South Africa Day 6 - Wildlife, Wasteland and Winding Mountain Roads

We get up and head off relatively early today, saying our goodbyes to the friendly guesthouse owners and their two lovely dogs. First stop is the Cango Wildlife Ranch, just off the R328, where we have a short wait until the next tour to investigate the snake house, meerkat and porcupine enclosures by the entrance. I'm happy to read about the deadly snakes when they're safely behind glass, but I don't hang around longer than is necessary! Back out in the morning sunshine, the nocturnal porcupines are sadly tucked away in their cubby hole fast asleep, so we don't get to admire them in all their spiney glory. We wander back to the meeting spot for the tour guide and head off to see the array of animals looked after in this sanctuary. The entrance is through a slightly kitch skeleton-adorned passageway, which leads through to a very humid greenhouse. Overhead are a collection of large fruit bats or "giant flying foxes", who, unlike their smaller European cousins, use their eyes rather than sonar to navigate and as such are awake in the daytime. They hang fairly still as we watch though, I'm not sure how well I'd handle one of them swooping close, they can grow to a wingspan of 1.7m - taller than me! Also in this enclosure is a tiny blue duiker, with delicate features and a slightly nervous demeanour. We continue through to some decking, where we're introduced to a bush pig and his river hog friend. They wouldn't normally be brought together in the wild but they're great friends here. Further along are some cape vultures, here in the sanctuary because they've been injured in the wild. Since last year the cape vulture has been listed as an endangered species, estimated to have less than 10,000 adults left in existence.

Beyond these magnificent birds of prey, we pass some flamingos gathered in the sunshine, and cross a wooden bridge over the crocodile pond, where the centre offers a cage diving experience. The bridge is rigged to shake and sound some 'dramatic' noises, and there's another plastic skeleton in the corner. It feels like a slightly unnecessary gimmick, but perhaps it's one for the kids.

Further on there are 2 pygmy hippos, separated by a partition as they tend to make up for their small size with increased aggression. Our tour guide tells us that sadly they lost a calf born a few years previously due to health complications, which was a terrible loss for not only the wildlife centre, but also the species which is severely endangered.

Along from the hippos on the decking trail we see more crocodiles, who are all basking in the sunshine, sleeping with their teeth exposed. Apparently it takes many more muscles to close their jaws than it does to open them, so they're often seen relaxing with their mouths wide open, which is simultaneously mildly threatening and strangely endearing. It's like they were trying to be menacing, but they were so tired they fell asleep mid yawn. Perhaps that's actually the case.

We continue around to the end of the decking, passing another peacock who strolls alongside the snapping turtle ponds, and head towards the big cats. First up is the cheetahs, most of whom are currently enjoying the attention of some visitors and rangers during a "meet the animals" experience. It's a really hot day and they're all gathered in the shade of the wooden walkway overhead. In the next pen are 6 cubs, who despite the heat are playing with one another in the patches of shade, clamouring over the large branches and stones in their sizable enclosure.

By contrast, on the other side of the walkway there are 2 sleeping leopards, sprawled over logs to rest in the late morning heat. Further along is a serval who is being petted by one of the park volunteers. Their markings are very similar to the leopard / cheetah but their beautiful faces are distinctly different, it's strange to me how these animals aren't well known in the UK compared to many others in the big cat family.

Next up are two sleeping lions, a male and a female. Lions sleep for up to 18 hours a day, so it's not surprising that this is the most common state in which to see them. The male briefly wakes up, allowing the faster fingered camera owners to grab a quick picture of his magnificent face before he sinks back onto the grass to continue his slumber.

The final big cat is the white Bengal tiger, not native to South Africa, but rescued from a zoo and cared for here in Ooudtshoorn. We're told that white tigers aren't albino as they don't have red eyes, but rather they are like the feline equivalent of being blonde. Stripes and fur colour aside, they are stunning creatures, and it's once again sad to think that they're one of so many animals facing extinction in the very near future. We head onwards around to the end of the big cat area, stopping briefly before we leave to look at some bat eared foxes nestling at the base of a tree in the sunshine. These foxes were rescued as cubs by a farmer after their mother was killed in flooding.

We head back to the entrance area and take a seat in the open air café area for some well needed breakfast. Ordering full cooked breakfasts all round with juice, tea and coffee, we sit and watch one of the resident peacocks stroll around leisurely, whilst the snapping turtles are given their meaty breakfasts by one of the centre's staff. 

We finish up and make a quick visit to the "Kuranda Forest" - and aviary full of noisy and colourful lorikeets. After a little while looking at their rainbow coloured feathers, a couple of them land on my head and shoulder. It's quite unnerving having a bird wandering over your head, secretly I'm really hoping it doesn't suddenly decide it needs the toilet! Rather, the one on my shoulder seems to have confused the beads of my necklace for berries and is gently pecking away. The beautiful birds eventually get bored and fly off, and we leave the aviary through double doors, passing some emu and Australian wallaby, resting in the shade. 

We leave the park and head a little further along the road to a nearby Ostrich farm in the hope of having a quick tour. Unfortunately it's a bit of a wait, and the tour lasts 45 minutes which we don't really have, as we need to get to Cape Town before dark and it's a long drive. Instead we stop by the side of the road further along the way, and marvel at the sheer number of ostriches in one farm alone. It's clear they are kept in age groupings, with the younger, pale brown birds in one area, all the way up to the adults with their larger bodies and matured black feathers. There's just time for a couple of snaps before we head back on the road, driving through the Karoo - a barren wasteland north of the Cape Fold Mountains. 

After a couple of hours driving we make a quick stop on the R62 at the iconic "Ronnie's Sex Shop", a roadside pub which became a landmark as a result of a local prank updating the shop name. It's just soft drinks for us today though, and we continue our drive up into the mountains and through the Tradouwpas, stopping for a couple of photos into the impressive gorge. 

As we approach Cape Town, the sun is setting and painting the sky a gorgeous golden colour, the mountain ranges silhouetted against the darkening sky. There's another mountain range to drive over, and we finally see the streetlights of Cape Town stretching out in front of us. We're staying in Noordhoek, on the South Western side of the city, at the top of a little peninsula which frames False Bay. We make a quick stop off at the supermarket just before our lodgings and pick up some chicken skewers, salad and a few bits for breakfast before heading to our home for the next week. As we arrive at the Horizon cottages, we collect our keys and join the extended family for our first braai before settling in for the night. It's been a long day with a lot of driving. so we're grateful for a comfy bed and an early night.