Published in Travel Africa Edition Thirteen: Autumn 2000

Contact Alexa for your very own experience!

ACTIVITIES: ADVENTURE HOLIDAYS IN AFRICA

Spice up your safari by including some form of activity in your itinerary. No matter your age, budget or fitness, adventure takes on many forms in Africa. Not only will you have fun, it will add another dimension to your holiday. Here's an idea of what's on offer.

Adventure tourism is the riskiest form of ecotourism, but each year its ranks of participants swell. In some situations, particularly where official controls are lacking, macho-maniac and fear-fanatic operators could subject you to unnecessary risk. Licensed, controlled and reputable organisations should therefore be used wherever possible.

It is worth bearing in mind that whilst certain locations may be "specialist" others will cater for several activities. For example, base jumping is probably the only survivable sport found on top of the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg but at the Victoria Falls you can try bungee jumping, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, river boarding, microlighting, helicopter rides, walking safaris, fishing, abseiling, skydiving and horse- or elephant-riding.

Footloose (Hiking/trekking/walking)
In West Africa hiking is possible in a number of national parks but trails are usually short and not easy to follow. However in Sierra Leone (Mt. Bitumani), Mali (Dagon Escarpment) and Nigeria (Cross River NP) major treks are feasible.

Some of the finest hiking on the continent is at Mt Elgon, which straddles the Kenya-Uganda border. The Usambera and Pare peaks in Tanzania's Mahale Mountains and Meru Crater in the Arusha NP are other worthy challenges. Three nature reserves on Rodrigues Island also provide excellent walks and trails on Reunion Island stretch up to 12 days.

It is in southern Africa, however, that trekking is best provided for. Zambia's Luangwa Valley is renowned for offering some of the finest game-viewing walks in Africa. In Zimbabwe, the Eastern Highlands are criss-crossed by trails, some of which involve rock climbing. Mana Pools NP is favoured by wildlife trekkers, as are the 4-5 day backpack game-viewing walks in Matusadona NP.

In Namibia there are three trails through the Daan Viljoen Game Park near Windhoek and unaccompanied routes through the Naukluft Mountains, on the Waterberg Plateau and along the Ugab River. The best known challenge, however, is the 4-5 day, 85km trek through the Fish River Canyon (see Ed 11, pp 36-40). Also strenuous are the rhino-tracking walks arranged on request at two camps in Northern Damaraland.

In South Africa there are a plethora of hiking clubs - some more social, others, such as the Trails Club and the Mountain Club, for the serious. Every province has hiking routes with good facilities. The most popular are probably those in the Cedarberg, through the Magaliesberg, in the Langeberg and around and on the awesome Cathedral Peak in the Drakensberg Mountains. A hot favourite is the five-day, 41km Otter trail in the Tsitsikamma NP but there is a long waiting list. Camp-out wilderness trails are conducted in the Kruger NP For many hikers, however, the Augrabies Falls NP trails are paradise, whilst for others the Amatola trail in the Eastern Cape is the most spectacular, high demand-high reward experience.

On the Rocks (Abseiling/rock climbing/kloofing)
Mountains all over southern Africa provide challenges for the crash helmet-and-rope-brigade and clubs are to be found in many major cities. However serious rock climbers head for the cliffs of Chapman's Peak and Table Mountain in South Africa. The former overhang the sea whilst the latter, at 100m, provide probably the world's longest vertical abseil. Another favourite is the Kamikaze Canyon near Gordon's Bay that includes a descent through a 60m waterfall. Perhaps the funkiest way of opening the adrenaline glands is sliding down the waterfalls in the Mfongosi River Gorge near Kransdorp. Kloofing the 3069m Piton des Beiges in Reunion is also highly regarded.

For serious mountaineers reaching Kilimanjaro's Uhuru Peak at 5895m (the highest point in Africa) is possibly THE challenge. However the snow covering and twelve glaciers of Mount Kenya make this the world's toughest ice mountain. Good, less populated alternatives are the Ruwenzori Mountains and the Virungas in Uganda - political conditions allowing. Climbing Mount Elgon from Kenya and the oft snow clad peaks of the Oxbow area in Lesotho's Maluti Mountains are also popular challenges.

West Africa's peaks are not particularly high and the rock is often unsuitable for climbing. One exception is the area of Hombori in Mali where some 1000m rock formations jut out of the desert floor. These and other peaks in Mali attract climbers from Europe. Going beneath and below the mountains is also possible. Cavers head for the 4500m of passages in Namibia's Arnhem Cave - the sixth-longest in Africa and home to bats for the last 9500 years.

On the Road
In West Africa's towns Hash House Harrier Clubs cater for those (mainly expats) given to jogging. South Africans, on the other hand, are taking to trail running - fell running to the British, fast packing to Americans. Four days of hard running through the Waterberg or Drakensberg Mountains is for the very fit, requires booking overnight rest huts and needs logistical backup.

Less serious are two annual "fun runs", which anyone may enter, but they do require booking. Probably the most demanding trail run is the 500km Blue Cross in Zimbabwe. Starting at its lowest point, the Save-Rundi River junction, it climbs up to the country's highest peak, Mt. Nyangani at 2592m. The slightly less insane do it on mountain bikes.

Up and Down the Sands
Near Swakopmund and Walvis Bay in Namibia there are a number of people not satisfied with simply clambering up the dunes - or even just running down them for that matter. They surfboard the descent, lying on a sheet of hardboard or ski down standing on an even smaller plank (dune boarding). Perhaps not a major pastime but it could provide a break from more sustained activity.

Another craze occupying increasing numbers of young holidaymakers is beach volleyball - BVB to the committed. Even if you're a hacker (beginner) you'll soon learn to jump serve, dig, skyball, spike, shank and sand-out. It's very sociable too. Addicts will be found at play on most popular beaches.

Back in the Saddle Again
For equestrians, stables, racing, riding and polo clubs are found in most of the biggest cities in East and southern Africa. However, watching game or exploring the countryside from a saddle is a variant worth considering. Seated on the back of a horse or elephant you can get up close and even in amongst otherwise nervous wildlife. Many thus rate riding far superior to game viewing by vehicle, particularly as you're not confined to established tracks and can explore the bush at leisure.

A number of game farms and wildlife reserves (such as Ndabushe near Johannesburg and Matobo Hills NP outside Bulawayo) now offer horseback excursions or longer safaris with overnight stops at bush camps. Those wishing to ride pony trails in a challenging, awe-inspiring environment should try trekking the Maluti Mountains in Lesotho. Consider also riding over the rolling, Eastern Cape sweetveld, through the Stormberg Mountain range or across the Cape flats on deserted Strandfontein beaches. Alternatively there are the highly recommended 2-10 night trails over Malawi's Nyika Plateau.

Another inspiring experience is mule trekking in the Simien Mountains in Ethiopia. The trail winds along the spectacular Tekeze Valley 2000m below the mountain peaks, with overnight stops in peasant tukuls (huts). Something very different, much less demanding and authentically Namibian would be a donkey cart drive in Walvis Bay.

Elephant-back game-viewing safaris are becoming the vogue. Some offer little more than a couple of hours of the "done it and here's the video to prove it" experience. In the Okavango, however, more extended journeys await those with hardy rumps and a zest for something unusual.

For anyone really bent on punishing the posterior the 1-7 day camel safaris organised by the SNV (the Netherlands Development Organisation) north of Arusha are a really physical, but unusual, challenge. The shorter duration camel riding experiences, with full Arabian gear, that are available near Swakop in Namibia are far superior to those offered in Egypt. There are several efficient and rewarding treks available in central and northern Kenya. Anyone becoming addicted is invited to participate in the Great Tanzanian Camel Race that takes place annually at Meserani Snake Park!

Water, Water Everywhere
Fancy a bit more than paddling, wave dodging and beachcombing? Why not try body or board surfing? There are enthusiasts and clubs on most major beaches who will happily help you get started. Wave skiing and wave sailing addicts also frequent the Natal coastline but one of the world's best locations is the Atlantic swell off the Cape of Good Hope.

The next step is into snorkelling and scuba diving amongst Africa's highly rated offshore reefs and coral gardens, notably from Dar es Salaam down to Natal. Particularly favoured spots are around the East African islands of Unguja (Zanzibar), Pemba and Mafia, off Mauritius and Reunion (Saint Leu) and off Bazaruto and Benguerra islands in Mozambique. Equipment hire and training courses are widely available. Inland, the turquoise lagoons and coral reefs in the Maldives and around Cape Maclear on Lake Malawi are highly rated and popular.

Pulse rates can be lifted by shark diving at the Two Oceans aquarium in Cape Town - or in the open seas! One of the best places to dive for Great Whites is at Aliwal Shoal, off KwaZulu-Natal's coastline.

True adrenaline junkies don helmets for whitewater rafting and, after training, river kayaking. Tops, of course, are the boiling rapids below the Victoria Falls but the Usutu River in Swaziland has challenging grade 4 rapids and few people on its waters. Another favourite is the grade 5 rapids on the Nile in Uganda.

River rafting is a little less turbulent along the Breede, Umfolozi, Lukskei, Orange and Umzimvuba rivers in South Africa - the latter voted by National Geographic as "one of the last unspoilt fragments on earth". Rapids of the Pungwe River in Zimbabwe and the Kunene in Namibia are also rafted but river boarding is largely confined to the Zambezi and in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park in South Africa - the latter the only place in the world where you can see all of the "big five" whilst doing this.

Those preferring a more sedate and mystical experience must take a 3-5 day canoe trip between Kariba and Kanyemba on the lower Zambezi. Alternatively be poled in a pirogue (canoe) along the waterways and lagoons of the Ivory Coast, or in a mokoro (dug out) on the Okavango swamps.

Riding the Waves (Sea kayaking)
Sea kayaking, one of the fastest-growing sports, can be enjoyed by people of all ages and degrees of fitness. The specially designed kayaks have watertight hatches, sealed cockpits and robust rudder systems that make them easy to paddle and ultra stable on the seas. They make excellent platforms for fishing, birdwatching and photography.

Newcomers to the sport are encouraged to complete a basic training course and develop their skills on inland waters and river estuaries before tackling the open ocean. In South Africa there are over 50 accredited routes, of which the West Coast trails are best known and probably the safest. However sea kayaking also takes place off the coasts of Namibia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and the Ivory Coast. The sport is also popular on the Red Sea and on Lake Malawi.

Hook, Line and Sinker
Fishing, the world's largest participatory sport, has been a livelihood and pastime in Africa for 20,000 years. Off its coasts, marlin, mackerel and tuna are fished from boats from east coast islands and resorts such as Bazaruto. Over 400 boats regularly hunt big game fish off Mauritius. Fishing along the quieter coastal beaches, from Namibia, round the Cape and up the east coast, for King and Queen ignoblis and other game species, has many addicts. You can catch your own crayfish off the South African and Namibian coasts between mid-November and June, but laws governing size and sex of take must be observed.
The Okavango delta, inland dams such as Kariba and Cabora Bassa and rivers (most notably the Zambezi) find anglers seeking bream (tilapia), the famous fighting tiger fish, pike, barbel and carp (one of the largest freshwater species).

The king of freshwater fish, however, is the Nile perch. Specimens in Lakes Tanganyika and Victoria, and below the Murchison Falls in Uganda, commonly weigh 40kg with some topping 100kg. Fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout is pursued in many highland rivers, particularly in the Drakensberg, Mpumalanga escarpment (in South Africa) and the Nyanga Mountains in Zimbabwe, as well as in Kenya's Aberdare NP.

Come Fly With Me
Hot air balloon flights offer one of the most satisfying ways of seeing some of Africa's scenery. Best known of these are the Serengeti Safari from Seronera or the exhilarating flight over the Namib to a champagne breakfast on the desert sands. A tethered balloon rises above the Victoria Falls but for those looking at ballooning as an active sport South Africa is the place to visit. Here there are a number of clubs where navigational challenges, Hare and Hound races and other flights of fancy are pursued under the watchful eye of the Balloon and Airship Federation of S.A.

Microlighting is another popular airborne sport, particularly in the subcontinent. Microlights are also used for short "flips" over the Victoria Falls but many visitors prefer the body of a helicopter between them and the rising spray below.

For real "crazies" skydiving and paragliding are sports gaining popularity. The oldest parachuting club in the Commonwealth, at Pietermaritzberg, is one of a number offering skydiving over South Africa and Namibia. Many run tandem free-falls, formation skydives and annual boogies (rallies) as well as training courses for novices.

Hang-gliding and Paragliding Associations in South Africa and Namibia strongly regulate these sports and license all operators. Again there are many clubs spread across these countries, most of whom offer full training courses and, thereby, preparation for the ultimate "ride" off Table Mountain. The record for the highest woman paraglider in the world was set in Namibia in 1991. Paragliding is also a local passion on Reunion Island.

Then there are the realms of the totally insane - bungee and base-jumping. Falling for fear from the Victoria Falls Bridge certainly has its addicts. Amongst them are some that strap themselves into a white water raft before being thrown off the bridge. Equally certifiable are those who leap off high rise buildings in cities like Johannesburg. Base (Building, Antenna, Span (bridge) and Earth (cliffs)) jumping, parachute on back, from the cable car on Table Mountain or the Carlton Centre are ultimate "musts" - so they say.

Wheel Deals
For the strong-thighed there are road cycling and mountain biking clubs in most of the southern and in some East African cities. Fun rides are regularly advertised in the press and BMX tracks for youngsters are to be found. Ndabushe Wildlife Sanctuary near Johannesburg is one of very few reserves that allows pedal pushers in. Keen mountain bikers in South Africa should contact Forest Flyers or Wild (Women In Love with Dirt!). Amongst the best trails in the country are Devil's Peak on Table Mountain, Cathedral Peak in the Drakensberg and Knysna Forest. The mountains of Reunion are also much favoured by mountain bikers, and there is growing interest in cycling safaris in East Africa, especially among the lakes in the Great Rift Valley.

There are a few companies in South Africa which offer motorcycle safaris, some stretching into East Africa. On tour, 4x4 vehicles are used in wildlife reserves where bikes are prohibited.

Quad biking (riding four-wheeled motorcycles) is a fast-growing pastime and an excellent way of exploring areas such as the dunes outside Swakopmund and in the Namib as well as the Natal and Mpumalanga countryside. Rides of 1-4 hours and multi-day tours are on offer.

Those preferring petrol and padded seats may find hiring a 4x4, or joining a safari using such vehicles, an excellent way of exploring off the beaten track. Several companies cater for both preferences and there are a series of good trails in southern Africa. There is, for example, a 20-day desert trail safari that may be done in a 4x4 vehicle or on a motorbike. There are also shorter trails such as the 70km Pongola and slightly longer Richtersveld and Namib-Naukluft trails. DIY explorers may enjoy the run from Isiolo in Kenya across some of the harshest desert in Africa to, and then through, the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia.

For all you need to know, read A Complete Guide to Four-Wheel Drive in Southern Africa, by A White, Waterman, Johannesburg 1994.

Luxury Train Journeys
If you're looking for en suite facilities, black tie dinners and air conditioning there are five options in southern Africa. Rovos Rail's Pride of Africa trains serve champagne on trips between Cape Town, Knysna, Pretoria, Victoria Falls, Swakopmund and Dar es Salaam. There's the famous Blue Train that links Cape Town and Vic Falls through Pretoria and offers excursions in Bulawayo and Hwange NP. The Train de Luxe, carrying three classes of accommodation, also runs between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls, where steam locos and pre-war coaches are used on the Safari Express.

Union Limited also boast first class steam luxury on their journeys from Cape Town, through the garden route (Knysna) to Oodshoorn and back. Take in the Namibian desert by riding the Desert Express between Windhoek and Swakopmund, or take the Shongololo Express running between Cape Town, Johannesburg and Etosha. Their packed itinerary includes sightseeing in safari vehicles and a variety of more active diversions such as rafting, horse and balloon riding.

Real Africa by Rail
If you want to see slices of the real African bush, its inhabitants and their daily life routines, step aboard "local" trains. The nearest thing to luxury will probably be a bowl of chicken and rice and a clean toilet - if you can find either. Departure delays, frequent stops and periodic breakdowns are all part of "getting to know you". The beauty is they're cheap - often dirt cheap - real eye-openers, and you don't have to book.

Try the Xai-Xai flyer running inland from the Mozambican coast - all three days for 50km. The Zambezi Express from Livingstone through Lusaka and on by a domba-domba (picking up) puffer to Kitwe is a great way to see rural Zambia.

For the really hardy the Kilimanjaro Express that traverses the 1600km Uhuru (freedom) or Tazara railway between Kapiri Mposhi (in Zambia) to Dar es Salaam is the ultimate African rail adventure. The Sugarloaf train crawling through the debris of war-torn Mozambique to Liwonde in Malawi is another spectacular experience for the truly adventurous.

For more details consult Southern Africa by Rail, by P. Ash, Bradt Publications, 1998.

Contact Alexa for your very own experience!