An Africa odyssey

[Major]

The loo with a view

 

[JohnM]

That afternoon, the interactive elephant encounter in the sanctuary.

The handlers guide a group of elephants to the encounter point.



We had the opportunity to approach the elephants and feel their sandpaper-like ears and their skin, and then to feed them. There were two feeding methods that the elephants were tuned to relevant commands, either to lift their trunk and open their mouth and have a handful of pellets thrown in or to use their trunk to suck in pellets.

 

[bPeteb]

How crazy is that!! Baraka encounter still wins though.

 

[JohnM]

Later in the afternoon, a little game spotting as we went out to a scenic spot above the lower Zambezi for a sundowner.

 

[JohnM]

Next morning. A cute bushbuck visitor at breakfast and warthogs foraging near our tent.



Later, checking in for a helicopter ride over Victoria Falls.



Lower Zambezi and site of our previous evening sundowner.

 

[JohnM]

Devil’s Cataract at the Zimbabwe end of Victoria Falls.



Livingstone Island in the centre, with Devil’s Pool slightly to the picture left.



Livingstone Island centre left and centre. Devil’s Pool immediately to its right; Angel’s Pool immediately to its left.



Victoria Falls Hotel.



PJM had the front seat.

 

[bPeteb]

The falls are amazing. Loved our ultralight flights over them. Such an ‘up close’ experience.

 

[JohnM]

After the helo ride, we went for lunch at the Lookout Café overlooking the first clear section of the lower Zambezi, and the Victoria Falls bridge (opened in 1905) before going into the Victoria Falls National Park to scope the falls from ground level on the opposite side of the canyon.



David Livingstone facing the classic first view down the ravine.



Devil’s Cataract.

 

[JohnM]

The spray produces a rainforest.



Looking straight across at Devil’s Pool and Livingstone Island at the right.



Blue waxbill.



Back to Elephant Camp and time for a bath before dinner to round out another great day.

 

[JohnM]

Next day it was on the bird VFA-CPT.



Lobbing into CPT.



Overnight at the airport hotel and picked up a rental car next morning.

First stop Table Mountain cable car station.



Then our go. The gondolas turn one revolution as they ascend and descend.

 

[JohnM]

The infamous Robben Island.



And down we go.

 

[JohnM]

We then drove to Stellenbosch to spend two nights.

 

[craven morehead]

View attachment 523507

A look back at our lodge.

View attachment 523508View attachment 523509View attachment 523510

Who doesn’t like close encounters with cheetahs?

View attachment 523511View attachment 523512View attachment 523513View attachment 523514View attachment 523515

Wait. There’s another one nearby.

View attachment 523516View attachment 523517View attachment 523518View attachment 523519View attachment 523520View attachment 523521

And so ends another great day.

View attachment 523522

Agreed vis a vis Cheetahs. Got to sit with this juvenile back in 2015



Rough tongue

 

[JohnM]

Next day was driving around the Stellenbosch-Franschhoek wine-producing area. The weather was against us, with low cloud, rain and cold. We retreated to the historic and beautiful La Motte winery near Franschhoek for a look around and lunch before meandering back to Stellenbosch.



It’s been around for a while.

 

[JohnM]

Next day was our last full day in Africa. First stop on our way back to Cape Town was Cheetah Outreach, followed by Bloubergstrand for the view across the bay to Table Mountain, then to our hotel in walking distance of V&A Wharf.

A howling bitterly cold wind in the evening marred our evening outing to the V&A. It was far too uncomfortable to stroll around outside. We jumped into the first restaurant we encountered, which fortunately turned out to be a good choice for the final night.



Cheetah Outreach is an educational organisation and works with communities in free-ranging cheetah territory to develop initiatives that reduce human-wildlife conflict. One is breeding Anatolian Shepherd livestock guarding dogs.



The petting cheetah was purring with a deep rumble. Unfortunately, the volunteer who took my phone to get pictures didn’t account for the sun angle.



Next day it was on the bird CPT-JNB, then to SYD and on to PER to bring a sensational almost seven-week journey to a close.

 

[bPeteb]

Brilliant trip report @JohnM. Thankyou for bringing back so many memories and giving me so many more ideas.