December arrived with full summer force. The days got very hot, and the late afternoon thunderstorms became part of the flow of the month. Some storms were very intense, that parts of the reserve were flooded, leaving the roads muddy and soft. The bush turned into a patches of puddles and slippery tracks, and the animals enjoyed it more than anyone, mud wallowing was at its peak, and it felt as if the wildlife spa had officially opened for the season.

Migrating birds passed through Maloba, and the bee-eaters were especially active, showing their bright colors as they fly from tree to tree. The call of the northern black korhaan was noticeable around the reserve, a familiar sound of summer at Maloba.

At the lodge, December brought its own kind of energy. Christmas decorations went up, adding a warm and festive feeling to the days. Even with the heat and the storms, the lodge felt cheerful and lively, a perfect place to be at the end of the year.

Guests this month were treated to dramatic skies, glowing sunsets after the rain, and great wildlife activity around the lodge. December felt like a time where every day offered something new, whether it was a rainbow after a storm or the animal sounds throughout the days.

Between the storms, the birds, the mud, and the festive spirit, December at Maloba was full of movement and color, a perfect end to a year shaped by nature’s rhythms.