Helping South Africa’s big cats through responsible tourism

I often wonder how many of the thousands of tourists who flock to South Africa’s game reserves every year are aware of the dangers facing the country’s big cats. 

Unlike elephants and rhino, big cat species enjoy little international protection and farming, hunting and urbanisation have placed increasing pressures on their numbers. In fact, the lion population throughout Africa has dropped by 50% in the past twenty years, while the number of wild cheetahs in South Africa has fallen to less than 900, partly as a result of farmers shooting them to reduce the threat to their livestock. 

Encouragingly, though, South Africa is now home to a number of initiatives which aim to redress the balance and provide a more secure future for these spectacular felines. Several of these projects allow visitors to view their work in action and I have been lucky enough to visit a few, so here’s a round-up of some of the options. 

Meeting Enigma the cheetah at the Spier estate

First up is the Cheetah Outreach Programme at the Spier wine estate near Stellenbosch. Set up to assist the international Cheetah Conservation Fund, its cats form part of an education programme which targets children and farmers. Visitors can pay to enter the enclosure for a face to face encounter, with proceeds funding the programme and a sister project which supplies dogs to farmers to protect livestock and prevent shootings.

Another Western Cape initiative can be found at Inverdoorn Game Reserve, which lies in the Karoo some three hours north of Cape Town. Funded by the income generated from the reserve’s gamedrives, its cheetah rehabilitation centre provides specialised care and a controlled breeding programme. Visitors are able to visit the centre at feeding time, entering the cheetahs’ huge enclosure in open jeeps for a close-up view of their speed and prowess.  

Elsewhere in South Africa, the Cheetah Rehabilitation Project near Parys breeds cheetahs for re-introduction into the wild. Since 2001 it has successfully raised 20 young cats and now offers a range of volunteering stays ranging from two weeks to three months.

Finally, Boskoppie Lion Park in Free State offers two-week volunteering holidays as part of its carnivore breeding programme. A friend of mine has just returned from such a trip and spent most of her time acting as surrogate mother to five boisterous lion cubs, as well as delivering adult cats to game reserves elsewhere to help maintain their populations. For those with less time to spare, the park also opens for guided tours on Sunday afternoons.

Spier Estate – www.spier.co.za

Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) – www.cheetah.org

Inverdoorn Game Reserve – www.inervdoorn.com

South African Cheetah Rehabilitation Project – www.africanimpact.com

Boskoppie Lion Park – www.boskoppie.co.za

Top tips: travel photography

I’m often asked for advice about how to take memorable travel photographs, so I thought I’d share my top tips.  

Put a different spin on famous landmarks

There are hundreds of thousands of photos of famous sights, so make your pictures stand out by looking for an unusual angle or showing the landmark in its wider context, perhaps by including foliage or photographing it from a distance. Monte Carlo casino, for example, would have looked quite boring on its own, but taking the below image through the water of a nearby fountain added interest. It’s also worth trying diagonal images as with the picture of Florence’s Duomo.

Don’t be afraid to look silly

Sometimes you have to be prepared to attract some strange glances from passersby in order to get an interesting image. I’ve been known to crouch in undergrowth or lie down on the ground in the middle of crowds to find an unusual angle – often to the embarrassment of whoever I’m travelling with.

Look for the hidden detail

Sometimes the smallest detail can reveal an enormous amount about the place you’re visiting, providing an interesting glimpse of the culture or the architecture. When visiting Po Lin Monastery in Hong Kong, for example, I found that a close-up shot of burning incense was far more evocative of the spiritual atmosphere than a wider picture of the monastery complex.

Include people in the shot

When taking pictures of landscapes or buildings try including a person or two in the frame to create a focal point and highlight the scale. I waited for a group of school children to appear before taking the below shot of the Olympic Village in Athens, as I wanted the sheer enormity of the structure to come across in the picture.

Consider black and white

Monochrome images often have far more impact than colour pictures, as they create drama and focus attention on the main subject. The picture of Florence’s Duomo below looked too busy in colour as the red and green of the building clashed with the deep blue of the sky. In black and white, however, the detail of the architecture stands out.

Don’t use flash

Don’t automatically turn on your flash when taking pictures in low light as it is often too harsh and can mask atmosphere. Try using slower shutter speeds to compensate for the lack of light while creating a softer effect, but bear in mind you will need to stay very still in order to avoid blur. If you don’t have a tripod then look for a stable surface (I often resort to walls, benches or even car roofs) and use the self timer to prevent accidentally shaking the camera when you click the shutter.

Show movement in your images

Showing motion can add excitement to your pictures by depicting the life and pace of your destination. If you have a DLSR then play around with shutter speeds to freeze movement or show blur. If you have a compact camera try moving the camera itself to create interesting effects.

Don’t delete anything!

Most importantly, don’t discard any shots until you’ve had chance to view them on a computer screen. Some of the best pictures I’ve ever taken actually looked mediocre on the camera’s small screen – in fact I almost erased the lion shot below to free up space on my memory card as I thought it was too blurred at the time!

Monte Carlo casino

Florence’s Duomo

The Olympic Village, Athens

Po Lin, Hong Kong

A black-maned lion in the Karoo

A touch of luxury without the five-star budget

The White Room at Hawksmoor House

If you’re anything like me, you like to enjoy a taste of the high life but don’t have the budget for five-star hideaways or jet set glamour. But with a bit of research it’s easy to find smaller guesthouses and boutique hotels which offer style and service without the hefty price tag. 

Here are a few of my favourite lux-for-less options:

 

Hawksmoor House, Cape Winelands, South Africa

Occupying a colonial Cape Dutch farmhouse on the Matjieskuil wine estate, Hawksmoor House offers the perfect location for unwinding in peaceful surroundings. You can enjoy breakfasts, home-made afternoon teas or sundowners on the veranda, lounge by the pool or wander the rose-filled gardens while enjoying the view of Table Mountain in the distance. Ask for the White Room – actually a suite with two bedrooms, a dressing room, a terrace and a marble bathroom complete with a walk-in shower and a huge, freestanding bath tub. 

www.hawksmoor.co.za 

79 on Orange, Cape Town

Located in a colonial building at the foot of Table Mountain, this guesthouse boasts warm, African-themed interiors crammed with art and antiques. Each of the five bedrooms is individually styled, with large bathrooms and a terrace. The lavender-filled garden houses a swimming pool and a Jacuzzi, while the homely lounge encompasses comfortable sofas, an open fire, a well-stocked honesty bar and heaps of books.  Best of all are the breakfasts, which include a mouth-watering array of local fruit, together with delicious pastries and fry-ups. 

www.79onorange.co.za

Panorama by Rhombus, Hong Kong

Situated in Kowloon just minutes from the Star Ferry pier, the Panorama has a rooftop garden, a stylish cocktail bar and an elegant, monochrome interior. Try to wangle an upgrade to a superior room located on the upper floors of the 42-storey hotel, as the floor-to-ceiling windows provide stunning views of the Harbour and Hong Kong Island. You won’t want to draw the curtains. 

 www.hotelpanorama.com.hk

 

Hotel Le Canberra, Cannes

Hotel Le Canberra was fully refurbished in 2008 and exudes a soothing sense of calm in the heart of the city. Its neoclassical façade hides a retro-chic interior with a touch of 1950s glamour provided by the pink, black and white colour scheme. The outdoor restaurant serves a range of French and Italian cuisine under the shade of palm trees, while beyond lies a small swimming pool surrounded by bamboo and landscaped gardens. You wouldn’t be surprised to see Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn wandering the hallways.  

 www.hotel-canberra-cannes.cote.azur.fr

 

Hotel Herodion, Athens

The Herodion offers contemporary glamour just minutes from the spectacular ruins of ancient Athens. The renovated rooms are comfortable and stylishly simple, while the large bar mixes modern furnishings and comfortable sofas with antiques. The hotel also boasts a Japanese-style rooftop garden, complete with Jacuzzis where you can watch the sun set behind the Parthenon as you sip a well-earned glass of wine. 

www.herodion.gr