Wildlife Photography

Exploring Ngwenya Lodge’s Game Viewing Hides: A Wildlife Lover’s Dream

Exploring Ngwenya Lodge’s Game Viewing Hides: A Wildlife Lover’s Dream

Exploring Ngwenya Lodge’s Game Viewing Hides: A Wildlife Lover’s Dream

Ngwenya Lodge is known for its spectacular wildlife experiences, and one of the highlights of any stay is the chance to visit the resort’s well-placed game-viewing hides. These hides provide guests with an intimate, uninterrupted view of the wildlife along the Crocodile River, which borders the iconic Kruger National Park. Each hide offers a unique vantage point, making it easy to spot some of South Africa’s most beloved animals in their natural habitat. Let’s take a closer look at the different hides available at Ngwenya Lodge and what you can expect from each one.

Crocodile Sandbank Hide

Located just south of the restaurant and viewing deck, the Crocodile Sandbank hide offers one of the most picturesque views of the Crocodile River. A guided handrail leads you through dense vegetation, making for an exciting walk to this hide, which is nestled on the perimeter of the lodge’s grounds. From here, visitors can enjoy sweeping views into the Kruger National Park and watch as the river winds its way through the landscape.

This spot is a prime location for spotting large game. It’s not unusual to see elephants slowly making their way to the riverbanks for a drink or a swim. As the name suggests, crocodiles are also common sightings here, basking in the sun along the sandbanks. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the elusive lion, either lounging in the distance or prowling the edges of the river in search of prey.

Top Sightings:

  • Elephants
  • Crocodiles
  • Lions

Elephant Crossing Hide

To the north of the restaurant and perched on stilts is the Elephant Crossing hide, a birdwatcher’s paradise. Elevated to give visitors a fantastic view over the reed banks and floodplains of the Crocodile River, this hide is well-suited for those who appreciate both big game and the quieter beauty of birdlife.

The surrounding vegetation here is thick, creating the perfect environment for bird species to thrive. If you’ve brought your binoculars, prepare to spot a variety of birds flitting between the trees and across the riverbanks. Of course, the hide lives up to its name – elephants often make an appearance, crossing the river or grazing along its shores. Keep an eye out for waterbucks too, which frequently visit the area in small herds.

Top Sightings:

  • Elephants
  • Waterbucks
  • Bird Species

Lion’s Crossing Hide

For guests looking to venture a little farther south, Lion’s Crossing is the southernmost game-viewing hide on the property. A short flight of stairs takes you down to this protected hide, where you’ll be treated to a magnificent view of the Crocodile River. The shallow pools and rocky outcrops in this section of the river create small, scenic rapids, making it an ideal watering spot for many animals.

This hide is especially known for hippopotamuses lounging in the water or along the riverbanks. You’ll also spot a variety of antelope species coming to the water for a drink, and, of course, the ever-present elephants are frequently sighted here as well. This is one of the most serene and picturesque hides, perfect for taking in the calm of the river while waiting for the wildlife to appear.

Top Sightings:

  • Elephants
  • Hippopotamuses
  • Antelope Species

The Ngwenya Experience

Whether you’re an avid birder, a photography enthusiast, or simply someone looking to unwind and soak in nature’s beauty, the hides at Ngwenya Lodge offer something for everyone. With each hide offering its own unique view and selection of wildlife, no two visits are ever the same. So pack your camera, bring your binoculars, and prepare for an unforgettable experience as you witness some of South Africa’s most iconic animals up close.

Tips for Your Visit:

  • Be sure to visit each hide at different times of the day for the best variety of wildlife sightings.
  • Bring water, sun protection, and a camera to capture your wildlife encounters.
  • Keep noise to a minimum to avoid disturbing the animals – they’re more likely to approach if it’s peaceful.
  • Wear comfortable shoes, as you may need to walk short distances to reach some of the hides.

At Ngwenya, nature is just a few steps away from your front door, and these hides offer a truly immersive way to connect with the wild beauty of the Crocodile River.

Posted by Ngwenya Marketing in Environmental Conservation, Kruger National Park, Ngwenya Lodge, Ngwenya Sightings, 0 comments
Ngwenya Wildlife Photography Competition Winners

Ngwenya Wildlife Photography Competition Winners

We would like to extend a big shout-out and heaps of thanks to everyone who participated in the Ngwenya Wildlife Photography Competition! Your enthusiasm and undeniable talent transformed this competition into an extraordinary celebration of the awe-inspiring moments captured in the Kruger.

The inspiration behind this competition sprouted from the remarkable wildlife photos shared by our guests on social media. Witnessing the beauty of the Kruger National Park and Ngwenya Lodge through your lenses motivated us to create this opportunity for your photographic masterpieces to shine. The response to the competition was nothing short of incredible, and we are truly humbled by the wealth of creativity and passion displayed in each submission.

Without further ado, let’s give a virtual round of applause to our monthly winners!

March: Zahn Kruger

April: Vivienne Ruiter

May: Marijke Claassen

June: Zahn Kruger

July: Jackie Boshoff

August: Jordan Scorgie

September: Francois Smit

October: Daniélle Van Romburgh

November: Chris Rossouw

A sincere thank you to every participant for generously sharing your photos with us; it is your passion and enthusiasm that made this competition something special. Continue to capture and share your Ngwenya and Kruger moments, as we eagerly look forward to sharing them with the entire Ngwenya Lodge community!

Submit your photos to us via email or WeTransfer:

myholiday@ngwenya.co.zaWeTransfer

Posted by WSC_Dev in Kruger National Park, Ngwenya Lodge, 0 comments
Ngwenya Wildlife Photography Competition

Ngwenya Wildlife Photography Competition

Ngwenya Lodge is full of awe-inspiring pulchritude that provides an extra frisson of grandeur to every guest that drives past our welcome wall into their home-away-from home.  And the greatest source of all this magnificence is the abundant wildlife that occurs on the boundary of our unbeaten location. Being situated on the southern boundary of one of the biggest and best-known wildlife sanctuaries in the world – the Kruger National Park – has provided our guests with an unmatched game-viewing and birding experience without even having to leave the Resort gates, so guests never miss an opportunity to capture and share in these special game-viewing experiences.

We have seen all of your photos of herds of elephants with their calves in tow, crocodiles sunning themselves down along the riverbanks and the eagle dominating the sky with its majestic wingspan, and we thought we’d just have a bit of fun with all of you and host a photo competition on our Facebook page where you get to share your best and favourite wildlife photos with us for a chance of being featured as our Facebook cover photo for an entire month!

All you need to do is submit your favourite top-quality high-resolution photographic masterpieces to us at myholiday@ngwenya.co.za or via WeTransfer and we’ll choose the best ones to feature on our page for every month in 2023! Who doesn’t love bragging rights?

Competition Rules:

  1. Poor quality photos and videos will be disqualified.

Take note:

– Images submitted must be in high-resolution only.

– Images submitted must be above 1MB in size; any images below that size will not be accepted.

– Images and videos submitted which are pixellated or blurry will not be accepted.

– Images and videos submitted via Facebook or Instagram will not be considered. Please email or WeTransfer all submissions.

  1. Imagery submitted should only reflect wildlife and holidays at Ngwenya Lodge and the Kruger National Park; no photos of other holidays or at other game and wildlife facilities will be accepted.
  2. By entering this competition, the participant warrants that the submissions do not violate any copyright, nor the rights of any third person.
  3. By entering this competition, the participant agrees to give Ngwenya Lodge, as well as all affiliate companies, unrestricted access to make use of the submissions for marketing purposes, even if they are not the winning entries.
  4. Ngwenya Lodge reserves the right to cancel this competition at any time, if deemed necessary.
  5. The judges’ decision is final.

Sounds pretty simple, right? So start scrolling through your camera rolls and show us your best captures. We can’t wait to see them:

myholiday@ngwenya.co.za | WeTransfer

Posted by WSC_Dev in Kruger National Park, Ngwenya Lodge, Ngwenya Sightings, Wildlife