Nature places in Africa
About 40% of Principe Island is a national park of virgin jungle. The other part is almost as lush and green with more jungle between the gardens of banana, coffee and cacao. Characteristic jungle covered pinnacles make up the skyline of the national park. There are several good hikes, including to the peak Pico Papagaio (700 m) and to O Que Pipi Waterfall.
Is probably one of the longest and most beautiful beaches in all of Sao Tome & Principe. Not only is it long with plenty of leaning coconut palms, but it's a major nesting site for three species of sea turtles (Green turtle, Hawksbill and Leatherback). There is a small simple museum (only open in turtle season from October to April) and that is it. The dirt road is really rough, but very pretty.
Most pictures of the "Pink Lake" will show the lake in an otherworldly, bright pink colour. The best chance of experiencing the lake in this state is supposedly on days that are both extremely windy and sunny. For the rest of the time, the waters here has a more murky, orange-ish glow. The reason for the this is that the micro-organism giving the waters its pink colour only comes to the surface when the conditions are right. However, less-than-perfect conditions should not dissuade you from the making the trek out here as the lake has plenty to offer other than it's colour. The lake is saltier than the Dead Sea, and anyone going for a swim here will float. For this same reason, much of the south shore is dominated by salt mining operations, where salt is extracted from the lake by hand and exported as far as Mali and Burkina Faso. This adds a certain cultural value to any visit to Lac Rose.
Loma, meaning "King", isn't a bad description. Mount Bintumani's peak reaches a modest 1945 metres, but it's the highest summit anywhere between Morocco and Cameroon. Reaching its top from, and returning to, one of the villages in the vicinity of the Lomas take two (approaching from the east) to five (approaching from the north-west) days of hard hiking. The hardship is worth it, as a palette of green views as far as Guinea is the prize once the ascent is completed. Taking a longer route will also offer fauna in the form of primates, birdlife and, possibly, snakes. The village chiefs' will be glad to provide accommodation for an appropriate offering to the village, but it's often a good idea to be self-reliant of rice. Villages are also good places to arrange porters and guides, just make sure they are equipped for the trip. Hiking during the rainy season have been described as "mad" and means getting soaked to the bone, no matter how rain proof your gear are, and adds "very, very slippery" to the characteristic of the routes (as we found out).
Sierra Leone's only ecotourism project is well worth a visit. Set up in Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary in the middle of the Moa River, the site was initially built by Peace Corps volunteers before being raided and destroyed during the civil war. Now rebuild, it is again possible to enjoy the island's wildlife. Eleven different kinds of primates live her, including chimpanzees, Diana monkeys and endangered red howlers. This is also one of the best spots to hunt the elusive and endangered pygmy hippopotamus, though glimpses of these animals are only for the lucky few. The facilities offer tended accommodation, food (sometimes even beers), guided walks and boat tours, all very reasonably priced.
For all the talk about the Big Five, here is a park that contains the Big Seven - the usual suspects (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo) plus southern right whales and great white sharks. Whilst Addo is no Kruger or Serengeti, it is one of the best places in the Eastern Cape to see at least four of the big five (the dense shrub that covers much of the park makes leopard sightings fairly hard to come by). Kudu, ostriches, zebras and springbok are also common. Like many of South Africa's parks and reserves it does not feel particularly wild - the paved roads and lack of minor tracks contribute greatly to this, as do the adjacent farmlands - but the chance to see a herd of elephants or a pride of lions with a backdrop of white sand dunes and an azure Indian Ocean is pretty incredible. The parts of the park that contain open grassland rather than dense bush, such as the Vukani and Gorah Loops, are best for spotting wildlife, although the waterholes attract a lot of animals when it is dry. Separated from the rest of the park by the N2, the coastal section is also beautiful, and whales are frequently spotted here during winter and spring.
Samara is a private game reserve in the Karoo, and is primarily known for its cheetahs. Although they are wild, some of them are very relaxed around people, and can be approached on foot. Cheetahs may not provide quite the adrenaline rush that elephants and lions do, but having a pair of cheetah cubs playing mere metres away from your feet is definitely an unforgettable experience. Samara's celebrity cheetah, Sibella, has successfully reared 20 cubs and therefore contributed to 2% of South Africa's wild cheetah population. Pretty impressive! Two other major highlights of Samara are its rhinos - these are definitely not habituated to humans, but can still be tracked on foot - and the magnificent views provided by the various mountains and hills in the reserve. Samara plays a vital role in regional conservation, and is well worth a visit - especially for all the cheetah-lovers out there.
de Hoop Nature Reserve is a real gem, particularly during South African spring (August to October). de Hoop is not nearly as busy as some of the other whale-watching spots along the south-west coast, which is an added bonus. Watching southern right whales, dolphins and seals playing in the waters of the Indian Ocean from gigantic sand dunes is an incredible experience, but it is only one of the attractions offered by de Hoop. In spring - which is also prime whale-watching time - the reserve abounds with wildflowers and fynbos. Already rich with ostrich, eland, bontebok and cape mountain zebra, de Hoop also contains a RAMSAR wetland site, where greater flamingoes breed. Walking, mountain biking, marine (rock pool) tours, quad-biking and game drives are all available. A drive along the Western Cape is well worth a couple of days in de Hoop, particularly in spring.
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is Africa's oldest proclaimed park and KwaZulu-Natal's only state-run park containing all of the Big Five. In fact, thanks to a massive conservation effort Hluhluwe-iMfolozi now has the world's largest population of white rhinos, as well as African wild dogs and plenty of other rare species. It is a beautiful park, with varied flora and a lot of space. Tracking rhinos is one of the most thrilling experiences possible in Africa, and with such high numbers Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is an ideal place to try it. South African parks often feel a bit over-managed, and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is no exception - roads are paved, and no off-road driving is allowed - but the feeling is not as strong as it is in busier parks such as Kruger, and it really is an excellent park. For a real wilderness experience, however, going on a multi-day walking trail is an excellent option, as it will take you off the roads and away from all other visitors.
Kragga Kamma is a small private game park on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth and sports plenty of wildlife. There are giraffes, cheetahs (in a separate enclosure), buffalos and rhinos here, and many species of antelope. Although Kragga Kamma can in no way compare to the larger parks and reserves, there are a few good reasons to visit. One is its proximity to Port Elizabeth - if you are in town and want to go for an afternoon game drive, this is a good option. Second, Kragga Kamma provides an opportunity to get up close and personal with cheetahs. Finally, it is a good place to see what measures poachers are forcing conservationists to take in South Africa, as the proprietors of Kragga Kamma made the difficult decision to dehorn their rhinos in response to repeated reports of threats. Kragga Kamma will not keep you busy for more than a few hours, but it is a very pleasant place, and the wildlife is never far away.