A LEOPARD LOVE AFFAIR
< the spotted one >
From behind the long grasses of the Kgalagadi, the lions slept, paws in the air, and we were sure that sightings were going to be far and few between. It felt like it was time to go home.
We settled in for a long ride, the blues creeping into the car, as they often do when we know it’s all over. But then, there she was, the most beautiful leopard. Over the next few days, we would spend hours with this playful, bright-eyed creature and be ever so thankful we didn’t make it out of the park after all.
A LEOPARD LOVE AFFAIR
< the spotted one >
From behind the long grasses of the Kgalagadi, the lions slept, paws in the air, and we were sure that sightings were going to be far and few between. It felt like it was time to go home.
We settled in for a long ride, the blues creeping into the car, as they often do when we know it’s all over. But then, there she was, the most beautiful leopard. Over the next few days, we would spend hours with this playful, bright-eyed creature and be ever so thankful we didn’t make it out of the park after all.
FEBRUARY 02 2019 – FEBRUARY 04 2019
The Cederberg mountains, part of the Cape Supergroup was formed some 700 years ago. Around 330 million years ago, climate change set in and continental ice drifts resulted in a a drop in sea level, exposing the upper Wittenberg Group sediments. The moving glaciers played a big role in forming the high mountains and deep valley landscape of the Cederberg Mountains. The intercontinental movement and forces also caused the eastward-dipping of the strata, making it look like the mountains are sinking on one side.
Ancient mountain trails take you through pristine fynbos and past curious rock formations. The reddish colour of the rock is a result of minerals like iron and manganese that formed part of the sediments.
cederberg
250KM FROM CAPE TOWN,
SOUTH AFRICA
32.4879° S, 19.2701° E
There are only 34 internationally recognised biodiversity Hotspots in the world and the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the six Floral Kingdoms is one of them. It is the only Kingdom encompassed entirely within a single country. The Cape Floral Kingdom is divided in five different vegetation types or biomes, two of these are found in the Cederberg Conservancy namely the Fynbos Biome and the Succulent Karoo Biome. The Fynbos biome is subdivided in two distinct vegetation groups, Fynbos and Renosterveld. A unique feature of the dry, eastern Fynbos areas is the presence of large, flat, rock platforms. Plants such as the Clanwilliam sugarbush and many different kinds of small, succulents grow in cracks in the rock slabs.
our trip
Hout Bay to Worscester on N1
Left off N1 onto Mitchell’s Pass R43
Turn right onto R46 to Ceres
In Ceres turn left onto R303 to Prince Alfred Hamlet
Continue on R303 up Gyro Pass
At Op die Berg turn right at Cederberg sign
(S 3300’45” E 1918’53”)
- We stayed in the Cederberg Sanddrif Holiday Resort, 250km north of Cape Town. The drive took around 6 hours, because we had to stop every 10 minutes to photograph a new breathtaking view!
- Ate a hearty full English breakfast at The Cederberg Oasis with a load of adventure bikers.
- Took far too much food for our evening braai.
- Expected the weather to be 43℃ + but instead, we had temperatures of 26℃ and amazingly hot, fat, summer rain.
- Shared our cottage with a Cederberg Dwarf Leaf-toed Gecko. Max was not a fan. He also thought the country was rather ‘smelly.’
- Didn’t meet a wild leopard, but could absolutely imagine their camouflage print working in the terrain.
- Grant tried craft beer at the Cederberg Private Cellar. Interestingly, their vineyards are the highest in the Cape at 1000 metres above sea level.
“ Wines with Altitude.” - Stayed a second night at Citrusdal Country Lodge. The air conditioning and breakfast laid out was amazing!
