Sunway Safaris - Adventures in Africa blog

Jacobs Ladder – Drakensberg Mountains

inkwazi — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:25:46 +0000

The following morning breakfast was served at 8am as we enjoyed the sun rising over the peaks. After breakfast we geared up, filled out the mountain register and set off up Jacobs Ladder. The sun was shining as we crossed the river over the hang bridge and into the sloping foothills of a peak called Sheba’s breasts. On our right just across the river a big herd of eland stare at us as we take photos and enjoy the scenery.

Eventually we cut away from the river and reached Jacobs Ladder, a waterfall that drops into a series of 3 fantastic pools. With our swim gear on we headed to the bottom pool first. The water was refreshing after the hike thereafter we made our way to the second pool, the best of the 3, as it is deeper and better for swimming. For those that were not swimming there was a natural shower around the corner to help them cool down.

Great times and photos taken we all returned to camp with some laughs and smiles on our faces. What a great day in Africa.

Adriaan Smit

Feedback from Sarah who went on the SOS weekend

inkwazi — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:28:25 +0000

Following on from the SOS weekend that Sunway Safaris runs with the Adventure Company, we received this lovely letter from one of the girls who was on the trip.

What a lovely experience for these teenagers.

inkwazi — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:34:53 +0000

Returning from a South African Rainbow tour I was asked what the game viewing was like in the various game reserves that we visited. After seeing the big 5 twice in 2 days in the Kruger national Park I thought that it could not get any better. I was wrong.

After a really slow day of game viewing in Mkuze we decided to go and sit in one of the hides to see if our luck would change and that it did. After 15min a large white rhino bull came down to the water for an afternoon spa treatment. On his back with his horn in the mud he gave us a wallowing shoe like I’ve never seen before. Covered in mud he decided it was time to move on.

Not even 10 min later we had 2 rhino bulls, a cow and a 3month old calf join us for a drink. Whilst watching them we saw movement in the bush not far behind them, another 2 cows both with calves in tow joined the party.

White rhino are the more sociable of the 2 rhino species we get in Africa, but it is very seldom you see 3 cows all with calves under the age of 4 months at the same time having an afternoon drink.

What an experience we had, which none of us could stop talking about until the end of the tour.

Dirk

SOS Children’s Village weekend in Pilanesberg National Park

inkwazi — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:50:47 +0000

Every year The Adventure Company together with Sunway Safaris plan a weekend for 20 underprivileged teenagers from the Ennerdale SOS Children’s to Pilanesberg National Park to give them the opportunity to see and learn about South African Wildlife and also the different career possibilities in the tourism industry. The children were accompanied by 3 caretakers and 4 Sunway guides (Albert, Dirk, Maxwell and Larissa).

SOS Ennerdale Group with the Sunway Truck

We had the chance to meet the Restaurant Manager of the Bakgatla and 2 rangers who took their time to explain to us, how they got into their positions and what each position entails. The teenagers asked many questions starting from the studies they would need to complete to get into the different positions and the biggest challenges in the different jobs to the wildlife in Pilanesberg.

On day 2 in Pilanesberg National Park and we left for an early morning game drive. Once everyone was awake and ready to go, we entered the game drive area and they were looking intensely for animals. A little later we already saw 3 rhinos with 2 young babies, near the rhino’s several black-backed jackals were playing in the grass. The children got really exited about these sightings especially when we stopped at a picnic site and asked them to go out of the truck and sit down to observe a waterhole. At first the landscape seemed to be baron, without any wildlife, when we discovered a hippo coming out of the mud very close to us. The children couldn’t believe their eyes and started to ask lots of questions, about why the hippo is making itself so dirty and if it really will manage to come out of the mud completely because it looked very slippery.

After this exciting moment 27 happy and hungry people went back to our campsite for a big brunch and to talk again about the great morning we had just had.

A great weekend was had by all, knowledge was shared and fun times experienced. The children appreciated the opportunity to learn about the different career options in the tourism industry and to learn more about wildlife and South Africa in the process.

The teenagers and caretakers really appreciated this weekend and want to send a big THANK YOU for this exceptional opportunity to The Adventure Company.

Dune 45 – What an experience!

inkwazi — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:50:45 +0000

Sossusvlei - Dune 45

Having read every online review written about and having been to Sossusvlei many times, I still find myself largely unprepared for the size of Dune 45, which takes my breathe away literally and figuratively.

Sunrise

So named for easy referencing and not for its distance in kilometers from Sesriem Canyon as is commonly believed, it is the most popular dune and at 170meters it is the most accessible dune in Sossusvlei.

On my last trip through Namibia we were really lucky as we were the only people around in our red safari truck. We had the dune to ourselves at 5.30am, an early start in order to reach the summit in time for sunrise, the best time to view Sossusvlei as the air is still mercifully cool.

As I reach the top, too exhausted to utter a word I drop in an ungainly heap at the spot where the rest of our group has been waiting patiently for me, watching me as my lungs bursting and chest exploding whilst I plod up the dune.

The view was incredible and once I got my breath back and looked around to absorb it, it took my breathe away again!

Shandle

Friendliness always goes a long way

inkwazi — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:43:39 +0000

I recently returned from a tour of Mozambique beach and bush. We left Johannesburg and travelled almost 600km to Mkuze Game reserve. We arrived quite late in the afternoon, checked in and went for a late afternoon game drive. At the waterhole we were lucky to see 4 white rhinos drinking water and wallowing in the mud. In the eyes of the tourist it was spectacular to see those big animals throwing themselves in the mud and playing like young kids pushing each other around.

Rhino

While watching this one lone elephant bull arrived at the waterhole in an unfriendly manner and tried to chase the rhinos away. The rhino’s stood their ground and challenged the elephant. It was fascinating watching 2 of the big 5 sizing each other up.

Eventually the elephant realised that he was fighting a losing battle, he became a bit more friendly and joined the rhino in the drinking and wallowing act.

These animals are after the same things to survive, friendliness definitely goes a long way to maintain the peace.

Chris Z

Christmas comes early in the Okavango Delta

inkwazi — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:42:04 +0000

For almost 2 years now, Sunway Safaris and Planet Okavango in conjunction with the Ditsipi community have developed the S.O.S (Save Our Sausage Trees) Project. We are happy to say that it is now bearing fruit. Not in the form a Sausage, but an object of similar shape – fibreglass mekoro.

The MOKORO is the traditional means of transport for the people of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. For the adventure seeker, gliding through the Okavango Delta in a mokoro with a local guide, is the essence of the Okavango experience. But behind this serene experience there lies a disturbing environmental impact.

With the increase in tourism to Botswana over the last 20 years the number of mekoro polers earning a living from tourism has increased. This has been beneficial to the communities living within the Okavango Delta and by 2009 there are estimated to be over 2000 mekoro in the Okavango region. Each mokoro is cut from a single mature Kigelia Africana tree (Sausage Tree).  The root of the problem is that a wooden mekoro lasts perhaps only 5 years before it rots and falls apart. Therefore to build new mekoro, roughly 400 trees must be felled each year and there just aren’t enough trees to sustain this.

The local communities of the Okavango are aware of the problem – largely because they now struggle to find trees big enough for mekoro. Each year we have witnessed smaller new mekoro (meaning younger trees are cut down) and old mekoro being used beyond their reasonable life (meaning leaks and multiple plastic patches).

The solution to this environmental issue is to use fibreglass mekoro. Sunway has consulted with the community and they have agreed that should a poler buy a fiberglass mokoro, then the poler will pay 50% of the cost and Sunway the other 50%.

In order to help each individual poler raise the funds to cover the 50% cost of the fibreglass mekoro – through their generous donations, Sunway Safaris’ clients & agents have aided some polers in obtaining their fibreglass mekoro.

Towards the end of November 2011 five very happy and proud polers received their brand new mekoro.
1. Itumeleng Batshabeng (Qween)
2. Kubushabi Sampofo (Rosina)
3. Bogale Manga (Charls)
4. Tumeletso Oja
5. Gositwang Molaemang (Qween)

Congratulations to all of the polers for their hard work during the season with our groups and we look forward to the next delivery of fibreglass mekoro to more members of the Ditsipi community.

We are proud to be part of this important project, and if you would like to contribute to the polers fund, please contact the Sunway Safaris office.

Wish you all a very merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Sunway Safaris

The Lions and their royal feast

inkwazi — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:49:52 +0000

Great safaris are made of these: A great group and a common love of adventure. We have just returned from a fascinating tour from Cape Town to Livingstone. In Etosha National Park, the jewel and pride of Namibia, we saw about 7 lions, they looked so full and content with life as they were relaxing under the Mopani tree. They were so full their tummy’s bulged as if they had swallowed pumpkins whole.

The source of this feast was a zebra, a mere 50m away from where they lay. The lions were licking each others faces to clean themselves after their meal. Perfectly camouflaged that we could have driven straight past them, we were honoured to be invited to a watch a royal feast by the king of the jungle, the lion king.

Yours in adventure

Maxwell Muswere

Summer in Botswana

inkwazi — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:40:57 +0000

I recently went to Botswana for a week and it was amazing few days.

Beautiful summer thunderstorms

The rains are just starting to fall in Botswana, and the huge cloud build up creates some amazing photo opportunities. The colours associated with the green vegetation, blue skies and black clouds is truly amazing. Of course with the start of the rainy season the days are slightly cooler, which was a welcome break from the heat (45 degrees) that we experienced in the Kalahari!!!

A great place to relax during the heat of the day

For 2 nights we stayed at Hyena Pan Bush camp. It really is an oasis of peace and tranquillity. Sitting at the lounge / dining area overlooking the permanent waterhole was a great way to wait out the heat of the afternoon. Even though the rains have started and the animals are moving away from permanent water sources, it was still nice to see elephant and other wildlife coming to the waterhole in the afternoon to quench their thirst.

A highlight for me was on the drive back to Maun. We came across a pack of wild dog lounging in the shade of a Marula Tree. All of the dogs were very relaxed especially considering that this was on the main road between Mababe Village and Maun. Unlike other top predators wild dogs are great to watch as they are always so active and alert – no sleeping for this bunch.

Wild Dogs in Botswana

It was a fantastic time in Botswana, and even though many think that the rainy season is not the best time to visit Botswana, the wildlife and amazing birdlife (and the odd drop of rain) made every moment I was in Botswana one to be cherished.

Hairy times on the Zambezi

inkwazi — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:16:41 +0000

It was early in the morning in the Lower Zambezi while on a recent Trade Route safari, with 10 people in our group canoeing down the Mighty Zambezi River. Two people per canoe (all couples).The local guide called us together for a short briefing before we started. After that we started canoeing down the river with a lot of excitement. One couple was struggling because it was their first time – the lady was paddling towards left and her husband was doing the same, they were turning around in circles. We swapped partners, the lady and I went together and her husband teamed up with the local guide. After about 500m or so, a big hippo appeared straight ahead of us. Everyone was shaking nervously because we are all aware of how dangerous these animals can be when agitated. The best solution is to move away calmly.

My partner and I were at the back and we were all in a single file. My partner started to focus on the hippo and forgot about paddling, the canoe turned and she started paddling backwards to get away – a very natural reaction. The hippo disappeared and the rest of the group who had made it to the island already were watching on.

The excitement was high because we were struggling to get in and the rest of the group was laughing, busy videoing and taking photos. We made it there safely in the end, from lunch time on we were the joke of the tour.

Safety always comes first but afterwards a little humour goes a long way.

Bongizwe