Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • In the words of Nelson Mandela, “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity”
  • Avbob 2023 Poetry Competition Winner: Sithembele Isaac Xhegwana of Makhanda
  • Flooding at the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works
  • Avbob 2023 Poetry Competition Second Place: Jeannie Wallace McKeown of Makhanda
  • Residents of Extensions Nine, 10, Transit Camp, Phumlani and Enkanini voice discontent!
  • Makhanda Creatives Speak Out
  • Running towards a drug and alcohol-free Makhanda
  • What’s On 23 – 30 March
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»Kariega: The time of my life
Uncategorized

Kariega: The time of my life

Grocott's MailBy Grocott's MailAugust 6, 2013No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Who says you can’t step out of the real world every now and again, just to reconnect with yourself and nature? Most of us put it off, but when you finally do it, you’ll ask yourself why you waited so long.

Who says you can’t step out of the real world every now and again, just to reconnect with yourself and nature? Most of us put it off, but when you finally do it, you’ll ask yourself why you waited so long.

When I was invited to go to Kariega Private Game Reserve, just 40km outside Grahamstown, at first I thought there were more rewarding ways to spend my day.

I ended up having the time of my life. On the game drive lasting roughly an hour, I got to experience some of the wonder of a day in the life of a game ranger.

Although, the group was a special one, because it consisted of field guides visiting from all over the province. The area is a nest bursting with wildlife.

We saw impala, kudu, eland, nyala, wildebeest, giraffes, ostriches, cranes and a cute cerval curled up for a nap, with attentively twitching ears at the sound of people’s cameras.

We even saw one of the reserve’s white rhino. Watching the wild animals was amazing and made me realise that there are so many precious things in the world. I’m still convinced that field guides don’t actually get paid because they look like the enthusiasm and joy found in their work genuinely comes from the heart.

Our guide, Ryan de Beer, was so professional and friendly, and didn’t seem to get tired of answering all the questions guests asked.

He says you can go on a game drive and have lunch afterwards for around R500, without having to spend the night at any of the Kariega lodges. You can also go on a cruise along the Kariega River, which is another beautiful experience the reserve offers.

You see, I’ve been on a sea cruise, but never a river cruise.

It was the most tranquil experience, the quietness and the atmosphere was unforgettable.

The boat comfortably accommodated 30 passengers who all enjoyed tasty snacks and sundowners.

You can also book yourself a pleasant and scenic canoe paddle.

After the day’s animal-spotting and leisure guests had dinner and warmed themselves up beside a fire of one of the bomas.

Another highlight of the trip for me was the humility and genuine nature of the Kariega staff – even general manager Alan Meyer.

The way he interacted with the visitors made me want to go back one day.

Avuyile Mngxitama-Diko spent the day at Kariega as guest of the Eastern Cape division of the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa.

 

Directions to Kariega Main Lodge:

Take the N2 from Grahamstown towards PE and turn left onto the tarred road (R343) to Kenton-on-Sea for a distance of 32km. Then turn off at the Kariega sign on the left. Contact reservations@kariega.net for email enquiries or phone 041 581 2606 (private bookings) or 046 636 7904 (day trips and tour operators).

Previous ArticleAddo rangers on the frontline
Next Article Two collars for EC rhinos
Grocott's Mail

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.