Kangela

20/09/2024

The Makgadikgadi Pan, Botswana, at 16,000 km2 is the largest salt pan in the world and forms the bed of the ancient Lake Makgadikgadi, that began evaporating millennia ago.

The water that now feeds the Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta, used to spill over here all the way from Angola in the north. Millennia ago, shifts in the earth caused the rivers to flow eastwards, the lake eventually dried up leaving a vast dry pan.

Kubu Island, known locally as Lekhubu Island, now a rocky outcrop dotted with baobab trees rising above the blinding white salt pan, was once an actual island, surrounded by water. We visited a couple of years ago. Camping under the ancient baobabs, surrounded by absolute nothingness is an experience I recommend you try at least once in your life if you possibly can. The name Kubu means either "large rock" in the Kalanga language or hippopotamus in Tswana.

The abundant, apparently "whitewashed" rocks dominate the landscape, which experts say is actually fossilized guano from waterbirds that once perched along the edge of the Great Makgadigadi Lake. Archeological recovery has revealed the presence of prehistoric humans through abundant finds of stone tools.

(Local Khoe people call the site Ga'nnyo)... NB! the name Ga'nnyo is incorrect, thank you to a reader for pointing that out, and no thanks to Wikipedia for providing the incorrect information. The correct name is Gaing-O or Gaingo.

08/09/2024

Who couldn't do with some backroads travel? To help those of us who can't be on the road right now, here are a few photos to whet the appetite. Oh yes! the gravel is definitely calling.

04/09/2024

Sunrise is by far my favourite time of the day, especially when it comes to photography. And Namibia is hard to beat when it comes to delivering the most spectacular sunrise opportunities. Since I can't be there right now, (but watch this space, something is in the planning stages for 2025), here are a couple of photos from past visits.

02/09/2024

Back to film photography. This really takes me back, not knowing how, or even if, the photo will come out until it’s been developed is a sure way of forcing patience. This is on the backroads around my home in Groot Brakrivier. Camera is a Canon A1, manufactured between 1976 and 1984 with Fuji Film 200 ASA.

29/08/2024

I have a bit of a vintage camera addiction, recently I loaded a roll of film into my Canon A1 film camera and took a couple of photos around my hometown of Groot Brakrivier. Not being able to see the result immediately, sending the film away for developing and waiting to get the photos back, never knowing how, or even if, they came out forces one to slow down and actually think about each and every “click” of the shutter. I’ve got to say it takes me back, I really enjoyed it, going to do more I think.

25/08/2024

Reflections.

23/08/2024

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK NAMIBIA
At just over 22000km2 Etosha, in northwestern Namibia, is one of the largest national parks in Africa, in fact it's slightly larger than the Kruger National Park. It was proclaimed a game reserve in March 1907 by the then Governor of German South West Africa, Friedrich von Lindequist and was awarded the status of national park in 1967. The park gets it's name from the huge Etosha salt pan, which covers 23% of the total area of the national park.

The park isn't a Big 5 reserve, with buffalo being absent. While they were present in the distant past, the last recorded sighting of a buffalo was of a young bull killed by lions in 1950. However there is an abundance of other game species, large and small including lion, giraffe, elephant, leopard, a small number of rare black rhino and an abundance of antelope. There are 6 rest camps within the park, which can get very busy during the peak season, it's very popular with German visitors. But there are privately owned lodges and camping facilities outside the park, from there day visits are easy.

Recently I've been experiencing a serious call to return to Namibia in general and the north in particular. It's my all time favourite country in the world. For now though, here are a few throwback photos from previous visits.

19/08/2024

“We were admiring the most beautiful country on earth, a land which bears the name of Outeniqua, meaning in the local language, laden with honey”….The words of Francois Le Vaillant back in 1782, after climbing the hills to the north of the Groot Brak River, between Mossel Bay and George☝️

And driving through that fertile land today I can see why. The canola fields are a blaze of colour and the wheat fields are steadily ripening. Spring is definitely on the way in the Garden Route.

17/08/2024

A little off topic maybe and a day late. I’m a HUGE Elvis fan in case you didn’t know. Yesterday was the 47th anniversary of his death. To me he’ll always be The King though! See y’all later, gotta go put my Elvis playlist on YouTube now 🎸

15/08/2024

Wow, thanks Africamps for the wonderful gift to celebrate your 10th birthday, it's been an incredible journey. We're looking forward to being there for the next 10.

11/08/2024

AFRICAMPS ROAD TRIP PART 4
The last in our Glamping with Africamps series from our 5000km road trip, we visit the last 3 of the 11 Africamps properties (that existed at the time). All 3 are located in the Cape Winelands and Southern Cape. I'm glad to say that our relationship has continued and we've been experiencing the newer properties, of which Africamps now boasts 18 across the country, with more to come no doubt.

DOOLHOF
Doolhof Wine Estate is a short distance from the Cape Winelands town of Wellington, where you'll discover 6 glamping tents surrounded by beautiful vineyards, mountains and clear mountain streams. The property is less than an hour from Cape Town, making it the closest Africamps property to the city. It's also home to some excellent wines, grown and produced on the estate. An afternoon of wine tasting and food pairing is time well spent for wine lovers. Activities on site include hiking and biking trails along the Kromme River. The tasting room where you can sample some of the estate’s award-winning wines along with a platter or lunch and, of course, the outdoor wood-fired hot tub next to your tent. Here's the video: https://youtu.be/3dIMKfJpTNU

STANFORD HILLS
Luxury camping on a boutique wine estate near the Southern Cape village of Stanford. It's located roughly half way between Hermanus and Gansbaai (most famous for it's white shark diving). Stanford Hills Estate is spread across the lower slopes of the Klein River mountain range, about 2 hours from Cape Town. Don't miss The Tasting Room restaurant, where you can enjoy amazing food, using all local ingredients, and wine grown and made on the farm. It's child and dog friendly, a real family affair. And, there's lots to do in the area, hiking through the vineyards or mountains, shark or whale watching at Gansbaai, or the bustle of Hermanus. It's no wonder that it's a favourite with Capetonians for a weekend getaway. Watch the video: https://youtu.be/jIOJcekB_xw

KAM'BATI
Kam'Bati River Resort s on the banks of the Breede River, a few kilometres from the town of Swellendam in the Western Cape. It was the last camp of our 2020 road trip, but definitely not the last. The weather wasn't great, more like winter than early summer, but the surroundings and quality of the accommodation and facilities was outstanding. The property is very much geared for families, and there are excellent camping facilities ranged along the river bank for traditional campers. It was quiet during our visit, but I can imagine the entertainment facilities being full of life over weekends and holiday periods. The river itself has abundant bass and is perfect for a few hours exploring with a kayak. The video's here: https://youtu.be/ugzRe3vZdRM

07/08/2024

The old Montagu Pass, outside George in the Western Cape. It was completed in 1848 and took 3 years to build using convict labour, which was standard practice at the time. Sadly floods over the past couple of years and lack of funds, or interest, have led to the pass being closed to traffic. It’s open to walkers though and is a great way to soak up the peace and tranquility of the mountains.

04/08/2024

I thought I’d highlight some of the delights to be found in the Garden Route over a couple of posts. What better place to start than my own home town of Groot Brakrivier (AKA Groot Brak)? Often referred to as the gateway to the Garden Route, Groot Brak is the first “green” town that is encountered when driving on the N2 from Mossel Bay towards George. With its beautiful estuary and perennially green, forest covered hills, it’s a fitting introduction to the beautiful Garden Route.

The first European references to Groot Brak were made in 1730, when the trek boers of old first reached the banks of the river. Francois Le Vaillant, in 1782, described it thus: “We crossed a plain, encircled with hills, and beautifully covered in trees and bushes, about five miles in circumference. I found there thousands of pelicans and flamingos.” After negotiating the difficult climb to the top of the hills to the north of the river, he went on to describe the scene beyond. “We were admiring the most beautiful country on earth. This land bears the name of Outeniqua, meaning in the local language, laden with honey”.

The village of Great Brak River was founded in 1859, when one Charles Searle brought his family to the virtually unknown rural settlement to operate and collect the toll, which was necessary for maintenance of the flood prone crossing. Travellers often needed their shoes repaired, and the enterprising Searle soon started a small shoe factory. Today the modern descendant of that factory, Bolton Footwear, is still in operation, and remains one of the major sources of employment in the village.

These days Groot Brak is more of a small town than a village, with an abundance of shops, restaurants, art galleries and accommodation establishments. It’s a popular holiday spot, with its endless beaches and protected estuary, and being midway between Mossel Bay and George on the N2 highway, and only 15 minutes from the airport, it’s ideally located as a base for exploring the Garden Route region. Nearby are 2 world class game lodges, where the Big 5 can be experienced (Botlierskop and Gondwana), and numerous beach villages like Herold’s Bay, Victoria Bay and Wilderness all within a short drive.

While it’s often (in fact usually) overlooked when it comes to guidebooks and websites focused on Garden Route tourism, Groot Brak is definitely worth a stopover. If for no other reason, the local market, held on the banks of the river on the first Saturday of the month is worth a visit. It’s a genuine country affair with produce and art by locals and an excellent food court with delicious stuff to eat.

Try it, you’ll be in for a great surprise.

29/07/2024

I've been seeing a lot of AI generated images of cute wild animals recently, and others behaving totally out of character, passed off as genuine photography. To be clear, I have NO problem with digital art, or the use of AI when it's appropriate. As long as it's labelled as such! ALL my content though is original, authentic and AI free, and always will be. Just saying 😉

26/07/2024

You just can’t beat an early morning game drive in the Kgalagadi. Hot coffee to take off the chill, the locals starting to become active and those awesome sunrises. It doesn’t get better than that.

25/07/2024

AFRICAMPS ROAD TRIP PART 3

We undertook an epic overland road trip, visiting all 11 (at that time) Africamps properties across South Africa, travelling 5000 km over 6 weeks. Here's a recap of our experience of the Klein Karoo / Route 62 portion of that adventure.

Africamps @ Oudtshoorn, Klein Karoo
Oudsthoorn is a town that always revolved around the ostrich industry, but these days it's just got so much more to offer. From game viewing safaris, where the Big 5 can be spotted, to the world famous and unique Cango Caves, not to forget really good restaurants and wine estates. And the Africamps property, situated on the road to the Cango Caves is really well placed to serve as a base for exploring this still relatively undiscovered region. Here's the video: https://tinyurl.com/myv462j4

Africamps @ Pat Busch, Robertson
Just 16km outside the Route 62 town of Robertson is the incredible Africamps property at Pat Busch Mountain Reserve. It's a place of such unsurpassed natural beauty, hidden away in a breathtakingly beautiful mountain valley. As a place to get away from the daily grind, spend your days hiking the mountain trails, fishing in the dam or chilling by the pool, you will find it right here. And only a couple of hours drive from Cape Town, it's an easy weekend getaway in unspoilt nature. Watch the video: https://tinyurl.com/yckd4fhh

23/07/2024

Visit to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the northern Kalahari, between South Africa, Botswana and Namibia in May 2024. No tar roads, no mobile phone reception and no internet for 6 nights, perfect!

This visit provided us with some of our best game sightings ever, with an incredible, close up lion encounter and a lone cheetah, all to ourselves. It also provided some of the least productive game viewing days we've experienced, with km after km of empty loneliness.

But, that's what makes this place so special, a zoo it is not! The Kgalagadi can bless those who make the effort to visit with awesome game viewing, as much as it can disappoint. But one thing it ALWAYS delivers is a genuine wilderness, one of the last authentic wild spaces in the country, if not the world.

Here's the video:

Visit to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the northern Kalahari Desert area between South Africa, Botswana and Namibia, in May 2024.This visit provided us...

21/07/2024

Some more Garden Route mountain path explorations. We stopped off at the Old Tolhuis at the start of the Montagu Pass, where the proprietor, George is a mine of information. It's well worth spending a few minutes admiring the period decor, and if you're in the mood for a coffee and pancake, they offer that too.