South Africa's Western Cape – Land of the Caracal

Home , Aardwolf, Cape grysbok, De Hoop Nature Reserve

South Africa’s Western Cape – Land of the Caracal

Naturetrek Tour Itinerary

Outline itinerary

Day 1 Depart London.

Day 2 Simon’s Town.

Day 3/5 Langebaan.

Day 6/8 Karoo National Park.

Day 9 Swellendam.

Day 10/11 De Hoop Nature Reserve.

Day 12 Depart Cape Town.

Day 13 Arrive London.

Departs July.

Dates and prices Visit www.naturetrek.co.uk (tour code ZAF18) or see the current Naturetrek brochure.

Focus Mammals, birds and general natural history.

Grading Grade A. Mix of vehicular safaris and short walks.

Highlights • Look for the rare & elusive Caracal. • Aardwolf, Cape Clawless Otter, African Wildcat & Aardvark all possible. • Chance of Lion and Black Rhino in Karoo National Park. • Excellent birdlife including Blue Crane, Black Harrier & Bokmakierie. From top: Caracal, Blue Crane and Bontebok. • Expertly led by South African naturalist guides. Images courtesy of Shutterstock Images

Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf’s Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK

T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk

South Africa’s Western Cape – Land of the Caracal Tour Itinerary

Introduction

Africa is well known for its big cats, but it also possesses a fascinating array of smaller felines. Perhaps the most beautiful of these is the Caracal, a sand-coloured, lynx-like creature found throughout the drier parts of the continent. Notoriously scarce and elusive across most of its wide range, it is more numerous and less secretive in South Africa’s Western Cape, which is mostly free of larger carnivores. Here, the Caracal is the apex predator, and there is nowhere better in the world to search for them.

On this exciting and ambitious tour, we will visit three of the best reserves in the Western Cape – the West Coast and Karoo National Parks, and De Hoop Nature Reserve – all of which support significant numbers of Caracal. The itinerary has been designed to maximise our chances of achieving a sighting of this elegant cat, although even here they can be tricky to find. In any case, there is a wealth of other wildlife for us to search for, potentially including Aardwolf, Cape Clawless Otter, Southern Right Whale and Cape Mountain Zebra. Karoo National Park is at the forefront of efforts to restore areas of the Western Cape to their pre-colonial glory, and we could see reintroduced Lion or Black Rhinoceros here, alongside zebra bred to resemble the extinct Quagga. The birdlife will be equally diverting, and features such species as Blue Crane, Ludwig’s Bustard, Secretarybird and Black Harrier.

We will explore these reserves at dawn and dusk, and take relaxed game drives and birding walks during the day. In Karoo National Park we will also undertake night drives, which will boost our odds of finding a range of rarely seen species. We cannot guarantee that we’ll find a Caracal, but this tour offers the best possible chance.

Itinerary

Please note that the itinerary below offers our planned programme of excursions. However, adverse weather & other local considerations can necessitate some re-ordering of the programme during the course of the tour, though this will always be done to maximise best use of the time and weather conditions available.

Day 1 Depart London

We depart London's Heathrow airport on an overnight flight to Cape Town.

Day 2 Simon’s Town

We will arrive in Cape Town in the morning, and transfer to our comfortable guesthouse in the scenic seaside suburb of Simon’s Town. In the afternoon we will have the opportunity to visit one or two of the local sights, possibly including the African Penguin colony at Boulders Beach or the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, where abundant birds include Cape Sugarbird, Cape Spurfowl, Orange-breasted Sunbird and Spotted Eagle-owl.

South Africa’s Western Cape – Land of the Caracal Tour Itinerary

Day 3/5 Langebaan

This morning, we will hope to join up with a researcher from the Urban Caracal Project. Caracals are frequently seen in the suburbs of Cape Town, where they face range of threats including traffic and persecution. A dedicated team of conservation scientists is working to protect them, and if someone is available (to be confirmed nearer the time), we will visit some of their favourite locations, learning about Caracal ecology and conservation in the process. If we are lucky, we may even catch a glimpse of an urban Caracal ourselves, although this is unlikely. In the event that a researcher cannot meet us, we will enjoy some more sightseeing around Cape Town.

After lunch, we will drive north to Langebaan, where we will stay for three nights at a guesthouse. Langebaan is adjacent to the West Coast National Park (WCNP), an attractive reserve encompassing the shallow, azure-hued Langebaan Lagoon and its strandveld surroundings. This habitat supports a high density of Caracals, and WCNP is one of the most reliable places in South Africa for sightings of the species. Night drives are prohibited, but in July the park gates open before dawn; by searching at first light we will stand the best possible chance of finding a Caracal. Other mammals to be seen include Cape Grey Mongoose, Cape Grysbok, Springbok and Red Hartebeest, while Cape Fur Seals, Dusky and Heaviside’s Dolphins are occasionally seen offshore.

Some of the many birding highlights are Common Ostrich, Greater Flamingo, Grey-winged Francolin, Black Harrier, Southern Black Korhaan, Karoo, Cape Clapper and Cape Long-billed Larks, Karoo Scrub-robin, Cape Penduline-tit, White-backed Mousebird, Yellow Canary, Cape Bunting, Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler and Cape Weaver. We will explore the park over the course of two full days, mostly by vehicle but also taking several

Southern Black Korhaan short walks, and will return to our comfortable hotel in the evenings for dinner.

Day 6/8 Karoo National Park

After breakfast, we will travel east towards the Karoo National Park, where we will spend another three nights. 150 years ago, the Western Cape teemed with large mammalian life, including vast herds of antelope pursued by all of Africa’s most iconic predators. The Karoo National Park is at the forefront of efforts to restore some of that natural splendour, and during our stay we will hope to see reintroduced Lion and Black Rhinoceros, as well as zebra bred to resemble the extinct Quagga.

We will join two night drives here, in search of secretive species such as Caracal, Aardwolf, Bat-eared Fox, Small-spotted Genet and (if we are really lucky) Aardvark. During the day, we will take game drives through this spectacular desert landscape, seeing Gemsbok, Eland and Cape Buffalo amongst others. Special birds could include Ludwig’s Bustard, Karoo Long-billed Lark and the extraordinary Secretarybird. Karoo National Park

South Africa’s Western Cape – Land of the Caracal Tour Itinerary

Day 9 Swellendam

Following a final morning game drive, we will move on to Swellendam for a one-night stay. Swellendam is the country’s third oldest town after Cape Town and Stellenbosch, having been founded in 1745. It is situated at the foot of the Langeberg Range, in an area known as the Overberg, which encompasses the southern tip of the African continent. Major activities include wheat farming, wine production and tourism. The fields of the Overberg, which we will pass through on our journey, often contain Karoo Korhaan and large flocks of Blue Crane, South Africa’s elegant national bird. The town itself is a convenient and pleasant stopover point to break up our journey to De Hoop Nature Reserve.

Day 10/11 De Hoop Nature Reserve

The next morning, we will make the short drive to De Hoop Nature Reserve, where we will stay for the final two nights of the tour. De Hoop contains the largest protected area of the unique fynbos vegetation in the Western Cape, and also includes a substantial marine reserve; every austral winter, astonishing numbers of Southern Right Whales gather here with their calves, providing some of the best land-based whale-watching in the world. The sheltered De Hoop Lagoon is an internationally important wetland (Ramsar site); here, families of Cape Clawless Otter are often seen alongside a diverse assemblage of birds. In total, 86 different mammal species have been recorded, including Cape Mountain Zebra, Yellow Mongoose and the handsome Bontebok.

Of course, De Hoop also supports a thriving population of Caracal, and we will have more opportunities to find this feline during our stay. De Hoop has a rich birdlife, and we will look for Knysna Woodpecker, Southern Tchagra, Bokmakierie and African Oystercatcher; mountains in the north of the reserve also host the Western Cape’s last colony of the endemic Cape Vulture. Our exploration of this picturesque area will be conducted by vehicle and on Cape Mountain Zebra foot.

Day 12 Depart Cape Town

Today we must return to Cape Town to catch our overnight flight back to London. Our departure will be in the evening, and so we should have time for one last morning game drive or walk in De Hoop.

Day 13 Arrive London

We will arrive at London Heathrow early this morning.

South Africa’s Western Cape – Land of the Caracal Tour Itinerary

Tour grading

Grade A. We will be viewing wildlife using a combination of vehicular safaris and easy walks.

Weather

The South African winter usually brings relatively mild temperatures. However, nights in the Karoo can be very cold (0-50C), so please pack appropriate warm clothing. We may also experience some rain at this time of year, so bringing waterproofs is strongly advised.

Food & accommodation

All breakfasts and dinners are included in the price of the holiday. Lunches will be taken in a variety of local restaurants, where you will have the chance to try some of the best of South African cuisine (allow £150). Accommodation will be a combination of modern hotels, cosy guesthouses, quaint cottages and comfortable lodges.

Extra expenses

Please note that we do not include the following in the cost of your holiday: lunches, alcoholic drinks, tips to local guides, and all items of a personal nature such as souvenirs, telephone calls etc.

Your safety & security

You have chosen to travel to South Africa. Risks to your safety and security are an unavoidable aspect of all travel and the best current advice on such risks is provided for you by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In order to assess and protect against any risks in your chosen destination, it is essential that you refer to the Foreign Office website – www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa or telephone 0870 6060290 prior to travel.

How to book your place

In order to book a place on this holiday, you will need to read the Naturetrek terms and conditions in the back of our brochure or on our website, and then book either online at www.naturetrek.co.uk, by calling us on 01962 733051, or by completing and returning the booking form in the brochure together with a deposit of 20% of the holiday cost. If you do not have a copy of this brochure, please call us on 01962 733051.