Echo-Scape Adventure 

(Ecological Escape for the Adventurous that Echos my heritage)

South Africa, through the eyes of a local 

 

I am privileged to have worked, lived and travelled in South Africa, a country of intense beauty and diversity - with its lush green indigenous forests, dry interior, high mountain ranges and its endless pristine beaches.

Whenever I ask people to give me their impression of this country, they nearly always talk about its wildlife – especially the Big 5 (which are the  mammals seen as the hardest  to hunt on foot - not necessarily the biggest) namely the African Elephant, Lion,  Black Rhinoceros, Leopard and the Cape Buffalo. Yes, it is true that this country harbours such wonders, however, what few mention or know is that it is also well known for its abundance of flowers, some found nowhere else on earth.

With its 11 official languages, South Africa has cultural diversity as well. This incredible mixture of ethnic groups results in a cocktail of culture found in few places on our planet.

Over the years I have often been confronted by people who express the wish to visit South Africa, but dare not, due to some or other fear or uncertainty. This may be as a result of South Africa’s frequent appearance in our media footage, be it because of its past Apartheid policy or due to the reports of high crime rate, poverty, corruption, Malaria and other diseases.

Added to this is the fact that you need to speak English and you have to drive on the left hand side of the road – often these facts alone are enough to make any would-be tourist think twice before making South Africa their next holiday destination.

Therefore, often, the only option left for them is to book a German guided mass tour, together with many other tourists, travelling on big busses that are restricted to the highways, stay in high priced hotels where you mainly get served international cuisine and not the traditional South African food, visit only the tourist areas and having very little contact  with any South African people or its culture. To many this is not only heavy on the purse but the ultimate nightmare holiday.

I, together with my family, go annually to South Africa and have, through much exploration, found the most beautiful and safest route. This route not only gives one a taste of South African mountains, forest, seas, lakes, desert and African fauna and flora, but is free of any of the notorious African diseases like Malaria.

I have given them the opportunity to experience my home country like very few tourists ever do, and now I am offering you this chance as well.

I will take you off the beaten track, giving you a unique inside view of South Africa, taking you into my home and introducing you to my fellow South Africans, our food, our culture and for nearly two weeks you will experience how it is to be a South African in South Africa.

I will help you through customs and make your arrival in this country as stress free as possible, organise your accommodation, in some of the most beautiful, but cost effective bed-and-breakfasts, guest houses or with me in our holiday house situated at Keurbooms Strand - one of the most spectacular settings along the Garden Route.

I will be your driver, letting you sit back and relax, take in the scenery, stopping for every photo opportunity, whenever it may arise – unlike the normal tourist buses.

I will be your guide, teaching you about South Africa, giving you inside knowledge about how it is to live there and teaching you about the flora and fauna and its intricate ecosystems, tapping into my knowledge from having grown up on a farm in South Africa, having studied nature conservation and having worked in many parks within South Africa and East Africa – please read here for more information.

I will be your translator and English teacher, teaching you the language as we discover the hidden beauty of this country, helping you to communicate and in the end increasing your English language skills faster, more effectively and in a fun way.

After this 14 day introduction to South Africa, we will have covered more than 2000 kilometres together, giving you an "in-depth" view of my home country, its wildlife, people, cuisine and culture.

You will have experienced endless beaches, forest, semi-deserts, gone over mountains and into mountains, had contact with some of the most beautiful animals South Africa has to offer, seen plants endemic to the tip of Africa and encounter some of the most impoverished people on the face of our earth, together with the wealthiest.

Furthermore, I will help those of you who would (now that you have been introduced gently to South Africa and you have overcome the language barrier) like to stay longer in South Africa, go back to some of the places we have seen, or discover new places, organise and plan the rest of your holiday – book accommodation, hire transport etc.

If this trip appeals to you, then I would encourage you to book immediately, due to a number of reasons:

1) I only am taking a maximum of fourteen guests. The reason for this is to ensure comfortable travel, good viewing and personal attention.

2) I only have time to go on such a trip twice a year, namely in August and September, when I have holidays. This means that the trips are quickly full.

3) It's cost effectiveness, means the seats are quickly taken. I have really taken an effort to keep the prices as low as possible – even inviting you into my house. Normally you pay extra for the guide, translator, the driver and the English course – here, with me; you get it all for the price of one.

SO BOOK NOW!!

 

South Africa Presentation on the 04.02.12 at 6.30pm at the Don Brusko, Rosenheim. Entrance free.

To book seats please phone 08031 - 920 228 or click here