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Adventure

A Traveller’s Guide to South African Wildlife

South Africa is home to an abundance of breathtaking landscapes, distinct cultures and unique flora and fauna. Any trip to the country is bound to involve crossing paths with nature – encountering all different kinds of wildlife along the way. From rhinos and elephants to leopards and lions, these remarkable animals are sure to make your trip memorable.

In order to make the most of your wildlife experience in South Africa, you’ll want to make sure that you’re prepared ahead of time. In this article, we explore the country’s diverse wildlife and some things you should consider before embarking on your trip.

Photos via Unsplash.

 

Choose the right time

South Africa experiences seasons that are distinctly different, meaning various kinds of animals will flourish depending on the time of year. A popular time to visit South Africa is between June and July, as that’s when the wildebeests begin their river crossings in their journey of migration.

Or if you’re more interested in birdwatching, make sure to visit between October and March to witness as many birds as possible.

It’s also important to note that the weather can vary greatly across the country’s different regions, so you’ll need to check the conditions of the specific place you plan to visit. For example, the Western Cape will typically experience more of a Mediterranean climate, whereas the northeastern region will experience hot and humid weather. 

 

Decide on your priorities

As the climate varies across regions, inevitably so will the wildlife that is native there. South Africa is home to such an incredible range of wildlife that you can see everything from lions to penguins all in one trip – you’ll just need to ensure you plan ahead of time. By considering which animals you want to see the most, you can get a better understanding of where is most important to visit and plan your itinerary accordingly.

If you want to see the famous Cape Town penguins, you might then want to consider the surrounding areas to see what other wildlife is present there. However, if you’re looking for a more general wildlife experience, make sure to visit Kruger National Park. It’s relatively central and is home to the ‘Big Five’ for an authentic South African experience.

 

Always respect wildlife

Most importantly of all, make sure to respect any wildlife you encounter. While it can be exciting to get to witness these incredible creatures in their natural habitats, it’s important to remember that we’re visitors and shouldn’t have any impact on them. In order to preserve these habitats and protect the wildlife within them, it’s crucial to maintain a safe distance from animals at all times and refrain from feeding them.

While a little bite of your lunch might seem harmless, it can not only put you in danger of being approached by the animals but it also disrupts their natural food supply. This can have a knock-on effect on the entire ecosystem, so it’s best to leave them to their own devices.

 

Savour the South African wilderness

South Africa is a true paradise for wildlife lovers. With so many fascinating animals wandering within the country’s borders, a trip to South Africa presents a unique opportunity to witness the beauty of the natural world up close.

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Architecture

Beautifully Graceful Chapel in South Africa

Looking like it’s ready to take off to heaven, this chapel in South Africa is one of the most beautiful architectural forms we’ve seen in a while. Created by Steyn Studio, the Bosjes Chapel has a curvaceous roof that swoops down to form the walls themselves. The forms look weightless and effortless, though we’re sure the engineering effort was anything but.

Placed on the edge of a reflecting pool, overlooking the gorgeous African plains, even the non-religious might find themselves feeling spiritual in this inspired space. Really beautiful work. Via MyModernMet:

Design by TV3 Architecture. Photos by Adam Letch.
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General

Flash Frozen Flowers of Capetown

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends. We’re in love with flowers, whether they’re fresh or frozen. 

Wanting to creatively showcase some of the flora around their native Capetown, South African photographers Bruce Boyd and Tharien Smith froze flowers in blocks of ice and captured pristine images of them underwater. The result is a unique snapshot, a paused moment that preserves the fresh vibrancy of the blooms.

Photographed at dawn, the photographers battle errant bubbles and bad lighting to capture just the moments, and their series Zero Degrees showcases their technical as well as artistic prowess. Great series. Via Colossal:

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Nature

Macro View of Nature’s Hitchhikers

If you’ve spent any time camping or hiking among tall grass and brush, you’ve most likely noticed the little hitchhiking seeds and burrs that stick to your socks, pants, and pets. They can be harshly poky and sharp, designed to grab onto whomever passes by and stay attached until the traveler gets to a new place, a brilliant way to propagate their species. South African photographer Dillon Marsh has a stunning series of these burrs and seeds, entitled Hitchhikers. Taken in beautiful macro photography, the images look scientific in nature, lit warmly, and in crisp, stunning detail. Fascinating to see the diversity of seeds, thorns, and burrs found in rural South Africa.

Some of the burrs even resemble creatures, with menacing spikes and abstracted faces.

Via Behance:

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General

900 Indian Runner Ducks Keep This Vineyard Free from Pests, and Therefore Pesticides

Instead of using pesticides to control snails and bugs that would ravage their vines, the Vergenoegd vineyard in South Africa employs a veritable army of ducks. The 900+ Indian Runner ducks, who true to their name, run upright at quite a pace, are an eco-friendly and charming alternative to using pesticides, and they gobble up all the pests they come across.

From The Kid Should See This:

“Before we had the ducks we had to put down snail bait, a pesticide. But, for the past nine years I have been here we’ve used very little snail bait, almost nothing, because the ducks eat all the snails and other insects,” said Marlize Jacobs, vintner and horticulturalist…

“All over the industry and all over the world, dangerous harmful pesticides are being phased out, so I believe one day you will be forced to use alternative methods because pesticides kill all insects, even the friendly insects,” Jacobs said.

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Animals

Ngala Treehouse Lets You Sleep in the Middle of an African Game Reserve

Set within South Africa’s famed Kruger National Park, the Ngala Treehouse is an incredible destination for those who want an authentic African wildlife experience, while staying truly comfortable. The four level treehouse has all of the amenities you could want, but is entirely off the grid, kilometers from the Ngala Camp. This gives you total privacy, and an authentic, deep-in-the-jungle animal experience, while staying safe from wildlife. Blanketed by stars above, the Ngala Treehouse seems like a once-in-a-lifetime destination. Beautiful and luxurious accommodations, in one of the most amazing parts of the world. Part of the &Beyond family of lodges.

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Art

Chris Soal’s Wild Toothpick Sculptures

Arranged in the most un-toothpick-like formation we could imagine, South African artist Chris Soal explores the limits of this pedestrian material with impressive, organic sculptures. Originally dismissing toothpicks as a stupid material to work with, he became enamored with the way they take on a soft, organic look when bunched in specific ways. Fascinating exploration, and a true dedication to a material. Via Colossal:

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Art

Frozen Flowers of Capetown

Wanting to creatively showcase some of the flora around their native Capetown, South African photographers Bruce Boyd and Tharien Smith froze flowers in blocks of ice and captured pristine images of them underwater. The result is a unique snapshot, a paused moment that preserves the fresh vibrancy of the blooms.

Photographed at dawn, the photographers battle errant bubbles and bad lighting to capture just the moments, and their series Zero Degrees showcases their technical as well as artistic prowess. Great series. Via Colossal:

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Architecture

South African Spice Garden is Rich for the Senses

This warm and inviting Spice Garden in South Africa specializes in plants that are aromatic and pay tribute to the spice trade. Part of the dining space for the luxurious  Babylonstoren hotel, the greenhouse design is intoxicating in its own way, providing a lush and inviting place to dine. With a curated collection of aromatic plants, your sense of smell and taste will be heightened. Designed by Malherbe Rust Architects, we’d relish the chance to take a dinner here, and let our senses get the full experience.  Via Dezeen:

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Fashion

Striking Photos of African Albinism

Often considered a taboo or a scorned quality in South Africa, albinism is especially striking to us, and photographer Justin Dingwall hopes to turn that stereotype around. This collection of portraits shows us striking and beautiful models, both male and female, photographed with a range of impressive styling. We’re particularly impressed by the models flocked by butterflies. It’s a fascinating series, beautiful and eye-opening. Via Behance:

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sexy bar interior Johannesburg
Architecture

Sexy and Dramatic New Bar in Johannesburg

sexy bar interior Johannesburg

If you’ve been to the Sandton neighborhood of Johannesburg, South Africa, you won’t be surprised by the glamour and decadence. But for an outsider, it can be especially impressive. The new Alice & Fifth nightclub further cements the luxury vibe of this neighborhood, with a stunning interior design that looks both futuristic and rich in history.

We love the way the walls curve to meet the ceiling, giving the bar almost a trippy, Inception-like look. Designed by StudioA/Tristan Plessis Studio, the designer reflects on the owner’s desire:

“The client wanted a sumptuous and decadent space juxtaposed with a raw unrefined underground edge. “The feel was intended to be nostalgic  of a time gone by with a contemporary twist and a slightly dark undertone.”

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Via TheCoolHunter:

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General

For What It’s Worth – Gold of South Africa

South Africa has the world’s largest gold reserves, all along the Witwatersrand Basin, a 300km long geological formation. Along it are seven gold mines, and each have been mined for large amounts of precious metal. Designer Dillon Marsh has a clever series where he visualizes the gold mined from each location using computer generated renderings. The giant gold orbs are sized according to the amount recovered. Via Behance:

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Far West Rand – 349 million troy ounces.
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Evander Goldfield – 49 million troy ounces.
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Central Rand Goldfield – 250 million troy ounces.
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West Rand Goldfield – 102 million troy ounces.
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East Rand Goldfield – 319 million troy ounces.
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Free State Goldfield – 335 million troy ounces.
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Klerksdorp Goldfield – 209 million troy ounces.
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Art

The Warrior, The Nurturer, The Idol

This dramatic yet fun photography series features three archetypes; The Warrior, The Nurturer, and The Idol, all for South Africa’s female only fashion retail store @foschini. The resulting model photos are richly decorated and full of character. The models in the photos are Mala Bryan, Kgothi Iman, and Lukundo Nalungwe. Via Behance:

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Climate Change

Nature’s Hitchhikers

If you’ve spent any time camping or hiking among tall grass and brush, you’ve most likely noticed the little hitchhiking seeds and burrs that stick to your socks, pants, and pets. They can be harshly poky and sharp, designed to grab onto whomever passes by and stay attached until the traveler gets to a new place, a brilliant way to propagate their species. South African photographer Dillon Marsh has a stunning series of these burrs and seeds, entitled Hitchhikers. Taken in beautiful macro photography, the images look scientific in nature, lit warmly, and in crisp, stunning detail. Fascinating to see the diversity of seeds, thorns, and burrs found in rural South Africa.  Via Behance:

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Seeds in the form of thorns and burs are familiar features of the tall grass or underbrush of South African landscapes. Some bare hooks and barbs designed to latch onto the fur or fleece of passing animals, while others grow sharp spikes intended to pierce hooves and feet. This allows them to spread to new areas, even crossing to other continents, earning them the collective name ‘hitchhiker plants’. Macro photography reveals the often unnoticed details of these intricate seeds.

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Art

Ian Jepson’s Classic Monster Movie Posters

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South African illustrator and artist Ian Jepson has a series of great classic movie monster posters. Reimagining Godzilla, Alien, and The Mummy, his designs are retro in style and rich in color, feeling both old and fresh, if that’s possible. Beautifully screen printed, his posters are available for sale here, they’d look amazing on a wall in a series. Impressive illustration skills on display, via Behance:

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Architecture

Incredible Chapel in South Africa Looks Ready for Takeoff

Steyn-Studio-Bosjes-Chapel-moss-and-fog1

Looking like it’s ready to take off to heaven, this chapel in South Africa is one of the most beautiful architectural forms we’ve seen in a while. Created by TV3 Architects, the Bosjes Chapel has a curvaceous roof that swoops down to form the walls themselves. Placed on the edge of a reflecting pool, overlooking the gorgeous African plains, even the non-religious might find themselves feeling spiritual in this inspired space. Really beautiful work. Via MyModernMet:

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Animals

Cape Town’s Canopy Walk

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NYC’s Highline was an undisputed winner when it opened, giving people a great elevated perspective on the city. In the same manner, Cape Town’s Kirstenbosch Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway is making waves. Built just above tree canopy level, this beautifully winding walkway takes visitors through the enormous botanic garden in a truly stunning manner. Also allowing wheelchair access, the canopy walkway is a great addition to the park. Via TwistedSifter:

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