Park sights in Africa
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A
Al-Azhar Park
Islamic Cairo’s eastern horizon changed substantially when Al-Azhar Park opened in 2005. With funds from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, what had been a mountain of centuries’ worth of collected garbage was transformed into a beautifully landscaped swath of green, the city’s first (and only) park of significant size. It’s hard to convey just how dramatically different the park is from any other public space in Cairo: a profusion of gardens, emerald grass, even a lake (part of a larger public water-supply system) cover the grounds, while ambient Arabic music drifts softly from speakers and fountains bubble in front of sleek modern Islamic architecture. In addition to a…
reviewed
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Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
It’s a long, hot jostle down dusty crimson roads to reach magical Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, one of the world’s last great, unspoilt ecosystems. But once you step foot inside Africa’s first multinational park, tucked away between Botswana and Namibia in the country’s extreme north, you’ll understand why journeying to the end of the earth is well worth the effort. The Kgalagadi is a wild land of harsh extremes and frequent droughts, where shifting red-and-white sands meet thorn trees and dry riverbeds. Yet despite the desolate landscape, it’s teeming with wildlife. From prides of black-maned lion to packs of howling spotted hyenas there are more than 1100 predators…
reviewed
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Jardin d'Essai
Another grand civic project planted by the French, the Jardin d’Essai dates to the first years of their occupation. In the early 1830s, as soon as the French were in control of Algiers, land was set aside for a model farm and a garden in which they could try out various plants. The idea was to test what would grow best here, given the soil and climate, in the hope of improving crop yields and greening the landscape. The model farm disappeared, but the Jardin d’Essai flourished and by the end of the 19th century was one of the world’s great natural hothouses. It has continued to develop and is currently undergoing improvements. A place of outstanding beauty, when it…
reviewed
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Royal Natal National Park
Spanning out from some of the range’s loftiest summits, the 8000-hectare Royal Natal National Park has a presence that far outstrips its relatively meagre size, with many of the surrounding peaks rising as high into the air as the park stretches across. With some of the Drakensberg’s most dramatic and accessible scenery, the park is crowned by the sublime Amphitheatre, an 8km wall of cliff and canyon, that is spectacular from below and even more so from up on high. Here the Tugela Falls drop 850m in five stages (the top one often freezes in winter). Looming up behind is Mont-aux-Sources (3282m), so called because the Tugela, Elands and Western Khubedu Rivers rise here;…
reviewed
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Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
At almost 30km long Blyde River Canyon is one of South Africa’s most outstanding natural features. Much of it is bordered by the 26,000-hectare Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, which winds its way north from Graskop, following the Drakensberg Escarpment and meeting the Blyde River as it snakes down to the lowveld. The majority of visitors drive along the canyon’s edge, and there are plenty of viewpoints along the way where you can stop and gaze in awe. If you have enough time, however, it’s even better explored on foot.
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Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve
The Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve is inland from Port Shepstone, off the N2. The spectacular gorge, on the Umzimkulwana River, is one of the highlights of the South Coast with beautiful scenery, animals and birds, plus walking trails and pretty picnic spots. The reception office is accessed via the N2 on the southern side of the gorge. Here, too, are some delightful wooden chalets, nestled in the forest – the perfect base for those who wish to spend time in this area.
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Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park is one of South Africa’s best-known, most evocative parks. Covering 96,000 hectares, the park is best visited in winter as the animals then range widely without congregating at water sources (the White iMfolozi and Black iMfolozi Rivers flow here), although the lush vegetation sometimes makes viewing difficult. However, summer visits can also be very rewarding, especially in the open savannah country areas.
The park has lions, elephants, rhinos (black and white), leopards, giraffes, buffalos and wild dogs. The Centenary Centre, a wildlife-holding centre with an attached museum and information centre, is in the eastern section of iMfolozi. It…
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Naval Hill
This was the site of the British naval-gun emplacements during the Anglo-Boer War. On the eastern side of the hill is a large white horse (akin to a Wiltshire Horse) that served as a landmark for British cavalry during the war.
There are good views from the top of the hill, which is also home to the Franklin Game Reserve . Walking is permitted, but there was a fair bit of damage from bushfires when we swung through, although you may see ostriches wandering about. Highlights include the big skies and great cityscape views.
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Braak
At the north end of the Braak, an open stretch of grass, you’ll find the neo-Gothic St Mary’s on the Braak Church, completed in 1852. To the west of the church is the VOC Kruithuis, which was built in 1777 to store the town’s weapons and gunpowder and now houses a small military museum. On the northwest corner of the square is Fick House, also known as the Burgerhuis, a fine example of Cape Dutch style from the late 18th century.
reviewed
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Donkin Reserve
Located on a hill, immediately behind the town centre, Donkin Reserve is a handy point for getting your bearings. Climb up inside the lighthouse for good views over the bay. The pyramid on the reserve is a memorial to Elizabeth Donkin, beloved wife of Sir Rufane Donkin, once the governor of Cape Province.
reviewed
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