Thank you for all your efforts and help with this tour !!

 and Michael thank you for your patience, understanding about my nervousness in making your tour the best it could be with what we have to work with within this mysterious, wonderful country of South Africa.

So when you think that you cannot do this -

MICHAEL HIS LARGE CHAIR AT PENGUIN COLONY CAPE TOWN

He did – enjoyed and disability DOES NOT MEAN you cannot do it!

Another visit – Tenikwa and Meet the People tour – also excellent service and the animal encounters are excellent and meeting the people in Mossel Bay also a unique experience.

Cango wildlife ranch also a favourite with service above the usual standard from their excellent guides there.

Spring Flowers – off to see the wild flowers that “decorate” the West Coast of SA at this time of the year. Wait for the next blog to see these fantastic photos. Talk with you all next week.

We set off from Cape Town through to the Garden Route via the R62, the longest wine route in the world, overnighting in Oudtshoorn, the Ostrich capital of the country. Here we visited the Cango Wildlife Ranch, where they have a breeding programme for the endangered Cheetah. They also have White Lion, White Bengal Tigers and many more very interesting animals and birds, many endangered such as the Cape Vulture.

We then visited the Safari Ostrich farm, for a tour and lunch ( no potatoes!!). Afterwards we  then headed to the coastal area over the Outeniqua pass to Knysna for a night. This is where the real adventure began, with sightings of Elephant, Buffalo and Warthog. Yes we saw 2 of the 6 Lion, a female that decided she liked the look of us staring at her from a koppie and decided to walk back up the hill, so back into the car – fast – and then tried to follow her, but she slunk off into the thick Spekboom vegetation fast.

The next morning the sunrise was beautiful and as I was taking a photo of it, I heard a roar, Keith shouted he’s walking at about 200m direction 12 o’clock from the guest house that overlooked a waterhole and low and behold what a beautiful male Lion. More of this was on the cards over this very lucky spell.

We arrived at Shamwari and in the first game drive of the evening, we followed a male Cheetah on the hunt. This happened a few times. We also followed a female with 2 cubs a few times over the 8 game drives we did. The Elephant encounters were also special, with the young bulls really play fighting a lot. Other sightings included a herd of Elephant and a White Rhino with calf, which were in the same location as the Elephant.

In the mix

We also encountered that same White Rhino with calf who had rolled in the red sand with a Black Rhino who was totally out in the open, who took a dip in a very small mud pool. We managed to get a photo of both types of Rhino together – another first for the rangers.

So many firsts for seasoned rangers on this trip the angles were really smiling down on us. And so it went on with one special encounter after the other. A Lioness with 2 cubs of about 6 months, was not happy with the males advances,  and tore a strip off him by growling and chasing him. He tried to block her wanting to leave, but she chased him with lots of growling and roaring – a sight I tried to video but was shaking too with excitement.

More Lion encounters, chasing the Male cheetah out of their territory. I can almost write a book about these 4 days at this private game reserve. Well, the verdict at the end of the tour was – after having visited most of the Sub Saharan countries of Africa over 28 years and doing many game encounters, this was by far the best ever experience for Keith, Liz & Tom. Seb enjoyed his first visit and I am sure he will be back, as I am sure the Somerville’s will be.

Keep reading and I hope to set up a photo gallery for these magnificent safaris we do in MALARIA-FREE area – Cheers for now – Pam Taylor.

Lioness one of many seen

Return to Gallery

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EXCITING NEW PLACES AND THINGS TO DO!!
On recent trip to check out a few places down the Garden Route, we found a new attraction in t he form of a “Small Cats Sanctuary” – TENIKWA – where you can get close and failry personal with animals like the smaller cats, those you do not see when doing a Safari, as many of them are the shy ones, nocturnal ones or those seldom seen at all. Caracal (lynx),with their tufted ears and redish fur, Wild Cat – that looks like house cats, but are far from that. Black footed cat, that are beatiful, ferocious and almost never seen. Cerval that are long legged and small bodied. The other highlight is the boardwalk above the new Meerkat enclosure, where you can see these fascinating animals in their natural enviroment. You can also get very close to our National Bird – the blue Crane. I sat having coffe stroking this birds feather – first for me!! The undertakers of the veld – the Maribu Stork was also a close encouter and a first for me on being so close. There are also hand reared Cheetah at this sanctuary that are loved and looked after by Len and Mandy who loves these animals so much it shows in the way the animals respond back to them.
HOW MUCH MORE RELAXED CAN THIS CARACAL (Lynx) BE???

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WHALE WATCHING – FROM BEACH LAUNCH BOAT

For those who want to push their bounderies. We now have a sling seat to get you on board a boat that launches from the beach in Plettenberg Bay – ocean Safaris – to go out and get close to Southern Right whales, occasionally Dolphins will appear, which is the added bonus. This is best done during July to mid November each year, when these largest mammals in the world, come around our shores especially along the Western and Southern coastlines. Another incredible experience

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FOR THE VERY MAD AMONG US!!

WHO REALLY WANT TO MORE THAN PUSH BOUNDARIES

(MUST HAVE UPPER BODY STRENGTH)

Become a monkey for about two hours – “swing from tree to tree” – I did – but then I am not in a wheelchair. Again the sling seat will get you to the forest site and out again. Get strapped into gear and with lots of help from a very helpful team of tree flyer guides – we will get you from tree platform to the next at the top of the tree canopy!! Again I must iterate, that there are restrictions for those doing this, in weight, strength and ability. Exhilarating – yes – exhausting – yes. I have very strong arms from pushing wheelchairs in and out of my vehicle and I have lactic acid muscle pain the next day! Not for the faint of heart – only the crazies like me! The certificate proves it – make of that what you wish!!

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NEW ACCOMMODATIONS

I have a few new ones that I checked out last month. After years of “nagging” our bestman Dennis Jenkinson in Port Elizabeth, he and his wife Sandy, have adapted one of the rooms in their guest houses and built in a roll-in shower and grab rails. The room has an added bonus of having a kitchenette for a bit of self-catering. WELL DONE – at last! Thanks Den

In the Klein Karoo capital town of Oudtshoorn, we have found another gem and have a new guest house option there as well, with charming hosts and luxury interior and one adatepd room. This is my secret find!

Our usual stop at the Farm near Heidelberg, Anné-Lize and Neels, are also adding another adapted room on as we speak, so that they will soon have 2 adapted rooms on the Guest Farm.

So strides are being made in the smaller venue accommodation industry, who are showing up the big boys in the industry, in how to make a REAL difference to our guests with special needs -

WELL DONE ALL OF YOU!!!

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Enough prattle from me today, until next time. – SPRING NEWSLETTER Love each other like there is no tomorrow. Tell your loved ones you love them often. Always hug your animals, they are the the ones that love you unconditionally! Love and hugs to ALL PAM & JEFF