Shongololo Tented Safari Camp

27/04/2026

𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒

Many of you know Amber and Chris as the owners behind Shongololo Tented Safari Camp. We wanted to share a personal update on what they have been facing behind the scenes.

Chris has been dealing with serious health challenges, including severe dizziness, falls, and complications related to his medications after his heart failure episode and stent placement in January. We live 6 hours away from the cardiologist and we had significant difficulty getting medical guidance. So, Chris had to travel back to Pretoria for a follow-up with his doctor where a new arrhythmia was discovered requiring further monitoring and more medications. He is still dizzy a lot and has fallen twice since he arrived back from the doctor (see photos below). The episodes scared me to death😭

At the same time, the financial strain has continued to grow. Additional bills from multiple specialists and laboratories are still coming in, totaling another $9,000 so far.

Despite all of this, they continue working to build and share this special place with guests from around the world.

If you would like to support them during this time, it would mean more than words can express.🫶🩷

The link to the Go Fund Me is in the comments.

15/04/2026

Nyala are my absolute favorite and I hope I get to witness this incredible display in person sometime soon. ❤️🦌

23/03/2026

When the itch hits just right… 😅

Ever had that one spot you just cannot reach?

This impala has clearly mastered the art of the perfect scratch — flexibility level: expert.

Out here in the bush, it is not always about survival… sometimes it is just about relief.

We have all been there. 🤣🤣🤣

20/03/2026

15/03/2026

13/03/2026

𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗚𝗚𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦?! 🐜

We saw a strange wildlife headline this week.

A man was arrested in Kenya for attempting to smuggle nearly 𝟮,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 out of the country.

Yes… ants.

At first we wondered the same thing many people probably did — 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀?

After a little digging we learned there is a growing global hobby called 𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴, where collectors raise entire colonies in glass habitats called formicariums. Since a single 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀, rare queens can sell for surprising amounts of money.

But there is a bigger issue.

If non-native ants are introduced into new environments, they can become 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀, displacing local insects and disrupting ecosystems.

Ants are 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 — moving soil, dispersing seeds, controlling pests, and feeding countless other animals.

Even the smallest creatures play a role in keeping the African bush healthy.

Next time you are on safari, pause for a moment and watch an ant trail.

You are looking at one of nature’s most organized societies.🧡🐜🤠

Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash.

11/03/2026

🦜 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐲

Two of the most colorful birds we see around camp are rollers, and sometimes we are lucky enough to see two different species in the same area.

The 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐜-𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 is a year-round resident here in the Greater Kruger region. With its lilac chest, turquoise wings, and flashes of deep blue, it is often called one of Africa’s most beautiful birds. These birds usually stay in the same territory for years, watching from a perch before diving down to catch insects, lizards, or small rodents.

The 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫, on the other hand, is a traveler. Many of the birds we see here migrate all the way from Europe and western Asia to spend the summer in southern Africa.

So when you see both in the same landscape, you are actually looking at one local resident and one international migrant sharing the same hunting grounds.

Nature never stops being amazing.

Have you ever seen a roller before?

07/03/2026

DNA fingerprinting convicts Zimbabwe lion poachers in landmark case

/ By Spoorthy Raman /

Prosecutors in Zimbabwe used lion DNA forensics for the first time to successfully convict two people for poaching and trafficking a male lion near Hwange National Park.

Investigators analyzed DNA from confiscated lion parts and were able to match it to a radio-collared lion in their database that was killed in 2024.

Proving that the seized parts came from a poached wild lion provided the evidence that sent the two poachers to prison for two years.

Experts say DNA forensics provide invaluable proof in hard-to-prosecute wildlife crimes, and this recent conviction sets a precedent for bringing poachers to justice in court using the forensic technology.

Full story: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/dna-fingerprinting-convicts-zimbabwe-lion-poachers-in-landmark-case/.

26/02/2026

We love all creatures, big and small here at Shongololo Tented Safari Camp. This poor little guy was rolled up in one of our luxury safari tent window flaps. When we unrolled it, he fell out. 😟 But, don’t worry, we relocated to a more suitable environment! 🫶🏼😉🐸

25/02/2026

Today was elephant day here! So many ellies and babies 🐘❤️🐘❤️