African Siesta

I am sure that you can see the white rhino taking a rest against a termitary.

Now scan through this photo, before scrolling down, 
to see if you can spot any other animals
also having a Siesta ......

and when you do, it should bring at least a smile to your face!

Let's try a different angle:

If you still can't recognise them, then this should make it clearer:

A female Warthog with piglets!

We saw this just in front of the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre when I was delivering some Conservation Volunteers during 2010. Unfortunately they are not keeping rhino on this property anymore due to the poaching threat.

#wanderlust #travel #tour #touring #safari #southafrica #africa #humour #funny #animals #wildlife #warthogs 

The Cavern Drakensberg Resort

Yes, it does snow in South Africa, but The Cavern Drakensberg Resort is a real "Bird of Paradise" in the northern Kwazulu-Natal Drakensberg.

Our final two nights on tour with the van der Lee family from the Netherlands were spent at this resort. With severe winter weather threatening we arrived at this resort and settled into our cozy heated rooms and then enjoyed scrumptious Drakensberg fare alongside a crackling wood fire.

The next morning we awoke to snow falling softly outside, which excited me beyond measure as this was my first proper snowfall. I shot outside to experience it hands-on, throwing snowballs at ..... well everything, and taking photos in their lush garden which provided such an interesting contrast in the snow. My dutch guests were not so impressed at seeing snow in Africa, but used the opportunity to take a rest on their final full day of holiday, and some of them tried out the Spa which overlooks the beautiful Fern Forest.

The snowfall was heavy enough to close all the roads in the area, and no guests were able to come or go until the late afternoon. Fortunately we were staying two nights.

On tour for African Insight - August 2011
Overland tour with the van der Lee family from the Netherlands.

"The Cavern Resort & Spa, named after the infamous Cannibal Cavern, is situated in the Amphitheatre World Heritage Site area, high in the foothills of the northern Drakensberg mountains. 

Nationally recognised as a Site of Conservation Significance for conserving rare, endangered and endemic species, it's grasslands are rich in the famous berg flowers, and the forests are home to 70 tree species. The bird list for The Cavern and its surrounding nature reserve totals an impressive 204, boasting 24 endemic species. Eland patrol the hills and adorn the caves in ancient Bushman paintings. Baboons, mountain reedbuck and grey rhebok may also be seen. At night a resident leopard prowls.

The Cavern offers some of the most magnificent trekking and hiking trails, ranging from gentle to adventurous, on their property and the surrounding areas. Horse-trails and Fly-fishing are also very popular. It is a family friendly resort with lots of activities for children.

Scenic drives up the Oliviershoek pass to destinations like the Amphitheatre, Golden Gate National Park, Basotho Cultural Village, Clarens and the "Retiefklip & Voortrekker pas" are all comfortable day trips. The Royal Natal National Park and the Spioenkop Battlefield are also recommended." - brochure

#wanderlust #travel #tour #touring #safari #southafrica #africa #kwazulunatal #drakensberg #resort #hotel #scenery #landscape #nationalpark #worldheritagesite #wildlife #thecavern

Hot Air Ballooning - Sun Catchers

South Africa has some of the best Hot-air Ballooning weather in the world, and a whole variety of locations with spectacular scenery to choose from.

I had some guests on tour from the Netherlands, the van der Lee family, who wanted to do a hot-air balloon ride, and I managed to secure a flight for them with Sun Catchers. 

 

They fly over the scenic Lowveld section of the Blyde River, west of the town of Hoedspruit, near the central Kruger National Park. The terrain is a mixture of farmland and private nature reserves with spectacular views of the northern Drakensberg escarpment and mouth of the Blyde River Canyon.

We were staying at Sefapane Lodge in Phalaborwa, and had to make a very early start to get to the launch site on a private farm on the banks of the Blyde River well before sunrise.

It was an absolutely perfect morning with hardly a breath of wind, and a crystal clear sky so typical of winter in this part of our country.

Two members of the family could not take the ride so I drove them around, following the ground support crew as they chased the balloon to rendezvous with it wherever it was going to land.

It was even great fun for us and I was able to capture this event reasonably well for them from below.

Even though the winter landscape seemed stark and brown, 

the family thoroughly enjoyed the flight, especially mentioning the changing pastel colours of the sunrise lighting on the picturesque northern Drakensberg and Wolkberg escarpment.

Touching down comfortably in some open farmland brought this effortless adventure to an end.

After the pilot and passengers had celebrated their successful flight traditionally with some champaigne and orange juice while watching the crew pack-up the balloon, we proceeded to Otter's Den on an island in the Blyde River for a well anticipated full english breakfast complimented by local fresh fruits. 

"Peaceful and serene, hot-air ballooning is a wonderful adventure. From the thrill of watching the balloon inflate, and the imperceptible lift-off, to the gentle descents with the pilot skimming the treetops one moment then sending you soaring heavenwards the next. And the sensational views are unforgettable!" - SA Tourism website

On tour for African Insight - August 2011
Overland tour with the van der Lee family from the Netherlands

#wanderlust #travel #tour #touring #safari #southafrica #africa #panorama #scenery #landscape #viewsite #krugernationalpark #hotairballoon #adventure #hoedspruit #limpopo #suncatchers #activities #flight #kruger2canyon

Bloubergstrand

Bloubergstrand is the place to be to capture classic photos of the iconic Table Mountain from across Table Bay with beach, rock and wave foregrounds and fascinating cloudscapes.

I was staying at the Rockhaven Guesthouse at the end of an 11 day Southern Point of Africa Tour, and arose early to catch the sunrise. It was a magnificent morning with hardly a breath of wind, and I had a fantastic time walking along the beach taking loads of photos with a variety of foregrounds as the morning lighting changed.

Bloubergstrand directly translated means "blue mountain beach", getting its name from a nearby mountain called Blauwberg, and also possibly from the blue colour of Table Mountain when viewed from this point across the bay during the day.

Cape Town - Western Cape - South Africa

December 2015

#wanderlust #travel #tour #touring #safari #southafrica #africa #beach #mountain #sea #cloudscape #tablemountain #bloubergstrand #capetown #sunrise #westerncape

Leprous Grasshopper

The last instar nymph of the Leprous Grasshopper (Phymateus leprosus)

Also known as the Toxic Milkweed Grasshopper, they feed on toxic plants and give off a foul smelling toxic foam when threatened.

There was a whole bunch of them all over a shrub just in front of Forest Camp on the Moholoholo Private Nature Reserve when I visited there on tour during December 2010. 

This is a phenomenon known as juvenile gregariousness, with most of the young hopper stages forming dense aggregations on their food plants, and often bands of at least a hundred on the ground.

There is a detailed document entitled "Ten Instars in the Leprous Grasshopper" which gives lots more info on this interesting creature.

Moholoholo Forest Camp - near Hoedspruit - Limpopo - South Africa

December 2010

#wanderlust #travel #tour #touring #safari #southafrica #africa #insect #macro #grasshopper #entymology #nature #animal