COASTAL SAFARIS
ADVENTURE SAFARIS
OSTRICH FARM RACE
Oudtshoorn is home to the world’s largest ostrich
population with a number of specialised breeding
farms such as the Safari Show Farm and the Highgate
Ostrich Show Farm. Among the main attractions is
the daily ostrich racing, featuring colourfully dressed
local jockeys. Depending on your weight, you can
also get a ride on the feathered beasts. Contact Highgate Ostrich Show Farm (highgate.co.za; R 320).
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An ostrich egg has the equivalent volume of
24 chicken eggs.
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The ostriches at the ranch are tame, so one can feed
and handle them, and cuddle the fluffy chicks.
HOT AIR BALLOONING
Imagine floating high in the clouds over the
gorgeous countryside, getting a hawk’s-eye
view of the wildlife below. The most popular
hot air balloon trips are in Magaliesberg
near Johannesburg, Sabie and Hazyview in
Mpumalanga, Oudtshoorn, the Drakensberg
and Natal Midlands of KwaZulu Natal, and
the Cape Winelands. Another popular area is
the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. One should
definitely experience Bill Harrop’s Balloon
Safari where you can hover above the tree
tops of the beautiful Magalies River Valley
and drift majestically high above the Mag-
BILL HARROP’S
aliesberg range in the Cradle of Humankind
World Heritage Site.
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Hot air ballooning goes back to 1783 when
Pilatre De Rozier sent the first passengers
into the skies (a sheep, a duck and a rooster)
aboard a hot air balloon. The flight lasted
only 15 minutes.
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Ballooning starts early in the morning (before sunrise), when the air is at its calmest.
MOONLIGHTING IN
THE WINELANDS
A magical moonlight trail on horseback through the
Witzenberg Valley is a step back in time. Just 90 minutes
from Cape Town, one is blown away by the brightness
of the moon and fascinated by the shadows it casts.
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The Witzenberg valley is famous for award-winning
wines, export of fruit production as well as olive
production.
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There are horse trails, so you could keep some horseriding gear too.
OUT OF THE BLUE
SOUTH AFRICA’S COASTLINE OFFERS SOME INDELIBLE
SIGHTS: FROM SARDINE RUNS TO GREAT WHITES,
WADDLING PENGUINS AND SEALS WITH NAMES
O
ccupying the southern tip of the African continent, South
Africa is gifted with nearly 3,000km of coastline stretching from
its western desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic coast to
the northeastern border with Mozambique on the Indian Ocean. This
translates into rich marine biodiversity, that changes with the habitat
along the shore. Many excursions can be undertaken through professional tour providers to witness marine wildlife up close—from great
white sharks to penguins, sardine runs and southern right whales.
WHALE WATCHING
June onwards, southern right whales start
arriving on the coast of South Africa to
spend time in sheltered bays where they
mate, calve, and nurse their babies, before
heading off again into the deep Southern
Ocean by December. Hermanus, a town
on the southern coast of the Western
Cape, is reputed to be the best shorebased site for whale watching in the world.
Here, a horn alerts bystanders about the
presence of a whale. Head over to the
cliff path overlooking the bay and watch
a 50-tonne whale breach the serene blue
waters in a majestic manoeuvre.
Besides the southern right whale,
humpbacks (during winter), the smaller
Bryde’s whale and occasionally orcas are
also seen. Contact Southern Right Charters
([email protected];
from R 700).
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The kelp horn is blown by the Whale Crier,
a tradition that started at Hermanus in
1991. His sandwich board tells tourists
how to interpret the horn’s morse code.
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If you’re alert, and lucky, you may even
spot the majestic whales from the shore.
SHARK-CAGE DIVING
Imagine seeing the great white shark inches away
from you in its natural blue habitat. This surreal
experience is possible in South Africa, where sharks
enjoy full protection. There are several places where
one can go into the ocean inside a shark-cage, the
most popular being Gansbaai, about 160km east of
Cape Town. Board a boat to a spot known as Shark
Alley, where chum is used to attract sharks. Once a
great white shark makes an appearance, it’s time to
hop into the cage dangling off the side of the boat
for a closer look under water. The months of May
through October are the best time to go cagediving. Contact White Shark Projects (charmaine@
whitesharkprojects.co.za ; R1800).
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Great white sharks can grow up to 15-20 feet in
length and weigh up to 2,200 kg. They can detect blood in the ocean from up to five km away.
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Swimming is not a requirement as you remain just
below the surface of the water in a shark-proof
cage. You only dunk your head momentarily
when the shark whizzes by.