Addo Elephant National Park

 

Accommodation at the Main Camp is varied and has beautiful self-catering chalets fully equipped with utensils, bedding, crockery, a small kitchen which has a 2-plate stove and microwave. Each unit has a braai-area outside and a full bathroom with shower, toilet and basin. A unique feature is the waterhole lookout point, floodlit at night, within the camp as well as the underground hide, allowing close encounters with wildlife at the waterhole. Other facilities such as a swimming pool, restaurant and shop are available.

 The original elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only sixteen elephants remained in the area. Today this finely tuned ecosystem is sanctuary to over 550 elephants as well as the unique Addo flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo.

Addo is the third largest National Park in South Africa and covers an area of about 180,000 hectares with additional land being added, including a 100km stretch of the coast itself with Eco Marine tours available to see the Southern Right whales and Great White Shark.

After being used to the fauna and flora of Kruger National Park, going to Addo Elephant National Park in order to do my educational program was a real treat. Being in the Nama Karoo region, the vegetation is mostly succulents and almost no tall trees are found. This area has very little rainfall and has the extreme temperatures of heat and cold in the summer and winter, but Addo itself, being closer to the coast, is very moderate and even being there in the winter, I found it to be very pleasant although cold at night.

Spekboom Tented Camp is located nearby and also fully equipped but has communal bathrooms and kitchen. There you may catch a glimpse of nocturnal animals drinking at the waterhole.

Camping facilities for tents and caravans is available with shared ablutions and kitchen. All have a Spekboom hedge around them for privacy.

 Matyholweni Camp, which means “in the bush” in Xhosa is located at the entrance gate near the coastal town of Colchester at the Sundays River Mouth, 3km off the N2 highway, about 60km from Port Elizabeth and 40km from Main Camp. Amenities such as shops, restaurants and a fuel station are available in the nearby town. This is a concession camp and the self-catering chalets are luxurious and fully equipped.

 As arid as the region is, it is a birders paradise with Scrub Robin, Cape Robin-Chat , Bokmakierie, Southern Tchagra, Bar-throated Apalis, Cape Bunting being prominent, with Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Fiscal Flycatcher, Fork-tailed Drongo, Spectacled Weaver, Malachite and Greater Double-collared Sunbird also easily found. A trip into the game viewing area will not produce a plethora of birds, but Bokmakierie will once more be prominent, and Martial Eagle, Black Korhaan, Blue Crane, Denham's Bustard, Black-headed Heron and Secretarybird may well be seen amongst a whole long list of other species.

Addo Elephant National Park contributes to the conservation of the endangered black rhino. There are over 400 Cape buffalo and 2000 Kudu to be seen. Six lions were introduced into the park in late 2003 and now there are 10. Antelope such as Gemsbok, Red Hartebeest, Bushbuck, Eland, Steenbok, Springbok and Mountain Reedbuck can be seen. Other species include Spotted and Brown Hyeana, Cape and Bat-eared Fox, Blackbacked Jackal, African Wildcat, the rare Aardvark and a variety of mongoose, bats, shrews, genets, zebra, warthog etc.

Activities besides self-drive game viewing include horse riding, guided walks and tours, 4x4 trails and the PPC trail which highlights some of the flora found in the Park. 

Wild Coast Sun Resort

This amazing hotel is situated on the main Bizana Road a few kilometers south of Port Edward and it was my pleasure to stay there for a week in June to do a survey of the fauna and flora on the property.

It is on the beautiful beach of the Wild Coast and offers families a wonderful weekend getaway with facilities for weddings and conferences in these luxurious surroundings.

Entertain there is for everyone ranging from a golf course, casino, restuarants and bars, cinema and live shows, water park and Wild Waves theme park, swimming pool, spa, walks, horse rides on the beach, games area for children, etc.

The tranquil gardens are a haven for all kinds of birds and plants and a feast for the eyes not to mention the wonderful walks on the beach which includes many excellent fossil sightings.

Wild Waves Water Park is a must for the whole family and be enjoyed by all ages, not just the young. There are numerous slides guaranteed to thrill everyone.

I am leaving the piece on meals till last as everying there was so scrumptious, it is going to take pages to describe. LOL!! The choice and variety at each meal ensure that even the most discernable palates are satisfied.

I would like to thank Alec and Sonja for their extreme kindness and hospitality during my stay. I definitely need to return there and spend more time when the summer season comes around.

For reservations and more information, please go to:  http://www.suninternational.com/wild-coast-sun/Pages/default.aspx

Butterfly Valley, Ramsgate

I spent the best part of amazing day at Butterfly Valley situated on Fascadale Road in Ramsgate. What a wonderful place with hosts Dave and Cheryl giving me a tour around and allowing me to take pictures.

 All the butterflies are indigenous and fly freely in a very large domed enclosure with places to sit and relax and just enjoy the sights and tranquillity.. The tour includes going to the breeding centre where many types of pupa and larvae are on display.

 Butterfly Valley offers a unique opportunity to view the life cycle of the butterflies as most of them have been bred on the farm. By attending the informative presentation, one has a better appreciation for the fragile world of these colourful creatures.

Butterflies sense the protection of the flight dome and will generally not fly away from you as they would in the wild. This allows for really close encounters and offers the opportunity for that elusive close-up photography.

 There is a lovely River Walk outside the dome and one can see and appreciate nature at its best with sightings of more butterflies, flowers and vegetation.

 After all this, a stop at the tea garden is a must with a chance to visit the lovely craft shop afterwards.

If you are in the area or even passing nearby, it is well worth taking the time to stop by and spend some time at Butterfly Valley.

 For information on how to get there and their contact details, please visit their website www.butterflyfarm.co.za or email them on butterflyvalley@ymail.com

Petrified Forest Tour - Port Edward

Even if you miss everything else, a tour with Benny on the beach at Wild Coast Sun to see, learn about and enjoy the fossils are an absolute must!!

Below: you can judge the size of the ammonite below by the R5 coin which we places on the top left of it. (About the same size as a $1 coin)

 The sedimentary rock is rich in fossil remains which can be explored at low tide and ancient remains of huge claims can be seen in the walls of the caves made by wave action dug in the towering cliffs.

 Petrified Forest: Trees become petrified (turned to stone) by having the organic material replaced by minerals (mostly silica and quartz) while retaining the original structure of the tree. The process occurs while the tree is buried under sediment and begins because of the lack of oxygen. It takes at least 100 years for it to completely petrify.

 The most wonderful sample is a trunk in the middle of a huge bolder and on one side the age rings of the tree can be seen.

 Ammonites: These are related to squid and the ones here are estimated to be at least 85 million years old but have now become extinct. Their preference was for warm, shallow water. Females grew to be much larger than the males and they estimate that the nautilus shells comprising of individual chambers, grew in size as the creature developed. The chambers were secreted at a rate of about 12 per year and ammonites lives for approximately 2 years.

 Sharks teeth: Embedded in many of the rocks are sharks teeth which can be seen.

 A highlight for me was seeing this petrified turtle perfectly preserved in the cliff wall.

 Benny is not only very informative and knowledgeable about the fossils but has an outstanding knowledge of the vegetation, fish and birds etc. of the area which he passes on so everyone can benefit and learn a lot on his guided tour.

 He can be contacted directly on +2779 1985 975 or through the Wild Coast Sun Hotel. His tours leave at 9am every morning (Tuesday to Saturday) from the hotel and if fossils have never peaked your interest before, it sure will be after being with him.

Crocodile Centre, St. Lucia, South Africa

Since my first visit to St. Lucia in the early 1980’s, the one highlight has always been a walk through the crocodile centre they have there. Crocodiles can be so scary to us as they seems very large and dangerous but it is interesting to find out more about them. They also have other reptiles and species of crocodile besides the Nile Croc. Featured as well are wonderful, informative exhibitions on the Lake St. Lucia system of sea, beach, dune forests and grasslands.

 They are open every day of the year except Christmas and New Year’s day. Crocodile feeding for public demonstration takes place on Saturday afternoons at 15h00 (weather permitting) as well as on Wednesday evenings at 18h30. The evening feeding is only during the summer months.

 Crocodiles have been on earth since the era of the dinosaurs. In captivity they can live to be 100 years old but in the wild, are estimated to achieve half that age. In reality, only about 2% of those hatched live to become adults through predation of the eggs by mongoose and monitor lizards while the hatchlings are eaten by storks, eagles and even adult crocodiles. Their only natural enemy as adults are humans.

 The male crocodile will set up and defend an area against other males while the females are free to enter. When looking for a mate, the male will go through a curious courtship “dance” during which he bites the water and blows bubbles through his nose.

 They can only mate in the water and when ready to lay her eggs, the female will dig a trench about 45cm deep with her back legs and lay between 20-70 eggs. Incubation of them is 90 days and when they hatch, she picks them up in her mouth using a pouch under the chin in order to carry them down to the water. She then protects them for a further 90 days.

 Determination of the sex in the embryo is influenced by outside temperature when incubating. Warmer weather is conducive to more female than male young being hatched.

Body temperature is controlled through a membrane in the mouth. If they are seen laying with their mouths open, they are cooling themselves  by allowing mucus fluids to evaporate.

St. Lucia South Africa - Travelogue

For many years our coastal destination of choice was the small town of St. Lucia situated in the northern regions of our east coast as it was only a five hour drive from where we lived in Pretoria. When we first started coming here, the “town” consisted of a supermarket where one could buy almost anything, a fuel station and a tiny bank plus various kinds of accommodation. Besides fishing in both the sea and estuary, there was not much else to do so it remained a place which was peaceful and one could relax and enjoy yourself in the surrounding nature reserve.

The area is run and preserved by the Kwazulu Natal Park Board (KZN Wildlife) and the camping areas are neat, clean and only a few steps from the estuary and beach.  

 Lake St. Lucia which it is situated on, is the largest estuary in South Africa. In 1984 Cyclone Demoina closed the estuary mouth and this has led to a greater wetlands area. For the nature lover, large amounts of crocodiles and hippo which have adapted to the salty water, can be seen. There are over 500 bird species to be found including Purplecrested Lourie, Paradise Flycatcher and breeding Pelican not to mention the stunning Fish Eagle who’s call is synonymous of Africa.

 

 4x4 Vehicles and motorcycles have been banned on the beaches since 2001 in order to preserve the breeding ground for the Giant Leatherback and Loggerhead Turtles. Small Red Duiker, Bushbuck and Banded Mongoose are often seen but since the inclusion of the area in the Maputo Corridor which was established many years ago, it would not be unusual to see an elephant or two as well.

 Amongst others, it boasts of the following:


8 interlinking ecosystems
3 major lake systems
350 kms of water surface
220 kms of coastline and beaches
190 kms of marine reserve
100 species of coral
1 200 species of fish
25 000 year old coastal dunes
36 snake species
80 dragonfly species
110 butterfly species

 Sunset cruises on the estuary are available as well as kayaking, deep sea diving/fishing and whale watching tours. Small boats are allowed on the estuary from which fishing can be done but a permit is required and can be bought at the KZN office in town. Certain fish are limited to the amount you may catch per day and the size. Beautiful hiking trails are available where one can enjoy the sights and sounds of nature at its best including miles of beach where one can find spectacular shells washed up on the shore.

 Although St. Lucia was first discovered as far back as 1554 by Portuguese explorers and called Rio de Areias de Ouro, it was renamed in 1575. It was declared a Nature Reserve in 1897 and proclaimed a World Heritage Site in December 1999. The area was renamed iSimangaliso Wetlands Park in 2007. Because of its current status, new businesses bloomed. Now there are many different kinds of restaurants and shops available but it still remains a small town and many tourist buses use it as part of their itinerary. Vendors selling a variety of African curious and crafts line the street and many beautiful articles can be bought from them.

 The beaches have no protective shark nets so swimming is not allowed within 100m of the estuary mouth.

This is a malaria area and precautions should be taken especial pregnant woman and older people.

For more information about accommodation and activities, please go to: http://www.isimangaliso.com/

Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Maluti Mountains of the north eastern Free State lies the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
The park derives its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the park's sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag rock, keeping vigil over the main rest camp.
This 11 600 hectares of unique environment is true highland habitat, providing home to a variety of mammals – black wildebeest, eland, blesbok, oribi, springbok and Burchell's zebra - and birds, including the rare bearded vulture (lammergeier) and the equally rare bald ibis, which breed on the ledges in the sandstone cliffs. Ribbokkop, the highest point in the park, reveals a breathtaking tapestry of red, yellow and purple hues as its warm shades merge with the cool mountain shadows towards evening.

info: http://www.sanparks.org/parks/golden_gate/