S.A.Routes Tour Photojournal: Leopard Tracks

The right route for you

Hi, the purpose of this blog is to have a place that is accessible to all where photos and highlights of recent tours can be presented, as well as a newsletter to keep every-one updated as to what is happening.
Should you have been on tour with us and would like to share some pictures or perhaps your impressions, please mail them to:
50plus@africanroutes.co.za
we will do what we can to include them on the blog.
If you would like further information on our tours go to http://www.africanroutes.co.za

Hakuna Matata

The Bush Telegraph July / August 2009

Garcia Charter, WW720, LL720:

As always winter is a busy time for the SARoutes team with tours taking place in Botswana, Namibia and Zambia with diversions to Zimbabwe which has improved of late. The weather proved to be a little more on the chilly side than is usual for this time of year, although the days were all very pleasant with temperatures getting up into the 30's. Thanks to all participants for following guiudelines and being prepared for a range of conditions.

Giving Something Back:

Highway Association for the Aged Golf Day - Royal Durban Golf Club

Once again we were amoungst the sponsors (and the field of participants) for HATFAs annual golf day. Our four-ball better-ball alliance scored 68 points and finished middle of the field, the mitigating factors being that we spend too much time in the bush to play much golf. At least thats MY excuse. A good time was had by all and some much-needed funds were raised for this worthy charity.

Umhlanga Lagoon and Hawaan Forest

Having just completed a course on Estuary Management hosted by Nikki Demetriades and Ticky Forbes we continue our involvement in promoting and protecting this estuary. A refuge for many wetland and coastal forest birds, animals and plants, the Hawaan Forest is home to a variety of endemic species of plants as well as over 200 different species of birds. Morning walks are done on Tuesday to Thursday at 09h00 and school groups are accommodated on Fridays. Our primary goals are to educate people on the importance of these two unique biomes as well as the removal of alien invader species such as bugweed, lantana, ballon-vine and triffid-weed. For more information contact craig@africanroutes.co.za.

New Tour:

2009 sees the launch of our first Golf Tours in South Africa in July,August, December and January hosted by a registered British PGA professional as well as a specialised Birding Tour in Namibia in September and South Africa in December hosted by a South African ornithologist.

Four 3-day package tours in KZN:

Game and Battlefield

Midlands Golf Meander

Hibiscus Coast

Purely Game

Check our website for more details of these.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Leopard Tracks - Namibia 2008

The Leopard Tracks Tour proved to be our most popular tour of 2008. Scenic splendour, fantastic game viewing, fine dining and superb weather - Namibia has it all to offer.

Aloe Dichotyma - The Quivver Tree Bushmen used the hollowed branches to hold their arrows. These beautiful specimens are found on the road between Kuiseb and Swakopmund.

Dune 40 Sesriem -The red colour comes from the red sands that get blown in from the Kalahari.

Sesriem Canyon has been carved by water over thousands of years. A source of water in deep wells and a place where you can imagine ancient scenes of primitive beings trapping game within it's steep walls.

The WW600 stopped off at "Bird feather mountain" just east of Walvis Bay. The third day of the tour takes us through the Goab and Kuiseb canyons to Swakopmund.

Big Rod at The Gramadoella on top of Kuiseb Pass. Between 09h00 and 11h00 the illusion is that there is hole in the middle of the hill.

WW610 All aboard the balloon over Sesriem in the Namib Desert. After an early rise and a quiet drift over the desert they were welcomed back to earth with a champagne breakfast.

King of the beasts. This chap and his family have decided to set up home under a bridge in central Etosha near a waterhole

Baggy trousers - the real Kings. When a group of Elephants arrive at a waterhole everyone, lions included makes way. Except occasionally for a cheecky Black Rhino who will at times put up a show for those prepared to stay up late at the waterhole to watch this interspecies interaction.