Drakensberg Nature Tours

07/12/2022

Hi everyone. I am no longer doing rock art hikes. Sorry - I recomment Stuart Maclean - https://www.birdsandbeyond.co.za/

I am also in Australia until March 2021.

happy festive season and alles van die beste for 2023.

Join Stuart McLean on a birding trip up the majestic Sani Pass or visit the mistbelt grasslands and forests.

02/09/2021

I am beginning a new venture with Jeremy Hollmann on San rock art. Whilst it has been a real interest of mine, Jeremy brings the authenticity of decades of detailed research, enthusiasm and immersion in rock art .

So keep a watch for our online course and a weekend event.

But take the chance to win a free course and weekend for 2 at the fabulous Antbear Lodge. Go for it, and the more you share the more chances you have.

https://gosouthafrica.co.za/drakensberg-rock-art-survey/

I am really stoked about this new offering.

13/06/2021

Hi everyone. Please note Drakensberg Nature Tours is no longer operating. My online Birdingwithaldo Facebook and website is OPERATIONAL.

06/03/2021

COVID19. I am now running online birding courses for Beginners and Intermediate birders. Courses are Begin Burdkng with Aldo, Kruger with Alfo, Raptors, Kzn with Aldo. Go to Facebook Birdingwithaldo and check it out.

04/03/2020

A close encounter with a Black-backed Jackal on the Sani Pass. And a marjuana/dagga field in Lesotho en route to Mokhotlong. Grown under permit I'm told, but another first for me. Finally the view from the village we visited. A really interesting day for Roof of Africa with Renato and Ocacio from Brazil, travellers with 112 and 110 countries under their belts.

04/03/2020

An excellent day with Katrine and Synnove from Norway for Roof of Sfrica tours; up close with a beautiful fat Berg Adder. A great summer's day with Sani giving it's best side.

13/01/2020

A 4-day Roof of Africa trip with Kimberly Douglas and Mary Douglas to Lestho, including an atmospheric horse ride, Thaba Bosiu, Kome Caves, Semonkong and a deal more.

13/01/2020

Check out these dramatic photos of the Sani Pass with the storm in the background being the one which dumped goofball sized hail on Underberg long 4 January. Thank you Sandra de Bie and Jalma, and a wonderfully peaceful trop with their 1 and 4 year-old children.

20/12/2019

Whilst doing a transfer from Szni Mountain Lodge for Roof of Africa Tours. we came across another incident on Sani Pass with the taxis out in force as Xmas approaches. Perhaps brake failure combined with bad road surface? Note the ironic message about safety.

17/12/2019

This incident was within a whisker of being fatal, a bakkie literally hanging over the Sani river on Hemorrhoid Hill, on the way back from a Lesotho 2 day trip for Roof of Africa. A reminder that the pass can be dangerous!!

17/12/2019

Doing a Lesotho 2-day trip for Roof of Africa, we came across this Willys Jeep yesterday, here at Twinstreams. The first vehicle up the Sani Pass was in 1948, and here we are 71 years later. It certainly made it past the bad patch st Twinstreams. Anyone know if it made it?

13/11/2019

I am back on line with email. Excellent

10/11/2019

Hi all. If you have been trying to email me, please be advised that a fallen tree took out our ADSL a week ago and I am not sure when I will be reconnected. Please contact me by WhatsApp, 072 5451753 or Messenger. Sorry all, but way beyond my capacity to change thus reality in the short term.

28/10/2019

Hi. Due to tour cancellations, Stuart McLean are offering a one-off Highlands Special birding bash over 2 days - 21 and 22 December. The package targets local must-have and difficult species but should produce 150+ species in total. Day 1 is Sani Pass; targets are Drakensberg Rockjumper, Mountain Pipit, Drakensberg Siskin, Short-tailed Pipit, African Rock Pipit, Barratt's Warbler, Bearded Vulture, Gurney's Sugarbird and Bush Blackcap. Day 2 targets forests and grasslands. Targets are Cape Parrot, Orange Ground Thrush, Blue Swallow, Wattled Crane and Cape Eagle Owl. Passports required. Tour depends on min number of bookings. we can help coordinate travel for individuals from same destination and those who might share acommodation. Please contact me directly for costs, well-priced we believe. We might accommodate alternative dates if you have a group!!

23/10/2019

An excellent trip with Niall Perrins Bustard Birding and Stuart McLean. Attached pic is a mobile pic showing Niall photographing an African Rock Pipit, visible on the left of the pic, just 4-5m away.

23/10/2019

The sheep shearing shed at Sekiring,; roof taken out last night by wind!!

05/09/2019

I have just finished an 11 day birds/mammals trip in KZN/Wakkerstroom with Australians John and Kathy. Total of 305 birds(8 heard) of great quality including Bronze-naped Pigeon, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Green Barbet, Mangrove Kingfisher, Woodwards Batis, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Green and Pink-throated Twinspot, Neergaards Sunbird, Red-chested Flufftail, Rudds Lark, Bothas Lark, Yellow-breasted Pipit, Drak Siskin and Rockjumper, Cape Parrot and a slew of others like Rock Pipit, Rudds Apalis, Cuckoo Hawk, Green Malkoha, Grey Tit-flycatcher, Livingstones and Knysna Turaco, Marsh Owl .... . With great input from Sakhamuzi Mhlongo (see pic) and Lucky Ngwenya , much appreciated guys. But the mammal list was 41 including a stunning AARDVARK and 2 excellent sightings of Spotted-necked Otter. And Serval! Who would have thought a trip in August could be that good!

08/08/2019

A great trip with Gunnar, Jake and McKenna - I cannot think of another trip that had as much diversity as this. Day 1 - the Sani Pass and a hike to the top of Giants Cup with the 1000m drop. Day 2 - Afriski with skiing and snowboarding. Day 3. In utter contrast Liphofung Cave, rock art Basotho culture, home stay and village visit with Moruti. Day 4. A trek through the lowlands past Maseru to Semonkong Lodge, and a donkey pub crawl. Day 5. The Malutesanyane Falls and the gorgeous southeastern Lesotho to Qacha's Nek, and then back to Underberg. I can only imagine the impact of this diversity on a newbie - I found the mix a wonderful new experience. I thank them for these days!!

06/07/2019

Here is one for the Sani Hall of Fame! It is actually at the Sani river at Sekiring village, and this photo was taken from the bridge over the river. It invites a good number of comments. My contribution is 'How do you know if the ice is thick enough or the water shallow enough to drive your car through? Answer: I know, I will drive my trusty 4x4 over/into/under the river. I did ask them if they knew there was a bridge; only 1 of about 6 of them also thought it was funny. Pleeezze post comments.

24/06/2019

Atrip eith the Lokas family on a mid-winter 3-day overland to Lesotho, with images from Liphofung Caves, and an icy Maletsunyane Falls at Semonkong. I think the country is deserving of a slogan of the Warm Heart of Southern Africa.

16/06/2019

On another matter. The upper Sani pass road has been improved markedly by Sani Mountain Lodge, benefiting all who use the road. The red soil in this photo at the ice waterfall is a small part of their work. The road should be maintained by KZN roads department who are spending hundreds of millions to upgrade the Sani Pass road. The contradiction should be embarrassing.

16/06/2019

The CHOC charity walk on Sani Pass today, with over 100 people walking. I found these two Friesans/Holsteins at the icw waterfall, and their costumes surely will generate more comments. Well played guys
or ca

10/06/2019

A different Sani trip with 12 students from Sinclair College from Dayton Ohio. Here are my crew for the day. It was great to have the challenge of mature tertiary students for the day - makes one reevaluate what one presents to clients, in a positive way. Thanks guys.

16/05/2019

A Sani pass trip with detours down memory lane with Neville Rochfort and Jenni Rochfort going back more than 50 years with the extended Rochfort family. Some great bird sights, one vehicle saw a Caracal, soo nice catching up. Thanks guys, brilliant day and see you all again sometime hopefully. Travel well.

09/05/2019

A touch of winter with temperatures down to 4C. But a really fine day otherwise with Andreas and Marthina! I love this gig!

04/05/2019

A marvelous 2 days with Felicity and Chloe Topping, here looking at the absorbing and engaging 'Marching Men' panel. Two gorgeous days of weather, including a calm sunny day on Sani Pass. We explored many elements from natural to human environments, and from a guie's point of view, two rewarding days of travel way beyond the ordinary.

24/12/2018

Great couple of days birding with Pieter Very. Striped Flufftail (yes please), short-tailed Pipit, Blue Swallow, Eurasian Hobby (local vagrant) plus the usual.

14/12/2018

A good many years ago I initiated the BirdLife SA guide training programme with funding from Sasol. Today I shared a serious day's birding with birding guide Sakhamuzi Mhlongo, a graduate of the programme. Just a really good day. A great group of committed conservationists, with Szabolzs Nagy and Sergey Dereliev. I will have to write this day onto the list of great days. Saw African Quailfinch clearly next to the road, also Swee Waxbill and Common Quail in Lesotho. Good day.

03/11/2018

Another fun day on Sani pass, with a large truck demonstrating why this is known as reverse corner. The second pic shows an adventurous red car about to pass the truck on the steep slippery uphill slope and half a second later suffering tears and scratches on two panels where it hit the back of the truck. Quite possible to get down past the truck but a serious challeng to go up, and most vehicles opted to park and walk.

19/10/2018

Yesterday's trip with Stuart McLean of Birds and Beyond for Rockjumper tours with Andre Bernon. First pic shows the final stage of ticking the glorious Drakensberg Rockjumper on the switchbacks of Sani pass, closely followed by 3 pics of a triumphant Prairie Chicken dance by two unnamed (by request) ladies from Missouri. Life is good!