KwaZulu-Natal, located in the east of South Africa, is a spectacularly picturesque province. It is a popular region for holiday makers, both locally as well as internationally. Relaxing options include taking in the sun, sea, and sand or exploring the lush forests, abundant wildlife and diverse culture.

 A must-see is the breathtaking Oribi Gorge which is approximately 27 km long, 4 km at its widest point and 400m deep. This gorge is situated 120 km south of Durban and 20 km west of Port Shepstone which makes it a perfect day or weekend getaway.  

 

I have visited the area a few times and always enjoy it, that is why I want to share this with you.

Oribi Gorge is the eastern gorge of two gorges that cuts through the Oribi Flats (flat sugarcane farmlands); the western gorge was formed by the Mzimkulu River. Rocks of over 1,000 million years are found at the base of the cliffs but if you think that is extreme then think again as the highest gorge swing can be found here. Plunging down 33 storeys  (100 m) next to a waterfall makes this an exhilirating stop-over activity for many adventurers and brave souls, and yes I was brave enough to make the jump. Other activities in the area include hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, zipslide, photographic opportunities, jumping off Lehr’s waterfall, and white water rafting. 

The nature lover can visit the Lake Eland Game Reserve and experience the diversity of four distinct ecosystems: Bushveld, Grasslands, Wetlands and Coastal Forest. Giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, and a range of antelope including eland, mountain reedbuck, and bushbuck can be spotted. Birdwatching is also an amazing experience as there are more than 250 listed species in the area. The flora of the area is a diverse tapestry of grassland, thorn trees and proteas, mixed with semi-deciduous forests and riverine bushveld comprising 500 plant species.  

Absolutely spectacular! That is all I can say about this gem. Thousands of vehicles drive past on either side every day, but only a rare few take the time to make it into the gates. I’m talking about the Groenkloof Nature Reserve in Tshwane, Pretoria. It was proclaimed a game sanctuary on 25 February 1895 by President Paul Kruger and was the first game sanctuary in Africa. Its main purpose was to protect the large herds of game found in that area, including the oribi.  

There are various activities in the reserve, including horse trails, mountain bike trails, 4×4 route, picnic area, and of course hiking, which we did. Wildlife in the reserve include zebra, jackal, duiker, kudu, impala, blue wildebeest, blesbuck, red hartebeest, ostrich, giraffe and sable.

 

The three of us arrived just after 08:00 (24 January 2009). It was a cool, cloudy morning – perfect weather for a morning hike. There were three trails to choose from; the yellow trail is 3.5km, the red trail 10.5km, and the white trail which we did is 4.5km. We decided to take it easy on our first visit to the reserve because we didn’t know the area well. Next time we’ll do the red trail.

 

A few hundred meters from the start of the trail we came across some dassies (Rock Hyrax). They were well camouflaged sitting on the rocks, hoping that we wouldn’t see them. We continued on and saw a few hornbills flying between the trees, and although we weren’t fortunate enough to see any buck, we definitely saw traces of them – fresh dung!

 

We found it astonishing that this lush piece of paradise is so close to home and that we never before took the time to experience it. Although we did get a few glances of the city between the trees, and although some areas of the trail took us very close to the highway, it was still as if we were miles away from the city. We stopped a few times to breath in the freshest air in Pretoria. The morning air was crisp, clear and fresh. We could almost taste nature!

 

The trail is well maintained and well marked so you can’t get lost. Although there were many cars in the parking lot when we arrived, we only saw one other couple, and two mountain bikers who came past. We came across the most beautiful colourful flowers. Red, yellow, white, purple, pink, orange! It was everywhere. We also saw the funkiest little dung beetles, the coolest moss on trees, amazing spiderwebs, and big mushrooms. The viewpoints provided views of Pretoria that we had never seen before – fantastic!

 

 I must admit that I am looking forward to returning to the reserve.

 

 

We would love to hear about your adventures and outdoor expeditions, especially if they happen in SOUTHERN AFRICA. Whether it is a chilled outing with the family or a hard core, adrenaline pumping adventure!

Write (blog) about your experiences and send it to clarise@inpura.co.za titled Web Post or write your story in any of the Reply Boxes on the webpage. If we like it we will post it on this website.

Happy Adventures

Clarise

So, you are working hard, family life is keeping you busy and you are trying to fit in a social life somewhere. There is no time left to enjoy the outdoors. Keep telling yourself that and you will continue leading a boring, miserable, and depressed life. What you’ve been telling yourself is absolute nonsense. Nature is all around us, even in urban areas. Here is what we did…

 

 The p.o.a. – plan of action…
The month of December is generally a chilled time for most people as it is all about taking some time off from work, enjoying a holiday, being festive and spending time with family, and it is the same for us. The only problem is that we are so used to working and always being busy that it is sometimes difficult to shut down completely.
Two weeks into December myself, my cousin and his wife decide to get a bit more active. They decided that what they wanted for 2009 was to more frequently take part in various outdoor and adventure activities, so we decided to start off a bit earlier. On Saturday 27 December 2008 we were up at 5 a.m. to get an early start. It wasn’t easy getting up this early but we pulled through. The idea was to go for a chilled hike in one of the reserves in Pretoria. We had two options, but the first one we went to was still closed so we went to the second option which was the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve in Genl. Louis Botha Avenue.

Doing it…
When we arrived at the reserve around 06:20 there were only two other vehicles in the parking lot. We had never been there and we had no idea where we were gonna hike to. There was an aerial map of the reserve which showed the paths in the reserve as well as the contour lines. We decided to just start walking and go wherever we felt, so off we went. 

 
Birds…
It was a cool, crisp morning which made it perfect hiking weather. The hike started slow because we were so in awe of all the beautiful birdlife that we stopped every few meters to look these birds up in our bird book. We had never seen so many brightly colored weavers together, both in red and yellow. The weavers included the Southern Masked-Weaver, Cape Weaver, and Red Bishop. We continued on our walk and also saw the beautiful Red-collared Widowbird with its long tail feathers, the White-winged Widowbird with its yellow shoulders and white wing feathers, but the bird that caught our attention was the Red-chested Cuckoo also known as the Piet-my-vrou (more on that later).

High and mighty…
Our walk took us along a stream, over a bridge, into some grassland, and up a hill known as Renosterkop (or Rhino hill). There were quite a few paths going in different directions but we opted for the routes going up, up and awaaay!! It wasn’t too steep going up but there were one or two sections where you had to keep your footing. It was all worth it when we arrived at the top. We could see the entire Pretoria from there. Lynnwood road was on the one side and Atterbury road on the other side.  Two of the busiest roads in Pretoria and this gem in the middle of both that few bother to visit. We could see all the malls in the area and even Menlyn Mall looked small. 

 

Difficulties…
After a few photos and a snack break at the top, we continued along the border fence. Seems like people aren’t too adventurous because the further we walked away from the cars the harder it was to keep to paths as they disappeared because there wasn’t as much ‘traffic’ going through that area. Sad. Very sad. Our hike was interrupted by a very familiar sound, that of the Piet-my-vrou. We could hear that this very interesting bird was close by, but to see one is a different story. There were females answering to the males calling but still no sight.

More difficulties…
We decided to track down this elusive bird. Easier said than done. At one stage I’m certain we couldn’t have been further than 5m – 8m from the bird, but still no sight. This bird is a pro at camouflage and it was proven again on that day. We weren’t too happy but there will be another day. After exploring the top of the hill, we started heading down. My cousin tripped as he stepped on a rock that gave way under his weight and he fell. Trying not to damage the camera he twisted his knee which hit another rock quite hard. I was stressed because he was clearly in pain and I was concerned about a possible broken leg. Luckily it was just a bruised knee combined with a bruised ego. The outdoors is tough, even when it is just a day outing – remember that!

Down and about…
When we reached the foot of the hill we crisscrossed the paths taking us through spectacular areas. We got so lost in the beauty of this area that we forgot we were in the middle of the city. From grassland, to forest-like areas, rivers, trees, birds, trickling streams, flowers, insects, … As we moved closer to the cars we started seeing more people also enjoying nature. We shared our morning experience with others as they also shared their experiences with us. We decided that we were more than happy with our little expedition, which lasted about 4 hours, and headed back to the car.

Experience…
It is such a pity that this urban and natural combination is so beautiful and we never make time to experience it, even though many of us drive past it every day.

 There are so many activities to choose from it becomes difficult to decide which to do. To help you make your decision, here is a list of different activities that are available around Southern Africa.

B.A.S.E. Jumping
B.A.S.E. is an acronym for Buidings, Antenna tower, Span, and Earth, which are the four objects where these athletes jump from – with the help of a special parachute of course! In South Africa it is illegal to base-jump from buildings, as is the same in many other countries, but some countries have legal base-jumping sites, such as France, Norway, and Brazil. Evidence exists that suggest base-jumping can be traced back as far as 900 years – whether these jumpers survived the leap is unknown.

Bridge Jumping
Strapped tightly in a full-body harness, your only safety being ropes attached to the opposite bridge (which seems to be really, really far away!). An exhilirating feat as you freefall for up to 50 m before you break into a pendulum swing. It is slightly less scary than bungy jumping, as you are not hanging upside down. Bridge jumping originated in South Africa, and can be done at the Gouritz River Bridge.

Bungy Jumping

Jumping from a bridge, tower, hot air balloon, helicopter, and wherever your imagination can take you. Safely strapped in with harnesses and/or custom ankle straps and connected to a special rope that can absorb the force, it is an exhilirating experience to take the plunge. The tribe of Pentecost Island in the South Pacific annually practice the first form of bungee jumping, as part of their harvest ritual, by building a jumping tower and tying vines around their ankles before they jump off.

Gliding
A glider is an aircraft without a power source, and gliding is flying without engine power. So how do they get in the air? Easy. Tow-planes use tow-ropes to tow the glider from an airfield. The ropes are between 45m and 60m in length, they are light, stretch, are abrasion-resistant, with high strength-to-weight ratios. The ropes are dropped by the glider once the desired altitude has been reached and left to increase its altitude without assistance. Landing is similar to that of any aircraft.

 

 

 

Find yourself plunging 100m into a beautiful gorge, freefalling three to five seconds, before the rope pulls tight and swings you into a pendulum. This is an exhilirating experience! Strapped safely into a full body harness, your only other safety is being connected to cables stretched across the gorge. Even though this activity can get the adrenaline pumping at high volumes, it is still a safe and comfortable activity for the young and young at heart.

Helicopter Flights
South Africa has some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Enjoy a bird’s eye view over coastal areas, mountains, game reserves, winelands, and much more. It is generally more affordable than you might think. Feel the ‘G-forces’ as the helicopter builds up speed and pulls up vertical, before turning and dropping back down. If you don’t want an adrenaline surge, then opt for a more relaxed scenic flight.

Helium Ballooning
Ascend 120 metres and gaze in awe at the spectacular view. You are secured by cable to the ground, the cable is released upwards as you view your surrounds. You slowly descend as the cable is retrieved by winch. This is a great activity for all ages. You can do this any time of day – sunrise, sunset, at night, or during the day.

Hot Air Ballooning
Floating high above the ground, in the oldest form of flight known to man, you can enjoy the spectacular view at sunrise. The reason the activity starts early is to avoid thermals that arise as the earth heats up, which will result in an unstable ride.The silence of the balloon safari is interrupted only by the occasional blast of the powerful burners and the faint call of a bird or animal far below.

Jet Flights
If you are looking for an unforgettable, high speed adventure, then look no further. Be a Top Gun for a day  flying over Cape Town in a jet fighter plane. Climbing up to 60,000 feet at Mach 2, seeing the curvature of the earth in just over a minute. You can enjoy flight in any of the following; Hawker Hunters, Buccaneers, English Electric Lightnings, or a Strikemaster Jet.

Microlighting
Since its inception in the 1970’s, it has provided a low cost, and easily transportable form of flying for the average person who dreams of becoming a pilot.  Flying in itself is not necessarily dangerous, it is however, very unforgiving of errors, sloppiness and misjudgement on the part of the pilot. It provides a breathtaking birds-eye view of various landscapes around Southern Africa, including game areas, and coastlines.

Paragliding
The safety of the sport is directly proportional to the skill and sense of the pilot. This aircraft is launched by foot, but can be launched by winch or from a ground vehicle if there aren’t high launch points. The pilot sits in a comfortable harness suspended below a fabric wing or canopy, whose shape is formed by the pressure of air entering vents in the front of the wing. The pilot is supported underneath the wing by a network of lines, which is gathered in two sets as left and right risers.A paraglider’s design purpose is for ascending (with the help of thermals), unlike parachutes that are designed for descending.

 Parasailing

Attached with a full body harness to a schute. No, you are not jumping off a cliff, you will become airborne with the help of a speedboat. It is a smooth ride. As the speedboat pulls off, you pull up when the line between the two of you pulls tight. The scenery is spectacular as you get a bird’s eye view - first hand! Some providers are fantastic as you don’t get wet at all. They may take you down low to dip your feet quick, but you can stay dry. All providers don’t always provide that luxury of staying dry. Taking a quick dip won’t hurt though, and will be appreciated on a hot day.

Skydiving
A thrilling experience jumping from an airplane with only a parachute to keep you safe. This extreme sport is quite safe. Students learn by doing static-line jumps, where the parachute deploys as soon as the skydiver is clear of the aircraft. More experienced skydivers go onto the Accelerated Free Fall, where the diver jumps solo and free fall in the company of instructors. For those who are not too certain about skydiving, rather do a tandem jump where you are attached to a qualified instructor, so you just enjoy the view while the instructor does all the work.

Zipline / Flying fox / Foefie slide

There are different names for this activity, as the length and height varies, but it all comes down to the same thing – flying like superman! Ok, so it is not entirely the same, but close enough. Suspended from a steeply inclining cable, attached to a pulley, and strapped into a full-body harness, all you need to do is enjoy the ride as gravity takes you down.