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Sanbona Wildlife Reserve – the best safari in South Africa, near Cape Town?

I would say for most people undoubtedly visit for the first time, there are two things you really want to include in a day Holidays South Africa: Cape Town and safari. And why not – title = "Cape Town vacation"> Cape Town is one of my favorite cities in the world, with its great location, excellent restaurants, excellent V & A Waterfront and the development of all the beauty of the Cape Peninsula right on your doorstep, while Safari is a feeling that I can never get enough of. No matter how many I do sometimes, or when I do, or if it is a luxury safari whistles and bells, or a super-economical self-drive safari, I love every second, anticipating to the excitement of wildlife encounter next.

So the obvious question is how to combine Cape Town with a bit of safari. major safari destinations are the Eastern Cape, Madikwe and the mighty The Kruger. But these are all quite a journey from Cape Town: What happens if you do not have the time or nod so far in search of big game? Well, I have the answer, provided in the form of a pleasant surprise from my wife.

We were in South Africa last year on a short vacation, the choice of wines from our wedding, which was based around the Cape. When brief I knew it was vacation time for some safari, so I was delighted to find Rachel had hidden a night in store for us title = "Sanbona Wildlife Reserve "> Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, about 3 hours drive from Cape Town.

I'll admit that a little skeptical at first. I had always been a bit sniffy about the game reserves near some of Cape Town is not traditional "big game" country. That's not means that it has been in the past (distant), but because the area was settled by Europeans, all the great indigenous game was shot many, many years. So I was not really sure what to expect. The first thing that struck me was the size and isolation of the reservation. I like to feel like you have a piece of desert, for me, and Sanbona delivered this in spades. Is 54.000 hectares. It is difficult to put this in perspective, but I'll try. It is over 200 square kilometers, which makes about a third larger than the Isle of Wight, and only three small cottages in it. So you have a reservation larger than the Isle of Wight, you're probably sharing with fewer people than live on your street! If you like wilderness, you can not help losing their heads as they drive through the reserve, and the valleys and ridges are developed all the way to the horizon, all dedicated to the preservation and return to its natural state.

Transfer the game, it should be noted that Sanbona is billed as a wilderness experience as both a gaming experience. It's not like a private reserve in the Kruger or somewhere similar, where high densities of game and decent numbers of vehicles out on the game disc means that it will be almost trip over the Big Five. Sanbona makes you work a little harder for your game: there is less of it around, and there are fewer people on the ground for it. However, we have seen more than enough game to keep happy. It started with the Verreaux eagle that rises above the ridge out of our tents suite (more in suite later!): A nice sighting. Out on the game disc, we spent a little time with a good herd of elk. This is an amazing animal that does not really get enough attention in regular safaris. The largest antelope in southern Africa, which can weigh up to 840kgs – both as a smallish black rhino, and can jump a fence 2 meters standing start. They were revered by the indigenous San, and they are present in rock art, that the points of the reservation.

We spent some time parked on the bank of a dam, watching a couple of hippos grunting, snorting and showing the fearsome fangs of their own before continuing on our path. In the bed of a river with thick brush almost drove straight past few giraffe. Five feet tall and orange, but somehow blend beautifully in the jungle! Back at the hostel our ranger stopped in the dim light and pointing up a rocky slope to a small group of about five impala. I love impala, I think his skin color horn is beautiful and proud of the leading men are a wonderful show, however, are the most common thing to do in the jungle and I could not understand why had been allowed to see them at dusk. Then I saw a brown skin contraction, the top of a strand of the ear was a cheetah stalking Impala. What followed was a quarter of an hour of exquisite torture as the cheetah moved closer and closer to the impala, showing incredible patience skill, and camouflage. Over time he had worked in a small group of bushes about 5 meters from the nearest impala. Emotion in the safari vehicle to bright red rose – All of us, including rangers, were sure we were about to witness a spectacular chase, and in all probability, a death (I've never seen a before). However, anyone who owns a cat say they are evil creatures and sometimes frustrating, and this cheetah was no exception: for some reason decided not jump, but to sneak in the dark. Who knows why, but all the accumulation was very exciting and a real highlight of the trip.

The output in the morning, while the following on the record, we were lucky to find the mythical animals Sanbona, white lions. A recessive gene causes your skin to be much paler than normal lions took to be regarded as divine by indigenous peoples. Prized by hunters, and very rare anyway, survive through projects like the Sanbona rearing. Studies suggest they are equally effective in hunting as their normal cousins, contrary to received wisdom suggests that color makes it easier to detect prey. Anyway, we saw looked quite healthy and were able to continue for some time, since Bimble along one of the roads.

So all in all we see very good game, especially as they were only there for about 24 hours! The animal major that has eluded us the elephant. Is the herd in the reserve but still covering much of its territory if he did not see them. I'm not entirely surprised for this: even though he joked before about not being able to spot giraffes, are at least slightly camouflaged – Elephants are the largest animals on earth and are of a completely different color to the surrounding jungle. adult elephants have no predators so have no need to blend in. And yet, you can count on numerous occasions I've been on a game drive vehicle stationary within 20 meters of an elephant and did not see. You can, when the mood takes them, but very quiet and move very with grace, like gray ghosts. It is clear that they were in this kind of mood while we were at Sanbona!

As promised, now some of our suite tents. I loved it – all the excitement of being under scrutiny, but with great comfort and luxury. Located at the base of a cliff house as we have seen, Verreaux eagles and some baboons, and a dry riverbed running on the elevated platform (and pool!), it really felt like if we were in the bush of Africa. It is so deep that the cook was able to touch a truly excellent dinner however.

I enjoyed Sanbona my time, and now when I ask if it is possible to combine Cape Town with a safari destination convenient, I know exactly what the answer: Sanbona!

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Marketing director and South Africa holiday lover…

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