Latest News - January 2020
Even the lions are taking a break!
Happy New Year! Close Encounters would like to wish you and your families 12 months of success, 52 weeks of laughter, 366 days of fun, 8,784 hours of joy, 527,040 minutes of good luck and 31,622,400 seconds of happiness!
South Africa is right now slap-bang in the middle of the peak summer vacation period, and many South Africans are currently enjoying a well-earned beach break somewhere along the coast. Others escape to the mountains to avoid the heat and humidity of the coastline, or jet off to Europe or the USA to go sightseeing or snow skiing. The neighboring country of Mozambique is also a fairly popular destination, especially for those that are into diving and fishing, but the slow and difficult border crossings, terrible road conditions, and sometimes primitive accommodation facilities mean that it is usually restricted to the more hardy souls!
December and January are not optimum months for game viewing, as the hot weather results in most animals resting up in the shade during the daylight hours, and only really becoming active at dawn and at dusk. This means that they are difficult to spot, and even if they are seen, they are usually lala panzi (literally translated from Zulu, this means "sleeping on the ground" or "lying down"). This, together with the increased local tourist activity and the coincidence of the summer rains, is one of the reasons why Close Encounters does not run tours during this period. The best game viewing seasons are during autumn, winter and early spring (March to October) - these times are also much more comfortable for our guests, as it can get unbearably hot and humid in the Lowveld (where the Kruger National Park and many of the private game reserves are situated) in summer.
But it is also a beautiful time of the year, as the country now fully transforms from the pastel browns of winter into a vibrant green landscape. Violent thunderstorms often shake the ground, and lightning flashes across the sky in an awesome display of nature's beauty and power that no man-made fireworks display could hope to rival. There is a perpetual chattering and twittering of the birds in the trees, and the constant high-pitched whistle and hum of the cicadas and other insects is a sound that every South African associates with Christmas and New Year. The scent of wood-fired barbecues wafts through the air almost every evening, as everyone relaxes through the long lazy days of the summer break.
Now, at the start of this calendar year, make it your New Year's resolution to join one of our trips to Africa during 2020. With many different scheduled tours to choose from, we are certain that we can provide you with a safari that you will remember for the rest of your life, or we could even put together a customized trip for you. Throw off the shackles of everyday life and come and join us - you will not regret it!
South Africa is right now slap-bang in the middle of the peak summer vacation period, and many South Africans are currently enjoying a well-earned beach break somewhere along the coast. Others escape to the mountains to avoid the heat and humidity of the coastline, or jet off to Europe or the USA to go sightseeing or snow skiing. The neighboring country of Mozambique is also a fairly popular destination, especially for those that are into diving and fishing, but the slow and difficult border crossings, terrible road conditions, and sometimes primitive accommodation facilities mean that it is usually restricted to the more hardy souls!
December and January are not optimum months for game viewing, as the hot weather results in most animals resting up in the shade during the daylight hours, and only really becoming active at dawn and at dusk. This means that they are difficult to spot, and even if they are seen, they are usually lala panzi (literally translated from Zulu, this means "sleeping on the ground" or "lying down"). This, together with the increased local tourist activity and the coincidence of the summer rains, is one of the reasons why Close Encounters does not run tours during this period. The best game viewing seasons are during autumn, winter and early spring (March to October) - these times are also much more comfortable for our guests, as it can get unbearably hot and humid in the Lowveld (where the Kruger National Park and many of the private game reserves are situated) in summer.
But it is also a beautiful time of the year, as the country now fully transforms from the pastel browns of winter into a vibrant green landscape. Violent thunderstorms often shake the ground, and lightning flashes across the sky in an awesome display of nature's beauty and power that no man-made fireworks display could hope to rival. There is a perpetual chattering and twittering of the birds in the trees, and the constant high-pitched whistle and hum of the cicadas and other insects is a sound that every South African associates with Christmas and New Year. The scent of wood-fired barbecues wafts through the air almost every evening, as everyone relaxes through the long lazy days of the summer break.
Now, at the start of this calendar year, make it your New Year's resolution to join one of our trips to Africa during 2020. With many different scheduled tours to choose from, we are certain that we can provide you with a safari that you will remember for the rest of your life, or we could even put together a customized trip for you. Throw off the shackles of everyday life and come and join us - you will not regret it!
Upcoming tours
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Ride The Dragon
Did you know that, in addition to the "standard" wildlife, scenic and adventure trips offered by Close Encounters, you can also enjoy an amazing self-drive adventure tour through the rugged Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa and Lesotho? No off-road driving experience is required, and everything that you will need is supplied as part of the package - vehicles, fuel, accommodation, all meals and drinks (excluding alcohol), all entry fees, adventure activities and sightseeing expenses, as well as four nights at an exclusive private game lodge in the Timbavati. Throughout the trip you will be accompanied by an experienced national tourist guide and off-road driving instructor, and all of the vehicles will be in constant communication with each other via crystal-clear VHF radios, ensuring your safety and enhancing your experience with detailed information about the history, culture and attractions of the region. Click here to see the detailed itinerary. |
Significant historical events
Nongqawuse (on the right)
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Nongqawuse: The Dead Will Rise
The Cape was originally populated by Dutch settlers in 1652, and at first their influence was restricted to a small area near present-day Cape Town. But as new settlers from other countries arrived, they began to spread out in an easterly direction, and this brought them into conflict with a black tribe, the Xhosa, who were expanding towards the west. The confrontation started a series of battles and wars which would last for nearly 100 years (from 1779 to 1878), but during this period a sequence of unfortunate events occurred which would have a dramatic effect on the Xhosa nation, changing their fortunes (and the history of South Africa) forever. In April 1856, a 15-year-old girl named Nongqawuse was sent to scare birds away from her uncle's crops in his fields near the mouth of the Gxara River. When she returned, Nongqawuse told her uncle and guardian Mhlakaza, a Xhosa traditional healer, that she had met the spirits of two of her ancestors. She claimed that the spirits had told her that the Xhosa people should destroy all of their crops and kill all of their cattle. In return, she said, their ancestors would rise from the dead and help the Xhosa to sweep their enemies into the sea. Their granaries would be replenished, and their "kraals" (corrals) would be filled with healthier and more beautiful cattle. |
Somehow the Xhosa chiefs and leaders believed her and became convinced that her prophecy would be fulfilled. In the period leading up to February 18 1857, the date of the predicted apocalypse, most of the tribe slaughtered their cattle and burned their crops. It is estimated that between 300,000 and 400,000 cattle were killed.
The prophecy never did transpire, and the resulting famine decimated the Xhosa population, reducing their numbers through death and displacement from 105,000 to 27,000 over the next few years, a decrease of about 75%. Nongqawuse blamed the failure of her prophecy on a small minority of the nation that had refused to obey her instructions, but the people turned against her and she fled to live with a white family near Alexandria. She died in 1898.
The prophecy never did transpire, and the resulting famine decimated the Xhosa population, reducing their numbers through death and displacement from 105,000 to 27,000 over the next few years, a decrease of about 75%. Nongqawuse blamed the failure of her prophecy on a small minority of the nation that had refused to obey her instructions, but the people turned against her and she fled to live with a white family near Alexandria. She died in 1898.
Folklore & legends
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Huberta the Hippo
Huberta was a wandering hippo that caught the travelling bug, and made her way straight into the hearts of the South African public. It is not known what sparked her travels, but in November 1928 she left her home in Zululand to begin a three-year trek southward. Newspapers around South Africa first picked up on Huberta's story when a party of workers came upon her as she munched her way through a sugar cane field on November 22, 1928. Unaware that she was actually a female, the papers dubbed her "Hubert the Hippo". People flocked to see her at her new residence near the north coast railway line, but when the Johannesburg Zoo tried to catch her, she made a run for it. She was pursued from one river to the next, leaving a trail of mud-splattered zoo men, camera crews, reporters and professional hunters in her wake. The public loved hearing news of her latest escapades, and they quickly fell in love with her. The Natal Provincial Council went so far as to proclaim her "Royal Game", and the hunters were forced to call it a day. |
Over the next three years, Huberta traveled 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) southwards. She crossed roads, rivers, fields, golf courses and railway lines, made unexpected appearances in towns and cities, munched her way through gardens, and took up residence in large pools and rivers. But her wandering spirit would always get the better of her, and before long, she would be off on another adventure, all the while amassing a steadily growing fan base.
Perhaps her most famous caper was when she appeared on the veranda at the Durban Country Club, causing panic and confusion amongst the April Fool’s Day partygoers. She then charged across the golf course and on into the city, where she was later found in the doorway of a chemist's shop in West Street.
She was deified by the Indian population who beat drums, burned incense and sacrificed a goat in her honor, and she spent so much time in sacred Zulu pools that the Zulus believed her to have some connection to the legendary King Shaka, while the Pondo people believed her to be a reincarnation of a famous witchdoctor.
She continued south along the Wild Coast, with protracted stays in the Mzimvuba and Kei Rivers, before reaching East London in March 1931. Her luck finally ran out a month later, when three farmers shot her as she swam in the Keiskamma River. They claimed not to have known of her protected status and a court fined them 25 pounds each, a substantial sum in those days. Her body was recovered from the river, and is now on display at the King Williams Town Museum.
Perhaps her most famous caper was when she appeared on the veranda at the Durban Country Club, causing panic and confusion amongst the April Fool’s Day partygoers. She then charged across the golf course and on into the city, where she was later found in the doorway of a chemist's shop in West Street.
She was deified by the Indian population who beat drums, burned incense and sacrificed a goat in her honor, and she spent so much time in sacred Zulu pools that the Zulus believed her to have some connection to the legendary King Shaka, while the Pondo people believed her to be a reincarnation of a famous witchdoctor.
She continued south along the Wild Coast, with protracted stays in the Mzimvuba and Kei Rivers, before reaching East London in March 1931. Her luck finally ran out a month later, when three farmers shot her as she swam in the Keiskamma River. They claimed not to have known of her protected status and a court fined them 25 pounds each, a substantial sum in those days. Her body was recovered from the river, and is now on display at the King Williams Town Museum.
Destinations
Johannesburg
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Johannesburg, affectionately known as “Jozi” or “Joburg”, is the largest city in South Africa and one of the 50 largest urban areas in the world. It is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the smallest but most populous and wealthiest of the nine provinces in South Africa. It is located in the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills, and is the center of large-scale gold and diamond trade.
Johannesburg itself has a population of about 5.5 million people, but an urban agglomeration of about 8 million. The city, together with the satellite towns which make up the greater Johannesburg urban area, covers a massive stretch of land – the distance from north to south is approximately 50 miles, and the distance from east to west is about 100 miles. |
Johannesburg is both literally and figuratively built on gold. The precious mineral was first discovered in the area back in 1886, and it didn’t take long for Johannesburg to blossom from a dusty mining village called Ferreira's Camp to the metropolis that it has become today. The amount of gold that has been mined in the region is staggering – in 1970, at the height of its production, South Africa was producing five times more gold than the rest of the world combined.
Johannesburg is situated on the highveld plateau, with an average altitude of about 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) above sea level. It has a sunny subtropical highland climate, with the summer months characterized by hot days, afternoon thunderstorms and cool evenings, and the winter months consisting of dry, sunny days followed by cold nights. It does sometimes snow in the winter, but this is a fairly unusual occurrence.
Although not traditionally known as a tourist destination, the city is a transit point for connecting flights to Cape Town, Durban, and the Kruger National Park. Consequently, most international visitors to South Africa pass through Johannesburg at least once, which has led to the development of several activities for tourists. Recent additions have centered on museums, tours to Soweto, developments around the Cradle of Humankind sites at Maropeng, and a host of other attractions such as game and nature reserves.
Johannesburg is situated on the highveld plateau, with an average altitude of about 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) above sea level. It has a sunny subtropical highland climate, with the summer months characterized by hot days, afternoon thunderstorms and cool evenings, and the winter months consisting of dry, sunny days followed by cold nights. It does sometimes snow in the winter, but this is a fairly unusual occurrence.
Although not traditionally known as a tourist destination, the city is a transit point for connecting flights to Cape Town, Durban, and the Kruger National Park. Consequently, most international visitors to South Africa pass through Johannesburg at least once, which has led to the development of several activities for tourists. Recent additions have centered on museums, tours to Soweto, developments around the Cradle of Humankind sites at Maropeng, and a host of other attractions such as game and nature reserves.
Creature Corner
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The African Civet has historically been hunted for the secretion of its perineal glands. This secretion is a white or yellow waxy substance called civetone, which has been used as a basic ingredient for many perfumes for hundreds of years. In Ethiopia, African Civets are captured alive, and then kept in small cages. Most die within three weeks after capture, probably because of stress. Extraction of the civetone is extremely cruel, and has been criticized by animal rights activists.
Civets in other parts of the world are also being subjected to inhumane treatment, but for a different reason. Kopi Luwak is coffee that includes partially digested coffee cherries, eaten and defecated by the Asian Palm Civet. Fermentation occurs as the cherries pass through a civet's intestines, and, after being defecated with other fecal matter, they are collected and processed. |
Because of demand, the traditional method of collecting feces from wild civets has given way to intensive farming methods, where the animals are kept in battery cage systems and force-fed the cherries. This method of production has raised ethical concerns about the treatment of civets and the horrific conditions they are made to live in, which include isolation, poor diet, small cages and a high mortality rate.
Although Kopi Luwak is a form of processing rather than a variety, it is the most expensive coffee in the world, with retail prices reaching up to $700 per kilogram. Some specialty coffee shops sell Kopi Luwak for anything between US$35 and $80 per cup.
But is it worth it? Kopi Luwak is widely regarded as a gimmick or novelty item, and the general consensus in the industry is that it produces a drink inferior to other coffees. Tony Wild, the executive originally responsible for bringing Kopi Luwak to the Western world, has stated he no longer supports the use of the coffee due to animal cruelty, and has launched a campaign called "Cut the Crap" to halt the consumption of Kopi Luwak.
Although Kopi Luwak is a form of processing rather than a variety, it is the most expensive coffee in the world, with retail prices reaching up to $700 per kilogram. Some specialty coffee shops sell Kopi Luwak for anything between US$35 and $80 per cup.
But is it worth it? Kopi Luwak is widely regarded as a gimmick or novelty item, and the general consensus in the industry is that it produces a drink inferior to other coffees. Tony Wild, the executive originally responsible for bringing Kopi Luwak to the Western world, has stated he no longer supports the use of the coffee due to animal cruelty, and has launched a campaign called "Cut the Crap" to halt the consumption of Kopi Luwak.
Feather Feature
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Common Name: Orange-breasted Sunbird
Binomial Name: Anthobaphes violacea Status: Common resident; endemic Red List Status: Least Concern The Orange-breasted Sunbird is endemic to the fynbos habitat of southwestern South Africa. They are sexually dimorphic, with females being olive green while the males are orange to yellow on the underside with bright green, blue and purple on the head and neck. The bird subsists on flower nectar, predominantly from ericas and proteas, although it will make use of other types of flowering plants as well. It will also take small insects and spiders, often in flight. This species is a common breeder across its limited range, and is an altitudinal migrant, moving to higher altitudes during the southern summer in search of flowers. It is gregarious when not breeding, forming flocks of up to 100 birds. |
Did you know?
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If you go on a safari in Africa and you spot a tiger, it would definitely be something to write home about. Lions, leopards and tigers are all part of the Felidae family of cats, which originated in Africa and which share a common ancestor. At some point, probably around 2 million years ago, one offshoot of Felidae migrated east toward Asia, and those cats evolved into the orange, black, and white-striped beasts that exist today. Once established in Asia, tigers never returned to Africa, although scientists aren't exactly sure why. The confusion about tigers on the continent originated because early European settlers in South Africa used to refer to the leopard as a “Tier”, an Afrikaans word which translates as “Tiger”.
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Words of wisdom
"Africa changes you forever, like nowhere on Earth. Once you have been there, you will never be the same. But how do you begin to describe the magic to someone who has never felt it? How can you explain the fascination of this vast, dusty continent, whose oldest roads are elephant paths? Could it be because Africa is the place of all our beginnings, the cradle of mankind, where our species first stood upright on the savannahs of long ago?"
Brian Jackman
Brian Jackman