Get away from it all
There aren't many areas left in South Africa that one can safely class as 'the wild'. Everywhere we go, we are bound to see a distant power-line, hear a car, or have to ensure our mobile phones are on silent to avoid that embarrassing phone call at the most inopportune time. Visiting the Buffels River on Brackenburn Private Nature Reserve is one of those few places where you can get away from it all; and there isn't much better than walking my brand new trail on this reserve; the River Extravaganza Hike.
Unsurpassed beauty
The River Extravaganza is the longest of my exclusive trails (you can find a list of all my exclusive trails here). At just under 9 km, it takes between 5 and 6 hours to complete and, as with all my river trails, it's rustic, has multiple river crossings, and needs to be taken slowly. It's doesn't require a high level of fitness, but you do need good balance and strength on feet as the river crossings can be quite technical , and you are bound to get a wet foot or two. The trail is designed to be immersive and forces you to take your time and allow for the sensory overload that is bound to happen. I can guarantee the River Extravaganza Trail will be one of the most beautiful walks you will ever do!
The scenery is out of this world from beginning to end, and rushing this trail would be nothing short of a sin. I have only walked it in winter so far, and can't wait to see it in summer. Although, going down into the valley of Brackenburn can make you forget what season it is; it is always lush. Most of the valley remains in shade throughout the winter, and some mornings can be filled with a mist; giving you the impression that you have been transported to a tropical cloud forest.
A place where life thrives
The trail offers up the best birding I have encountered thus far on the reserve. As always, getting good photographs of the birds in this forest is near impossible, and I am yet to get any photos I can be proud of. You do, however, get to see and hear an amazing array of species. From the very common and ever-present Cape White-eyes, Sombre Greenbuls, Greater Double-collared Sunbirds and Green Woodhoopoes; to the more elusive and shy Terrestrial Brownbuls, Yellow-throated Woodland Warblers and Narina Trogons. Somewhere in between these, you are also always encountering Cape Batis, Black-backed Puffbacks, Collared Sunbirds, Olive Woodpeckers, Forest Canaries, and much more. On a few rare occasions I have spotted African Harrier Hawk and Crowned Eagle while down in the valley; but don't expect those!
The ones you look harder for
Going on a guided experience with me on Brackenburn is always about seeing a bit of everything, and I love taking notice of the little things. There is always so much to see, no matter the time of year…
Dragonflies and Damselflies abound on the Buffels River and they provide me not only with endless pleasure, but also endless frustration, as I battle to identify them all. Dragonflies are one of the most formidable insect predators, with flight capabilities almost beyond our comprehension. They even have predictive flight; being able to discern where their prey is going to fly too, and moving in that direction first. Most people are unaware that as a larvae, they are arguably even more formidable, and are a nightmarish creature for any unsuspecting prey. Living in the water, they prey on other insects, frogs and fish, catching them with massive jaws that lash out at lightning speed.
Summertime along the river is probably an arachnophobes worst nightmare. There are always spiders around, but definitely a lot more in summer. Of course, just about every species we encounter is completely harmless. Spiders are very important, and often control some of the insects that most people don't like; mosquitoes and flies. In so doing, they also help slow the spread of diseases. They will also be a food source for various creatures such as wasps, other spiders, birds, etc. The most common spiders we encounter along the river are Bark, Silver Vlei Orb and Kite Spiders; all very beautiful, and harmless.
Although the Cape Clawless Otter is quite common along the Garden Route, they are not something one gets to see in the forests. Once in these areas, all mammals tend to be very shy, and it is more their signs that one sees than the animal itself. I'm always seeing otter droppings, and sometimes you get to see the odd spoor or even a rubbing area. This is a spot where they come out of the river onto the bank, and spend some time rubbing themselves dry and grooming. As its name says, it is a 'clawless' otter, but does have a single nail on each of its back feet. They use these for grooming themselves; scratching the fur and helping to ensure they stay clean.
There are many different types of ferns on the reserve, and I am still being driven mad trying to identify them all. The bootlace Fern is one of the rarer ones to encounter. It is not a rare species as such, but they don't grow prolifically like other ferns do. They are also an epiphyte; which means they are an air plant. They use the branch of a tree as a base to grow, but don't do any harm to the plant; deriving all their nutrients from the air, dust, rain, etc. Certainly always beautiful to encounter.
There are many beautiful and unique tree species in the forest; the iconic Yellowwoods, Stinkwoods (arguably the most expensive wood in the forest), Ironwoods (as hard and heavy as their name suggests), and Forest Elders to name but a few. None are quite as unique-looking as a Knobwood. With large, wart-like knobs extending most of the way up the main stem of the tree, getting larger as the tree gets older, you can forgive people for initially thinking the tree is suffering from some sort of disease. They are natural of course, although I have yet to figure out why the tree has them.
The road less travelled
The River Extravaganza Trail is one of those 'bucket list' items. It is too beautiful to miss, and no photo will ever do it justice. For more information on this walk please go to my 'exclusive walks' page. You can also check out the prices of my various walks on offer; bearing in mind that this one is on special at this stage. You are also welcome to contact me direct on my 'let's talk' page.
