Nothing tops a South African safari

Heading out on safari is fun!

You’ll meet new people, witness some incredible animal moments. With so much to see and do, you won’t have a chance to be bored.

The safari regions are very much pollution-free and well-preserved, which means that the air is crisp and the sky is clear at night to gaze at the stars. From African sunsets to star gazing, good wine, potjiekos, herds of elephants, and dry savannah; to early-morning jeep rides and luxurious chalets, nothing beats a South African safari.

The reason to visit Africa and journeying out on safari is a unique experience.  Walk on the wild side, South Africa is host to all the ‘wild’ animals that you knew from your childhood. You get to see spectacular landscapes and the climate of South Africa has a predominantly semi-arid climate with sunny days and cool nights.

Support conservation efforts, interact with the knowledgeable guides and rangers and have fun!

It’s always WINE o’clock. The wine culture of South Africa is world-renowned. We have several wine routes, wine festivals, wine estates and wine tasting to tempt the connoisseur.  Supporting local communities and giving you a chance to relax in a new environment.

Laying tracks for luxury, we’ve got one of the best luxury train trips in the world. The Blue Train travels about 1 600 kilometers between Cape Town and Pretoria. A unique experience every time.

Sometimes you don’t need roads.  The off-road and 4×4 culture in South Africa is huge. Even though the general road infrastructure is really great, there are many 4×4 trails for any off-road lover. Even some national or nature parks are best explored with a 4×4 vehicle with great photography opportunities.

Don’t forget the glorious food. South Africa offers a huge variety when it comes to cuisine. Our food culture has an emerging emphasis on local, handmade and organically grown produce.

The perfect way to end a day in the warm sun spotting animals is to lie back, soak in the peacefulness, reflect, listen to nothing but the crickets chirping in the distance, and stare at the gleaming milky way. All you’ll need is a blanket, a hot flask of cocoa, binoculars to reveal the millions of stars, and your favorite person by your side.

Come and enjoy a wild journey on an African Safari!

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

Is the animal kingdom not incredible? From the most beautiful to the beauty of imperfection, the biggest to the unique smallest.

Sometimes we stand amazed, can the human population not look beyond the smaller picture and look at the beautiful picture perfect surroundings. Could it be that the busy and crowded lifestyle of humanity keeps them from listening to the sounds of nature that surrounds them!

The best therapy on earth is to get in touch with nature. The odors of fresh veld flowers, soil that becomes wet with the cleanest of waters. Springboks that pronk just to show off a little. The enjoyment that bird life can give while drinking and playing in the hand-dug soil dams. A warm sunny day, the silence of the field where big and small animals search for a little bit of shade to shut an eye for a while.

When the day begins to cool and the shade of the trees starts to turn, it’s then when the animals get a new life and everything just gets even prettier.  All that we as humans can do is to protect and appreciate what is so unique to us.

The animals that run on the plains of Karreekloof with their own unique personalities are better than the best entertainment in the world.

Protecting ecosystems and nature means protecting animals.

As the saying goes, nature is red in tooth and claw. Existence in the wild is harsh and unforgiving, far removed from human ethical concerns or modern standards of physical comfort. Humankind is just another animal out in the bush – not a very tough one, either!

The message is simple:  Love and conserve our wildlife

 

Game drives on Karreekloof

The word ‘game drive’ can be split into 2 different words: Game and Drive

Over time, however, the word became mostly known as a ‘drive with a vehicle in Africa, in order to find (large) game for photographic reasons’.  Not every game drive has the same level of excitement.

If you go on a game drive, make sure you carry your camera, binoculars, some reference books (if they are not in the vehicle), your sunglasses and a hat of some kind. In case you come back after dark, don’t forget to take something warm to wear.

A game drive, the main activity on your safari, morning or evening, depending on what type of person you are or maybe both.  Early morning fresh air or relaxing sunset moments. Experience both here at Karreekloof, with its wide-open spaces and unique surroundings.

This adventure offers the perfect introduction to South Africa’s wildlife and is a must for first-time safari goers.  Great way to transform yourself for just a short period of time in the Karoo.

Animals and their habitat

The vegetation surrounding at Wag ‘n Bietjie lodge is classified as thorn bushveld, and is an open savanna of mostly trees (Camel thorn tree) and grasses.

 

Plants within these veldtipe are the plant able to survive in this semi-arid climate, a diversity of animals are also able to thrive on the drought-resistant vegetation. Some of these are the abundant Armored Ground Crickets, the spritely Springbuck and the White backed Vulture that scavenges on animal carcasses. Birds are usually the first to be seen and easily identified like: blacksmith lapwing, melodious lark, cinnamon-breasted bunting, freckled nightjar, short-toed rock thrush, pygmy falcon and northern black korhaan.

 

A fascinating diversity of animals like Buffalo, sable, giraffe, gems buck, nyala, roan and waterbuck are well adapted to survive in these semi-arid climate and are dependent on the drought-resistant vegetation.

 

Interesting geological features of the landscape are the extremely hard rock type known as dolerite, forms the capping of the koppies around Wag ‘n Bietjie lodge. These were formed by outpourings of lava during ancient times.

 

In certain disturbed (and overgrazed) areas such as farmland along the road from Kimberley to Wag ‘n Bietjie and at the mine dumps, a number of invasive plants have established themselves and are influencing the natural (indigenous)vegetation. The main culprit and largest threat to our natural vegetation is the mesquite tree ( Prosopis glandulosa).

 

The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes – Marcel Proust