Bulgaria - The Rila Monastery
Foto: A giraffe drinking water in Kruger Park (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
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 giraffes and zebras crossing the road—how fitting. We lose sight of the second jeep and, even after backtracking, do not find them. Jafta thinks they took another route, so we continue along yesterday’s path. While we don’t meet the other jeep, we do see plenty of wildlife: giraffes by the roadside, waterbucks, buffalo, and kudus. At the watering hole, a giraffe drinks, bending its knees in a funny way. Hippos play in the water. We continue toward N’wanetsi for a toilet stop. Jafta suggests returning to Satara campsite for lunch and driving north in the afternoon. The hot weather makes some animals hard to spot, but along the river we encounter more wildlife. On the way back, we see small game and distant elephants. A passerby points out a lion pride at a waterhole a few kilometers ahead—they are still there, but only visible with binoculars. At the river, we see elephants up close, with a family on the opposite bank. Jafta maneuvers the jeep for a better view, but the elephants notice us and slowly retreat into the bushes. Nearby stands a white rhinoceros, distant but magnificent. Returning to Satara, we continue to spot wildlife and scattered elephants but do not stop. It all becomes routine, though we pause when other vehicles stop—this time for lions.
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. ...
Cape of Good Hope
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...