Rhodesian Ridgeback Africa Safari. October 2009
The Rhodesian Ridgeback Safari Trail is a little more than a two week safari exploring South Africa, the most southerly African country instrumental in the naissance and development of the Rhodesian Ridgeback.
This expedition will explore the deep origins and historical pawprints made by Africa's indig enous ridged hound, including other breeds of ridged dog in this same country. Our voyage of discovery will take us from the true gateway to Africa – Durban – through the magical highlands to Gauteng.
This Ridgeback tour will be somewhat different from the last tours in that the tour will initiate from Durban, Natal. Much of the tour will be spent on the tropical East Coast nirvana of the UNESCO World Heritage site of St. Lucia. From here we will be involved in many adventures, not the least of whichis an Indian Ocean adventure during which guests will not only view and learn about our resident dolphin and migratory whale populations, but view the East African coastline as did those first settlers with their imported hounds and mastiffs, the progenitors of the Rhodesian Ridgeback.
Here we will also view game, sw
im in the warm Indian Ocean, travel up jungle rivers, and take part in a midnight turtle hunt to be thrilled by seeing these great marine reptiles come ashore to lay their eggs.
We will deviate somewhat from our journey northwards when we venture north of the Tugela River into Zulu territory – the old campaign lands of the great Shaka Zulu. Here we will see Zulu dog types, and visit the royal kraal of the great Zulu Chief Dingaan.
Our next destination will be one of the most prestigious game reserves in Zululand, Hluhluwe Game Reserve. Here we will spend the next two days viewing bushveld species of animals.
From the sub-tropical East Coast the Safari will wend its way inland and up the Great African Escarpment to the Natal Midlands, a most scenic part of South Africa and reminiscent of Olde Europe. Here we will view Africa's very own mastiff, the Boerboel, a relation of the Ridgeback and enjoy a shopping experience among the many traditional craft stall openings on the Midlands Arts and Crafts Meander.
One of the most exhilarating activities of this tour will be our ascent up one of Africa’s highest and most treacherous mo untain passes, the Sani Pass, onto the very roof of Africa, the Kingdom of Lesotho, where we will learn something about Sotho dogs.
From the southern Drakensberg we enter the northern highlands of the Drakensberg Mountain Range where we will view and learn about indigenous African dogs in a traditional rural setting and visit Bushman rock art in the 
mountains.
Moving further north, the Orange Free State will provide us with an opportunity to view highland grasslands game in the Golden Gate National Park, upon which our intrepid breed has tested its hunting skills, and visit a white lion project designed to breed back the extinct Cape Lion upon which the Rhodesian Ridgeback bre ed was developed and which the little Khoi Dog, the Ridgeback's ancestor, had to contend.
During our expedition we will visit wildlife projects such as the De Wildt Wild Dog and Cheetah Project where these endangered predators are being bred.
We will also, throughout the Safari, be visiting a number of well-known and long-established Ridgeback breeders with the opportunity of viewing their dogs and exchanging information. And along the way we will see the little indigenous dogs of Africa, so closely related to our own hound, in villages and kraals, working with cattle, or out in the veld with their indigenous owners.
Africa Antiqua Specialised Tours
arialsprite@netactive.co.za
www.freewebs.com/africa-antiqua-tours/
Tel. (+27) 071 434 7448
