Category Archives: Guided Tours

Snaps on Tour: Penguins galore, and much more, at Boulders

Earlier in October I had the immense pleasure of hosting long-time blogging friend John Steiner (of Journeys with Johnbo), his wife Lynn, John’s niece Patricia and her husband Gary on a tour of Cape Town and the Kruger National Park.

The very first destination I took the Steiners and Broesders to was the Boulders Penguin colony just a few blocks down the road from the Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel where we stayed. While the Penguins are of course the main attraction there’s many other animals and birds and spectacular scenery as well that makes Boulders a must-see on any visit to the Mother City.

Dassie, aka Rock Hyrax

Brimstone Canary

Cape Grey Mongoose

African Penguins

African Penguin youngster

African Penguin

African Penguins at Boulders Beach

African Penguins

Cape Wagtail

African Penguin

I am a fully accredited and legally registered tour guide (with all the necessary insurance, professional drivers license and first aid certification) – don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like me to arrange a guided tour of Cape Town’s natural attractions and the rest of South Africa for you as well.

Snaps on Tour: The Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel

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My American friends flew to Cape Town directly from Newark and after meeting them at the airport we headed for the Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel. Thanks to their amazing staff, comfortable rooms, fantastic views and excellent meals at Bertha’s Restaurant the Quayside is a firm favourite of mine whenever I am in this part of the country and especially so when guiding guests on tour. With Simon’s Town being the largest base of the South African Navy it is probably no surprise that the decor in the hotel and restaurant has a very maritime theme, with the old photographs of Able Seaman Just Nuisance – a Great Dane that has the honour of being the Royal Navy’s only ever enlisted canine and probably Simon’s Town most famous resident – being especially interesting and pleasing.

Welcome to Simon’s Town

View from my room at the Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel

Simon’s Town harbour

Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel, Boardwalk Shopping Centre and Bertha’s Restaurant

Statue to Just Nuisance in Jubilee Square, Simon’s Town

In addition to using it as a base when we are on tour the Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel is also one of the destinations for which DeWetsWild offers a reservation service – don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you’d like to stay at this gem of a place!

DeWetsWild’s Portfolio grows again!

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DeWetsWild’s portfolio of destinations for which we render a reservation service has expanded again to 307 points on the map, with the following 24 new properties in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia now included:

In South Africa:

26º South Hotel in Muldersdrift.
African Rock Hotel & Spa in Kempton Park, Gauteng – conveniently close to the OR Tambo (Johannesburg) International Airport.
Beacon House, Knysna.
Impodimo Game Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve.
Kapama River Lodge, Kapama Buffalo Camp, Kapama Southern Camp, Kapama Karula and Kruger Homestead, all in the Kapama Private Game Reserve.
Khaya Ndlovu Safari Manor, in the Rietspruit Game Reserve near Hoedspruit.
Kubu Bush Lodge & Kubu Safari Lodge, near Hoedspruit in the Lowveld.
Kruger Untamed Tshokwane River Camp in the Kruger National Park.
Kruger Untamed Satara Plains Camp in the Kruger National Park.
Mjejane River Lodge in Mjejane Game Reserve.
Tangala Safari Camp in the Thornybush Game Reserve.

In Botswana:

Chobe Marina Lodge in Kasane
Elephant Sands Lodge near Nata
Elephant Valley Lodge near Kasane
Kadizora Camp in the Okavango Delta
Saguni Safari Lodge in the Okavango Delta
Senyati Safari Camp near Kasane

In Mozambique:

Villa Robal at Machangulo Point on Maputo Bay

In Zambia:

The David Livingstone Safari Lodge and Spa at the Victoria Falls

Touring Kruger Park – 12 October 2024

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We spent most of today searching for wildlife along the few pools spread along the mostly dry Shingwedzi River to the southeast of camp, and the sightings were thrilling!

Common Duiker

Crested Francolin

Waterbuck

Lionesses at the Tinyarhini Waterhole in the Shingwedzi River

Nyala

Tiny baby elephant

Leopard stalking next to the Shingwedzi River

Cheetah

Grey-headed Bush-shrike

Elephant cow walking past Shingwedzi Camp’s entrance

Lioness at the Tinyarhini Waterhole in the Shingwedzi River

Baboon

Nile Crocodiles

Pearl-spotted Owlet

Touring Kruger Park – 11 October 2024

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Just some of the sights and sounds – and smells! – we experienced around Shingwedzi today.

Black-backed Jackal

Common Duiker

Tree Squirrels

White-fronted Bee-eater

Elephant cow bullying a youngster at the waterhole

Rock Monitor Lizard

Plains Zebra on the run

Martial Eagle

Tsessebe cow and calves

White-backed Vultures at a smelly elephant carcass

Lappet-faced Vulture

Touring Kruger Park – 9 & 10 October 2024

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Having seen our guests and Irving Knight off at Skukuza’s airport, Hannes Rossouw and I have extended our stay in the Kruger National Park by just a few days and have now moved base to Shingwedzi Rest Camp in the north of the Park.

Grey Heron

Buffalo at sunset

Elephant calf

Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl

Spotted Hyena with a wry smile

White-backed Vulture

Bushbuck

Giraffe calf

Yellow-billed Kite taking advantage of a roadkill spurfowl

Elephant Tusker

Touring Kruger Park – 8 October 2024

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We’ve had some thrilling predator encounters today, including of crocodiles and leopards!

Sleepy Baboon

Crocodile feasting on a wildebeest carcass in Transport Dam

Crocodile feast

Crocodile feasting on an impala carcass in Transport Dam

Yellow-billed Hornbill

Elephant

Buffalo fast asleep against a herd mate

Red-billed Oxpecker

Leopard cubs

Touring Kruger Park – 7 October 2024

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Another exciting day in the Kruger National Park with Hannes Rossouw, Irving Knight and our four fabulous guests!

Smouldering veld after the previous day’s fires

Spotted Hyenas on a mission – Maroela Loop near Skukuza

Egyptian Goose

Leopard killing an impala

lazy here, these lions attempted a hunt just a few minutes later

Sunset scenery around Skukuza

Touring Kruger Park – 6 October 2024

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Today we moved base southwards, transferring from Satara Rest Camp to Skukuza Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park. Aside from some wonderful wildlife sightings we also drove through some of the worst fires currently sweeping through the area.

Honey Badger in Satara

Hyena eyeing a lioness at a waterhole

Fire raging around Skukuza

Touring Kruger Park – 4 & 5 October 2024

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Hannes, Irving and I are still having a wonderful time with our guests here at Satara in the Kruger National Park – so much so that I totally forgot to post a blog update last night, so today’s covers 2 days!

We spent most of yesterday exploring the area between Satara and Tshokwane, and today between Satara and Letaba. Over the two days we’ve seen all of the famed “Big 5” as well as many other interesting animals, birds and plants.