South Africa Safari 2019
I was talking to my good friend Dale Steele in 2018 and at one point he said, hey, would you like to go on a safari in South Africa? There’s one spot left. I enthusiastically said yes!
So in May 2019 we went on a “Tracking African Wildlife” safari offered by the non-profit conservation organization, Biologists without Borders, where we visited some of South Africa's most game rich wildlife destinations. Unlike most safaris where you sit passively in a vehicle, on this safari we spent most of our time exploring the African bush on foot. We were joined by expert trackers who taught us how to identify and interpret animal tracks, signs, and behavior - and of course, keep us safe. Heading out on walking safaris into the heart of the bush in search of wildlife, including leopards, lions, elephants and hippos is truly amazing. This was not your typical safari!
Our adventure started at Thanda Private Wildlife Reserve where we walked with expert
trackers who taught us the language of the African bushveld to find and follow wildlife; then onto Phinda Private Game Reserve where we joined BwB research biologists conducting studies on endangered wildlife such as elephants, hyenas, and rhinos; and finally to Sodwana Bay National Park, within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our small tour group of only 7 guests were led by expert South African wildlife trackers/guides and Sue Orloff, a professional wildlife biologist and president of Biologists without Borders.
Dale and I arrived in South Africa a few days before the safari started to tour Johannesburg, the most populous city in South Africa. After the safari, I spent a few days in the Cape Town area, which included a visit to Cape Point at the southwestern tip of Africa. I also spent a few days in Franschhhoek, which is home to some of South Africa’s most famous wine estates.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to see an image of the flight path I took from Reno to Johannesburg, and an image of the locations in South Africa I visited.
As with all the photos shown on my web site, click on a photo to enlarge it, and to see a short description.
