Foto: Cape of Good Hope (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
South_Africa - The guide apologizes and asks if we had received notice that he would be late. We hadn’t! We quickly set off, picking up four German tourists along the way, completing our small, friendly group. We start the tour along the coastline heading south. At Camps Bay, we stop for a photo opportunity. Gobus, our guide, encourages us to take our time. From Camps Bay, we see the Twelve Apostles rock formation behind Table Mountain. From Hout Bay, we take Chapman’s Peak Drive, a winding road along steep cliffs that had been closed for some time. Luckily, it reopened this week; otherwise, we would have had to detour and miss this scenic route. Before entering Cape Peninsula National Park, we stop at souvenir stalls selling wood carvings and stone statues. I buy a double giraffe carving I had never seen before and a beautiful stone figure. Then we enter the park. Gobus mentions it’s quiet today; during peak season, long lines form at the entrance. From the park gate, it’s about 30 kilometers to the tip. The peninsula narrows, and in the distance, we see the Cape Point lighthouse. Because a few buses turn off toward the Cape of Good Hope, we head to Cape Point first. It’s very windy. Climbing the steps to the lighthouse (there’s also a small train), we sometimes have to hold on to withstand gusts. From the top, there’s a stunning view of the further Cape of Good Hope. We walk back down with the wind at our backs, stopping in the shop to buy sandwiches for lunch. At the Cape of Good Hope, the wind is even stronger, making it difficult to stand still for an unobstructed photo of the sign.
Addo Elephant Park
South_Africa - Addo Elephant National Park is a nature reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, established in 1931 to protect the endangered Cape elephant population. Today, it is one of the largest and most successful conservation projects in South Africa’s history. ...
From_Mossel_Bay_to_Plettenberg_Bay
South_Africa - The Garden Route, or Tuinroute in Dutch, lies along South Africa’s southern coast and is one of the country’s highlights. The route stretches from Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay, featuring stunning natural scenery with deep sea inlets, rivers, and ...
Kruger National Park
South_Africa - We set off at 7:45 a.m. for the game drive in two jeeps. The jeeps stay together so everyone sees the same wildlife. Our driver, Jafta, leads the way. Immediately after leaving the campsite, we see buffalo, impalas, and wildebeest. Turning east, we spot ...
The township Soweto
South_Africa - Soweto is South Africa’s most famous township, over a century old. It originated when tens of thousands of Black residents of Johannesburg were relocated there by the white authorities. Leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu lived here. Soweto, ...
Valley of Desolation near GraaffReinet
South_Africa - Graaff Reinet was once South Africa’s fourth-largest town. It began as an administrative outpost of Cape Town to govern the interior. Not surprisingly, many houses are built in the same old Dutch style as Cape Town. Our lodge is on the city’s edge ...