Storms River

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

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

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

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

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.