One of our XOnians visited Chobe, Botswana and Victoria Falls ( Zimbabwe, Zambia) with his wife and two young kids. No need for words, this photoblog will give you some idea of just how wonderful his time in the bush was with his family.
When is the last time you had a white Christmas? A white sand one that is?! Even better, summer in the southern hemisphere continues until March. Think waves lapping on a Cape Town beach, sailing to a tropical island in Mozambique coupled with game viewing in one of the world’s richest ecosystems of Botswana, sunrise atop a Namibian dune or an evening in the vibrant city of Johannesburg. Now that autumn has come to Europe and spring has sprung in the southern hemisphere, isn’t it time you started planning your summer holidays here? Here’s 10 very good reasons to get planning now…
From the sweeping city and coastal views from atop Table Mountain to the romantic wine country of Stellenbosch and jaw-dropping peninsula views stopping to see African penguins and endless beaches, Cape Town is a city that can’t be missed when visiting the top of Africa. From artisan markets, gourmet restaurants and sunsets atop Signal Hill to outdoor family adventures and kid-friendly activities at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town’s allure has a way of making you fall for her city instantly.
When’s the last time you watched the sunrise over cascading burnt-orange in a desert? Pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime experience, there’s a reason Sossuvlei is one of the most popular places to visit in Namibia. White salt plans, deadvlei and red dunes in the middle of the Namib-Nakluft National Park. Find your way to the top of a dune, sand-board down or make you way around in a thrilling 4×4 trail.
Also known as the ‘Smoke that Thunders’, one of the world’s most majestic waterfalls can be experienced from the air on a helicopter flip, with a daring dip in Devil’s pool, or even a luxury cruise along the Zambezi. Bordering both Zambia and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls beckons visitors from across the globe.
Think powder-white islands on the edge of underwater reef bubbling over with marine life of every kind. Go snorkelling or out for a dive. Enjoy a seafood BBQ on a dune, feel the wind in your hair on a dhow boat cruise at sunset or don’t leave your luxury lodge at all. This is one tropical escape you’d like to make and it’s only a short flight away from the big city of Johannesburg.
Get lost (with the guidance of incredible rangers) in one of the world’s richest ecosystems of Botswana’s Okavango Delta where annual flooding leaves lots of the delta only accessible to guest via small planes and the wildlife has learnt to adapt to both dry and wet seasons. Sundowners beside a watering hole, makoro rides through the swamps, game drives just before the sun dips in the savannah and some of the most spectacular game viewing in the wilderness all await.
Otherwise known as the city of Gold, Jozi can only be described as vibrant and bursting with life, colour and people. Explore the trendy hub of Maboneng on foot, savoury local cuisine at one of the many markets day or night and enjoy street art in many corners of the city. Take to the township of Soweto on a bike tour and assist in some of the local initiatives to make a difference.
Whether you’re visiting for the snow and ice scattered on the mountain tops of Lesotho or the green hills to be enjoyed when it’s warm, the Sani Pass is a mountain pass located in the West of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on the road between Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal and Mokhotlong, Lesotho. Undulating mountain tops are a sight to behold and bring visitors from across the globe.
Photo Credit: Michael Denne-Flickr
Photo Credit: Timo-Flickr
What an experience to visit the Central Kalahari Game Reserve lies within the largest sand basin in the world and has only recently been opened to the public and is best for those seeking to savour a wild, remote wilderness. While it’s a desert, you will be surprised by the high density of game and various habitats of grasslands, riverbeds, bush veld and acacia tree forests.
For the most part, you don’t even need to leave your camp to view game within Etosha. Go on game drives during the day and wait for game to come in search of water. Often the waterholes in or close to camps are lit for guests to sit down and enjoy nature unfold and go about its business. And what a magical business it is.
Whether you’re taking to bush on a foot with a ranger or in a game vehicle, witnessing but a corner of nearly 2 million hectares of diverse bushveld that makes up the Kruger National Park will leave you forever changed. Spot the Big Five, little Five ( hopefully) and everything else in between. Set out in the early morning cool to see who is already awake or try a night drive to watch as the nocturnal animals start to awaken.
Call us now to book your luxury tailor-made trip to Southern Africa: +27 (0)21 486 2700
Africa is full of biodiversity and gorgeous wildlife that is in dire need of protection. Thankfully, there are many organisations dedicated to the research and implementation of conservation projects, allowing the populations of endangered animals to increase steadily. Here are a few great projects we’ve pinpointed from around Southern Africa…
Their mission is to help save the country’s endangered wildlife and habitats from extinction through various projects. Johan Maree, Chris Kelly and Dr Simon Morgan are three individuals determined to help conserve wildlife. They’ve been ensuring sustainable, long-term monitoring and conservation projects since 2008.
Photo Source: wildlifeact.com
Wildlife ACT assists game reserves who do not have the funds or capacity to run their own wildlife conservation projects by providing tracking and monitoring services. They will either initiate conservation projects at these game reserves, or they will take over existing monitoring projects that the game reserves can no longer afford or manage.
And just when you think they can’t get any better, you’ll be impressed even further by the fact that they perform their services for these game reserves free of charge! In fact, Wildlife ACT relies heavily on volunteer work in order to support the work they do. Wildlife ACT is 100% reliant on their volunteers, who help in the daily tracking and monitoring of endangered wildlife species such as African Wild Dogs, Cheetah and Black Rhino, as well as priority species such as Elephant, Lion, Leopard and many more.
The Botswana Predator Conservation Trust (BPCT) has been working to study and preserve wildlife in Africa for nearly thirty years. It started off as the Botswana Wild Dog Research Project and is now BPCT, one of the longest running conservation projects on the continent. The organisation researches and protects all the large carnivore species in Botswana. Their protection covers wild dogs, lions, leopards, cheetahs and spotted hyaenas, as well as their habitats.
Photo Source: www.bpctrust.org/gallery
As a core project over the past nearly thirty years, The Botswana Predator Conservation Trust has maintained a field research site on the edge of the Moremi Game Reserve. In that time, they have developed a unique data set documenting the life histories of cheetahs, leopards, spotted hyaenas, lions and wild dog packs. They have the only laboratory in Africa dedicated to chemical signalling. It’s called the Paul G Allen Family Foundation Laboratory for Wildlife Chemistry (PGAFFLWC), located in Mau. This is where all of the analytical work is carried out.
The Underwater Africa Volunteer Program is a marine volunteer expedition programme based in picturesque Tofo, Mozambique. Their mission statement is, “we aim to harness the power of our volunteer researchers to elicit real and meaningful changes to Mozambique’s incredible ecosystems through pioneering research and conservation.”
Those who volunteer for this cause participate in a range of field work including taking identification photo’s, observing environmental conditions, changing out and deploying reef camera traps, checking acoustic listening stations, studying plankton, monitoring protected areas, and measuring ocean giants.
Photo Source: underwaterafrica.org
From entire coral reef systems, and from the largest marine animals to the smallest, The Underwater Africa Volunteer Program’s research spans all of these topics. They believe that in order to solve the huge problems that these animals face they must gain a full understanding of each species. The research then informs their conservation practices, which then empowers them to protect these animals.
With the aim of conserving the land, cultures and wildlife of Namibia, Dr Rudie and Marlice van Vuuren along with other founding members, founded the N/a’an ku sê Foundation in 2006. This is a conservation organisation that sustains its projects through non-governmental funding and responsible conservation tourism.
Photo Source: naankuse.com
They run several projects to improve the health and well-being of the ancient yet marginalised San Bushmen of Namibia, provide a second chance to countless orphaned, injured and/or conflict animals, work to prevent land degradation, and stand at the forefront of the human-wildlife conflict mitigation by undertaking critical conservation and research projects to ensure a thriving future for Namibia’s majestic wildlife.
Their vision is seeing humans and wildlife living and thriving together in Africa. Their mission is to conserve the land, cultures and wildlife of Namibia and rescue species threatened by an ever-shrinking habitat.
The Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) is a non-profit Zambian-registered trust. They work closely with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and are dedicated to conserving large carnivores and the ecosystems they reside in. They do this through three approaches: Conservation Science, Conservation Action, and Conservation Capacity.
The success of this work lies on the shoulders of their diverse collaborations with local, national and international partners, agencies, organizations and institutions that collectively provide the expertise, resources and energy to address the myriad conservation challenges facing Zambia and the region.
Photo Source: www.zambiacarnivores.org
It is common for local communities not to be involved in research and conservation efforts. ZCP helps ensure sustainability by training, educating, sponsoring, and employing young Zambian wildlife professionals from the secondary school level through to international graduate programs.
This way, Zambia’s most equipped and intelligent have the chance to contribute their talents to wildlife conservation both now and in the future.
As one of Zimbabwe’s conservation projects, The Bumi Hills Foundation aims to reduce poaching and restore the ecology of the Lake Kariba and Charara South Safari area by having the game to return to the area. Volunteers camp out in remote areas of the park to monitor areas of high poaching and remove snares and traps.
Volunteers check for evidence of poaching, monitor known herds of big game, look for signs of animal activity, and map the locations of snares and poaching activity. The organisation has six main objectives: anti-poaching, human-wildlife conflict, wildlife research, healthcare, education and economic empowerment.
Photo Source: www.bumihillsfoundation.org
For the anti-poaching objective, they aim to win the war on poaching. Where the wildlife-human conflict is concerned, their approach is to provide long-term relief and uplift both humans and wildlife. The Bumi Hills Foundation believes that knowledge is power, thus by carrying out extensive research on wild flora and fauna, they will save vulnerable species from extinction. In terms of healthcare, they believe that it is crucial that adequate healthcare is provided to any community in order for it to thrive.
Through education programmes that are focused on curriculum enhancement, teacher support, infrastructural development, and logistical assistance, they will be able to create more successful and environmentally conscious future generations. Lastly, Bumi Hills aims for economic empowerment. They will provide the necessary tools, skills and financial support in order to enable independence and sustainability among the local community.
Conservation organisations from Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe are all working hard to ensure a better and brighter future for their wildlife. All of these organisations are positively impacting their communities. If you wish to get involved, visit their websites to find out more.
Rich in wildlife, deserts, mountains, waterfalls, fauna and flora kingdoms and unique ecosystems, Southern Africa’s rivers and their surrounding regions offer a wealth of things to do, natural wonders to discover and experiences to try- both on and around the rivers itself. Here’s a few Southern Africa rivers well worth visiting…
Smaller than the well-known Zambezi river, the Kafue River in Zambia is dotted with giant rock formations along it’s banks and unique riparian woodland flanking it. Experience both land and river based safaris at the riverside and venture through the Kafue National Park to witness wide plains and woodlands home to cheetah, antelope, sable, road, reedbuck and eland. Enjoy boat cruises, fishing, bush walks and game drives within the park.
This vast river is the fourth largest in southern Africa and runs from Angola (where it’s known as the Kubango River), crosses Namibia’s narrow Caprivi strip to to Botswana’s Kalahari desert in the north before ending in the Okavango Delta swamp. Named after the Okavango ( Kavango) people of Northern Namibia, this river is unnavigable except for smaller boats and craft. With one of the world’s richest and most unique eco-systems you can choose multiple ways to explore this region. Take guided game viewing boats down the river stopping along the way to camp on remote islands, go birding, on photographic safaris and game walks. Each season will bring very different landscapes and wildlife to the river as the floods and rains vary through the dry and wet seasons. Whether by boat or land, Okavango river experiences will ensure a life-changing trip.
Only an hour or two away from Cape Town lies the Breede River and its valley rich in opportunities to enjoy the surrounding mountains, local wineries, small country towns as well as fishing, river rafting, canoeing or even house boating on the river itself. Visit the towns of De Doorns, Worchester, Rawsonville and Touwsriver and trail along their wine route, experience farm stays and wide open spaces.
While everyone is rushing to this region to just see the Victoria Falls in all its glory, the Zambezi River is something to behold. Find yourself on a cruise at sunset on the Zambezi river and mark that down as a once in a lifetime experience. There are bigger boats carrying over a 100 people and serves snacks and drinks which also offer exclusive spaces on deck for smaller groups. The Zimbabwean side usually had smaller boats ( between 30-80 people) and gives you the chance to dine on board. Experience rougher terrain, shallow waters and less accessible places on the river safari boats for breakfast, lunch or sunset and see elephant, hippos and zambezi river birdlife. Off the river on the Zambia side, take a trip back into time aboard the Royal Livingstone Express for dinner through the Zambezi River valley.
Holding the Fish River in its valleys is the Fish River Canyon, second biggest only to the USA’s Grand Canyon. This region is visited for its hiking trails, Godwana Canyon Park, Quivertree forests, wild horses, rugged scenery and wildlife. Find absolutely solitude , plateaus, granite hills and near barren plains into the private nature reserve of Godwana Canyon Park. Try and spot the Feral horses of Garub who have adapted to life in the dry Namib and stop at the Quivertree forest near Keetmanshoop, a dolerite rock field and a land where Mesosaurus fossils were discovered. Day visitors are not permitted to walk down into the canyon, only hikers with permits may descend to the river bed. But you can still walk along the rim of the Fish River canyon and watch the sun set over this tranquil part of land, try to spot baboons, mountain zebra and grown squirrels or wade in the warm pools of the Ai-Ais Richterfield Transfrontier park.
South Africa’s longest river, the Orange River, is well known of its adventure experiences such as river rafting, paddling and SUPPing( stand-up paddle boarding) but those not keen to be as active will still find its waters and surroundings enchanting. Sit beneath the African sky next to riverside camp fires, mild weather almost all year road and warm water. This river rises in the Drakensberg range and flows all the way to the cold Atlantic Ocean at Oranjemund.
An area holding much appeal for remote and wild spot seekers and those keen to tackle the rugged land in a 4×4. Visit off the grid places such as Hartmann valleys, Marienfluss, Witbooisdrift and Khowarib Schlucht. Swim in a rock pool of the Epupa Falls, one of Africa’s largest waterfalls, track the desert-adapted elephants with a guide, visit a settlement of the semi-nomadic Himba people native to this region and discover the geological wonder of this region. The area of Kunene is still fairly underdeveloped due to its land’s inability to yield agricultural crops and arid, mountainous landscape. It borders Angola, Cunene Province and the Atlantic ocean.
Which river experience have you enjoyed in Southern Africa?
