10 May Luxury Aplenty at Big Five Game Lodge
Luxury Aplenty at Big Five Game Lodge
There are no “ifs” and “buts” about the luxury of our Big Five luxury game lodge or the lovely luxury offered to all our guests here in the Waterberg. As far as the fauna and flora of our private game reserve are concerned, they also enjoy the best that nature has to offer, because of the area’s rich diversity in terrain, unblemished landscapes, undisturbed status, and water resources – everything Mother Nature and her subjects need to live a life of luxury.
Wildlife in the Waterberg Area
The Waterberg is home to many animal species, most of which you will have the chance to see while staying at Fifty Seven Waterberg. These include:
- The beautiful Big Five – the so-called big game animals that everyone wants to see when staying at a Big Five game lodge. The Big Five are the lion, leopard, rhinoceros (both black and white species), elephant, and Cape buffalo.
- More than 50 mammal species – from large creatures, including the spotted as well as the brown hyena, and the hippopotamus, genets, serval and civet, to tiny elephant shrew species.
- A multitude of bird species, well in excess of 300, from raptors and birds of prey, to bee-eaters, honey guides, African spoonbill, endangered Cape vulture, a host of water birds, and umpteen other feathered friends.
- Reptiles – tortoise, terrapin, Nile crocodile, monitors, lizard and gecko, chameleon, snakes.
- Frogs – a variety of frog and toad species.
A Bit About the Big Five
No game safari will be completed without seeing the Big Five.
- The African elephant is the biggest land mammal in the world. Elephants appear peaceful, having a somewhat gentle, long-suffering but accepting expression, perhaps only in the eye of the imaginative beholder, because these mighty creatures have been hunted for their ivory. Moreover, true or not, “an elephant never forgets”. When elephant bulls are in musth or a person/vehicle gets between a female and her calf, these giants may charge anything or anyone who gets in the way.
- Cape buffalo were categorised among the Big Five because these animals were said by hunters of yesteryear to be the most dangerous wildlife to hunt. The Cape buffalo fits this description when any herd members are threatened or when the buffalo in question is injured. It may charge, hooking and goring the offending party with curved horns or breaking bones by trampling it to death. Even the kind of the jungle, the lion, have lost a battle or two against these short-tempered animals. Rangers will tell you that buffaloes are not to be messed with.
- African lion – the biggest of the big cats in South Africa. Lionesses do most of the hunting on behalf of the pride, but if bigger game, such as buffalo, hippo or giraffe is the prey, heavier male lions may join to help bring the prey down with their superior strength and body weight. A lioness will fight to the death to protect her cubs, but an entire litter seldom survives intact.
- African leopard – usually difficult to spot because of its solitary nature, dappled fur and preferred arboreal habitat, you have a good chance to see this cat at our Big Five game lodge.
- White rhino – don’t be misled by the rhino’s perceived clumsy, lumbering gait or poor eyesight. The rhino has an excellent sense of hearing and is capable of achieving up to 50 km/hr and its sense of direction is quite good too.
Big Five Game Lodge Luxury
Whether you are out on one of our Daily guided game drives, having a nap in your private, elegant suite or relaxing on the pool deck beside the sparkling infinity swimming pool, cold beverage in hand, we pride ourselves on the lovely luxury that surprises and delights guests at Fifty Seven – your preferred luxury Big Five game lodge.