Tag Archives: view sites

May ’25 update from Rietvlei Nature Reserve

With May drawing to a close I can reflect on the blessing of more chances to explore our local Rietvlei Nature Reserve with guests interested in learning more about this little piece of paradise right on our capital city’s doorstep. Winter’s definitely starting to bite, and sightings of of reptiles and butterflies are dwindling.

The migrant birds that spend the summer in our part of the world have disappeared, and the resident birds have exchanged their best summer breeding plumage for drabber colouration. Nevertheless, Rietvlei is still an amazing place for bird watchers and I ticked off 96 species in the past month.

With the veld opening up as the grass starts drying the mammal viewing at Rietvlei is definitely getting easier, with the larger herbivorous animals starting to congregate near water and in areas with greener pastures.

If you’d like to join me on a guided tour of Rietvlei – on a hike or on an open vehicle drive – you can book through melanie@rietvleicoffee.co.za / +27(0)74-820-9926.

List of birds seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during May 2025:

Scientific Afrikaans English
Acridotheres tristis Indiese Spreeu Common Myna
Acrocephalus gracilirostris Kaapse Rietsanger Lesser Swamp Warbler
Afrotis afraoides Witvlerkkorhaan Northern Black Korhaan
Alopochen aegyptiaca Kolgans Egyptian Goose
Amandava subflava Rooiassie Orange-breasted Waxbill
Amblyospiza albifrons Dikbekwewer Thick-billed Weaver
Anas erythrorhyncha Rooibekeend Red-billed Teal
Anas sparsa Swarteend African Black Duck
Anas undulata Geelbekeend Yellow-billed Duck
Anhinga rufa Slanghalsvoel African Darter
Anthus cinnamomeus Gewone Koester African Pipit
Ardea melanocephala Swartkopreier Black-headed Heron
Ardea purpurea Rooireier Purple Heron
Bostrychia hagedash Hadeda Hadeda Ibis
Bubulcus ibis Veereier Western Cattle Egret
Burhinus capensis Gewone Dikkop Spotted Thick-knee
Butorides striata Groenrugreier Green-backed Heron
Campethera bennettii Bennettse speg Bennett’s Woodpecker
Cecropis cucullata Grootstreepswael Greater Striped Swallow
Centropus burchellii Gewone Vleiloerie Burchell’s Coucal
Ceryle rudis Bontvisvanger Pied Kingfisher
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus Gryskopmeeu Grey-headed Gull
Circaetus pectoralis Swartborsslangarend Black-chested Snake Eagle
Cisticola juncidis Landeryklopkloppie Zitting Cisticola
Cisticola tinniens Vleitinktinkie Levaillant’s Cisticola
Colius striatus Gevlekte Muisvoel Speckled Mousebird
Corvus albus Witborskraai Pied Cow
Corythornis cristatus Kuifkopvisvanger Malachite Kingfisher
Crinifer concolor Kwevoel Grey Go-Away Bird
Crithagra gularis Streepkopkanarie Streaky-headed Seedeater
Curruca subcoerulea Bosveldtjeriktik Chestnut-vented Warbler
Dessonornis caffer Gewone Janfrederik Cape Robin-Chat
Dicrurus adsimilis Mikstertbyvanger Fork-tailed Drongo
Elanus caeruleus Blouvalk Black-winged Kite
Estrilda astrild Rooibeksysie Common Waxbill
Euplectes ardens Rooikeelflap Red-collared Widowbird
Euplectes orix Rooivink Southern Red Bishop
Euplectes progne Langstertflap Longtailed Widowbird
Falco biarmicus Edelvalk Lanner Falcon
Fulica cristata Bleshoender Red-knobbed Coot
Gallinago nigripennis Afrikaanse Snip African Snipe
Gallinula chloropus Grootwaterhoender Common Moorhen
Hirundo rustica Europese Swael Barn Swallow
Icthyophaga vocifer Visarend Fish Eagle
Indicator minor Kleinheuningwyser Lesser Honeyguide
Jynx ruficollis Draaihals Red-throated Wryneck
Lamprotornis bicolor Witgatspreeu Pied Starling
Lamprotornis nitens Kleinglansspreeu Cape Glossy Starling
Laniarius atrococcineus Rooiborslaksman Crimson-breasted Shrike
Laniarius ferrugineus Suidelike Waterfiskaal Southern Boubou
Lanius collaris Fiskaallaksman Common Fiscal
Lophoceros nasutus Grysneushoringvoel African Grey Hornbill
Macronyx capensis Oranjekeel Kalkoentjie Cape Longclaw
Microcarbo africanus Rietduiker Reed Cormorant
Micronisus gabar Kleinsingvalk Gabar Goshawk
Motacilla capensis Gewone Kwikkie Cape Wagtail
Netta erythrophthalma Bruineend Southern Pochard
Numida meleagris Gewone Tarentaal Helmeted Guineafowl
Passer diffusus Gryskopmossie Southern Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer melanurus Gewone Mossie Cape Sparrow
Phalacrocorax lucidus Witborsduiker White-breasted Cormorant
Phoeniculus purpureus Rooibekkakelaar Green Wood-hoopoe
Platalea alba Lepelaar African Spoonbill
Plectropterus gambensis Wildemakou Spur-winged Goose
Ploceus capensis Kaapse Wewer Cape Weaver
Ploceus velatus Swartkeelgeelvink Southern Masked Weaver
Porphyrio madagascariensis Grootkoningriethaan African Swamphen
Prinia flavicans Swartbandlangstertjie Black-chested Prinia
Prinia subflava Bruinsylangstertjie Tawny-flanked Prinia
Psittacula krameri Ringnekparkiet Rose-ringed Parakeet
Pternistis swainsonii Bosveldfisant Swainson’s Spurfowl
Pycnonotus tricolor Swartoogtiptol Dark-capped Bulbul
Riparia paludicola Afrikaanse Oewerswael Brown-throated Martin
Saxicola torquatus Gewone Bontrokkie African Stonechat
Scleroptila gutturalis Kalaharipatrys Orange River Francolin
Scleroptila levaillantii Rooivlerkpatrys Red-winged Francolin
Sigelus silens Fiskaalvlieevanger Fiscal Flycatcher
Spatula hottentota Gevlekte Eend Blue-billed Teal
Sphenoeacus afer Grasvoel Cape Grassbird
Spilopelia senegalensis Rooiborsduifie Laughing Dove
Streptopelia capicola Gewone Tortelduif Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia semitorquata Grootringduif Red-eyed Dove
Struthio camelus Volstruis Common Ostrich
Tachybaptus ruficollis Kleindobbertjie Little Grebe
Tadorna cana Kopereend South African Shelduck
Tchagra australis Rooivlerktjagra Brown-crowned Tchagra
Telophorus zeylonus Bokmakierie Bokmakierie
Threskiornis aethiopicus Skoorsteenveer African Sacred Ibis
Trachyphonus vaillantii Kuifkophoutkapper Crested Barbet
Turdoides jardineii Pylvlekkatlagter Arrow-marked Babbler
Turdus smithi Geelbeklyster Karoo Thrush
Urocolius indicus Rooiwangmuisvoel Red-faced Mousebird
Vanellus armatus Bontkiewiet Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus Kroonkiewiet Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus Lelkiewiet Wattled Lapwing
Zosterops virens Kaapse Glasogie Cape White-eye

List of mammals seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during May 2025:

Scientific Afrikaans English
Alcelaphus buselaphus Rooihartbees Red Hartebeest
Canis mesomelas Rooijakkals Black-backed Jackal
Ceratotherium simum Witrenoster White Rhinoceros
Connochaetes gnou Swartwildebees Black Wildebeest
Cynictis penicillata Witkwasmuishond Yellow Mongoose
Damaliscus pygargus Blesbok Blesbuck
Equus quagga Bontsebra Plains Zebra
Hippopotamus amphibius Seekoei Hippopotamus
Kobus ellipsyprymnus Waterbok Waterbuck
Leptailurus serval Tierboskat Serval
Suricata suricatta Meerkat Suricate
Syncerus caffer Buffel Cape Buffalo
Taurotragus oryx Eland Eland

More snaps from our summer days in the Mountain Zebra National Park

For the majority of local and international tourists the Mountain Zebra National Park is probably one of the country’s most underestimated protected areas. Conservationists and those visitors who have fell under its spell, however, can’t praise the place highly enough. But don’t give away the secret – we love Mountain Zebra National Park for its untrammeled wilderness feeling far from the madding crowds!

During our visit earlier in January I posted a few photographs on a daily basis to give those following along on our travels a glimpse of what we were experiencing. Let’s start this recap with those.

Of course, pride of place goes to the population of Cape Mountain Zebra, as saving these beautiful creatures from extinction was the reason behind the Park’s proclamation almost 90 years ago.

But of course, Mountain Zebra National Park is also home to an amazing variety of other wildlife that also finds a home in this beautiful landscape.

One of the most exciting sightings of our entire trip occurred early morning on our last full day in the Park, when we came across a herd of buffalo anxiously milling on the road at a precarious downhill stretch on the Kranskop Loop, just where it crosses a small stream. Only after some of the herd passed us, nerve-wreckingly due to the steep slope next to us parked off to the side of the very narrow roadway, we could go around the corner and saw the reason for the buffaloes’ distress – they were being stalked by two lionesses! The cats never went into a full blown attack while we were watching but seemed content to keep following the buffaloes and working on their nerves.

We ended our visit to Mountain Zebra National Park with a night drive. The Park is renowned for the quality sightings of otherwise rarely seen nocturnal creatures and our drive certainly did not disappoint!

DeWetsWild is proud to be a contracted reservations agent for the Mountain Zebra National Park, so whether you’d like us to assist you with a reservation to visit on your own or would like us to include the Park in a guided tour arranged specifically for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

More snaps from our summer days in the Addo Elephant National Park

The Addo Elephant National Park is one of South Africa’s most visited wild places, and not without reason. The Park has a wealth of habitats and a wonderful array of wildlife, not least of which is the elephants that were the original reason for Addo’s proclamation. Furthermore it is such an easy destination to visit, with an excellent network of roads, conveniences like a shop and restaurant, and comfortable accommodation options for visitors.

During our visit earlier in January I posted a few photographs on a daily basis to give those following along on our travels a glimpse of what we were experiencing. Let’s start this recap with those.

There’s no denying that Addo’s Elephants are the stars of the show – rightly so, considering how close the population were to being wiped out when the Park was proclaimed – but national parks like Addo conserve so much more than just the big, charismatic African fauna. Addo is richly endowed with various kinds of smaller, often less noticeable, plants and wildlife, and visitors who take care to look for them will find their visits endless enriched.

Addo is also a haven for a wide variety of birds – we managed to identify 81 species during our four day visit.

Of course a national park on this continent will never grow famous if it isn’t home to a wide variety of charismatic mammals, and here Addo certainly ranks among the best of the best. Lions, hyenas, jackals, zebras, antelope, buffaloes and warthogs can pop out around any corner and are usually quite comfortable around humans in their vehicles, making for great photographic opportunities.

And then, of course, there’s the elephants. Addo’s elephants are more relaxed than most other populations in the country and, if you are as enthralled with these beautiful animals as we are, you will enjoy the many up-close encounters Addo delivers with the giant pachyderms.

DeWetsWild is proud to be a contracted reservations agent for the Addo Elephant National Park, so whether you’d like us to assist you with a reservation to visit on your own or would like us to include the Park in a guided tour arranged specifically for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Cango Caves

Located in the southern foothills of the Swartberg mountain range just 29km from the town of Oudtshoorn, the Cango Caves is considered to be South Africa’s oldest tourist attraction, with increasing visitor numbers and resultant damage to the formations requiring special regulations to be gazetted as early as 1820 to protect the caves from damage by indiscriminate collection of souvenirs. The caves, formed about 20 million years ago as a result of a geological fault, were rediscovered in 1780, but evidence suggests that parts of the cave system was inhabited by humans since the middle stone age. The caves have been explored to a distance of 4km underground, of which about a quarter is accessible to visitors on guided tours (the adventure tour takes in some challenging, narrow tunnels requiring visitors to crawl, climb and slide and takes longer than the standard tour, which is much easier going)

Facilities at the caves are rounded off with an interesting interpretive centre, curio shop and restaurant. The Cango Caves is a national monument and administered by the municipality of Oudtshoorn. DeWetsWild will be glad to include the Cango Caves on a bespoke guided tour of the South Africa arranged specifically to your requirements.

More snaps from our summer days in the Karoo National Park

The Karoo National Park, a perennial favourite of ours, was the first major destination on our recent “summer trek” through the national parks and nature reserves of the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces. The Karoo’s landscapes may be harsh, and its inhabitants equally tough, but there’s no denying that having so much open space around you has a very special allure.

During our visit I posted a few photographs on a daily basis to give those following along on our travels a glimpse of what we were experiencing. Let’s start this recap with those.

The Karoo National Park has two major game-viewing loops accessible to visitors without a 4×4. The shortest of those is the route through the Lammertjiesleegte between the rest camp and the entrance gate. Along the way, the Bulkraal Picnic Site is a nice place to stretch your legs and look for habituated birds to photograph.

Karoo National Park’s Rest Camp is a delightful oasis in this thirstland, and besides being a safe and comfortable place for humans to spend the night it is also a magnet for a range of wildlife!

The longer of the Karoo National Park’s all-access game-viewing loops is called Potlekkertjie, and incorporates the ingeniously constructed Klipspringer Pass. This beautiful drive has something to offer driven at any time of day, but is best enjoyed slowly early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the sunlight catches the surrounding mountains and glades so beautifully. Halfway along visitors can have a picnic at secluded Doornhoek.

DeWetsWild is proud to be a contracted reservations agent for the Karoo National Park, so whether you’d like us to assist you with a reservation to visit on your own or would like us to include the Park in a guided tour arranged specifically for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Summer Trek – Mountain Zebra, 9 January 2025

Our final full day at Mountain Zebra National Park started with great excitement when we found two lionesses following a very nervous herd of buffalo. As per usual the Park delivered the goods all day long. We’re undertaking a guided night drive later tonight and looking forward to even more special encounters to conclude our visits to the national parks and nature reserves of the Western and Eastern Cape. Thank you to all those who joined us on our travels – I promise to respond to all your kind comments in the next few days.

Summer Trek – Mountain Zebra, 8 January 2025

The Mountain Zebra National Park is still delivering wonderful wildlife encounters! This is just a tiny selection of Joubert’s pictures taken today.

Summer Trek – Mountain Zebra, 7 January 2025

Mountain Zebra National Park is treating us to some very memorable sightings!

Summer Trek – Mountain Zebra, 6 January 2025

We arrived safely at the final stop on our Summer Trek itinerary: Mountain Zebra National Park.

Summer Trek – Addo, 5 January 2025

Our final full day at Addo Elephant National Park was cool and overcast – a massive change in weather from the extreme heat we experienced two days ago. With the cooler weather there was also much less activity at the waterholes.