It is not always about wildlife, birds, reptiles or insects…it is often just the landscape that I find myself in that speaks to me.
Sunrises and sunsets provided the backdrop to the various and varied landscapes that I was able to enjoy during my visit to Bezhoek Tented Camp and the surrounds in January.
It is not always about the critters with teeth and claws.
Skinks make for interesting sightings, even if they are just resting on the rocks in front of the tented accommodation.
A river runs through it…the property, not the accommodation.
Rocks and vegetation form the foreground with the Olifants River flowing in the background.
Just one of the interesting rock formations that form a backdrop to the various mountain bike trails that crisscross the farm.
With difficult distances and degrees of difficulty, these clearly marked trails will suit riders of all levels of expertise.
They can also be used for walks or trail runs.
And if you are into geology of any sort, this is certainly the property that you should visit.
Yes, there are plains game that can be viewed…or that can watch you are you run, walk ride or drive by.
Notice the different horn shape on the Springbok on the right.
This is just one of several herds of antelope that can be found on Bezhoek. The others include more elusive species like eland, black wildebeest and sable.
If you are a botanist, then THIS is definitely a destination for you. From rare cycads to a multitude of flora species, you will certainly be kept busy and enthralled.
And the rivers are a great source of photographic opportunity. I have visited the property on a couple of occasions, the second being after a heavy downpour, which lead to the river views being truly spectacular.
Flowers are by there very nature seasonal. So what I saw during my visit in January 2023, might not be what other visitors will get to see.
If, like me you are a keen, but not experienced birder, then take birding expert Doug Newman with you.
Doug has authored several books on birds, especially the LBJ’s which sometimes catch out even the best birders.
Like this particular specimen which evoked a lot of discussion from the group on our vehicle.
We eventual came to the consensus was that is was a juvenile Cape Longclaw.
There is something special about looking out over a landscape like this as the sun heads westwards.
One tree plain?
As an aside…
Just outside Auckland New Zealand is a hill that overlooks the city. There was a tree at the top of that, hence the Hill was refereed to as ‘One tree hill’.
An exotic Monterey pine was planted in 1875 by John Logan Campbell to replace the tōtara or pōhutukawa. Campbell repeatedly tried to grow native trees on the tihi, but the trees failed to survive – with only two pines, originally part of a shelter belt for the native trees, surviving for long. However, in 1960, one of the two was felled in another attack.
The remaining tree was later attacked twice with chainsaws by Māori activists to draw attention to injustices they claimed the New Zealand government had inflicted upon Māori. The first attack happened on 28 October 1994, the anniversary of the 1835 Declaration of Independence. A second attack in October 2000 left the tree unable to recover, and it was removed the following year by Auckland Council due to the risk of it falling.
When I was in Auckland in 2007, I was told that the City had still not been replaced.
It took until 2016 for them to decide what trees to plant and the chain saw used by Mike Smith found its was into a local museum.
In 2021, a short documentary called “The chainsaw used on One Tree Hill and heard across Aotearoa” was produced that featured the chainsaw.
Information about the Hill and its history can be found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maungakiekie_/_One_Tree_Hill
I have no doubt this none on the trees at Bezhoek will suffer this fate, but the landscape and the single tree evoked my memory of the tree (or lack thereof) on the hill outside Auckland.
And the spotlight falls on…
Right time and right place? It did take a bit of back and forth in the game drive vehicle to get the shaft of light to fall where I wanted it to.
This could be a painted landscape. our first day at Bezhoek was cold, windy and overcast. That being said, it provided me with the opportunity to enjoy views like this.
An interesting feature of the landscape is the fact that the trees are dotted around and not necessarily found in groves.
Night sets in and it is time to head back to the accommodation and, more importantly a hot dinner that given the cold and windy weather, I am really looking forward to.
To find out more about what the camp offers, click on the logo above.
All images, unless otherwise stated, are the copyright property of
and may not be used without permission.
