Flowers of South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains - Naturetrek

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Tour Report Flowers of South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains Tour Leaders: Maureen Ponting Jeremy Exelby Participants: Helen Thompson Peter Miller Margaret Downton Mark Whitwell Dorothy Whitwell Eva Pirie Day 1 Tuesday 8th January Flight from Heathrow Day 2 Wednesday 9th January Heidelberg Arrive at Johannesberg and a warm welcome from Jeremy Exelby. A short drive to Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve for a picnic lunch and the afternoon spent botanising and watching birds and animals. Drive to our guest house in Heidelberg. Day 3 Thursday 10th January Tendele Royal Natal NP Drive to Royal Natal National Park, stopping for a picnic lunch and botanising at the Sterkfontein Dam. Evening walk from Tendele to see cave paintings. Day 4 Friday 11th January Tendele All-day walk along the Tugela River to the gorge and back afternoon, some of us were caught in a rainstorm in the afternoon Day 5 Saturday 12th January Oxbow Lodge Early start. Drive to Witsieshoek, first exploring a rich meadow and then walking up towards the Sentinel, a massive rocky mountain. After a picnic lunch, we drove through Lesotho to Oxbow. © Naturetrek January 09 1
Flowers of South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains Tour Report Day 6 Sunday 13th January Oxbow Lodge Drove up to the Mahlasela Pass and walked down towards Oxbow botanising, stopping halfway down for a picnic lunch. Afternoon drive to just below the Moteng Pass where we walked along a track through a high valley below the Pass. Day 7 Monday 14th January Sani Pass Lodge Early morning departure for drive to Sani Top. Our first stop was looking towards cliffs on other side of the Orange River where Bald Ibises nest. Our next stop was a waterfall where we had our picnic lunch just before the climb to the Kotisephola Pass where we stopped look at alpine plants on the rocks. We then drove down to the Sani Lodge just in time before we were enveloped by a thick fog and thunderstorm which kept us indoors for the rest of the evening. Day 8 Tuesday 15th January Sani Hotel Drove over the Sani Pass, walking and driving down the steep road, with lots of botanical interest, to a picnic beside a rocky stream. Stopped to examine the fynbos below the South African Passport Control before arriving at our hotel. Day 9 Wednesday 16th January Howick In the morning, a short walk from the hotel led to the Mkhonazana River and Falls. Our first stop was at a bookshop in Underberg where some people bought field guides, then on to the Midmar Reserve for a picnic and to see mammals, birds and some spectacular orchids. We arrived at our hotel in Howick in time for dinner. Day 10 Thursday 17th January Howick We spent the morning walking in the Umgeni Nature reserve. Afterwards we walked on to the top of the Umgeni Gorge. After a picnic lunch we drove to bird hides nearby. Later in the afternoon we returned to see the Howick Falls and to shop in the town. We had an excellent dinner in a local restaurant. 2 © Naturetrek January 09
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Flowers of South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains - Naturetrek

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