Showing results for "Nature" in Africa

Few men can say they have known Africa as Capstick has known itleading safaris through lion country; tracking man-eating leopards along tangled jungle paths; running for cover as fear-maddened elephants stampede in all directions. And of the few who have known this dangerous way of life, fewer still can recount their adventures with the flair of this former professional hunter-turned-writer.

A little over 100 years ago, East Africa was terra incognita to most whites: a land largely unmapped, sparsely settled by Europeans, and teeming with wildlife. It was the hunter-adventurer's paradise, and by the early 20th century, a small, lionhearted clan of explorers and big-game hunters began leading safaris there for money.

The Chobe region in the far north east of Botswana is well known for its fascinating nature. Its national park was named after the Chobe River one of the most important tributaries of the Zambesi that leads into the nearby world famous, Victoria Falls. The Chobe River acts as a central gateway to numerous villages as well as to the national park's various safari lodges. Unlike many other countries in Africa, tourism in Botswana attracts a particularly exclusive and well-off clientele. The advantages of this are soon apparent.

Even for the African continent that is blessed with numerous beautiful natural landscapes, the Okavango Delta is truly unique. Covering a total area of more than fifteen thousand square kilometres the Okawango River is the largest inland delta in the world. It flows from the Bihé Highlands in Angola and travels down to the less elevated regions of the Kalahari Desert until it finally divides into a variety of creeks. The delta's relatively few visitors mean that the landscape is well protected and it also means that those who do come here can enjoy the scenery undisturbed.

The Kalahari is a unique habitat with a great variety of flora and fauna. This comparatively small semi-desert is the last retreat for the legendary Bushmen who are determined to preserve their ancient culture for future generations. An ideal starting point for safaris is the Deception Valley Lodge on the border to the Central Kalahari Wild Reserve. The hike through the dry savannah led by the Bushmen gives unique insights into the culture and way of life of the legendary Bushmen, who have lived in harmony with nature for over twenty-five thousand years.

Year after year, Namibia's Etosha National Park attracts thousands of visitors. Approximately 22,000 square kilometres in size, Etosha is a special wildlife experience and its magnificent flora is unique among all the other wildlife parks in Africa. It also has the reputation of being one of the major wildlife sanctuaries for a wide variety of Africa's animal species, such as antelope, zebra, springbok, giraffe, lions, gnu, hyenas, gembok, elands and kudus. Apart from the desert-like area of the Etosha Salt Pan, the park consists of Mopani Woodland and Savannah Grassland and also a large number of acacia trees.

A varied tour through the Cape Peninsula National Park around the Cape Peninsula along the coast, through fine sand dunes that do not stop at the road. The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve in the south of the Peninsula measures 8,000 hectares and has been part of the national park since 1998. Passing picturesque fishing villages and small towns with nostalgic flair, the journey goes through the wonderful landscape with steeply sloping rocks to the southernmost point. In between, boulders, large chunks of granite break the coastline and form numerous protected small bays and reefs.