TRAVEL THROUGH THE EYES OF A FIELD GUIDE WORDS: IGA MOTYLSKA

SOUTH AFRICA’S FIELD GUIDES ARE AT ONE WITH THE LAND. THEIR INTEREST IN CONSERVATION AND THEIR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE IS PRICELESS. AHEAD OF THE

PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED PHOTOGRAPHY: HOLIDAYS, HERE IS WHAT THEY BELIEVE MAKES EACH PROVINCE UNIQUE.

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KWAZULU-NATAL Mariana Venter: Wildlife Operations Co-ordinator at Thanda Safari KwaZulu-Natal offers everything from the beautiful Drakensberg Mountains, peaceful North Coast beaches and a warm Indian Ocean to Big Five game reserves where you can appreciate Mother Nature without having to travel too far between destinations. We don’t want our guests to merely experience traditional safaris, we want them to feel part of the conservation of the animals and the reserve. That is why we offer the ‘In the Path of Wildlife’ activity, where guests can join the wildlife team out on the reserve to see the difference their visit makes.

NORTHERN CAPE Hennie Prinsloo: Photographic Guide at Umkulu Adventures This semi-arid region with wide open spaces changes every 100 kilometres. The small population in the Northern Cape allows for friendly faces along the way. The folk from small towns are known to be helpful to visitors. The Northern Cape offers everything from river rafting, fly fishing and hiking trails to game drives and unpolluted beaches along the western coastline. Our photographic safaris focuses on understanding and appreciating the biosphere of the Kalahari

80 | December 2019 | www.flymango.com EASTERN CAPE Benedict Orapeleng Phepheng: Field Guide at Samara Private Game Reserve The Eastern Cape offers visitors the wide- open spaces of the Karoo, the bushveld and beautiful coastal areas. The area isn’t over developed, it’s an escape where you don’t feel cramped by modern living. People come here for a real break and to feel restored. The vast open plains of Samara Private Game Reserve take your breath away. It is peaceful and makes me feel connected to nature, especially as we and our guests are involved in its conservation success. We allow nature to find the animals for us. My favourite thing is tracking animals on foot, such as cheetahs and aardvarks.

WE WANT OUR GUESTS TO FEEL PART OF THE CONSERVATION OF THE ANIMALS AND THE RESERVE

along with the birdlife, migrations and seasonal changes. We take our visitors on routes and roads less travelled with our specialised safari vehicles, while our mobile camps are set up in regions of vast wilderness.

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LIMPOPO Sondy Mathole: Field Guide at Becks Safari Lodge, Karongwe Portfolio Limpopo Province is a beautiful place because of its landscape, the Limpopo River, the chance to see the Big Five and its friendly people, who share their culture through song and dance. Most people travel here to visit the Kruger National Park, but there’s much more to explore. We smile and laugh with our guests, especially when they see animals up close. Our guests say that our lodge is less crowded than other game reserves. And they love our traditional dancing and singing during the buffet dinner in the boma.

NORTH WEST Bianca Chantell Lambourn: Field Guide at Jaci’s Lodges Visit here to break away from the city. Mornings begin with a hot beverage around the game drive vehicle, as we take in the sounds of the bush waking up. Sundowners see us watching over the landscape as the sun sets over the horizon. Here hearts get stolen by the African bush. We have the opportunity to share our beautiful landscapes, birds and animals with our guests, whether it's their first visit or fifth. My highlight is seeing people’s faces light up with the excitement of seeing African wild dogs, also known as African Painted Wolves. Guests can also watch animals cool down in the water from their decks.

82 | December 2019 | www.flymango.com FREE STATE Letlala Motsoene, tour guide from Thabile Tours and Shuttle The Free State allows tourists to explore nature, culture and experience adventure. It boasts a rich history with San Rock Art and battlefields found in Koffiefontein. Travellers should undertake our Big Five Routes, each offers a range of activities from historical sites and museums to quad biking, horse riding and white-water rafting. Mangaung, formerly , is the capital of the Free State and South Africa’s judicial capital. The city hosts the Franklin Nature Reserve atop Naval Hill, with a digital planetarium and a towering statue of Nelson Mandela. Numerous museums are dedicated to the Anglo Boer War, and it’s worth visiting ANC sites, such as Mapikela House and Waaihoek.

THE FREE STATE HAS A RICH HISTORY WITH SAN ROCK ART AND BATTLEFIELDS FOUND IN KOFFIEFONTEIN

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WESTERN CAPE Chris Carr: Archaeology, Nature and Marine Guide along the Oystercatcher Trail The Western Cape is home to fynbos, the smallest and most diverse of the world’s seven plant kingdoms. Offshore the mixing of two oceans, one hot and one cold, ensure a rich and diverse marine life. These biological wonders have sustained human life for hundreds of thousands of years. On the Oystercatcher slackpacking trail guests can walk along the rocky shores and beaches beside crashing waves on one side and some of the highest sand dunes in the country on the other. They can breathe clean air, listen to stories of shipwreck survival, see ancient shell middens, and relax with wood fires and home-cooked food.

MPUMALANGA Bongani Mahlangu: Master Fly Fisherman at Walkersons Hotel & Spa Mpumalanga is home to majestic waterfalls, small, historic towns and

beautiful museums. The province also offers some of the best fly fishing in South Africa, as well as the Kruger National Park, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, and God’s Window. Walkersons’ trout dams are fed by streams and run off from the mountain. This makes for some of the best rainbow and brown trout fishing waters in the area. There is a lot of wildlife and birdlife on the property, which can be seen from the bicycle trail, on the hiking route or during horse riding.

84 | December 2019 | www.flymango.com Jo Buitendach: Specialist Guide at Past Experiences In the past, Gauteng, and specifically Johannesburg, was forgotten as a tourism option. We have much to offer as a gritty and colourful city destination. If you like culture, art, graffiti, history or are interested in the anti-apartheid struggle, then Johannesburg and Gauteng are a must see. Plus, we have great restaurants, bars and shopping too. In-depth tours focus on history, politics, graffiti, street art, contemporary art and Joburg’s inner city. They are relaxed, truthful but positive, quirky, and can be tailor-made. My greatest obsession is the inner city and also the communities I work within daily. I try my hardest to be ethical, kind, and to support other small businesses, street traders and artists.