Circle of Life Safari
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This journey -- your passage into the soul of Africa's greatest wildlife area -- is where new sights, sounds and smells all merge into experiences en route. It is a personal and memorable experience of being in the African bush.  It is important for me to highlight that the Kruger, like all natural ecosystems, has evolved for billions of years. Through this evolution it has adapted, changed and forged out relationships and interactions to produce what we will spend five days looking at. The cultural and historical aspects of the Kruger are so much a part of how this great wildlife area evolved that I have included significant archaeological, geological and cultural segments that add value to our Kruger safari experience -- the circle of life. Day 1: Arrival Guests on a Bearded Heron Safari need not worry about anything that happens after they land in South Africa. We see to it that you are personally collected from the airport and from that moment onwards Bearded Heron guests are treated to five-star treatment. You are collected from Johannesburg International Airport and transferred to our preferred Johannesburg guest lodge. Your day is spent relaxing. Lunch and dinner is provided. Day 2: The Origins of Man What is a world heritage site? A world heritage site is an area that is deemed to have exceptional universal value and is protected for future generations against threats of damage caused by natural conditions and human intervention. The world Heritage Committee established by UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation), is responsible for inscribing a chosen site. Once a site has been selected it its included on the World Heritage Site list. Some of the most famous world heritage sites include the Tower of London in England, the Pyramids in Egypt and Victoria Falls between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Cradle of Humankind where you will spend your second day is also a world heritage site.  Dating back 4.1 million years ago Sterkfontein is one of the world's most productive and important palaeo-anthropological sites. It is the place where Dr Robert Broom found the fist adult apeman in 1936. This ancient cave system has revealed a sequence of deposits with fossils dating back 3.5 to 1.5 million years, a period of time which spans the early development of the family of man -- the hominids. In addition to almost 500 skull, jaw, teeth and skeletal fossils of the early hominids, many thousands of other animal fossils have been found, as well as fragments of fossil wood, and over 9 000 stone tools that include some of the earliest manifestations of human life on earth. Some of the youngest deposits in the cave also contain fossils and tools from the period just prior to the emergence of modern humans, the period ca. 100.000 to 250,000 years ago, most widespread of which are the dolomites of the Transvaal Supergroup. I collect you from our preferred Johannesburg guest lodge at about 7am after breakfast and we head west out of Johannesburg to the 'world heritage site -- the Cradle of Humankind and the Sterkfontein Caves. These are the caves were Mrs Ples and Llittlefoot (early hominoid skeletons) were excavated and more recently where a 4.1 million year old hominoid piece was found. The area is significant because it is the gives fantastic insight to life in Africa before modern man and is a perfect introduction to the area we will be driving through on our way to the Kruger that includes the oldest geology in the world. I will show you some of the geological formations that have changed our continent into what it is today. We go down deep into the Sterkfontein Caves filled with awe-inspiring stalactites and stalagmites. A cultural look at the people of Africa After the Cradle of Humankind we move on to get a clearer look at how these 'very early' hominoids developed and formed the people of South Africa. A truly wonderful experience of seeing South Africa's truly amazing cultural heritage, which is significant because our up-coming trip to the lowveld is also steeped in South African culture. We arrive at Lesedi Cultural Village at 11:30am in time to be personally escorted through Ndebele, Zulu, Xhosa and Pedi cultures and to meet some of the people.  We will have a traditional lunch at the village and then into the Ndebele theatre for an audio-visual presentation depicting the colourful lifestyles of the different tribes. Then a guided tour through the four 'umuzis' (homesteads) followed by an exciting tribal dance before participating in the 'Pan African Feast' that incorporates ethnic dishes from South, East and North Africa. Overnight and dinner at our preferred Joburg guest lodge. Day 3: Into the Lowveld Our safari begins with an early departure into the province of Mpumalanga. Where the Crocodile River rises and the Mpumalanga Drakensburg mountains mellow into a landscape that is similar to the Scottish Highlands. This area was where battles raged between the Boers and the British during the Anglo-Boer War. Dullstroom is the only place in South Africa where elm and beech trees grow. The Verlorenvallei Nature Reserve is the only reserve in South Africa where all three crane species (the blue crane, wattled crane and crowned cranes) live with many other bird species. Dullstroom is home to over 50 species of ground orchid and many other fascinating plants. Lunch is served en-route at a typically beautiful country restaurant in Dullstroom - the mecca of South Africa's trout fly-fishing fraternity. Mpumalanga is the province in South Africa where the world famous Kruger National Park is situated. Mpumalanga is the Zulu and Swazi word for "the place where the sun rises" and it is exactly that. The sun has risen over many legends (and evidence) of the earliest inhabitants of southern Africa, the small, mystical San (bushmen), as well as the Ndebele, Pedi, Swazi and Shangaan people, all who have settled in this province.  The geological formations -- great sedimentary pillars of quartzite rock -- hold all the secrets of the passage of time. Granite extrusions and 'koppies' (small hills of granite boulders) have been home to African wildlife and African culture for over 3 000 million years. Some of the oldest rocks in this area include green stone that are more than 3 500 million years old are still displayed in all their glory. The Kruger Park is the size of the country Wales. Extending to 3 000km of tracks and beautiful lodges and camps nestled in close proximity to the bush and wildlife. This will turn your trip into an experience that is never to be forgotten. Day 4 to 8 There is absolutely nothing on earth quite as exhilarating as sitting around an open fire, listening to the sounds of an African night, sipping your favourite beverage while your taste buds savour the aroma of food cooking in the open air. It is hardly surprising that Bearded Heron Safari excursions into the world-famous Kruger Park have become a favourite for so many visitors to South Africa. More than anything else a Bearded Heron safari is a private and relaxing experience of African wildlife. The adventure, the sights and sounds, the ecology and of course, chasing down the big 5, are combined with luxurious accommodation and view-filled nights in stunning locations.  On a Bearded Heron Safari the bush is always on your doorstep. Nocturnal visitors like hyena and civet cats sniff around at night. The whooping location call of hyena and the roar of lions, an irritated hippo splashing back into a nearby water-hole and the anxious snort of an impala all combine to make your stay in the bush a memorable one. Early morning tracking drives include interpretation of spoor left on the sand tracks and eager anticipation in chasing down the big 5 make memorable drives.
Your guide is trained to uncover the magic of the bush. Very little slips past unnoticed. By the second morning your senses are tuned in and you're listening and watching for movement, shapes and sounds as though you'd been there all your life. Each aspect of a Bearded Heron safari is carefully planned. Preparation makes life easy in the bush - small details and bush tricks learned over many years of experience and knowledge separate Bearded Heron Safaris from its competitors. Our safaris are tailor-made, private and very special encounters in the Kruger Park, an experience that you will treasure for many years. Our safaris combine your needs with the best of the bush whether it is adventure activities like walking or night drives, sitting around an open fire, or relaxing under the shade of a tree watching the birds as they get about their business. Bearded Heron Safaris will serve it up in the best possible way.
NB: The above safari is fully inclusive of all accommodation, transfers, meals, guiding, conservation fees and refreshments. |
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