Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary

Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary focuses on the conservation education of big cats. A sanctuary is typically known as a place where animals are protected from hunting. According to the staff at Jukani, however, a true sanctuary should also “be a place of refuge to protect them from much more than hunting and/or the petting trade.” The Sanctuary tries its best to provide animals with the most natural habitats possible, with more than adequate space. We found it noteworthy that the staff cleans the animal enclosures everyday. These animals come from a surplus, from all over the world.

The reality is that people visit Africa to see the Big 5 – lion, elephant, cape buffalo, leopard and rhino; theses are said to be the hardest animals in Africa to hunt on foot. If Africa were to lose the Big 5, tourism would go down, economically hurting the continent as well. There’s a chance of species survival due to wildlife sanctuaries. Having said that, Jukani neither supports breeding nor the touching of animals (both very traumatic), and has all of the female predators on birth control. What I found most impressive and laudable was the fact that Jukani does nothing to profit off their animals – Mitch the White Tiger got buried whole, when his bones alone could have made thousands of dollars.

We took a tour of Jukani with our guide, Robert. He was extremely friendly, helpful, and answered my endless questions with precision and passion. Nick and I came to really admire the fact that Jukani is not a zoo; since it is a wildlife sanctuary, the priorities of the animals are put over that of people. Having said that, it’s fascinating to be able to see a wider species of big cats, not always seen in game parks, up close and personal; they will walk up right in front of you.

Some facts we learned during our tour:

• The government supports cat hunting, or trophy hunting, because it brings in money
• Hyenas can break a giraffes leg with one bite
• Lions have no stamina. While they’re quicker than hyenas, hyenas have twice the heart size and can run for 5 kilometers
• White Lions are on the verge of becoming extinct, and only found in Africa
• Jaguars are the most versatile hunters and can swim with their eyes open to catch fish
• Wild dogs are family oriented and will stay with an injured dog until it either gets better or dies.
• Bengel Tigers kill more people than any other cat combined, making it the most dangerous. They are known to stalk their prey for 6 hours before making the kill.
• A cheetah’s top speed is 120 km per hour, but can reach 100 km per hour in the first ten seconds

The South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA) consisting of Monkeyland, Birds of Eden and The Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary are the current winners of the Lilizela Service Excellence Awards – Best Visitor Experience ‘Wildlife Encounters’; Skål International Sustainable Tourism Award – Best Major Attraction; winner of the ‘Best Animal Welfare Initiative’ and overall winner of the World Responsible Tourism Awards.

Tsitsikamma National Park

When roadtripping the Garden Route, it is a necessity to stop and view the suspension bridges located within Tsitsikamma National Park. Tsitsikamma is a Khoisan word meaning “place of much water.” The color of the water is exceptional, and the power of the waves is captivating. We moseyed to the suspension bridges (25 person capacity) and enjoyed walking across the shaking bridges.

Travelers Tip: Don’t do the Lookout Hike on the other side of the bridge. It’s an entirely vertical hike, and the view from the top is below expectation.

The Lookout Hike is a good workout if you enjoy baking in the sun while exerting yourself. On our way down from the hike, I unfortunately hurt my knee and had trouble walking. We had planned on doing the 6km waterfall hike, the first day of the Otter Trail, but my throbbing knee left us unable to complete it. Either which way, Tsitsikamma is a nice place to sit on a bench and watch the waves, or to grab an appetizer with a view.

Travelers Tip: If you use the word “appetizer” while ordering, you’re likely to be given an “appletizer,” which is a sparkling apple juice. Instead, say you’d like a starter.

Bloukrans: The World’s Highest Bungee Bridge!

The day had come: Bloukrans Bridge. The World’s Highest Bridge Bungee Jump! Run by Face Adrenalin, the Bloukrans Bungee will give you such a load of exactly that: Adrenaline. After harnessing up, I followed our guide onto the pass below the bridge and, let me tell you, that is the scariest part of the entire ordeal. The metal grate under your feet is completely see-through, urging you to look down. All the way down. Typically, the way to conquer any “heights” activity is not to look down, but Face Adrenalin makes that virtually impossible, challenging you to conquer your fears and tackle the bungee head on. I, on the other hand, wasn’t so worried. Not in the slightest. A minute or two later, we made it to the middle of the bridge where there were at least 10-15 men there to help us out, tighten our safety harnesses, and pump us up with very loud music. I was, literally, bouncing with excitement. The men sat me down, wrapped pads around my shins to protect my ankles, and attached my second (backup) harness to my chest. Another employee came over to triple check my harness, and I was ready!

Two staff members appeared at my sides. I was to throw my arms around both their shoulders and hop over to the very edge of the bridge (remember, you’re ankles are tied together). You hop. And you hop and you hop, until at last you are standing on the edge. Slowly, you inch your toes until they are actually over the edge. I couldn’t wait.

At the count of three, I jumped with the biggest grin my face. This was it: I was free-falling off the world’s highest bungee bridge. Instinctively, I tightened my whole body, so I felt zero “jerk” once the bungee went taught (I knew I practiced flying trapeze for a reason!). I hung there upside-down for a bit, soaking it all in. I completed the jump that I’d wanted to do for many years. I just couldn’t believe how easy it was for me to jump off a 216m (700+ ft) bridge. After a few moments, a staff member lowered himself down, attached me to another harness, and repositioned me upright. I was slowly pulled up, lifted onto the bridge, and ready to do it all over again!

Face Adrenalin’s bungee is an absolute MUST for any adventure-junkie. It is worth noting that Face Adrenalin has been running the bungee for 23 years without any incidents; you will feel as safe as you possibly could while throwing yourself off a bridge. I have never felt more secure doing an adrenaline-inducing activity than I did with Face Adrenalin – and, trust me, I have many adventure sports to compare it to. You would be hard-pressed to find anything so exhilarating. Go face your fears.