Exploring Africa...and beyond.

Storms River

2015-01-16T05:31:00.001-08:00

Well, I am back to blogging after a very extended maternity break. :) We visited Sorms River Mouth during our annual holiday and took a leisurely stroll to the suspension bridge. This is not a hike. It is only one kilometer to the suspension bridge and another kilometer back. The entire walk is in the shade and footpath/walkway is constructed of reclaimed plastic.

That being said the area is beautiful. The power of the ocean can be heard and felt in every step you take and the natural indigenous vegetation provide a beautiful canopy of shade to walk under.

We have to stick to the shorter hikes for a while as we now have a hiking buddy with short legs who tend to get tired rather quickly and is not so good with the steps.

The suspension bridges are amazing and surprisingly sturdy. They offer canoe rides on the river as well as boat trips.

On the way back we were treated to some local wildlife. :)

Beaverlac Part 2

2012-06-28T00:39:00.001-07:00

Day 2 of our Beaverlac adventure and the sun got us out of bed real early! By 09h00 the temperature was rising and we decided to search for more rock pools. We soon found what we were looking for...

We spent most of the morning in and around this pool. This is truely the perfect spot to relax and get away from it all. You can even bring your dog.

We reluctantly returned to camp and started packing for the journy home. Before we did that though there was time for a quick ice cream. There is always time for ice cream. :)

We made one short stop on our way home, just to say good buy. But next year we will be back.

Beaverlac

2012-06-13T08:03:00.003-07:00

Ok, we are finally back in Cape Town. our December holiday was absolutely fantastic but it is always good to be home. We were so blessed to be home safe and sound. :)

Our first adventure of the new year came in the form of a weekend in Beaverlac.

http://www.beaverlac.co.za/Default.aspx

Our destination is high up in the Olifants River Mountains above Porterville in the Western Cape. The farm is situated in a secluded 5000 hectare valley surrounded by mountains and is blessed with two rivers, the Ratel (Honey Badger) and the Olifants. It took us about one and a half hours to drive to Beaverlac. Once you hit the steep mountain pass and descend into the valley below the sun sets quickly.

Camping Fees per night
Age 12 to Adult: R45
Age 4 to 11: R25
Under 3: Free
Plus R15 per car entrance fee
R40 per dog per night

No day visitors are allowed at Beaverlac.
I could only get off work late this meant that we ended up pitching our 3 tents in the dark! :( ad to this that there is no electricity in the camp site and we were in for a tough hour. Luckily S and I are a finely tuned machine when in comes to pitching a tent so we made light work of the chore. Soon we had our fire lit and our meat cooking away. :)

When morning came it we saw that our others also aparently had to pitch their tent by the light of the moon.... mmm obviously with little success. :)

Soon the sun was baking down on us and we decided to head to the closest rock pool we can find. A mere 5 minute walk from the campsite.

We spent most of the morning, afternoon and evening hippoing it in the water. Floating around on the poolnoodle to lazy to swim to hot to make much of an effort. The temperature rose to well into the 40's and we did not have the guts to venture far from the water.

When the bottom pool became a bit crowded we packed up our things and pool-hopped up the river in search of a quiet corner and some shade. There are no trees growing along the river, nor do you see lush green plants and flowers growing here. It is simply to hot for any type of vegetation to survive on it's own. Yet I find it strangely beautifull.

Humans are definatelly not designed to hike in such heat so we made quite a few stops along the river for a swim or a beer or just a well deserved rest.

The flowers and plants that survive here are specially adapted to the environment and does not seem to be fased by the scorching sun...

To be continued...

Roadblock

2012-05-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

When travelling through the Kruger park you will eventually run into a roadblock. Some roadblocks are lots of fun, some are exciting, some can be very sad and then there are always some that are a little bit dangerous.

Today I would like to share a few of our roadblocks with you.

There are 23 000 zebra in the park and they always seem to be well fed. I have never seen a zebra with a bony ass. No wonder lions love chomping down on those juicy buns. :)

This Giraffe actually came running from behind passed our car and kept on running down the middle of the road. I kept on waiting for whatever was chasing it to appear through the bush, but no such luck.

Zebra and Giraffes are nice and it is always good to see them up close but some road blocks are extra special. Sometimes in the early morning when you manage to be one of the first cars out of the gate you might just find a lion or two soaking up the latent heat from the tarmac.

Elephants are always trouble when you meet them on the road. The most dangerous elephants are the big males in must. We once had a big old bull chase us down the road for almost a kilometre. He just kept walking towards the car until eventually he got bored of the game and disappeared into the bush.

Sometimes I wish the roadblock lasts for ever. Especially when one of my favourite animals are involved.

Then of course there are the sad ones. When animals and cars meet there will always be death and even the Kruger has its fare share of roadkill.

Baboons love the road and if you are not careful they will open the door and join the children on the back seat. :)

Moholoholo

2012-05-17T08:22:00.002-07:00

Moholoholo means "The Very Great One" and this is indeed a fact! During our December holiday we had the privilege to spend one night in Moholoholo. More specifically in one of their Mountain View Chalets. I can definitely recommend this to each and every one.
http://www.moholoholo.co.za/home

We arrived late at the gate but was greeted and given directions to our cottage by a very friendly employee.

The chalets are surrounded by bushveld and there are various animals about. On the way to our bungalow we saw rhino and njala but the area is also home to the od leopard and a couple of hippo's. (all rehabilitated at the centre). Our bungalow was also very comfortable.

After a very quick trip to Hoedspruit to stock up on supplies we soon started a fire and enjoyed the sights and smells of the bush.

The following morning we were up early and enjoyed a wonderfully prepared breakfast. After breakfast we headed for Moholoholo's Rehabilitation Centre. (About 15km away)
http://www.moholoholo.co.za/WILDLIFE-REHABILITATION-CENTRE.htm

The Rehab Centre offers a home for many of South Africa’s abandoned, injured and poisoned wildlife and is a great contributor to wildlife education in our country.

Wherever possible, rehabilitated birds and animals are returned to the wild and those who are not so fortunate due to the nature and extent of their problems are used for educational talks to the many people who visit us each year both from across South Africa and abroad. Interaction between our animals and visitors to Moholoholo is permitted under controlled conditions.

I must say that a visit to the Rehabilitation Centre is an absolute must! The entrance fee was only R100 and we got to spend a good 2 hours in the company of some of our favourite animals with a very informative guide.

The highlight of my visit was being able to touch a baby black Rhino! A dream come true...

Stiaan's highlight was watching the antics of Sarel the resident Honey Badger and escape artist.

We also saw many other creatures...

This eagle has only only one wing because it flew into some power cables. He will never fly again and is a permanent resident at the centre.

These vultures are recovering after being poisoned and will soon be released. :)

We also got to meet some animal ambassadors, like this cheetah....

and leopard.

And of course what would a visit to Africa be without a lion!

We both agreed that Moholoholo is a definite must see and we WILL return. Sooner rather than later.

Three times the view

2012-04-03T10:55:00.040-07:00

At the northern end of the mighty Drakensberg Range, and standing sentry at one end of the Blyde River Canyon is the most famous - and photographed - attraction in the region, the Three Rondavels.

The harder rock layers on top eroded slower than the underlying softer layers of stone, which resulted in rock formations which resemble African rondavels.

A rondavel (from the Afrikaans word 'rondawel') is a westernised version of the African-style hut.
The rondavel is usually round or oval in shape and is traditionally made with materials that can be locally found in raw form.

The views here is spectacular and small circular walk takes you to all the best spots allowing you to get a good look at not only the rondawels but also the countryside as a whole.

As we got back into the car and headed towards our accommodation for the night we could not help smiling. This truly is the Garden of Eden; the cradle of man kind.

Bourke's Luck

2012-03-27T09:48:00.003-07:00

As we were driving along the Panorama route I could not help feeling pride in being a South African. We are so blessed to be living in such a diverse and beautifull country. We need to protect what is ours. Keep our rivers free of pollution, protect our indegenous flora against foreign murderous plants and protect our wildlife and especially rhino's against evil poachers!

Bourke's Luck Potholes, were named after prospector Tom Bourke who discovered alluvial gold in the area during the late 1880's Their formation is a natural phenomenon created by the swirling river water.

Located approximately 35 km north of the town of Graskop, the site has grown in popularity as one of the province's best tourist destinations. The potholes which lie at the confluence of the Treur and Blyde rivers, were formed millions of years ago by the swirling of sand and pebbles, which resulted in the carving of the potholes into the underlying riverbed.

The site is managed by the Mpumalanga Parks Board and a nominal entrance fee applies. A 700 m long circular path, with a number of pedestrian bridges over the river direct visitors towards the best vantage points.

The Potholes are really impressive and you can spend hours walking around and admiring the intricate and beautifull rock formations. The paths and lookout points are well looked after and very clean. The toilets were clean and well stocked with toiletpaper. (always important) Just like all the other tourist sites in the area the parking lot is dotted with stalls selling locan handicrafts.

Bourke's Luck should definatelly be a must see on every tourist itenerary. :)

Where Angels Tread

2012-03-11T00:26:00.001-08:00

Today is a big day with a lot of sightseeing on our itinerary. From Pilgrim's Rest we headed back up the mountain towards Graskop.

Our first stop was The Pinnacle. An impressive finger rock in the centre of a deep ravine complete with waterfall. (Yes another one!) On this particular day the fog was pretty dense which made for an ominous looking Pinnacle.

On a clear day the view is quite different...

There are various lookout points allowing you to see the 'big rock' from different angles. A short hike will take you around to the opposite cliff face for a nice view of the before mentioned waterfall.

Before we could reach the other side though we had to cross the small river. Careful now, you do not want to slip and and tumble over the edge...

The next stop along our route is known as God's Window. From the parking area it is a short but steep hike to 'The Garden of Eden'. Once you pass through the 'Garden' the vegetation opens up offering you a spectacular view of the Canyon.

Luckily for the not so fit there are many other vantage points along the way...

All of the pictures above was taken by me on previous visits. On this day when Stiaan and I visited all we could see was this...

At least we managed to see a 'Love Leaf" :)

Next stop Burke's Luck!

Pilgrims Rest

2012-03-10T05:28:00.000-08:00

Pilgrim"s Rest is a small town in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa which has been declared a national monument. After it was officially declared a gold field in September 1873, it suddenly grew to 1500 inhabitants searching for alluvial gold. It was a real boom town and is said to have had street lights before London England. Quite an accomplishment for a small mining village somewhere near the end of the earth.

Mining was closed down in 1971 and the village sold to the government as a national museum. The town's original architecture remains largely unchanged since then.

All of the original buildings have been beautifully restored and turned into museums or curio shops. It is a real treat walking here. Surrounded by history. The Garage houses some old cars and motorcycles. I can not believe that these made it up the mountain we just came down!

Every visitor to the town is encouraged to have a drink at the Royal Hotel Bar. We simply had to follow tradition.

After more than a couple of drinks in the bar and an absolutely delicious lunch in the Hotel Restaurant we decided to spend the night in the Royal Hotel. Besides it was still raining outside and we did not feel like pitching our tent in the rain AGAIN!

Walking around after breakfast the following morning we came across the old Methodist Church where services are held every Sunday

Strolling though the old Graveyard we came across the old Robbers Grave. Emblazoned simply with a cross and the large type words of Robbers Grave. It is as the name suggests the grave of a robber who was convicted of stealing a tent from one of the miners. A tent represented a 'home' so was the most valuable of any of the individuals belongings. Stealing this tent was a most grievous crime and the punishment was meted out in the extreme. The young man was subsequently banished from the town. A few days after his trial, the thief was spotted on the hill overlooking the town. Now known as Cemetery Hill, this is where the robber was shot, killed and buried. His grave was placed north-south to brand him a thief forever. All the other graves in the cemetery are oriented east-west.

Beautiful Meander

2012-03-10T03:27:00.001-08:00

We left the Kruger park and went on exploring the beautiful lowveld area surrounding the Kruger.

The Panorama Route is one of the most beautiful and popular travel destinations in South Africa. It leads through the rugged mountain range of the northern Drakensberg in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The Panorama Route passes the noth-eastern part of the Great Escarpment, the inland plateau declines abruptly and steeply and opens up fantastic views of the plains of the Lowveld a thousand meters below. The great view is unfortunatelly often impaired by a barrier of clouds coming from the east up the escarpment.

I have been to this area many times and it is only on one or two occations that I manages to sneak a cloudless view of the area. BUT when the clouds do part the view is worth the wait and simply spectacular!

Our first stop along the famed route was the MacMac falls. The Falls is located about 13km outside the town of Sabie on the road towards Graskop. The parking offers a chance to do a bit of shopping and the many curio stalls. A steep walk along a cement pathway takes you to the viewing platform above the falls.

The 65m high MacMac Falls in the Mac Mac River is a declared National Monument. This waterfall was originally a single stream, but gold miners blasted it with dynamite to divert the river in an attempt to work the rich gold-bearing reef over which it plunges.

There are countless waterfalls along the Panorama Route. Including the Berlin and Lisbon falls. You can spend days exploring the area on foot, by boat, by road or on a bycicle. The outdoor activity options in the area is endless.

BUT it is not just the waterfalls that take your breath away, the Blyde River Canyon has a lot more to offer than just water.

After our visit to Mac Mac we headed for Pilgrims Rest. From Sabi you turn off the main road and head over the ridge to be faced with a steap downward spiraling road leading down the mountain towards the small mining town, not a National Heratage Site. This is a beautifull landscape, but back then it prooved to also be a dangerous one.

The history of the Pilgrim's Rest gold fields date back to ancient times when unknown miners worked the quartz reefs for gold. Evidence of ther diggings can still be found throughout northern and eastern Africa and Zimbabe.

Stiaan and I both love history and especially South African history. We just had to stop and the old dig site on the way to Pilgrim's Rest.

Voortrekker Monument

2012-02-29T04:18:00.002-08:00

The majestic Voortrekker Monument is situated in the northern part of South Africa in the Pretoria (Tshwane) region in a nature reserve. It is a unique Monument which commemorates the Pioneer history of Southern Africa and the history of the Afrikaner and is situated in a beautiful setting. Today it is the most visited heritage site of its kind in Gauteng and one of the top ten cultural historical visitor attractions in the country.

As South Africans, as Afrikaners (Afrikaans speaking South Africans) we felt it our duty to visit this monument. Built in loving memory of the greatest of all expeditions. The Great Trek.

Physically, the Voortrekker Monument is 40 metres high, with a base of 40 metres by 40 metres. The building has strong architectural resemblance to German monuments, in particular the Völkerschlachtdenkmal in Leipzig.

The Voortrekker Monument is not a fancy structure, it does not have huge fresco's or elaborate decorations. It represents exactly the afrikaner people. We are strong, practical and to the point. We are proud and hard working. We have suffered many setbacks but we have survived, prospered even. Through the years we played our part in shaping this country.

The Voortrekker Monument is surrounded by a circular wall engraved with wagons—a depiction of the historical Trekker practice of "circling the wagons" during defense under attack.

At the foot of the Monument stands Anton van Wouw's bronze sculpture of a Voortrekker woman and her two children, paying homage to the strength and courage of the Voortrekker women.

The huge granite structure is guarded by the 4 pillars of the Great Trek. Four men who lead the boers, men who not only acted as path finders but proved themselves as war hero's. Their faith in God guided them and kept the members of their trek safe. They showed courage in the face of adversity. These men will always be remembered as hero's.

When you enter though the doors of the monument you are surrounded by a carved pictorial. Telling the story of the Great Trek.

The Cenotaph, situated in the centre of the Cenotaph Hall, is the central focus of the monument. In addition to being viewable from the Hall of Heroes it can also be seen from the dome at the top of the building, from where much of the interior of the monument can be viewed. Through an opening in this dome a ray of sunlight shines at twelve o'clock on 16 December annually, falling onto the centre of the Cenotaph, striking the words 'Ons vir Jou, Suid-Afrika' (Afrikaans for 'We for Thee, South Africa'). The ray of light is said to symbolise God's blessing on the lives and endeavours of the Voortrekkers. December 16, 1838 was the date of the Battle of Blood River, commemorated in South Africa before 1994 as the Day of the Vow.

From the hall of hero's you can go up the stairs to the very top of the dome or for the faint of heart you can go up just a few stories and walk around to the viewing deck. The rugged architecture of the building is quite impressive. The views from here is great. We could even make out the Union Buildings in the far distance.

Visiting the Voortrekker monument made me feel like a pilgrim. I strongly feel that it is a must for every Afrikaans speaking South African to visit this place. To honour and remember those brave people who came before us and shaped our country.

Ringing out from our blue heavens

From our deep seas breaking ground

Over ever lasting mountains, where the echoing grace resounds

From a place where creaky wagons, cut their trails into the earth

Calls the spirit of our country of the land that gave us birth!

At thy call we shall not falter,

Firm and steadfast we shall stand,

At thy will we live or perish

O' South Africa

dear Land

Rhino Walk

2012-02-15T02:38:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about Berg en Dal camp and one of the reasons I chose this camp was the fact that it had a 'hiking trail'. The trail covers the perimeter of the camp hugging the fence closely. You can see all kinds of animals on this walk.

On our last evening we decided to see what the Rhino walk was all about. The route is clearly marked with Rhino-footprints. :) A nice little touch.

We took some water and our cameras and off we went.

The vegetation on either side of the fence is very lush and the big trees are quite overhanging. I kept thinking that leopards were good at climbing trees. Some of the trees had little electrical hats to prevent this from happening, but they did not seem to set my mind to rest.

Out first sighting was a terrapin,

We then saw this unidentified beetle clinging for dear life to the fence.

Another Dwarf Mongoose came to see what all the commotion was about.

I cannot contemplate any human being stupid enough to feed a wild animal. Not just in the Kruger, but any wild animals. It is a very stupid and irresponsible thing to do. BUT unfortunately believe it or not it happens every single day!

During the walk we got a good look at the accommodation on offer, next time we will definitely be staying in one of these beautiful bungalows close to the boundary fence.

When we reached the end of the trail we decided to backtrack back to the tent staying close to the fence in stead of cutting across the middle of camp. What an excellent decision that turned out to be. Guess what waited for us at the waters edge....

We were so close we could hear them swallowing, gulping down mouth-fulls of water like a very thirsty marathon runner.

We just stood there watching them. Tiptoeing from spot to spot to get a better/different view. All of a sudden we heard a great noise... People! They were talking and pushing a very loud trolley down the nearby stairs. They saw the rhinos but ignored them and just kept on laughing and making a big noise.

The Rhino's immediately stopped drinking and fled. Running at full speed for the cover of the bush. At first I was very angry at these people but then I focused on the rhino's. These huge creatures running at full speed is quite a sight. It sounded like a steam train. They were huffing and puffing to safety in a cloud of dust. One of them ran over a small tree without breaking stride. A M A Z I N G!

Berg en Dal Day 3

2012-02-15T01:19:00.000-08:00

It was our third and final day at Berg en Dal, we have seen so much in this beautiful area of the park that we decided to spend the day lazing around camp.

We slept in cooked a lovely breackfast and relaxed. By now the first people were starting to return home after their morning drive. Our neighbour came strolling towards us with a big smile on his face... "Did you guys see the wild dogs this morning?" WHAT! No! We slept in! All of a sudden all hell broke loose. We hurriedly packed away our stuff and locked the tent. We jumped in the car and raced (at a sedate 40km/h) to the dog sighting. We were starting to loose hope, thinking that they had probably moved off by now, but we rounded the next corner and there it was... the mother of all traffic jams! Aaaah, we are never going to be able to see anything I sulked. We approached slowly. I see one!

I quickly snapped a picture! Proof that we saw them. :) Wild dogs are extremely difficult to find in the Kruger National Park, not just because there are only about 250-350 in the whole park, but also because they are often on the move when they are seen. This means that only a few vehicles generally see a pack before it disappears into the bush.

The people at this sighting was amazing! The people in front took their pictures and then moved off, some fell back in line to try a shot from the other side. This meant that we got to the front relatively quickly. :) I wish every sighting could be like this.

Every time one of the cars moved we could see another group of dogs hidden in the grass. Eventually we had a prime spot. We snapped away.

We took so many pictures in such a short time that I was worried that my battery was going to fail at any moment.
Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf.

The African wild dog has a bite force quotient (BFQ, the strength of bite relative to the animal's mass) measured at 142, the highest of any extant mammal of the order Carnivora, although exceeded by the Tasmanian devil, a marsupial carnivore.

We got our pictures and moved off, we decided to drive past the traffic, turn around and fall in at the back of the line once again. This time we packed away our cameras and enjoyed this special moment with Africa's Painted Dogs.
After the very special dog sighting we were super exited. Our relaxing day in camp was written of as a moment of madness and continued our slow drive in the South of The Kruger.

Once again we had many special sightings.
This warthog family rated very high on the cuteness scale.

We also got to see our first member of Africa's Small 5. The leopard tortoise.

The other members of the small 5 are... Ant Lion, Rhino Beetle, Elephant shrew and the Red Billed Buffalo Weaver.

Squirrel, Cape Water Buffalo and a wallowing Rhino was next on our sightings list.

What would a drive through the park be without spotting an elephant or ten. :)

I love Giraffes. They are fascinating creatures and as it turns out most of them are very photogenic.

Giraffes use their height to good advantage and browse on leaves and buds in treetops that few other animals can reach (acacias are a favourite). Even the giraffe's tongue is long! The 53-centimeter tongue helps them pluck tasty morsels from branches. Giraffes eat most of the time and, like cows, regurgitate food and chew it as cud. A giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel miles to find enough food.

From the very pretty to the extremely ugly. The Marabu Stork is part of the Ugly 5.

Other members of the Ugly 5 include wildebeest, spotted hyena, warthog, and the vulture.

Another highlight of our drive was a majestic Martial Eagle. A first for me! This is the largest eagle in Africa.The Martial Eagle is one of the world's most powerful avian predators and, among African raptors, only the Crowned Eagle is comparable in predatory dominance. The diet of the Martial Eagle varies greatly with prey availability and can be dictated largely by opportunity. One study found that 45% of their diet was made up of birds, particularly game birds and Egyptian Geese. Reptiles, especially lizards and snakes (Cape cobras, young African rock pythons, boomslangs, puff adders, both species of green mamba, and even small black mambas) made up 38% and the rest (17%) was made up of mammals such as mongooses, baboons, young warthog and impala lambs.

We returned to camp with a song in our hearts. Africa is truly in my blood. I cannot imagine a life without her.

Lake Panic

2012-02-05T02:54:00.000-08:00

During the afternoon we decided to take a drive up to Skukuza to see what the hype about Lake Panic was all about. Lake Panic is a bird hide that provide secret views of a hippo- and croc-filled dam which is a magnet for birds of all types. Big raptors, herons, jacanas, thick-knees, kingfishers, ducks and many more inhabit the convenient dead leadwoods and thick surrounding bush, or dart around on the lily pads. One story is that Lake Panic got its name from a year in which the river feeding it flooded and threatened to break the wall. If it had, that would have been the end of the golf course and staff village.

On our way there we stopped at a popular lookout point for a rare chance to get out of the car and stretch our legs.

Approaching Lake Panic we saw this raptor soaring high above.

Lake panic is very peaceful and noise and loud conversation are frownded upon.

The highlight of our visit was the African Fish Eagle.

The fish-eagle is a piscevore (fish eater) and is specialised for this difficult task. It has long, sharp talons and effect a tight grip on its slippery quarry as well as spicules under the feet which also assist with grip. Typically the fish-eagle will remain perched for most of the day hunting for only 1% of the time. The call of the fish-eagle is a magnificent and majestic sound and always leaves me with goose-bumps. Whenever you hear its call you know that you are in Africa.

Unfortunately we could not spend a long time in this beautiful and peaceful place. We had to drive back to Berg and Dal, but we will definitely be back...

Berg en Dal Day2

2012-02-04T22:21:00.000-08:00

Day 2 in the beautiful Berg en Dal Camp dawned and we were excited to be on the road again. The first thing we saw was the hyenas from the previous night. They were still in the exact same spot we left them. They seemed relaxed and we got a good view of them in the early morning light.

Hyenas live in clans dominated by the larger, more aggressive females. Each clan defends a territory of about 130 square km.

We also came across some Rhino's...again. Berg en Dal seem to be teeming with them. Probably because the first rhino's that was introduced to the Kruger Park was in this area.

A very large herd of Cape Water Buffalo in a riverbed was next on our sightings list. The movements of a herd of buffalo are determined by specific individuals known as pathfinders. These are not necessarily dominant animals but they simply act as leaders to the herd. Each sub-herd within the major herd also has a pathfinder which will lead its members when the herd splits up.

I tried to take a couple of pictures of this Lilac Breasted Rolar. In the first shot was not quite centred enough so the bird decided to help me out a little... :)

We then played a little hide and seek with a Kudu Cow and her young son. Its little horns only just starting to form.

More young animals came in the form of a Chacma Baboon. For the first 5 weeks of their lives, the babies cling to the mother's belly where they have an on-tap supply of milk and can be transported safely whenever danger threatens. At 5 weeks old, the babies can walk and at this stage they begin to ride jockey on their mother's backs using the kinked tail as a backrest.

Three male lions were lying under a tree. They spent the whole morning feasting on a buffalo, and now as the sun started to become a little hot they were relaxing in the shade of a nearby tree. They were pretty far away but we managed one or to pictures.

Our final sighting for the morning drive was a beautiful 'steenbokkie' who stood still just long enough for us to get a good picture.

Steenbok are solitary antelope except for females accompanied by a lamb or a courting male. They are very shy and quite nervous, witch makes taking pictures of these brick coloured antelope very difficult.

Night time Predators

2012-01-19T22:35:00.000-08:00

Our first day at Berg and Dal was busy and H-O-T with temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius. As a result we spent most of the afternoon in the pool. We decided to do an afternoon drive.

At 16h30 with the temperature cooling a little bit we gathered at the reception area and boarded our 'safari-vehicle'. Raymond was our guide for the evening and he guided us strait to our very first sighting of one of the 'ugly 5'. Marabu storks in my opinion also earn a spot amongst the 'stinky 5' and the 'disgusting 5'. They defecate on their own legs in an attempt at thermo-regulation.

We also got to see the only blue wildebeest in the area. According to Raymond there used to be 3 wildebeest left in the berg and dal area but both of those have been killed by lions. Apparently it is only a matter of time until this one meets the same fate...

After that the sightings came thick and fast with warthog, elephants and yet more rhino's. We even saw a boomslag pick up some road kill. (unfortunately we did not manage a picture.)

The age old saying goes, 'red sky at night is a Shepard's delignt'. We spent some time trying to take some artsy pictures of the beautiful evening sky.

Besides the spectacular sunset the animal sightings kept on coming...
Giraffes

and some very relaxed looking impalas.

The highlight of our trip was the 2 predator sightings. The first being 8 lions. These guys seemed very interested in something just outside of our line of sight. All of them were looking in the same direction. We tried and tried again to photograph just one looking in our direction.

After about half an hour of taking pictures of the back of their heads, one finally looked in our direction... Lions have black tips to their tails and black behind their ears. These are 'follow me' signs. The black tail is at exactly the right height for a cub to follow a female through tall grass. Lions are also the only cats with tassells of hair at the tips of their tails.

On our way back to camp we came across one more predator. Hyenas. :) They were very relaxed and one of them had a suckling cub with it. It looked really big and I am sure is almost weened.

The spotted hyena is arguably the most successful large carnivore in Africa because it is both a proficient hunter and scavenger. Hyenas are extremely mobile and will travel up to 70km in a night to access food if need be. Unlike other carnivores, hyena cubs are born with their eyes open, canines fully erupted and aggressive tendencies intact.

After a wonderful drive we made it back to camp and fell asleep with the sounds and smell of the African bush.

Berg en Dal Bliss Day1

2012-01-17T00:27:00.000-08:00

21 December 2011, the first official day of our holiday, but our 3rd day away from home. :) (Slow and steady wins the race.)

We got out of bed at 04h30, made coffee and packed the leftover braaivleis. We gathered all our belongings and headed for the gate. There were no ques and by 05h37 we were in the park.

Before we left I did extensive research and according to my gathered information campers are allowed to check in at 09h00 in the morning. This means that we had a good three and a half hours of early morning game viewing before checking in and the arduous task of pitching the tent.

First animal we saw was a couple of beautiful kudu's.

When threatened, the kudu will often run away rather than fight. Wounded bulls have been known to charge the attacker, hitting the attacker with their sturdy horn base rather than stabbing it. Wounded females can keep running for many miles without stopping to rest for more than a minute. They are great kickers and are capable of breaking a wild dog's or jackal's neck or back. They are good jumpers and can clear a 5-foot fence from a standing start.

A mutualistic relationship has evolved between Dwarf Mongooses and hornbills, in which hornbills seek out mongooses in order for the two species to forage together and warn each other of nearby birds of prey and other predators.

These cute carnivores are often found around old termite mounds, their favourite place to sleep. We saw a lot of them in the Berg and Dal area especially in the campsite where they scurried around tents and trailers looking for discarded food.

Rhino's was on the menu again! This time they were completely relaxed and we parked the car and had some coffee with the family unit.

The big male was clearly the head of his family, but he did try and play a little hide and seek with us.

First he tried hiding behind a bush...

Then he decided a nearby tree was a better option...

He finally decided to give up the fight and had a lie down with his family...

After a while all three got really restless and started standing up and walking around! We could not figure out what alarmed them. Stiaan was convinced that they could smell the coffee, or maybe they wanted a bite from our 'braaibroodjies'. Finally we saw the reason for their restlessness.

A group of hikers on their morning walk was standing only a couple of meters away. They were all really quiet and since Rino's have really bad eyesight they settled down again after a couple of tense minutes I am sure. :) (would loved to have been in that group!)

As we drove away from the Rhino's a car coming from the front flagged us down. It was a young lady and possibly her mother. They warned us that there was some really cheeky elephants next to the road up ahead and one of them had already mock charged a couple of cars.

When we arrived we could see a commotion in the road ahead. We stopped to take a bum-shot of some less-cheeky elephants and then sneaked onto a side road away from the action. (I had no intention of challenging a big male elephant in a bad mood!)

The side road turned out to be an excellent idea as it lead to more Rhino's!!!

These boys were right next to the road, unfortunately we could not get a good picture because of the long grass. The sound however was absolutely amazing and something I will never forget. To hear them munching away was really special. I could not believe how loud it was. You could hear, see and smell how much they enjoyed their breakfast! I just hope that my children would also be able to experience this one day.

The buffalo's hiding in the grass proved to be a bit of a challenge to try and photograph even though they were really close. :) We did however manage to get a whole lot of different bum-shots on a variety of animals.

Impala,

Elephant,

Zebra,

and another Elephant, this one without a tail. :) Apparently elephants sometimes loose their tails when they hold on to each other as they walk. Maybe that is what happened to this one.

We did manage to get a nice head-shot of a Rhino. Just look at those huge ears. All the better to hear you with my dear...

Community nest spiders make large untidy web constructions that superficially resemble bird's nests. Many spiders, including males, females and young , live together on the web but each may recline into a separate one of the many tunnels and chambers present. Part of the web is designed to entrap prey, which is immediately overcome by a hunting group of the community nest spiders which drag it back to the retreat where it is shared by all the members of the nest. Community nest spiders can be fairly large, up to 2cm, but they are harmless.

Of course we saw some birds, lots of them actually. This purple-headed turaco (I think) whas the highlight and the only bird we managed a picture of. :) The turaco family has some pigments that are unique to them. This includes a green pigment called turacin. The green in the turaco's feathers is the only green caused by an actual pigment. All other greens in birds' feathers are caused by either tyndal scattering or a combination of yellow and black pigment in the feathers.

We finally arrived at Berg en Dal Camp at around 09h15 that morning. We had a very friendly and efficient check in and then started the search for a camp site. Eventually we found one (not by the fence) but at least we had 3 out of the 4 things we really wanted. Shade, a braai and electricity! Not bad. Pitching the tent was slow going as it was very hot (yes at 09h30 in the morning.) Most of my jobs are inside the tent whitch was by now a large oven! Finally an hour and a half later we rewarded ourselves with a swim and a beer!

Holiday Magic Part 2

2012-01-11T07:34:00.000-08:00

We are still on our first little drive through the Kruger. :)

This giraffe was beautifull, so relaxed and so close to our car. Giraffes are classic browsers, their long necks giving them access to the highest follaige. They do however bend down to pick up bones or soil that they chew to supplement calcium and phosphorus that is lacking in their diet. This is called osteophagia and geophagio respectively.

I have to confess that Stiaan and I started this trip as non-birders, BUT the feathered creatures of the bush have the tendency to grow on you. By the end of the trip we were spending a lot of time looking up in the sky or scruitinising small branches. Prior to this trip ALL ground birds would be promptly identified as 'boshoenders' a.k.a bush-chickens. This year at every bird sighting we would screech to a halt and out would come the cameras and books. We ID'ed the firs bird as and the second as a shy Red-billed hornbill. Any help and corrections will be more than welcome as we are a couple of Green-hornbills when it comes to birds. :)

I often think that the abundance of Impala in the Kruger is a shame. Because there are so many of them very few people stop to really look at these magnificent annimals.

There are a lot of elephants in the Kruger Park. In fact there are about 8000 to many! If you think that an adult bull elephant consumes 300kg of food each and every day you can understand why so may there are so many broken trees around and a fully grown bull elephant will expell 155kg of dung each day. That explaines the neetly formed grass packages all over the roads. :)

The short afternoon drive was turning out to be quite spectacular. This was Stiaans very first trip to the Kruger Park and I could see that already he was hooked for life. On that very first day we stopped for everything. We took pictures of everything and when we got home we discussed every sighting untill the wee hours of the morning.

We saw quite a few Grey Loeries during the first few days. These birds are clumsy in flight, but very agile as they moove from branch to branch. It was very difficult to get a clear shot.

Glossy starlings are some of the most striking birds in the Lowveld.

Their feathers have an iredescent sheen that shimmers with hues of blue, green and purple. Remarkably, this effect is not caused by pigmentation and in fact glossy starlings have no colour pigment in their feathers at all. The colourful effect is created by the manner in which the keratin (structural material that makes the feathers strong) is layered. As light falls on the feathers, these keratin layers reflect different wavelengths of light differently.

I told you we took pictures of everything! We even snapped this sossage tree. The fruit is used in an array of traditional magico-medicinal treatments. The unripe fruit is used to cure syphilis and rheumatism. The powdered form is applied to skin sores, ulcerations and acne. Boiled the bark and fruit can cure stomach complaints. The powdered fruit improves milk productuin in lactating woman and will fatten up your baby if you rub it into its skin. The fruits are often strung up in tribal huts to ward off whirlwinds and red dye can be extracted by boiling the fruit.

The best part of the day came very unexpectedly. I was busy studying the map when all of a sudded Stiaan started making weird noises. I looked at him like he was crazy! He pointed into the road... and there he was!

The largest, most beautifull rhino I have ever seen.

I was devastated that I missed his entire crossing. I only saw him when he already reached the opposite side of the road. He walked off into the bush and refused to turn around. This bum-shot was all we saw of him.

I was elated at seeing my favourite animal, but very disappointed that I missed the first part of his crossing. I was just about to start sulking when I saw the last of the mohecans poke his head through the bushes right next to me.

Now it was my turn to make funny noises! I elbowed Stiaan in the ribs and pointed. This rhino sauntered across the road allowing us a good view. Excited chatter erupted in the car. The smile remained on my face well into the night, but also some sadness. How can people harm these stately creatures. Already in 2012 11 rhino's have been killed in the Kruger National park. In 2011 a record number of rhino's have been poached and 2 sub-species of rhino have been announced to be officially extinct. I wish I could personally strangle every single poacher in the world, weather he is on the top or the bottom of the piramed, I don't care. This has to STOP!!

That day we crossed the crocadile river back to Malelane with big smiles and a little sadness. Tomorrow we will be back, but so will the poachers...

Holiday Magic

2012-01-09T23:45:00.001-08:00

Our December holiday was a fantastic affair. :) We both had a very tough year and we really needed a break. Our plans were as follows. 6 days in Kruger, 2 days panorama route and then another 3 days in Kruger. :)

For months we planned, made lists, checked our camping gear and dreamed about the day of departure. Finally on the 18th of December the big day arrived. The car was packed we were ready to go! We took 3 days to drive the 1700km to Malelane where we spent our first night.
Villa Langa in Malelane is a beautiful guesthouse and ideal for passing travellers. They have a pool, air conditioned rooms and a braai. We arrived at around 13h00, unpacked the car and headed off to Malelane gate to enter the Kruger National Park!

The Kruger Park was established in 1926 to try and protect the animals and biodiversity of the African Bush. Today there are about 150 mammal-, 500 bird-, 340 tree-, 115reptile-, 50 fish- and 35 amphibian species in the park.

The first animals we saw was Impala, surprise, surprise! Impala are VERY common antelope in the Lowveld but they are also one of the most superbly adapted species in this area.

Still on the tar road heading away from Malelane gate even before the turnoff to the S25 we came across our first member of the Big Five. But before we could see exactly what it was we spotted this idiot getting out of the car!

I would rather take my chances playing chicken with a 10ton truck. At least the truck does not have a temper!!

The ears of an African elephant are enormous with a bull elephant having ears 2m X 1.2m and weighing 20kg each. These have multiple uses. Besides hearing they are used to express mood during social interactions. They also play a vital role in thermoregulation, effectively dissipating three-quarters of the heat needed to maintain a constant body temperature. An elephant can pump all of its blood through its ears every 20 minutes!

We tuned onto the gravel S25. Creaping along at about 15km/hour we cruitinezed ever tree, bush and shrub. Every few minutes we would stop and investigate a couple of rocks lying under a tree. In our hurry the binuculars was left at the guesthouse so we used the camera to take a picture and then zoom in to see what was under, in or around the tree. It is kinda like digging for gold. Our success rate turned out to be 0.001%!

I only saw these lions under the tree when we got back home and I started to go through the pictures. Because the were between the above mentioned elephant sighting and the next giraffe sighting I assume that we saw them during first couple of minutes on the S25. :)

That makes 2 of the big 5 in the first 10km in the park! (Lions are VERY well comoflaged!) Lions are extremely lethargic for the majority of their lives, spending about 20 hours a day resting.

Our next surprise was a beautiful giraffe.

Cape Point

2012-01-05T05:26:00.000-08:00

Another Sunday dawned and I was excited, for today we would visit one of my favourite places.
Cape Point.

Cape Point is a nature reserve within the Table Mountain National Park. The area of 7 750 hectares is rich in fauna and flora, abounding with buck, baboons and Cape Mountain Zebra as well as over 250 species of birds.

This spectacular finger of land is characterised by rugged rocks and sheer cliffs towering more than 200 metres above the sea. Standing at the lighthouse looking down onto the mighty ocean below always makes me appreciate the power of nature and the insignificance of my being.

This park falls under the protection of SanParks.
Entrance Fee: R80 for an Adult
Wildcard members enter for free!

There are various hiking trails to be taken in the park and the idea was to do one or more of the shorter trails, but unfortunately the weather was a bit dodgy and so we decided to stick to the very short paths. :)

Our first stop was a 20 minute trail with beautiful views of Smitswinkel Bay.

Reached only by foot, it is worth the effort to get there. The bay here is popular for snorkelling, diving and fishing and the water is calm and great for swimming.

I also managed to take a couple of pictures of my favourite subject...

Leucospermum cordifolium belongs to the protea family and is indigenous to South Africa.

From the middle of July to the end of November groups of Leucospermum cordifolium shrubs provide vivid splashed of orange and red. Many visitors from all over the world may recognise the flowers from flower arrangements they have seen in their own country. Nurseries in Israel, California, Hawaii, Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand produce large amount of cut flowers of hybrids and cultivars of this South African plant.

We also got to see some wildlife. :)

The scenic beauty of Cape Point is not its sole allure; it is also an international icon of great historical interest in many a visitor drawn to the area because of its rich maritime history.

In 1488 Bartolomeu Dias christened it Cape of Storms. The 'Point' was treated with respect by sailors for centuries. By day, it was a navigational landmark and by night, and in fog, it was a menace beset by violent storms and dangerous rocks that over the centuries littered shipwrecks around the coastline. (One of the very popular hiking trails in the area is also named 'The Shipwreck Trail'.

The route from the parking lot to the top lighthouse is beautifully layed out and offers spectacular views of Dias Beach.

If you do not feel like the steep uphill hike to the lighthouse you can always take the Flying Dutchman Funicular. It takes it name from the local legend of the 'Flying Dutchman' ghost ship.

As legend has it, the Flying Dutchman was captained by a Dutchman, Hendrik van der Decken, and was headed home from Jakarta to Holland in 1641. As Van der Decken approached the Cape, stormy weather shredded the ship's sails and waves flooded the deck.

The captain had rounded Cape Point on several occasions previously, but this time, a terrified crew implored him to turn back. He refused to submit to the elements and lashed himself to the wheel, swearing that he would sail around Cape Point, even if it took him until Doomsday.

An angel appeared on the deck and the enraged captain drew his pistol and shot her. Van der Decken's wish to round the point was granted that night, but he and his crew were doomed to sail these waters for ever more.
Over the past three-and-a-half centuries a ghostly sailing ship, that glows red in the night and has a mad, bald captain, has been sighted by a number of mariners. Those who have seen her say she lets down row-boats that approach with ghostly men aboard, desperately seeking a Good Samaritan to take their letters back home, where they haven't been for more than 300 years. But those who entertain these approaches are doomed...

We decided to take our feet to the lighthouse and had a lot of fun checking out all the little viewpoints along the way.

Standing on the highest section of the peak the original lighthouse stands 87 meters above its replacement. Now used as an outlook point and central monitoring point for all South African Lighthouses. This iron tower was built in 1857 and shone from its perch on Cape Maclear from 1860 until 1919 when it passed its candle onto the new lighthouse. The original lighthouse comprised of sixteen metallic reflectors which flashed a white light (2000 candle power) lasting twelve seconds every minute. In contrast the new Cape Point Lighthouse is the most powerful light on the South African coastline visible from a distance of thirty four nautical sea miles it emits a revolving light power of 10 000 000 Candelas.

The new lighthouse is closer to sea level, for two reasons: the old lighthouse could be seen 'too early' by ships rounding the point towards the east, causing them to approach too closely. Secondly, foggy conditions often prevail at the higher levels, making the older lighthouse invisible to shipping. On 18 April 1911, the Portuguese liner Lusitania was wrecked just south of Cape Point at on Bellows Rock for precisely this reason, prompting the relocation of the lighthouse.

There are so many more things to explore in this area and so much more stories to tell, but I will leave that for our next visit....

Great Constantia

2011-12-07T09:31:00.000-08:00

Groot Constantia is the oldest wine estate in South Africa and a national monument. Since we live in Cape town, on the doorstep of the Great estate of Constatia we felt it our duty to visit!

Groot Constantia was established in 1685 by the Dutch East India Company Governor of the Cape of Good Hope Simon van der Stel, and was used to produce wine as well as fruit, vegetables and cattle.

There is a huge lawn in from of the house with a oak-tree lined road leading up to the front door.

The ancient oak trees provide shade to visitors. The children play on the lawn while the adults enjoy a wonderfull lunch at the Jonkhuis Restaurant.

Back to the trees, they are magnificent...

They seem to recicle themselves in a never ending cycle of life and death. :)

In 1925 the manor house was severely damaged in a fire. From 1927-1952 the house was restored and refurbished under the supervision of the architect F. K. Kendall, and with items donated and bought solely for this purpose by the art collector A. A. de Pass.

I can only thank these great protectors of history! We were not allowed to take any photographs inside the house, but i can reccommed a strowl through this beautifull manor.

The Cloete Cellar, the original wine cellar, dates back to 1791 and houses a Wine Museum, exhibiting various wine making equipment and especially wine storage and wine drinking vessels. The beautiful pediment gable above the cellar is one of sculptor Anton Anreith's masterpieces.

The views all around the estate is breathtaking. You can hire a picnicbasket from any one of the restaurants and enjoy a sunday afternoon lunch on the lawn.

Random Pictures-December

2011-12-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

CHRISTIAAN

Dikkop Hike: Koeberg

2011-12-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

Dikkop(Spotted Thick-knee): This bird can reach up to 18 inches in height, has long legs and a brown-and-white speckled coat. It ranges widely through sub-Saharan Africa, where it occupies dry grasslands and savannas. The spotted dikkop's brown, spotted feathers provide camouflage, making it difficult to spot in the grasslands where it lives.

Koeberg: Koeberg nuclear power station is the only nuclear power station in South Africa and the entire African continent. It is located 30 km north of Cape Town, near Melkbosstrand on the west coast of South Africa.

Ok, now that we are all on the same page we can start our hike. :)

Distance: Anything from 4 to 24km (We did the 24km hike)
Difficulty: Easy although most of it is done in thick loose beach sand. We were tired after this hike!

We had some trouble getting to the starting point even though we did extensive research before we went! The problem was that we went on a Sunday. The regular visitor centre to the Power Plant is therefore closed. We arrived at the gate, proudly announced that we were there to do the Dikkop hike and the only response we got from the guard at the gate was... Huh?
He could for the life of him not understand why people would walk for fun. The funny thing was that he let the mountain bikers in with a wave and a smile! After we educated the guard we finally arrived at the visitor centre and the start of the hike...

You start the hike by walking under these massive power lines. Feeding electricity to our country and even some of our neighbouring countries. It was quite scary walking underneath them. You could hear the crackle of kilo volts of electricity running above your head.

The whole route is well marked and we even managed to pick up a map at the visitor centre.

The reserve is home to quite a few antelope species and some zebra. We managed to see Springbuck, Eland and some Zebra. We also saw a wide variety of plant species typical to the area and of course I could not help taking a few photo's

The sun was hot, and the road was very long. The sand however sometimes proved to be to much for us... Nothing beats going at it barefoot in the loose sand. :)

There are also 2 beautiful rest spots along the route. We grabbed the opportunity with both hands and waisted no time in unpacking the snacks and taking a load of tired feet to enjoy the area and the sounds and smell of the ocean near by.

Just before we moved on again I made a thorough study of the map, just to make sure we were still on the right track. :)

Another highlight of the trip was the bird hide. It did look a little spooky with the fog drifting in off the ocean, and when we visited there were not many birds around but i am sure that it is a fabulous place when the whole dam is aflutter with all kinds of birds.

After a long slog trekking through the thick sand back to our car, we rewarded ourselves with an ice cold beer. The perfect medicine to make you forget about the heat, and the sand.

Breast Cancer Walk

2011-11-17T22:48:00.000-08:00

Usually we hike to celebrate life and today was no different. This hike was about courage, hope and the strength of the human spirit. Breast Cancer is cruel desease that holds no favour. It does not discriminate, and so it is with all cancers, you do not choose it, it chooses you.

The walk was only 5km long and started at the Kennilworth race track. It was a true inspiration to see so many ladies dressed in pink walking to remember.

Thank you to all the sponsers, to all those who care anough to do something.

Big Tree

2011-11-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

"It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit."
Robert Louis Stevenson

And so we decided to pay a visit to the very famous Knysna Big Tree. This BIG TREE is a 800 year old Kalander or Outeniqua Yellowwood. This species is the tallest and most spectacular tree in the forest.
For those of you crazy about trees here is the 411 on the Kalander. (Afrocarpus falcatus, commonly known as the Sickle-leaved Yellowwood and False Yellowwood (formerly also Outeniqua Yellowwood; syn. Podocarpus falcatus)

The 'hike' here is actually just a VERY short forest walk. We did it in flip/flops but I have to say we were very tempted to kick off our shoes and just go barefoot.

There is a lovely picnic spot and people are encouraged to stay a while and enjoy the beautifull and peacefull surroundings.

The 'Big Tree' is approximatelly 800 years old, 34m high and 2m thick! It is at this tree that I also saw the best sighn. Asking people not to mutilate the trees with their 'art'.

The forest walk is clearly marked and takes about 30 minutes, just like the sign says. :)

The walk winds through the trees and you can hear birds everywhere. We heard an African Fish Eagle as well as a knysna loerie, but once again we were not able to see either of them. I think that when it comes to birds we have the worst luck in the world. That is why I love taking pictures of flowers and mushrooms. They at least stay where they are!!

The water looked cool and fresh and very inviting on a warm spring day...

Being here in this forest lifted our spirits and made us smile from ear to ear. :)

If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you'll come to understand that you're connected with everything. Alan Watts

The undergrowth is grean and in some places the tree-ferns reached almost to my shoulder.

I could not help getting up close and personal with one of the big grand daddies of the forest. Kinda like sitting on your grandfathers knee. O if only he could tell me his stories...

After that I got a little bit carried away and took pictures of every interesting tree and peice of bark! I even managed to find more mushrooms. :)

At least I wasn't the only facinated one. :)

What a fantastic way to spend a lazy afternoon.