The Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) was founded through the efforts of many dedicated people and organisations that consistently work towards the conservation of endangered and vulnerable animal species.
The WCT facilitates projects that focus on conservation, rehabilitation, research and the protection of wildlife; as well as education and training programmes relating to wildlife conservation and the environment.
Fifteen years ago, Dutch immigrants Marcelle Bosch and Aart van Soest bought a vegetable farm in the mountains of northern Limpopo with the dream to open a lodge promoting the unique artistic traditions of the Venda and Tsonga people. Marcelle and Aart named their lodge Madi a Thavha — which means “water from the mountain” in Venda — named for the natural springs that flow down the mountain to feed the farm.
At first glance the Nylsvley Nature Reserve seems modest. It’s a small, provincial reserve — without the Big-5 flashiness of the massive Kruger Park to east, or the plush luxury of the private lodges in the Waterberg to the west. And yet Nylsvley possesses a sense of peace and quiet unlike anywhere else in South Africa. On top of that, it’s a paradise for birdwatchers and nature-lovers more generally.
“You haven’t heard of the River Café?” a student from Potchefstroom asks me.
The Potchefstroom campus of North-West University (NWU) has a long and complicated history, in many ways reflecting the broader history of South Africa as a country.
The NWU Botanical Garden’s history reaches back to 1962, when university botany lecturer Dr. W.J. Louw started a small garden to produce plant material for botany practicals.
Hermanus is a stunningly beautiful town, with green mountains soaring over sandy, boulder-strewn beaches and of course the best whale-watching on earth. But even before arriving in Hermanus, visitors can enjoy one of the world’s most scenic drives on the road from Cape Town. If taken at a leisurely pace, this drive can fill up the better part of a day.
The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (hereafter referred to as HESC) is living proof that with a little bit of effort and a lot of love, a difference can be made, a situation can improve, a life or ten can be saved.
While staying in the Tzaneen, Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa region, Kruger National Park makes for a fantastic day trip with the whole family. Or book a night at Letaba Rest Camp and spend a night in the wild!
