Ecotourism
in Africa's Regions and Islands While it was late
May, there was a chill in the air, so we bundled up aboard
the company's Land Rover 4x4 for Kagga's popular Moonlight
Safari. What were we searching for? Springbok are the most
common game species, although one may encounter Eland,
Gemsbok, Black and Blue Wildebeest, Rheebuck, Steenbuck,
Duiker, Grysbok, Zebra, Bontebok, Baboon and Ostrich. The
area's predators are mainly Caracal, Jackal, Lynx, and the
occasional Leopard. Where Bok and
Bushmen Roam Getting to Kagga
Kamma Media Team
Discovers another South African Secret New
Projects for Malawi and
Senegal
Environment Tanzania 21 is a
non-profit environment Non Governmental Organization (NGO)
established in Tanzania in 1996. It is a community service
oriented trustee for the promotion of environmental
awareness and environmental protection, though
grassroots-based programs of involving and educating the
community. Location: Entan 21 is based in Dodoma, Tanzania
and will expand its activities to other areas of the country
as its environmental message spreads.
Continued
Regional
Ecotourism Features (More
to come)
Kagga
Kamma
Private Game Preserve
Part 1
by
Muguette Goufrani
With
the hectic activities of another ATA Congress occupying
every spare moment, I had little time to read the SATOUR
travel itinerary. However, I noted that our destination for
day two of the Cape Country Tour was a Private game Reserve
called "Kagga Kamma. Not expecting anything too far beyond
the ordinary, after a rugged 3 hour motor trip from Cape
Town, I was little prepared for the amazing 'moonscape' of
this spectacular hideout in the rugged Cedarburg Mountains.
It was a site that could easily be the movie set for
"Jurassic Park" or "Planet of the Apes." As twilight
approached, many of the odd rock shapes cast weird shadows,
taking the form of wild animals or strange spirit creatures.
According to the map, Kagga Kamma
is located near the Swartruggens Range that separates the
Koue Bokkeveld from the endless stretches of Karoo
(outback). While there's some similarity to parts of New
Mexico or Arizona's Grand Canyon, Kagga Kamma is worlds
apart from anything I've yet to encounter. For countless
centuries this seemingly barren land was home to the nomadic
San (Bushmen), who roamed over a wide area, hunting animals
and small reptiles and gathering a wide assortment of roots,
berries, insects, medicinal herbs and grasses. One of their
favourite snacks is a 'land tortoise,' which they hold in
one hand and munch like a Big Mac. The bushmen's amazing
rock art, which we saw decorating various caves and crevices
nearby, bears witness to their way of life and spiritual
paths. Our guide gave us an interesting story on how the
local Shamman, could commune with the spirit people through
these rock channels linking the center of the earth with the
furthest reaches of heaven.
While there's a strip for
light aircraft near the "Bushmen Lodge," we drove 250 km
from Cape Town northeast through the famous Cape Wine
Country and fruit growing region. We had already tasted the
wines at Franschoek, Stellenbosch and the New Beginnings
winery, so there was no need to stop for a grape break. The
highways were excellent and the communities enroute, such as
Paarl, Worcester and Ceres were clean, prosperous looking
and bustling with activity. The
final segment of the trip led us through some rugged country
with scenic vistas that are ideal photo ops.
Our tour party consisted of
ATA photographer Robert Eilets of New York, broadcaster Ogo
Sow, Africa Travel Magazine editor Jerry W. Bird and myself.
During our overnight visit, Ogo Sow interviewed Kagga
Kamma's operating staff several times on the air, with a
live feed to the USA. Mr. Sow is with Afric Vision, which
broadcasts via radio from its New York studios, targeting
listeners interested in the African continent. His program
is aired weekly over the Cable Vision Network. Our tour
conductor/driver was Dan Dunn of Southern Tip Tours, Cape
Town. Dan's colorful heritage and family
tree (part Zulu, part Scot)
is another story. Continued
Two new WTO technical cooperation projects for Africa will
be looking at boosting tourism potential in very different
destinations - the virtually untapped nation of Malawi in
the South and the more mature destination of Senegal in the
northwest. Continued
Tanzania's Ecotourism
Program
by Charles Kileo, Tanzania
Ambassador
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