of these photos throughout the year, it’s fun to now put them all in one post. Sit back and enjoy all the animals with us again.

  • Thali Thali Game Lodge, Langebaan (December 2023)

Although we visited Thali Thali Game Lodge in December last year, that happened after we posted our Animals 2023 post. So, on a technicality, we are including this visit in today’s post.

My brother and his family who live in the UK visited us last December and they wanted to see wildlife. And at Thali Thali Game Lodge just outside Langebaan they got exactly that. It was especially great to see the buffaloes and giraffes up close.

The mighty buffalo

Giraffes

Cape Eland (left) and Wildebeest (right)

Bontebok (left) and emus (right)

We ended our visit at Thali Thali Game Lodge with a herd of springboks. We have seen springboks often this year and they remain one of my favourite antelopes in South Africa.

Springbok

You can read the full story of our visit here.

  • Langebaan (January 2024)

One of the most popular birds that we encountered this year were guinea fowls. They are native to Africa and you always hear them long before you see them. It was great to see them (and their babies) next to our house on the day we left Langebaan after our Christmas holiday. It felt as if they came to see us off (and also showed off their babies).

Guinea fowls

You can read about that morning here.

  • Katberg Mountain Resort & Hotel, Winterberg Mountains (February 2024)

Katberg is better known for their golf course with breathtaking views and an old world charm hotel than a place you want to visit to see animals.

But on the way there we saw cattle on the side of the road. This is the one animal here in the Eastern Cape Province that always uses their time to walk across busy roads – it’s as if the province’s traffic department has appointed them to keep motorists within the speed limit!

Cattle next to the road

On our morning walk around the golf course we not only had breathtaking views, but we also saw various antelopes. Bontebok and Springboks moved swiftly in large herds on the golf course and we had many opportunities to take pictures of them.

Bontebok (left) and Springbok (right)

You can read about our weekend stay at Katberg Mountain Resort & Hotel here.

  • Areena Riverside Resort, Wild Coast (February 2024)

Our first camping experience in the Eastern Cape Province kicked off on a high note. We camped at Areena along the Kwelera River and really enjoyed the tranquility. We were lucky to see quite a few animals that moved through the camp grounds during our stay.

Bunny and small bushbuck

Beautiful Nyala a few steps from our tent

Between the two gates through which one drives to reach Areena, there are usually animals along the road. We saw so many animals, it almost felt like we were on a safari.

Bontebok and Ostriches

There is even a pony and ducks

Zebras

You can read about our first camping experience in the Eastern Cape Province here.

  • Morgan Bay, Wild Coast (March 2024)

Morgan Bay was our second camping destination and here we mostly enjoyed the river and sea views. However, animals were not excluded and our daily visitor was a friendly dog ​​who came to visit us as soon as we started preparing our meals – smart dog!

Our camp friend

On our strolls we saw the most beautiful little crab, as well as riders on horses who came to walk on the beach.

Tiny crab and horses

To read about this and to see a stunning sunrise, click here.

  • Yellow Sands Caravan Park (March 2024)

Yellow Sands is probably our favourite campsite – as some of you already know we will be camping here for three weeks during our Christmas holiday this year.

Our animal sightings included a bunny (they clearly love this coastal region), birds and another crab (but not as pretty as the one at Morgan Bay).

Bunny and guinea fowls

More birds and a crab

To read about our first camping experience at Yellow Sands, click here.

  • Sodwana Bay, North Coast (April 2024)

With Berto scuba diving in Sodwana Bay, it was a given that marine life would be a large part of our animal sightings. The only land animals were monkeys who kept a close eye on us when we enjoyed our meals outside.

Naughty monkey

I would love to share all the photos of the different fish with you again, but here are just a few of the most beautiful ones.

Colourful fish

More fish

Big school of fish

The highlights were probably the large Loggerhead sea turtle among the divers and the dolphins that swam alongside the boat.

Loggerhead sea turtle and dolphins close to the boat

To read about Berto’s scuba diving adventures in Sodwana Bay, click here, here and here.

  • Trennerys Hotel & Trevor’s Trails, Wild Coast (April 2024)

With our visit to Trennerys, we just realised once again how beautiful the Wild Coast is. On an early morning walk we watched two Black oystercatchers who were enjoying the beach.

Black oystercatchers

While hiking The Gate Trail with Trevor’s Trails, we not only had beautiful views of the rolling green hills, but also saw animals. And even though we only saw a lovely dog ​​and herd of cattle in the field, they still count among our animal sightings for 2024.

Lovely dog in the field

Cattle

To read about Trennerys Hotel and our hike on Trevor’s Trails, click here and here.

  • The Shire Eco Lodge, Stutterheim (May 2024)

At The Shire Eco Lodge, our visit was more about the unique accommodation and “fruits of the forest” we saw on our forest hikes.

We did come across a beautiful horse and also a spider in a big web that blocked our hiking path. The horse was friendly, but we were quite wary of the spider.

Horse and spider

To read about The Shire Eco Lodge and our hikes, click here and here.

  • Addo Elephant National Park (June 2024)

We were very surprised on our first visit to the Addo Elephant National Park that there were more than just elephants!

Beautiful elephant

You may remember the two stories of the little elephant calves that we shared with you – they made us laugh, but also had us worried for a moment!

Two elephant calves that melted our hearts

The rescue mission

As I mentioned above, we saw so many other animals than just elephants. It was such a privilege to be able to visit this park.

Zebra and Kudu

Black rhino

Red Hartebeest and Cape buffalo

Warthog and Ostrich

Elephants, Zebras & Kudu’s in one photo – beautiful Addo Elephant NP

To read about our wonderful visit to the Addo Elephant National Park, click here, here, here and here.

  • Velddrif & Saldanha, West Coast (July 2024)

During our visit to our home town, Langebaan, we made time to also visit the neighbouring towns. Here we came across several birds. The beautiful flamingos were a sight to behold and no visit is complete without seagulls. But we didn’t expect the geese on the beach at all.

Flamingos in Velddrif

Seagulls are a familiar sight on the West Coast

Geese on the beach at Saldanha was a surprise to find

To read about our visits to Velddrif and Saldanha on the West Coast of South Africa, click here and here.

  • Outspan Safaris and Lodge, Wild Coast (August 2024)

At Outspan, our main purpose was not necessarily to see animals, but to enjoy the breathtaking views. But Stuart’s dog, Turbo made us laugh with his unquenchable energy and the late afternoon drive through Tyityaba Nature Reserve delivered lovely wildlife sightings.

The loveable Turbo

Zebra and Blesbok

Impala (left) and Bushbuck (right)

To read about our lovely weekend at Outspan Safaris and Lodge, click here, here and here.

  • Balloch Cottages, Barkly East (August 2024)

At Balloch Cottages we were just looking forward to camping in a cave – that was pretty amazing. The horses on our hike were a bonus and the two farm dogs (Ches and Doug) made for a lovely story.

Horses in the Witteberg Mountains

Ches (left) and Doug (right)

If you want to read about our amazing cave camp and hike, click here and here.

  • Mountain Zebra National Park (September 2024)

As with Addo Elephant NP which did not only have elephants, Mountain Zebra NP did not only have zebras.

There were definitely zebras

We saw a lot of other wildlife too. Several antelopes, ostriches, baboons, the cute ground squirrel and also birds. And then of course there were those four lionesses who posed so beautifully for us. It was a weekend full of wonderful wildlife sightings!

From left to right: Eland, Springbok and Blesbok

Blue Crane and Ostrich

Chacma baboons

Kudu (left) and Red Hartebeest (right)

Four lionesses

Gemsbok (left) and Black Wildebeest (right)

Ground Squirrel

If you want to read about our weekend full of wildlife sightings, click here and here.

  • Mazeppa Bay, Wild Coast (October 2024)

We may not remember Mazeppa Bay for its animal sightings, but rather for the challenging drives there and back. But we did see animals – the cat that ate our grilled fish and two hungry dogs that we gave our last bit of food to.

Animals that touched our hearts at Mazeppa Bay

The only pedestrians in Mazeppa Bay were a herd of cattle walking down the only road. If it’s tranquility and beautiful scenery you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it at Mazeppa Bay.

Herd of cattle in the street at Mazeppa Bay

If you want to read about this eventful weekend, click here, here, here and here.

If you’re still here, well done! This is the end of a very, very long post about our animal sightings for 2024.

Of course we wonder about 2025, but whatever the new year holds for us, we’re sure there will be many animals in our posts again.