SAFARI SOUTH AFRICA

SAFARI SOUTH AFRICA DECEMBER 2023

+27 84 501 6300

+27 60 889 4489 Editor Una Sneedon

Publisher: Ditsibi Publishers INSTAGRAM @unasneedon FACEBOOK Una Sneedon

WELCOME TO SAFARI SOUTH AFRICA An early morning safari, not only a good time to see wild animals, but also the best time to see Mother Nature put on an unforgettable display of her vast collection of all things beautiful. The colour of the rock formations, the various grasses, the almost blue colour of the mountains...all seem to be changing colour every few seconds as the first rays of sunshine touch them. And never more so than in South Africa - the place of the rising sun. It's a breathtaking experience, indelibly imprinted in your memory bank. Give yourself time to explore our animals and glorious scenic splendour.

Stop often on your journey... and come back to that which took your breath away the first time.

Your love affair with what South Africa offers in scenic splendour has only just begun...Mother Nature is patient.

She knows she will have your heart forever!

Come and experience the wondrous nature and wild animals of this beautiful place. A warm welcome awaits you.

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KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

Kruger National Park....the jewel in South Africa's tourism crown....the size of the Kruger Park is 19485 sq.kilometres..about the size of Israel. More than 90 countries are smaller in size and it is one of the world's largest wildlife sanctuaries. It's hard to describe this massive Park and the thousands of animals whose home this is...where nearly 2 million hectares of unrivalled diversity of life forms fuse with historical and archaeological sights - this is real Africa.

GAME VIEWING FROM A HOT AIR BALLOON

GA We take to the sky in the early morning for a flight near the foot of the Drakensberg Escarpment. The terrain is a mixture of farmland, private nature reserves and wildlife estates..the mountains to the west and south provide shelter from the prevailing winds, as well as providing a stunning backdrop to an almost perfect setting (photo opportunities). This is also home to large herds of game.

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE...THE MAKHONJWA MOUNTAINS

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE..The extraordinary Makhonjwa mountains, made by geological strata, are world famous for their staggering age of about 3500 million years! That makes them, together with similar rocks in Australia, the oldest well preserved rocks on Earth! A Geotrail was established, using richly illustrated panels, drawing aside the curtains of arcane geological communication, and reveal the significance of this extraordinary site in every day concepts and language...it takes you on a journey into the mists of an impossibly distant past - more than 3500 million years ago.

SHANGANA CULTURAL VILLAGE

SHANGANA CULTURAL VILLAGE...An African cultural experience. Visit the great Kraal of Chief Soshangana. Chief Israel Ngobeni and his family host an evening filled with choirs, actors and dancers telling the story of the Shangana people. A spectacular and moving experience.

Share a meal with the wives of the Chief...a traditional feast served in their own houses.

WILDLIFE SOS

African Wood Owl chicks are often found in residential area with dogs. Unsafe to reunite with parents Black-backed Jackal pups rescue from farmer who killed mom Cape Vulture poisoning victim Crowned eagle hit by truck with broken leg.

Black-chested Snake Eagle powerline collision Nest of barn owls chicks removed from factory machinery

DULLSTROOM BIRD OF PREY & REHABILITATION CENTRE WHAT IS CONSERVATION AND REHABILITATION? What comes to mind when you think of wildlife rescue and conservation.

Images of oil covered seagulls, rescued chimps, beached whales, dehorned rhinos? What about all of the precious wildlife that isn’t found in some exotic place, some big reserve “in another province”, but a few kilometres from our homes, schools, and offices? Many people have helped a tortoise or chameleon cross the road or returned a baby bird back into its nest, but who is out there trying to find ways to protect those rare and fragile species and lend a hand to Mother Nature to help offset the impact human civilization can impose on the natural world?

We are passionate about wildlife and have considered this very deeply and realised that there was an immense need for a grassroots type of organization to affect change on a local level. The Wildlifesos Trust was formed as a vehicle to gather enthusiastic folks from many different backgrounds who feel a calling to help wildlife. Through education, conservation, rescue, and rehabilitation, we can be a force to help turn the tide of the rapid decline of many species of wildlife in Mpumalanga and its surrounding areas. Our long term goal is to build a centre where we can focus and organise these efforts in a single place. Don’t you want to be a part of that? One of our mottos : “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem!”

Making a difference in the future of a species through conservation involves embarking on an arduous path, one that will take months and maybe years of discussion, research, as well as partnering with government agencies, universities, and national groups. However, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation is a method of protecting populations that we were able to begin immediately.

We can make an impact not only for that individual animal but for local populations that contribute to health of an ecosystem and the survival of the species as a whole. It is well understood that at every step of the way education and public outreach is the key to ensuring our work continues for years to come. We aim to partner with existing wildlife groups to not only build on what they have already done but to ease the burden these amazing organizations have taken on.

We would love to have a group of individuals who could best serve wildlife rehabilitation centres by acting as a facilitator and transporter during wildlife emergencies. We would love to streamline the sometimes difficult process by providing the public with an easy method to call in wildlife emergencies and quickly dispatching an individual to assess the situation, capture, and transport the animal to the proper location for it to receive care. It is a long road to building a solid team of dedicated volunteers to expand and solidify this effort.

– BUT IT CAN BE DONE There have been many animals that could not be saved due to lack of resources. Countless animals are hit by motor vehicles during our busy commutes and populations fade away from ancient habitat by our endless development.

Our current network is made up of only a few and our impact is still limited.

However, with the future help of our community and caring volunteers to come we can truly make a difference!

Let’s make it our goal to protect wildlife in any way we can. We do not want to stop human growth or outdoor recreation. We only aim to make the public aware of wildlife as we continue on our path and enable ways we can live alongside this precious resource, ensuring future generations can enjoy our wondrous wildlife, not in a zoo, textbook, or museum, but right here in our backyard.

To get involved please visit our website at www.wildlifesos.co.za and report any wildlife emergencies via text message to 0828994108. If you want to get involved send an email to info@wildlifesos.co.za.

We need your help to protect our wildlife!

SUDWALA CAVES

SUDWALA CAVES... Buried deep in the Lowveld earth are the ancient Sudwala Caves, formed in some of the oldest rocks on the planet.

They were formed 2.5 billion years ago and boast an impressive number of stalactites and stalagmites.

During the 1800's the caves were the setting of an epic battle for the Swazi throne. The caves have been used for human shelter since the Stone Age as is evident from the collection of prehistoric tools on display

ACCOMMODATION A vast array of choices...from the most luxurious to the very basic.

All have one aspect in common...they're all in the bush!

SAFARI.....AND HIKING

This is the Uitkomst Waterfall, also known as "the legendary Bride's Leap Falls". At 85 meters this is the second highest waterfall in Mpumalanga and the photograph is taken from the Candlewood camp, one of four hikers camps on the High5 Hiking Trails which is situated on the historic Skurweberg mountains between eNtokozweni (Machadodorp) and eManzana (Badplaas). This area forms part of the Northern Drakensberg range and is, among others, famous for being the last bastion of the "Bittereinders" during the Anglo boer War. During his presidency Paul Kruger owned the property hence the name of the sophisticated lodge also at High5. The old, historic ox wagon track possibly transporting the gold back in the day, is still used as the entrance road to this hiking venue which is one of the best inland hiking trails available in South Africa.The four camps include Candlewood, Aloe Kaya, Mt Komati and Pongola Express Rail.

ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES

So much to choose from...kloofing, rock climbing, zip lining, white water rafting, quad biking, horse riding, tubing, paintball, mountain biking etc.

GRASKOP GORGE LIFT

The journey of discovery continues ..to a manmade 20th century phenomenon..the Graskop Gorge custom designed viewing elevator the only one of it's kind in Africa. It travels down a cliff face into the cool mountain forest below.

An extensive network of elevated walkways, suspension bridges and interactive exhibits lead you along the forest trails, waterfalls and across streams.

SABIE FORESTS AND WATERFALLS

To SABIE ...surrounded by, not only the largest man-made forests in the world and known as the hub of the forest industry in SA...it is also known for its many spectacular waterfalls amidst the evergreen forests. Located on the scenic grandeur of the Drakensberg escarpment, it is a Hiker's paradise with some of the best trails traversing the evergreen forests. And if all that grandeur is not enough, the many waterfalls add to a scenic wonderland...2 of these waterfalls have been declared national monuments, ie the Lone Creek and MacMac waterfalls.

LOSKOP DAM AND NDEBELE VILLAGE

LOSKOP DAM..an iconic feature of the Cultural Heartland of Mpumalanga...home of the Ndebele people whose colourful houses and attire are symbolic of the region. The Dam covers 2385 hectares, with a staggering 348 million cubic litre when full. Loskop Dam is one of the biggest dams in South Africa and the Nature Reserve is home to 70 wildlife species, including leopard...Crocodile and hippo are legendary residents. It's also a man-made playground for fishermen and boat owners. This is a bird watcher's paradise ..it's home to a variety of water birds, raptors, including the majestic fish eagle.

WILDLIFE SOS HOEDSPRUIT ENDANGERED SPECIES CENTRE

Established in 1990, the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) is concerned with the conservation of rare, vulnerable or endangered animals

BLYDE RIVER CANYON

Blyde River Canyon...GOD'S WINDOW If God were to have a window on the world, it's fitting the view be this breathtaking.

It's the view of Africa untouched.

It projects astounding views of the Lowveld escarpment at an altitude of about 1730m.

On a clear day one can see parts of the Kruger National Park and up to the Mocambican border. The majestic Blyde River Canyon..the largest green canyon on the planet. It plunges hundreds of metres to a subtropical Lowveld which is home to great herds of game.