A spice tour is a unique opportunity to go through small villages and visit farms on Zanzibar to see spices in their unprocessed form. The aroma of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, pepper and cardamom are intoxicating. Many of the spices do not resemble anything of the form that you see in the grocery store. You will also get a chance to see a variety of the fruits grown on the island. The economy of Zanzibar used to be almost solely based on spice trading. At one time it grew up to three-quarters of the worlds clove supply, it is still a very prominent spice growing region … [Read more...]
Hiking Monk’s Cowl
To beat the heat we woke up at 5:30am and quickly ate our breakfast before heading off to hike Monk's Cowl. It is located in Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park, just a short drive from our backpacker accommodation the Inkosana Lodge. There are several hiking options within the park. At the entrance you can register the number of people in your party and let them know which trail you plan to hike. This precaution would come in very helpful in case you got lost or injured. Along with the spectacular scenery, this nature park offers chances to see the Western Cape Otter. We spotted their … [Read more...]
A Stroll Through Kirstenbosch Gardens
Kirstenbosch Gardens is a must see while visiting Cape Town. This beautiful attraction sits at the foot of the eastern slope of Table Mountain. The gardens cover an area of 528 acres with 36 acres of landscaping that showcases indigenous South African plants. Enjoy a casual stroll along the pathways that take you across rolling lawns and past streams and ponds. The gardens are inhabited by a large variety of birds. It's a great place to spend the afternoon with a picnic. Summer Concerts In The Park On Sundays in the summer months from November to April the gardens host … [Read more...]
Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, Perched On The Rim Of A Volcanic Crater
After a day of exploring the Ngorongoro crater we made our way to the top of the ridge on the opposite side from where we had entered it. Our accommodation for the night was at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. This is the only accommodation on the eastern rim of the crater. The pool, restaurants and rooms all face west, giving visitors the best sunset view anywhere on the crater rim. The property has easy access to an alternate descent into the crater. It has less traffic than the main entrance on the other side. The lodge property is gorgeous and the setting at the edge of the crater rim is … [Read more...]
Ngorongoro Crater, Mother Nature’s Way Of Creating A Zoo
On the last day of our safari we left the Serengeti and headed for Ngorongoro Crater National Park. The crater is a must stop on the northern safari circuit in Tanzania. It is a unique natural wonder and one of the few places where it is possible to see the entire Big Five in a single game drive. Over two million years ago the crater was formed when the cone of a large volcano collapsed into itself. It left behind the world's largest intact caldron. It's 20 km's across and takes up a total area of 259 square km's. An unbroken 610 meter high wall provides the protection for a world of … [Read more...]
Lions Of The Serengeti
A group of lions appear more like giant kittens basking in the sun. One of our largest spottings was a group of lioness and their cubs. It was getting quite hot at mid-day so they were lazing by some bushes in the shade. Our timing was just a few seconds too late to witness the take down of a wildebeest. I'm not sure if we would have wanted to witness it anways, but we got a good taste of the event. The group of lions were still running with adrenaline from the kill. The two cubs finally stop running around and settle for a few moments by a tree. They look back at the … [Read more...]
Vulture Restaurants
A Vulture Restaurant is a specific site where carcasses are provided as a source for vultures to feed from. They are unique eaters in that they only feed from the meat of dead animals. Vultures have nearly been driven to extinction because they were thought to be nothing more than disease spreaders. They are however an important part of the natural ecology. A leading cause in the vultures decline is due to a widely used medicine that farmers give to their livestock. It is lethal to the vulture when they eat the carcass of these animals. Other reasons the numbers have plummeted are due to a … [Read more...]
Birds Of Eden Sanctuary
Birds of Eden is located in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa and right next door to the other attraction we visited called Monkeyland. If you have any interest in exotic birds we highly recommend this place. It is the largest free flight bird aviary in the world. The entire two hectare area is covered in a dome of fine netting. Inside it is just like a huge natural forest and in most areas of the reserve you would never know the netting is there. … [Read more...]
Valley Of Desolation
The Valley of Desolation is located in the Camdeboo Nature Reserve of South Africa. From the town of Graff-Reinet you can do an easy day trip to the valley as well as The Owl House Of Nieu Bethesda. The massive dolorite rocks that tower from the valley floor were formed millions of years ago from volcanic forces and erosion. There are hiking trails in the area that range from one hour to overnight. If you are not up to a hike you can drive the 14km road up to the summit. The drive offers fabulous panoramic views of the valley. … [Read more...]
Tuxedo Wearers Of Boulders Beach
Boulders Beach is located in the Cape Peninsula of South Africa, just 45 minutes drive from central Capetown. It's a popular attraction because of its resident penguin colony. While we stayed in Simons Town we went to view the penguins on three separate occasions, we love them that much. The area where the majority of the penguins are is on Foxy Beach. A small fee of 35 Rand will allow you to view them from the fenced boardwalk. Many penguins were nesting. Penguins can desalinate sea water. They have special glands in their heads that filter out the salt. Their feathers do not stay … [Read more...]
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