South Africa - the Garden Route
This is not going to be an ultimate travel guide as it’s expected when it comes to the travel blog. We strongly believe that everyone has their own way of travel and the highlights that one wants to see regarding the place and time. Lennart was staying in 2016 for 3 months in South Africa while having his internship by making special chairs for children with a handicap. He was truly inspired by the people, culture and the nature that even after some years and travelling to many different places, he was still drifting his thoughts to that magical country. I must be honest and say that I was not really that triggered about the visit to South Africa as I’ve read many bad experiences about the country. Sure, it looked beautiful and I even knew that I would love the nature there, but sometimes you just get that annoying inner voice that stops you from seeing the positive side. As I was listening to Lennart and his memories from South Africa, I finally decided that it was time to see it for myself.
In January 2024, we booked the tickets to Cape Town from Amsterdam. I thought “oh well, there is no time for regret”. Soon after, we booked the car, some accommodations and we started to plan the Garden Route. The excitement kicked in. Our direct flight from Amsterdam to Cape Town took place in the middle of March which gave us the advantage of leaving the depressing March weather in the Netherlands and enjoying the warm sun in SA. We landed late in the night in Cape Town and while I was convinced that there would be many people rushing through the airport and chasing the gates, I was quite surprised by the stillness of the airport. With ease, we passed through the passport control, grabbed the taxi to the neighbourhood of Sea-Point, Cape Town. On the way to it, I was very astonished to see people having their cars parked on the side of the highway while peeing, people walking relaxed next to the highway like going for a casual walk. Driving through the center, many people were on the streets dancing and having a good time. What surprised me the most were that almost all the places had gates with wires and security. Huge mindblow for someone that lives a safe life in Europe. I started to doubt my decision to come here, but once we got a good night’s sleep and delicious breakfast my vision started to clear up. So let’s finally begin!
Our first day was wandering through the center of Cape Town, picking up our rental car so we could immediately start exploring. I am just going to say that I was already stunned by the beauty of this country. Like are you kidding me? Driving along the massive cliffs of Chapman’s Peak while looking out to the endless ocean, insane! We were stopping to take photos and videos while trying to swallow all that beauty that surrounded us. And the wind, oh man the wind was so powerful that it seemed like it would swallow us instead.
Boulders Beach (Simon’s Town)
This must be one of the most popular beaches in the world that is accessible to have a close look at the colony of African penguins which settled here in 1982. It is magical to see all those tiny creatures in their natural habitat. As we both have huge respect toward nature and wildlife, we kept our distance and gave the penguins space in their own home. These penguins are currently endangered so they are under the protection of the Cape Nature Conservation. The organisation did a great job with educating people about these precious creatures, making accessible pathways for everyone and trying to protect the animals and their mating places. I would strongly advise you to watch the documentary “The year Earth changed” narrated by Sir David Attenborough. They created this documentary from all the sides of the world during the Covid in 2020 including the African Penguins in Simon’s Town. This was a different approach on the terrible pandemic while creating the stories of the thriving wildlife once our world was shut down.
Hiking to the Table Mountain and Camps Bay
You can’t happen to be in Cape Town and not go hiking on Table Mountain. For many that have medical issues or no interest in hiking, you can use the cable-car that will get you on the top of this stunning mountain known for its flat top where the name “ Table” comes from. Table Mountain is also considered one of the 7 Wonders of Nature. This natural marvel, known as one of the oldest mountains in the world, is very rich in biodiversity and has one of the richest flora and fauna in the world.
After parking our car at Plateklip Gorge starting point (drive after the cable-car entry), we enthusiastically started hiking. There are really no words to describe this trail. It is well marked, but it definitely tests you physically and mentally. It was quite steep, with many stairs and even though we started early, we couldn’t escape the heat and high sun. All the way up, was almost no shade provided and once you feel that heat in your body, you crave for more and more water. Many people, as we heard, make mistakes by bringing way less water while thinking that the hike is not demanding and they can easily reach the top. I suppose that might be true in some cases, but being reasonable and bringing more water would make your hike and the day more pleasant.
Reaching the top left us in complete awe, while taking in the gorgeous views. You can find many trail paths and as someone who loves hiking, it was very challenging to decide not to go further and let the trails guide us to the new experiences. We were sure we brought enough water, but after hiking in the full sun it was still not enough. Therefore we decided to hike to Camps Bay in search of shade and refreshments. We booked an Uber to bring us back to our car so we can quickly drive back to our stay, get a shower and head again for the sunset at Camps Bay.
Wilderness - hike to Collared Kingfisher Waterfall
After a long scenic ride of 446 km from Cape Town to Wilderness, we were pleasantly surprised by the stay we had booked. The loft located on the hills of the village was like living the dream. The luxury of this stay was to feel and see from both, the inside as from the outside area. The views stretching all the way to the wide ocean left us speechless every time. On many occasions we saw a group of dolphins as we were relaxing on the terras. Being fully recharged, we drove the next day to the start point of “Collared Kingfisher Waterfall.” This round hike of 9 km was easy and suitable for all ages, but it took us almost 3h just to get to the waterfall. You can sense life all around entering this magical space. With each step, we heard different bird melodies and while trying to locate them we lost track of time. Also the heartwarming moment was seeing the bushbuck fully relaxed while enjoying its meal. Once at the waterfall, you can enjoy the beauty of the surroundings and the refreshment of the cold water.
Brenton beach and Kranshoek coastal walk
Starting the day with an early walk through the mist on Brenston Beach was a wonderful way to set the tone for the day. Afterwards, we decided to visit the Heads in Knysna, a stunning location offering spectacular views of the Indian Ocean and the Knysna Lagoon. The Knysna Lagoon opens between two sandstone cliffs known as the Heads – once proclaimed by the British Royal Navy to be the most dangerous harbour entrance in the world. It is easily accessible by car, so be sure to stop at this picturesque spot if you’re in the area.
After spending some time exploring this area, we decided to drive to National Park Harkerville Kranshoek to hike on the coastal hike we found a day early. I’m not sure if this trail is very popular in the summer months, but we were sure that no one walked on it for quite some time. We were fully by ourselves enjoying the loud sounds of the jungle and later of the waves crushing on the beach.
At one point, Lennart was walking beside a tree whose branches stretched across the trail. While admiring the greenery, I suddenly spotted a berg adder (viper) lounging on one of the branches right above the trail. I froze, completely creeped out and shocked, realizing how lucky Lennart was to have instinctively avoided touching the branch as he passed to keep his balance. He hadn’t noticed the snake, which made the situation even more alarming. Struggling to find my voice, I managed to warn Lennart to keep walking forward. Gathering all my courage, I prepared myself to walk past the snake, which seemed fully aware of my presence and fear. Lennart was so happy that I spotted such a magnificent creature as he was heading back to take the photo.
Eventually, I was ready enough to not show my fear and walk by, but gosh that was definitely one of the moments where you start questioning why on the Earth you are walking through the jungle in the middle of the heatwave. Upon reaching the beach, we were astonished by the waves crashing onto the shore, showing no mercy to anyone who might dare to dive into them. We faced a steep climb on our way back to the car, covered in sweat as we hiked along the unshaded path. But it was more than worth it even with the snake!
Robberg Nature Reserve (World Heritage Site)
As you might already know, our favorite hikes are coastal ones, and this trail was no exception. Shortly after we began hiking, we spotted a couple of seals swimming in the ocean. Excited, we quickly grabbed our cameras and started capturing photos and videos. As we continued, the air turned into a mix of fish and rotten eggs, a clear sign of the massive seal colonies resting on the beach and swimming in the water. Known as the Seal Trail, the path transitions from high bushes and sand dunes to rocky climbs, offering plenty of opportunities to spot diverse flora and fauna. Birds, spiders, lizards, and even adorable little hyrax made their appearances along the way. Fun fact: Did you know that despite looking like rodents, their closest relatives are actually elephants and manatees? The rock formations themselves are masterpieces of Mother Nature, once again demonstrating her incredible craftsmanship. After hiking several kilometers, we decided to rest on the beach and take a refreshing swim, giving our minds a chance to absorb and preserve all the magnificent views we had witnessed that day.
Monkeyland - Birds of Eden - Tenikwa wildlife sanctuary
Our respect goes to all the good people dedicating their lives to animals, nature, and everything that cannot voice its struggles. I’ll be honest and say that I emotionally struggle with seeing animals hurt. The orangutan and sun bear sanctuary in Borneo lives still strong in our thoughts, even after 8 years, inspiring us to be better humans and do better.
Monkeyland is a wonderful place to learn about various species while being guided through the park. We arrived early and were accompanied by one family and the rangers. The ranger, a great young man, taught us about the different species, their lives, and how they ended up in the sanctuary. Nearly all of the monkeys would never be able to return to the wild. The park is known as the world’s first free-roaming, multi-species primate sanctuary primarily owned by the monkeys.
Birds of Eden is a free-flight bird sanctuary housing over 3,500 birds from more than 220 species, most of which are African. This sanctuary is self-guided, allowing you to take your time spotting different birds and observing them while they eat. The birds enjoy a 2-hectare range of their own, leaving the pathways open for visitors, though the birds seem fond of using them as well.
Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation & Awareness Center was, for me personally, an incredibly emotional visit. This sanctuary is home to many wildcats, offering education to visitors who want to learn how these animals ended up here instead of roaming freely. Some of the animals will be released into the wild once they fully recover, while others will remain here permanently as they are too damaged to care for themselves. The most severely affected animals are those that spent long periods in circuses or in captivity at the hands of individuals. It’s hard to imagine that such powerful creatures as tigers could be conquered by humans, but watching them walk in endless circles or follow the same path despite having a large area for themselves is simply heartbreaking. These animals have lost their way after being confined for so many years. It’s difficult to believe that humans could inflict such damage, but thankfully, there are enough people who support and care for these once-respected creatures.
Our next plan was to head to a long-awaited safari tent at Addo National Park, but our trip came to an abrupt end, as we immediately needed to head back to Cape Town to catch a flight back to Germany and then Bosnia (see article What Happens When You Just Say ‘Let’s Try’?). While we couldn’t finish the journey we had planned, what we experienced in South Africa, the landscapes, the people, the wildlife, reminded us of how quickly life can change and how precious every moment truly is.
