- Kruger trip on the 28th Nov (Cody was their guide – his ability to spot animals and his knowledge)
- Eco Caves 07th Nov (beautiful side it was)
- Nhoveni Sleep out 09th Nov (Amazing experience to fall asleep under the stars and all the sound of the animals)
This past month our Student Volunteers were given the opportunity to explore our beautiful area. Situated just outside Ohrigstad are the Echo Caves. This underground wonderland was stumbled upon in 1923 by the owner of the farm called Klipfonteinhoek when he was searching for a source of water. Great was his surprise when he realised that some of his cattle had already mysteriously disappeared into the cave.
After exploring the cave it was soon realised that this dark underworld carried with it the most beautiful gems of nature. After the completion of the Abel Erasmus Pass and the Strijdom Tunnel in 1959 the cave was opened as a tourist attraction. Later the cave was declared a National Monument.
The name Echo was given to the cave, as a certain stalactite formation produces a distinctive echoing sound when tapped on. This echo can still be heard on the outside of the cave today.
“On top of the amazing time I had working at the rehab centre, we had the opportunity to go on some great trips! We went on a guided tour through a couple of caves. The caves were really beautiful, had some great acoustics! In one of them, we were able to make music by tapping on the wall. It was also a lot of fun to crawl through parts of it and feel the temperature differences between the different caves. Learning the history of them as well gave it something extra to think about that was fun!”- Lisa
The Nhoveni sleep out is another treasured activity that the student volunteers get to occasionally experience, to sleep out under the African stars and be surrounded by the night sights and sounds.
“One of my favourite memories and trips we took was to sleep out at Nhoveni. Being able to see the animals that were there was great, but listening to them as we fell asleep was amazing! Being able to see the sky light up with so many stars was unbelievable! I’ve never seen so many before. It was so beautiful and tranquil! The food Cody cooked on the fire was so delicious! And then seeing the animals while we were eating, as well as walk up the next morning was truly the icing on the cake! Sleeping out in the middle of a field in the bush will remain one of the most amazing moments of the trip!” – Lisa
The Kruger National Park Trip, the students were treated by Cody, his knowledge and love of the bush veld is well noted and his ability to spot animals is second to none. We are very blessed to live on the doorstep of KNP. The surface area of the park is 19,633 square kilometers and plays host to more than 753 species of animal and 1982 species of plants in the park. There are 254 known cultural heritage sites in the Kruger, including 130 rock art sites.
“The one trip I was really hoping for, was to visit Kruger National Park. The trip there definitely did not disappoint! For one, we got to see the Big 5! All of the animals that we saw were so beautiful and such an incredible experience! Most of my favourite animals on this planet come from Africa, and seeing most of them in one day, was a dream come true! Cody was such an amazing asset to have on the drive as well! He has an amazing talent at spotting animals, especially considering he was driving. He also was so patient and helpful with getting us to be able to spot the animals as well! The spots we stopped at for our breakfast and lunch were absolutely stunning! And the food was delicious! Allowing us time to shop was also wonderful, they had so many cool and beautiful items available! Overall, Kruger was one of my favourite days while I was in South Africa!” – Lisa