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South Africa – not too tame

Author: Charlie Gray

After visiting some of Africa’s wildest regions Charlie Gray recently returned to South Africa, and found that the continent’s most developed nation is maturing into a civilised place – yet still has some authentic bush experiences.

I tried to keep an open mind on my way round South Africa. Having visited the country a couple of times before, I had an idea of what to expect and knew that it wasn’t going to be as wild as other parts of Africa. In fact I was surprised by how much the country has developed and grown, both materially and socially, over the last ten years. Admittedly I was viewing the prosperous parts and those frequented by tourists, but even so the infrastructure is impressive compared to other African countries. Take away the safari aspect and I found South Africa 2006 to be more in line with Australia and New Zealand than Africa.

Cape Town offers a wealth of good accommodation and food, and is one of my favourite cities. Combine this with Grootbos Lodge, which is a couple of hours further down the coast, and I think you have an excellent two centre stay, especially when the whales are around. Knysna and the garden route are pleasant enough, but nothing to get wildly excited about unless you’re particularly attached to fine food and wines. The highlights of my journey included Mashatu, a forgotten corner of Botswana offering a great safari experience, and walking around Pafuri in northern Kruger and in the Drakensburg Mountains. I also discovered some stunning marine wilderness areas at Rocktail Bay and Thonga Beach Lodge on the Maputaland Coastal Reserve.

Accept South Africa for what it is and you can plan great trip here.

South African gems

• Mashatu National Park, just inside Botswana on the very northern tip of South Africa combines very well with Wilderness Safaris’ Pafuri Camp at the very top of the Kruger National Park. Mashatu is good for big game and Pafuri good for walking. It’s possible to drive between the two and a well planned itinerary with international flights in 2007 will cost around £3,000 per person.
• Tanda Tula Camp on the western edge of the Kruger National Park is probably the best all round camp in this area. Good game, good tented accommodation, excellent staff and guides.
• Rhino Post and Rhino Plains Camps, slightly further south, are also good. They are on a private concession in the park itself so there aren’t hordes of vehicles ruining your view. You can extend stays here using Rhino Post as base camp and Rhino Plains for walking. All well run by passionately committed managers and guides.
• Rocktail Bay and Thonga beach lodge are in one of SA’s last unspoilt wilderness areas. Diving is fantastic and anyone who likes beaches or marine life will love it, but it’s not a tropical beach experience. Rocktail Bay is a sort of a safari lodge by the sea, while Thonga Beach offers a little more luxury.
• Phinda is a good alternative for families, with plenty of activities, including day trips to the beaches. There are generally lots of other families for company and Phinda can be combined on a self-drive with Hluhluwe, Fugitives’ Drift and the Drakensburg.
  
  
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