South Africa’s winter might be melting into spring, but there’s no reason to hang up those heavy boots and put away your windbreaker – it’s still adventure time.
Whether we are zipping up against the chill of the morning before venturing out on a climb, looking forward to a hot shower after a muddy day of kayaking, sipping a kolie after a sweep through the treetops, or savouring hot chocolate after a tramp through the ages, South Africa has a range of rip-roaring activities for anyone and everyone.
This spring, South Africa’s voice of inbound tourism, SATSA, is diving into an adventure in a big way as it launches its #FreeToBeSouthAfrica campaign, highlighting South Africa’s outdoors and open-air experiences. SATSA adventure chapter members deliver peace of mind because their experience is undertaken with the highest standards of safety, quality, inclusiveness, and community participation.
So whether you like a short, sharp shock… or the long slog of endurance, here is a small taste of the type of #FreeToBeSouthAfrica adventure awaiting you.
Karoo Fossil Tours: Before the Ice Age, before dinosaurs, there was…Fraserburg!
We can safely say that 250 million years ago, life was a lot slower… when numerous strange creatures had congregated around a waterhole near the present town of Fraserburg in the Karoo and left their footprints or fin-marks in soft mud. Over time these were covered by silt which then turned into rock, only to be spotted by farmer Nic van Gass in 1968.
Since then, a steady stream of paleontologists has traveled to Fraserburg to marvel over this world-famous fossil bed: a snapshot of a world before time. Local magistrate Marthinus Kruger moved to Fraserburg a few years ago and became an enthusiastic amateur paleontologist. Known as “Mr. Tourism,” he is putting Fraserburg on the map.
Don’t imagine for a minute that the Karoo Fossil Tour is a dry and dusty collection of bones. The fossil pavements are a pre-dinosaur freeze-frame: there are wriggle marks made by worms, the marks of fins left by ancient fish slowly swimming by, the waddling pigeon-toed claw marks of the Anteosaurus, a nasty pre-dinosaur predator worse than the T-Rex.
The fossils are so clear and preserved you’d be forgiven for glancing around uneasily in case these scaled monsters could be hiding around the next rock. But don’t worry, they won’t be coming after you to snaffle the scones at the Fraserburg Kafee!
Knysna and oysters go together like boats and water.
You can kayak around the edges of the lagoon, shallow and teeming with small fish and water birds. gliding over the small aquatic universe below, keeping a sharp eye out for the famous Knysna sea horses. Or take a sunset cruise with a visit to the famous oyster beds which will be part of your dinner accompanied by a crisp glass of white wine.
There’s so much to do in Fraserburg with options catering to every kind of traveler. So pack your bags, start that car and head out to the home of the ancient life for more unexpected discoveries.
Pictures: Supplied
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