I didn’t feel much jet lag until our second full day in Cape Town. We started off early to head down the scenic coast of the peninsula. We were headed toward the Cape of Good Hope, but had a few stops and sightings of these guys along the way.
Baboons are common roadside pests in this area of South Africa and definitely not loved by the locals. The baboons are protected animals in South Africa and it is illegal to touch them. This is problematic for the unfortunate drivers who forget to lock their doors. Baboons have become accustomed to human treats and break into unlocked vehicles to scavenge for food that has been brought along. If you are unlucky enough to have a baboon find its way into your vehicle, you may be stuck for a few hours waiting for him to decide he’s had enough.
The Cape of Good Hope is commonly mistaken for the most southern point of Africa as well as the point where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet. It is actually the most Southwestern tip and since you cannot really define where two oceans meet, the spot is more symbolic than anything.
After walking to the top of the lighthouse at the Cape of Good Hope, we made our way further south to see our next stop. In a small beach city called Simon’s Town, we stopped to see a colony of penguins in a most unlikely spot. At Boulders Beach, a colony of African penguins has moved in right next homes along the shore. In fact, to get to the beach you walk right in front of private residences before making your way to the boardwalk.
As you can see, these guys were having a bit of bad hair day from all the shedding.
Being a bit of a foodie, I actually enjoyed our lunch break most. We stopped to eat at a great restaurant called the Foodbarn in Noordhoek. We had a little wine, a little fish and some delicious desserts to round it all out. It was a fantastic way to spend a slightly rainy afternoon before heading back into Cape Town.
By the time we had made it back into Cape Town, the rain had really picked up, but since I had wanted to see the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, we pressed on. Probably due to the rainfall, the gardens were mostly empty, but no less beautiful. I could have easily spent an entire afternoon, if not a full day, wandering the grounds.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.