Conservationist; environmental consultant; Grumeti Fund director; and photojournalist

Minnesota Twins thrash the New York Yankees 11-1 on a balmy summer’s evening in Minneapolis

July marked the start of a long-awaited and much-anticipated trip to America with the whole family. Twenty-nine hours of long haul flying with two kids under the age of two is enough to fill even the most hardened traveller with fear and trepidation, but in the end the flights turned out to be a breeze with both the little boys proving to be real troopers and incredibly accomplished young travellers.

An evening pontoon ride with the cousins on Lotus Lake

The twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul was the first stop on our six-week sojourn to explore the American mid-west. Minnesota summers are something special and staying with my sister- and brother-in-law on Lotus Lake in tranquil Chanhassen afforded us a delightfully relaxed start to our American adventures with morning runs, craft beer tasting, and evening boat cruises the order of the day.

After ten days catching up with family and getting into the swing of holiday life, it was time to get our road trip underway. A long drive south through Iowa and then west across Nebraska brought us to the sunshine state of Colorado – undoubtedly my favourite state in America. And where better to be based than Estes Park: gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. We stayed in the aptly named Hide-a-Way cabin at Brynwood on the River – www.brynwood.com – and this proved an excellent choice for our young family. We quickly settled into the rewarding routine of taking a decent morning hike to the picturesque lakes inside the national park, followed by afternoon siestas, and a stroll into the downtown area for some local brews and other tasty fare.

RMNP’s Cub Lake hiking trail

With majestic mountains, tundra wildflowers, abundant wildlife (we saw elk, moose and deer), the highest paved road in the US, and over 350 miles of rustic hiking trails, Rocky Mountain National Park – http://rockymountainnationalpark.com – is the perfect playground for active nature lovers and adventurous families alike!

Driving slowly south through contorted canyons presided over by mesmerising mountains, we made our way down to the city of Boulder. With a population of one hundred thousand people, Boulder is big enough to have everything you might desire in a city, but also small enough that you can learn your way around the place in a couple of days. Nestling in the foothills of the Flat Irons, Boulder enjoys a picturesque setting with everything an outdoor enthusiast could hope for right on your doorstep. As a consequence, Boulder has become a magnet for sports fanatics and active nature loving families to the point where this idyllic Rocky Mountain city now boasts the highest density of trail runners and triathletes in the whole country! But it’s not only professional athletes that are taking advantage of Boulder’s mountain trails and bike routes, everyone living here is active, healthy and loving the outdoor lifestyle. If I were to ever relocate to America, then this is definitely were I would choose to be based.

Riding the Gondola during a day trip exploration of Vail

Heading north from Boulder, we cut through Wyoming to the Black Hills National Forest – www.blackhillsbadlands.com – for a week of running, hiking, biking, golfing and South Dakota sightseeing with the extended family. Highlights of our time exploring the western reaches of the state included a rewarding four-mile hike up imposing Harney Peak – http://harneypeakinfo.com – to the stone fire tower on its summit. At 7,242 feet, Harney Peak stands sentinel as the highest point in South Dakota with magnificent mountain top views looking out onto the 1.25 million acre Black Hills National Forest wilderness area. Other memorable excursions included visiting Mount Rushmore – www.mtrushmore.net – to admire the gigantic presidential heads carved into the mountainside, and a surreal dive through the infamous South Dakota Badlands on our journey back to Minnesota.

A mysterious disease – possibly tuberculosis or feline AIDS – is afflicting the king of the beasts in Kidepo

Back in Africa, I recently received some distressing news about the lions of Kidepo Valley National Park. These cats are especially close to my heart as this remote savannah wilderness in northeast Uganda is where Katherine and I first spent time working in the bush together. Anne-Marie Weeden of the Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) – www.ugandacf.org – contacted me to say that the local lion population is sick. Veterinary work is currently underway to try and deduce the underlying cause of the mystery illness affecting the ailing lions, but the bottom line is that Kidepo’s lions are in trouble and urgently need effective monitoring and timely veterinary assistance. In order to accomplish this UCF has initiated a fundraising drive – https://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/ugandacf/KidepoLionProject – for the Kidepo Lion Project. Your support and any financial contributions to the project would be greatly appreciated.

Kidepo is home to the third largest – and only increasing – lion population in all of Uganda

A female leopard crests a termite mound as the sun sets on Selinda Reserve in northern Botswana

Ollie and a very proud dad!

The arrival of Charlie’s little brother

The undisputed highlight of the month of May was the safe arrival of Oliver William Cunliffe on the final day of the month. Thankfully his birth was complication free, and both Katherine and Ollie are doing fantastically well. I am one very proud husband and the fortunate father of two perfect little boys who reassuringly have both inherited their mom’s good looks! A month in, Ollie has also already proved himself to be one of the easiest and most relaxed babies imaginable. We feel so blessed and fortunate to have him in our lives.

On safari in Botswana and Zambia

Ollie was no more than a couple of weeks old when my Passage to Africa private guiding work – www.passagetoafrica.com/team/stephen-cunliffe – stole me away for another safari. My mother-in-law very kindly agreed to move in and help Katherine take care of our two energetic little boys, thereby enabling me to accompany the Penry family from North Carolina on an incredible three-week Southern Africa safari. Their bespoke Botswana itinerary focused on a handful of exclusive lodges and associated mind-blowing safari experiences within three of the country’s premier wildlife and wilderness areas.

One-eyed lioness on the prowl at Chitabe Lediba

First stop on the Botswana programme was Wilderness Safari’s Chitabe Lediba Camp – www.wilderness-safaris.com/camps/chitabe-lediba-camp – in the Okavango Delta. Small and secluded, Chitabe Lediba overlooks a buffalo-frequented shallow lagoon within a private concession adjoining the Moremi Game Reserve in the southeast region of the delta. Excellent habitat diversity throughout the concession area ensures high wildlife densities and a high incidence of amazing wildlife sightings. Our visit was no exception. Under the expert guidance of local guide Ebs, we were treated to some high quality wildlife viewing: lions roaring and eating a buffalo; a female cheetah stalking red lechwe; a pack of wild dogs on the prowl; and even a couple of daylight sightings of relaxed leopards during our four-day stay.  It was an incredible start to any safari!

High jump hi-jinx in the Makgadikgadi

Next stop was Uncharted Africa’s San Camp – www.unchartedafrica.com – which perches right on the fringe of the vast and mysterious Makgadikgadi saltpan complex: the remains of an ancient super-lake that once covered almost all of Botswana. Each of San Camp’s stunning white safari tents stands under a gaggle of palm trees on the shoreline of this enormous sea of salt. After five days of hardcore game viewing in the delta, having the freedom to be able to safely walk and run around was most welcome, as was the opportunity to interact with habituated mobs of meerkats and learn from a tribe of local bushmen. But riding a fleet of ATVs out onto the great white expanses of the pan for a night under the stars was the unanimous highlight of our stay at San Camp: a soulful experience that certainly won’t be forgotten anytime soon!

Full moon bush dinner at Zarafa

A five night stay at the decadently luxurious Zarafa Camp – www.greatplainsconservation.com/zarafa-camp/ – awaited us after our saltpan odyssey. Overlooking Zibadianja Lagoon, source of the Savute Channel, Zarafa is a small, intimate and very impressive safari lodge. The food was world class with service to match. And while the standard of the Zarafa guiding was a touch disappointing, the quality of the wildlife sightings we enjoyed on Selinda Reserve were certainly nothing short of exceptional. A huge lion pride squabbling over a red lechwe kill; wild dogs every day; a leopard with a young cub; plenty of spotted hyenas skulking about; and so much more…

After two action-packed weeks exploring the wilds of Botswana, the tranquillity of the Zambezi River and fury of the thundering Victoria Falls provided a welcome change of scenery and pace. Our Zambian home-away-from-home was child-friendly Tangala House – www.tongabezi.com/tangala_house.php: a beautiful family home located 15km upstream of the Victoria Falls on the Zambian bank of the mighty Zambezi River.

The house boasts four en-suite bedrooms, a large private swimming pool, and a big trampoline – perfect for energetic children needing to burn off some energy after all the game drives. Stylishly designed and functionally furnished, the Tongabezi owned and operated abode comes with its own private vehicle, boat, chef, waiter and house staff. While the Tangala staff are all fabulous, special mention must be made of the culinary king, Kenny, and the mouth-watering meals he consistently produces from his little kitchen.

The Victoria Falls in all its glory

The falls were an impressive sight to behold in late June with plenty of water thundering over the mile-wide chasm, but nothing can top the experience of an afternoon exploring Livingstone Island and swimming in the frothy Angels Pool. To be bobbing around in your own private ‘Zambezi jaccuzzi’ mere metres from the lip of a thunderous waterfall is a pulse-racing experience second to none!

The final week of our sensational southern Africa safari was spent in Cape Town at the Cape Grace followed by some well-deserved R&R and whale-watching in Hermanus. We based ourselves at the opulent Birkenhead Villas – www.birkenheadhouse.com – with its picturesque cliff-top position overlooking the angry winter waves of Walker Bay: an extraordinary seaside location and stunning place to end a memorable safari with the wonderful and welcoming Penry family.

San Camp overlooks the sprawling Makgadikgadi salt pans and its endless processions of wildebeest

Attending the NCAA basketball fan-fest in Indianapolis ahead of the Duke-Wisconsin championship final

The much-anticipated arrival of our second son in early June did confound plans for the whole family to join me on MBA exchange to the Fuqua School of Business (http://www.fuqua.duke.edu) at Duke University in North Carolina. While my exchange scholarship covered tuition for the whole semester, complications around flying with babies – not to mention having no nanny in America – led us to opt for a more prudent approach to the exchange programme with me going alone for just one term in the end.

An epic semi-final between Wisconsin and Kentucky

Duke proved an incredible experience, but being away from Katherine and Charlie for a couple of months was very tough indeed. On the academic side of things I had the opportunity to take some superb courses in Leadership, Negotiation and Behavioural Economics as well as a trans-disciplinary course in Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Conservation Development, but there were also a number of highly memorable extra curricular experiences…

A prestigious business school like Fuqua attracts a procession of noteworthy visiting speakers and inspirational guest lecturers. While it was a privilege to attend their presentations, there was much more to my Duke experience than simply high quality courses and talks from captains of industry. Duke is a renowned basketball school and arriving just in time for the onset of March Madness – in a year that Duke would end up going all the way to winning the national championship title – was a real stroke of luck.

Duke’s number one little fan

First I joined a group of fellow exchange students for the round of 16 in Charlotte, and later for an epic road trip to Indianapolis to attend the final four knockout. Winning tickets in the student lottery allowed us to watch both semi-finals and the final live. Being amidst 73 000 very vocal, fanatical supporters inside Lucas Oil Stadium was an unbelievable sporting experience that I’ll never forget.

After the fun and festivities of Duke’s victory in Indiana, I had some road races to look forward to back in North Carolina. First, I took on the never-ending hills of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh marathon (http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/raleigh), which destroyed my legs and caused me to fade badly towards the finish. My 3h37 time was the slowest marathon I’ve ever run, but still placed me 79th out of over 2 000 competitors, hinting at the severity of the course. Barely a week later I tackled the Tar Heel 10-miler (http://tarheel10miler.com) around Chapel Hill, which was shorter, flatter and much more fun!

My two months in America concluded with a long weekend up in Connecticut to visit some recent safari companions and great friends – the Traggio family – before proceeding on to New York City to take care of some Passage to Africa business with Michael Lorentz, and then a long flight home.

It was a privilege to attend Duke for a couple of months and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in America but, as it draws to a close, I am very excited to be headed back to my family in South Africa and look forward to guiding a couple of outstanding Passage to Africa safaris that are on the cards for June and July.

A vociferous 73 000 fans crammed into Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to watch the Final Four

Enjoying breakfast with a view from Lotheni camp in the southern KZN Drakensberg

With the South African component of my MBA behind me, the year began with a much-needed focus on family. Katherine was travelling regularly to East Africa with her job and, while this gave Charlie and me lots of boy’s time to bond, what we desperately needed was a fun-filled family adventure. So when a family-friendly 4×4 assignment came my way, I jumped at the opportunity to take the family and a new Subaru Outback on an exploration of the KZN Drakensberg.

Happy hikers heading out at Giants Castle

The Drakensberg Mountains comprise a jagged spine of dramatic rock formations punctuated by towering peaks, lofty basalt buttresses and tumbling waterfalls on a 1200 kilometres journey from the Eastern Cape to Mpumalanga. But nowhere is South Africa’s premier mountain chain more impressive and awe-inspiring than during its passage through Kwa-Zulu Natal where it forms one of Southern Africa’s premier adventure playgrounds for young and old alike. SA 4×4 magazine (http://sa4x4.co.za) provided me with a new Subaru Outback and an open-ended brief to explore the dusty back roads and scenic bypasses of this magnificent mountain region. I wasted no time in getting to Johannesburg where I picked up the vehicle and loaded up my wife, son and supplies before striking out on the quintessential outdoor adventure for a nature-loving family.

A spectacular Injisuthi day hike

Our Drakensberg quest involved exploring as many mountain bypasses and little known back roads as humanly possible during a weeklong soft-roader adventure. We made our way south, stopping for a delicious lunch at the Pig & Plough in the charming hamlet of Winterton, before eventually reaching off-the-beaten-track Lotheni: an incredibly scenic mountain retreat. Inconceivably, we had the place to ourselves! After a couple of days exploring the picturesque area on foot we made our way slowly north to the internationally renowned Giants Castle.

We had begun our mountainous sojourn with two of the Drakensberg’s finest retreats, but the empty wilderness and outdoor paradise that greeted us at Injisuthi was another revelation with some spectacularly scenic day hikes. Cathedral Peak and Champagne Castle followed. While the tall peaks and Drakensberg scenery remained as epic as ever, the scale of hotel and resort development here made this area the ‘grand central’ of Drakensberg exploration. But, the best was still to come as we had unknowingly saved one of the highlights – Thendele rest camp in Royal Natal National Park – for the final stop on our Drakensberg itinerary.

Didima rest camp at Cathedral Peak

Enjoying the last two nights of our family escape in the shadow of the world famous Drakensberg amphitheatre was a real privilege. At five kilometres wide and in places close to a thousand vertical metres high, the sheer stone cliffs and flanking rock buttresses are nothing short of breath-taking.

A final family hike up to the distinctive Policeman’s Helmet rock formation was followed by a farewell braai. As the fire crackled to life, Charlie charged across the grassy lawns chasing guineafowl with the energy and exuberance of youth. Later, as we tucked into some tasty spare ribs under a star-strewn sky, Katherine and I agreed that this Drakensberg nature escape was without doubt the best family holiday that the three of us have enjoyed together to date.

The Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains boast a scenic outdoor playground and truly memorable destination for a family adventure in the shadow of towering rock giants.

A happy family poses in front of the iconic rock amphitheatre of Royal Natal World Heritage Site

Fellow UCT Graduate School of Business students line up at the start of the Three Peaks Challenge

MBA done and dusted

With the exception of the scenic 24km Cape Point Nature Run (www.trailrunning.co.za), November was all work and no play. On top of completing my final MBA elective assignments and thesis, we also moved into our new home in Constantia. It was a brutally tough end to the year with the submission of my MBA dissertation on the 8th of December marking the end of one of the most challenging periods on my life to date.

Having now successfully completed the UCT portion of my MBA (www.gsb.uct.ac.za/mba), I am fortunate to have been selected to attend the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University next year on a tuition-free MBA exchange programme. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a leading academic institution in the USA will enable me to internationalise my MBA, while simultaneously focusing on elective courses in Leadership, Negotiation, Behavioural Economics and, most excitingly, a trans-disciplinary course on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Conservation.

This final exciting chapter of my MBA will take place in Durham, North Carolina from March to May 2015 followed by graduation back in Cape Town in June where I am currently on track to graduate cum laude, so fingers crossed that the thesis doesn’t trip me up at the final MBA hurdle!

Charlie sets off on a solo mission to explore Arniston beach

After a truly hectic and energy-sapping year, we were all in need of a relaxing family holiday by mid-December. Katherine’s dad and step-mom flew out from America and, along with my entire family, we descended upon the quaint seaside settlement of Arniston in the Overberg.

Charlie and dad reconnect post-MBA

Named after the 1815 ship wreck of the Arniston, the town is known interchangeably by its Afrikaans name Waenhuiskrans which comes from the huge wagon-sized cave just to the west of the seaside town. To the east lies a traditional white-washed and thatch fishing village, which – in an attempt to protect its traditional character and integrity – has been declared a National Monument in its entirety.

Renting a big, six-bedroom, family-friendly, self-catering house (www.felixunite.com/news/arniston_self_catering_house/1) just a short walk from the main beach enabled everyone to slowly unwind with morning runs, twice-daily beach visits and social evening braais: a perfect family getaway spot and much-needed opportunity to hang out and reconnect with siblings. Charlie and his cousin Dom were in their element with all the beach time not to mention a plethora of doting aunties and grandparents to spoil them 24/7.

From Arniston we travelled homewards along the coast – via the southern most tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas – and on to Cape Nature’s Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve (www.kogelbergbiospherereserve.co.za). Barely an hour out of Cape Town lies one of the Western Cape’s best-kept secrets: an area of such exquisite natural beauty and floral diversity as to be recognised by UNESCO as South Africa’s first Biosphere Reserve and arguably the world’s greatest biodiversity hot-spot.

The breath-taking view along the Palmiet River hike

Accommodation in this World Heritage Site reserve is limited to five eco-friendly cabins. The glass-fronted Oudebosch eco-cabins (www.capenature.co.za/reserves/kogelberg-nature-reserve/) blend seamlessly into the surrounding mountain fynbos, while affording visitors breath-taking 360-degree views of the mountainous reserve.

Each of the ultra-modern and intelligently designed cabins sleeps four people in two en-suite bedrooms along with a spacious kitchen, lounge and dining area. A private deck and outdoor braai place complete the attractive set up.

Hiking through wild flowers on the Leopard’s Gorge Trail

Activities centre on the reserve’s network of hiking trails and mountain bike-friendly old roads. We tackled two hikes while we were there. On Day 1 we walked along a scenic trail that traced the perennial Palmiet River before looping back towards Oudebosch. The following day we took on the more challenging – but extremely diverse and rewarding – Oudebosch-Leopard’s Gorge Trail that ultimately terminates in the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens in Betty’s Bay.

It’s worth noting that for those who (like me) arrive in Kogelberg sans mountain bike, the bike routes double up perfectly for a leisurely trail run in the company of Klipspringers.

After this much-needed escape to nature, we ended the year in fine style with a big Llandudno Christmas back in Cape Town with all the extended family before travelling across to the Angala Boutique Hotel (www.angala.co.za) on the slopes of Simonsberg Mountain. A final week of rejuvenating downtime culminated with a chilled New Year’s celebration in Franschhoek.  Looking towards 2015… It is my fervent wish that the coming year proves to be as rewarding, but considerably less exhausting and stressful, than what has been an incredible 2014.

Angla Boutique Hotel nestles amongst the trees at the top of Vrede and Lust wine farm in Franschhoek

Orange River canoe safaris boast deep blue skies, rugged landscapes and mesmerising scenery.

September kicked off with a four-day canoe adventure on the Orange River with my MBA classmates. Beginning its 2000km+ journey in the Drakensberg Highlands of Lesotho, the Orange – recently renamed the Gariep – River is South Africa’s foremost waterway. In its lower reaches, the Orange traces the South Africa-Namibia border and our multi-day camp-out canoe safari focused on the stretch of water snaking through the heart of the Ai-Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park .

A canoe aces the infamous Sjambok Rapid

Felix Unite (www.felixunite.com) – leaders in multi-day Orange River canoe safaris – put together our guided and fully catered trip: a stunning excursion deep inside the ruggedly beautiful Richtersveld and a much-needed escape from the GSB classroom! Drifting along the languid river, we passed through a geological wonderland of contorted red rock canyons. However, the episodic appearance of rocky rapids ensured we kept our paddles and life jackets close at hand, and it wasn’t long before the notorious Sjambok Rapid took its toll on our flotilla of glass-fibre boats. Only five of twelve canoes made it through unscathed, while everyone else enjoyed some mandatory ‘bonus’ swim time! The next hour was spent bailing out boats, collecting equipment bobbing in the eddies below the rapid and drying everything out.

Witches Hat Mountain in the Richtersveld

Having been fortunate enough to tackle the Orange on numerous previous occasions, I’ve also had the opportunity to write and publish a couple of magazine features on these popular and highly rewarding canoe safaris over the years…

https://www.stevecunliffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Travel-Namibia-Orange-River-Safari-Final.pdf

https://www.stevecunliffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Explore-Namibia-Gariep-River-Canoeing.pdf

Regardless of how many times I get to experience this magical river, I never tire of spending quality time on the Orange. I would classify the rapids as ‘fluffy’ rather than terrifying, but it is – in my humble opinion – the extreme arid beauty and mesmerising star-strewn night skies that make this canoe safari so enjoyable and utterly addictive. Check out www.felixunite.com/river_trips/orange_river for further details or to make a booking.

A sensational riverside setting ensures another memorable overnight camp alongside the Orange

Celebrating after the Cape Town Ultra

Despite the fairly heavy workload involved with finishing off my MBA, I still managed to find a smidgen of spare time to hit the Table Mountain trails. The highlight being taking part in the inaugural Cape Town Ultra Trail Run (www.ultratrailcapetown.com). Tackling the full ultra was way beyond my current levels of fitness and training, so I opted instead for the short course route above the City Bowl. Starting from the city centre, we initially ran through the Company Gardens and Greenmarket Square before ascending through Bo-Kaap to traverse the length of Signal Hill, circling around Lions Head and then up onto the lower contour of Table Mountain before a final bone-jarring descent back into the City Bowl. Surprising even myself, I somehow managed to clinch a rather flattering 7th place on this hybrid 20km urban-trail run!

West Coast sunset

September and October also necessitated a final big push with my thesis in order to overcome the final MBA hurdle. My topic involved conducting an actor network analysis of the various social and environmental networks operating in the Bergrivier Municipality (www.bergmun.org.za). The research portion of the study demanded I take regular data collection excursions up the West Coast. On one of these occasions I was fortunate to be accompanied by my wife and young son for a couple of days in Velddrif (www.velddriftourism.co.za).

With a stunning seaside location overlooking Laaiplek Beach, Sunset Villas (www.velddriftourism.co.za/content/sunset-villas) boasts ocean-view sunsets of the highest order. Our unit comprised two en-suite bedrooms, an open plan living room, dining room and kitchenette, as well as a balcony with braai and five-star sea view.

Late October also saw the long-awaited publication of the final instalment of the Central Kalahari adventure that I shared with my brother-in-law in Botswana late last year.  If you haven’t read our tale of breaking down deep within the CKGR with only lions and Cape cobras for company, then you can access the SA 4×4 feature covering this epic adventure here: https://www.stevecunliffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SA-4×4-CKGR-Cover-Feature-Proof.pdf

We had the West Coast’s Laaiplek Beach all to ourselves when visiting Velddrif

Phinda Private Game Reserve boasts some of the finest cheetah viewing in all of Africa

During August I was fortunate enough to accompany the fabulous Traggio family from Connecticut on one of the best safaris of my life. After a disappointing stay at the sub-par Saxon boutique hotel (www.saxon.co.za), we said goodbye to the big smoke of Johannesburg and escaped to &Beyond’s Phinda Vlei Lodge: a highly rewarding safari destination in northern Kwazulu-Natal.

One of the luxurious suites at Phinda’s Vlei Lodge

Overlooking a large, sweeping, dry (during August) vlei system on the 23 000 hectare Phinda private game reserve, this intimate ten-bed lodge (www.andbeyond.com/phinda-vlei-lodge/) boasts great game viewing from the comfort and safety of your own private veranda or plunge pool. I was thrilled by the night time visits from a friendly bull elephant that came to drink from my swimming pool by the light of a full moon. While during the day, we enjoyed some superb cheetah viewing, including watching a mother with three cubs bring down a nyala right before our very eyes!

But the ultimate highlight was undoubtedly taking a day trip to Sodwana Bay where we got to dive with whale sharks at close quarters, while watching humpback whales frolic nearby.  An incredible experience.

The elephant bulls of Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in southeastern Zimbabwe

Bidding farewell to friendly staff at Phinda, we flew to Zimbabwe to visit a perennial old favourite: Singita Pamushana Lodge (www.singita.com/pamushana-lodge/) on the scenically diverse Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve (see previous blog for a write up on this incredible place).

Pamushana bush dinner below an ancient baobab

In the company of talented local guide Tengwe Siabanda, we enjoyed great sighting of lions feeding on an eland, a male roaring in the midst of our sundowner spot, mud bathing elephants, and an abundance of white rhinos and general game. The top experience, however, was wiling away the midday hours secreted away inside a hide overlooking the last remaining waterhole in the south of the reserve. From this unique vantage point we were treated to close up visuals of elephant toenails and a non-stop procession of wildlife – warthogs, impala, kudu, hartebeest, sable, zebra, buffalo and elephants – that would have made Noah blush.

Livingstone Island tour and swimming in the precariously positioned Angel’s Pool

Next stop was Tongabezi’s Tangala House (www.tangala.com) on the outskirts of Livingstone in southern Zambia. This spacious family-style home located on the banks of the Upper Zambezi River – 15 km upstream from the magnificent Victoria Falls – looks across southern Africa’s premier waterway and into the Zambezi National Park in neighbouring Zimbabwe.  But, even more rewarding than a tasty lunch on an uninhabited island or surveying ‘the smoke that thunders’ from vantage points within the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, was the indescribable feeling of swimming in the Angel’s Pool right on the lip of the falls with the river thundering past and spray raining down on us!

A pack of African wild dogs – Africa’s second most endangered large carnivore – bond before hunting

Our final two destinations were across the border in Botswana. After flying over the sprawling elephant and buffalo herds of Chobe, we touched down at Wilderness Safari’s 14-suite Vumbura Plains Camp (www.wilderness-safaris.com/camps/vumbura-plains) in the Okavango. Tucked beneath a canopy of leafy trees with magnificent vistas over the watery wilderness, Vumbra was an ideal base from which to access the delta’s prolific predators with some top quality wild dog sightings and prime leopard viewing topping the charts.

Uncharted Africa’s San Camp sits on the edge of the Makgadikgadi salt pans of northern Botswana

The final stop on this incredible two-and-a-half week Passage to Africa itinerary was idyllic San Camp (www.unchartedafrica.com) perched on the edge of the ethereal Ntwetwe Pan in the midst of the sprawling Makgadikgadi saltpan complex. Although hampered by mediocre management and poor guiding, this stunning colonial-style camp of yesteryear does enjoy one of the finest locations of any safari lodge in Africa, sitting aside an arid, white wilderness like no other place on earth.

Brown hyena displaying

Despite being predominantly a scenic nature destination, Makgadikgadi is renowned as the place to visit for high quality sightings of less frequently encountered animals like brown hyena and aardvark. Our visit didn’t disappoint on this front when late one afternoon we bumped into a brown hyaena and spent the next half hour up close with the inquisitive creature, as it put on quite a show bristling a long shaggy coat to increase its size.

Habituated mobs of meerkats are another big attraction in this area. But, it was the chance to drive quad bikes out onto the great white openness of the pans on the final evening for an alfresco fireside dinner and sleep out under the stars that proved the proverbial ‘cherry on the top’ at the end an amazing Southern African safari with six really great people.

Enjoying sunrise out on Ntwetwe Pan after sleeping out under the stars

The birthday boy

Aside from competing in Franschhoek’s Bastille Day Trail Run and tackling the brutally tough Hout Bay Trail Challenge, the only other big news to report for the past couple of months was that we have finally taken the plunge and bought our first home in Constantia. It’s a quaint four-bedroom house with a leafy garden, surrounded by greenbelts, and with easy access onto Table Mountain. We now patiently await transfer and look forward to moving in during November to begin the next exciting chapter of our life together as a young family.

And, finally, on a sunny Saturday in late August, we celebrated Charlie’s first birthday at Deer Park Café.  All his little mates, along with our close friends and family, attended the festivities and generously showering him with gifts and attention. Dressed in a little suit he charmed the socks off everyone during a wonderful celebration to mark the end of an incredible – and absolutely life-changing – year for both Katherine and me!

Celebrating Charlie’s first birthday at Deer Park Cafe

The quintessential African sunset with baobab silhouette on Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in Zimbabwe

The month of May got off to a rollicking start with a weeklong safari to two of Southern Africa’s top safari lodges.  Accompanied by fellow Passage to Africa private guide, Richard Coke, we led a Texan family on a highly enjoyable weeklong Singita safari.

The cliff-top view from Singita Pamushana Lodge

The trip kicked off at Singita Pamushana (www.singita.com/pamushana-lodge/) on the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in Zimbabwe. Managed by the not-for-profit Malilangwe Trust, the wildlife-rich private reserve is an extraordinary wilderness area adjoining the Gonarezhou National Park in southeastern Zimbabwe. Amazingly, Singita Pamushana Lodge is currently the sole camp operating on this stunning 60 000 ha reserve. Like a collection of vulture nests perched along the rim of a giant rocky koppie, the lodge offers unbeatable bird’s eye views over a unique landscape peppered with rocky outcrops and a sprawling lake down below.

The wildlife viewing was top notch, especially considering it was early May and the bush was still pretty thick. Aside from plentiful elephants, white rhino and huge buffalo herds, we enjoyed memorable sightings of cheetah on the prowl and a pack of wild dog drinking from Banyan pan. Aside from game drives and a short walk tracking rhinos, there was some high quality fishing on offer in the lake below the lodge, and our team caught a few small tigers along with more tilapia than they knew what to do with!

Our private charter Pilatus PC-12’s made for easy travel and turned a few heads wherever we went

Giraffe chewing on a shoulder bone

From Pamushana we flew back to South Africa and Singita’s flagship Lebombo Lodge (www.singita.com/lebombo-lodge/). This world-renowned safari lodge boasts fifteen loft-style suites on a 14 000 hectare, exclusive-use concession deep inside the Kruger National Park. Built above the N’wanetsi River in the east of the park, Singita Lebombo stares out across the stream and onto an undulating savannah-woodland landscape that stretches across the unfenced border and into neighbouring Mozambique.  Imaginative wood, steel and organic interiors – all encased in glass – provide a stylish and modern feel to the luxurious Lebombo suites, which make the most of their lofty positions overlooking the river.

The basalt plains to the north of the lodge are well-known for their lion concentrations and it wasn’t long before we came across a coalition of four males resting up after devouring a waterbuck. Mating lions the following morning and a visit to a rocky hyena den were other highlights, but nothing could match the grand finale of watching a female cheetah stalk and take down an impala on our last evening drive: a great end to a wonderful week in the African wilderness.

An alert female cheetah surveys her surrounds to ensure no other predators sneak in and steal her kill

During a very hectic and intense second term on the MBA, there was only limited time available for undertaking photojournalism assignments. In amongst all the schoolwork and exams, I managed to keep up a fairly gruelling trail running schedule in order to maintain my sanity! The beautiful and brutal Heldeberg Challenge was followed by a perennial favourite, the Old Fisherman’s Trail Challenge, but the highlight of June was undoubtedly snagging an entry to the fourth edition of the Grootvadersbosch Trail Challenge (www.quantumadventures.co.za/2013/09/12/grootvadersbosch-trail-run/).

Dad’s biggest fan and trail running supporter

Taking place in the wonderfully wild and diverse Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve and adjoining Boosmansbos Conservancy, this magical two-day trail run is synonymous with everything genuine trail runners wish for: natural beauty, pristine wilderness, no other people, and lots of flowing single track. Located right on Cape Town’s doorstep, it is a virtually unknown tract of Western Cape wilderness that eclipsed even my wildest expectations.

But don’t just take my word for it, the fact that the organisers of both the Otter African Trail Run and African X – two of South Africa’s premier trail events – chose to come and run Grootvadersbosch this year should convince you that this is a truly special place. So if you live in the Cape and enjoy trail running, hiking or simply spending time in nature, then be sure to check out my latest Do It Now feature on this incredible World Heritage Site: https://www.stevecunliffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DIN-Grootvadersbos-Trail-Run-Final.pdf

Running wild on the mountainous trails of the spectacular Grootvadersbosch World Heritage Site

The African X takes trail runners on a three-day off-road adventure from Sir Lowry’s Pass to Bot River

In mid-March, the Groenlandberg Mountains – just outside of Cape Town – reverberated to the sound of more than a thousand feet pounding along pristine mountain tracks, as 275 two-runner teams went head to head during the three-day ProNutro African X Trail Run. While the vast majority of teams took part for the sheer pleasure of running wild along some of the Western Cape’s finest nature trails, the event also attracted the veritable who’s who of South African trail running and the battle for African X supremacy proved a tightly contested affair. When the dust finally settled, it was the unstoppable team of AJ Calitz and Bernie Rakudza that triumphed over defending champions Michael Bailey and Ben Brimble, who in turn relegated the Salomon pairing of Kane Reilly and Thabang Madiba to third spot on the podium.

Running wild through the Groenlandberg foothills

It would be wrong to talk about the ProNutro African X event (www.africanx.co.za) without mentioning the dedicated Stillwater Sports team that organise and host this world-class event each year. Chatting to other runners out on the trail, everyone was in unanimous agreement that African X is considerably more than ‘just another trail race.’ Thumping tunes and tireless race announcers greeted us each time we trundled into one of the well-stocked replenishment stations strung out at regular intervals along the route. The logistics boggle the mind, yet the water tables were always staffed by a bevy of enthusiastic young volunteers who looked as genuinely thrilled as the rest of us to be out and about in the mountains.

With outstanding attention to detail, the African X experience is characterised by a professional, relaxed and friendly vibe. The facilities at Houw Hoek Inn (the event HQ) are excellent with a battery of hot showers, cold craft beers, professional sports massages, excellent medical support, top-notch security and absolutely delicious food. Exuding an intoxicating combination of challenge and fun, the African X is – in my humble opinion – hands down the most well-organised and exciting multi-stage trail race currently taking place in the wilds of South Africa.

Check out https://www.stevecunliffe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Do-It-Now-African-X-Trail-Run.pdf for the full feature article on this incredible event.

Exploring the self-guided Bossie Hiking Trail within the scenically spectacular Karoo National Park

After a demanding first term on the full-time MBA programme, it was with much excitement (and some relief) that we took a five-day family excursion up the N1 to explore the little known Karoo National Park near Beaufort West. The Great Karoo is a vast and unforgiving landscape with the Karoo National Park (http://www.sanparks.org.za/parks/karoo/) standing out as the crown jewel of this sprawling, semi-arid wilderness.

The endemic Cape Mountain Zebra

Dominated by the lofty Nuweveld Mountains and fringed by undulating plains, the park is home to a fascinating variety of specially adapted fauna and flora that is ideally suited to surviving in the Karoo’s harsh conditions. Wanting to restore the Karoo Park to its former glory, SANParks has re-introduced a number of locally extinct species to their former ranges, including lion, brown hyena, black rhino and Cape mountain zebra. Game drives and guided walks in the company of an armed and knowledgeable ranger were the order of the day for exploring the wide-open natural expanses of the reserve.

During our stay we made use of one of the park’s eight Cape Dutch style family units, comprising two en suite bedrooms (three beds in each), a fully equipped kitchen and dining room (although breakfast at the Salt & Pepper Restaurant is included) and a veranda with braai, comfy sofas and some incredible mountain views.

Each evening as the sun sank behind the hills and the light softened, setting the endless Karoo canvas ablaze with glorious hues of orange and crimson, we would light the braai fire and crack open a couple of Windhoek Draughts, toasting our good fortune at being able to recharge our city stressed souls amidst such stunning natural beauty. There’s no denying the picturesque Karoo National Park is a special place.

The Karoo Rest Camp nestles in a pretty mountain valley looking onto the rugged Nuweveld Mountains

Family photo from my little sister Michelle’s Disney-themed 21st birthday celebration in Franschhoek

After bringing in the New Year with family at Angala Boutique Hotel (www.angala.co.za) in Franschhoek, we returned to Cape Town and started to gear up for a BIG 2014. After much deliberation, I decided to take the plunge and accepted my offer to study a full-time MBA at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (www.gsb.uct.ac.za). With UCT’s MBA programme moving up the Financial Times international rankings to an impressive 59th place, there is no denying the prestige attached to Africa’s premier MBA qualification. My interest is specifically in the sustainability stream that the Graduate School of Business offers as part of its MBA course electives bouquet.

Maria and Charlie

The demands of this intensive year-long masters programme will no doubt necessitate big changes to my photojournalism assignments schedule as well as on the home front. After four months of maternity leave, Katherine has gone back to working half-days and is bravely keeping the family ship afloat, while Maria – Charlie’s devoted nanny – has quickly become part of the furniture and an indispensible member of the family. There is absolutely no way I could make this busy year work without the support of my fantastic wife as well as Maria’s help with caring for Charlie and keeping the apartment ship-shape.

It’s also been great to have my sister, Carolyn, brother-in-law, Jean-Marc, and nephew, Dom, back from the UK and staying in Cape Town for the summer. Their timely return to the fairest Cape has given Charlie an opportunity to get to know his older cousin during some fun-filled beach days and lazy picnics for the boys at Kirstenbosch.

Charlie – being the chilled-out little kid that he is – seems to adapt surprisingly easily to new situations, fitting in effortlessly with our adventurous lifestyle. Whether he’s dancing to Freshly Ground at a Kirstenbosch sunset concert or climbing Table Mountain with us, the little guy seems to really enjoy himself.  Not bad for someone who is just six months old!

Charlie with his cousin Dom on Clifton beach

On the photojournalism side of things, I’ve had to scale back my magazine assignments quite dramatically to free up my schedule to accommodate a fairly hectic and heavy MBA workload. However, despite a mountain of school work, I’ve managed to squeeze in a couple of exciting short assignments…

The first is a three-day escape during mid-March to take part in and write about the African X trail run (www.africanx.co.za) that takes place in the mountains above Houw Hoek Inn just outside of Cape Town. This adventure sports assignment will be followed by a five-day family excursion to check out the Karoo National Park (www.sanparks.org.za/parks/karoo/) during late-April. At this stage my final assignment is lined up for the first week in May and it’s a Passage to Africa privately guided safari (www.passagetoafrica.com/privately_guided_safaris) to sample the top Singita lodges in South Africa’s Lowveld and across the border into Zimbabwe. This will be my first foray into privately guided safaris since joining the Passage team as a partner guide (www.passagetoafrica.com/team/stephen-cunliffe) late last year and I look forward to working more closely with them on both African and Asian safari itineraries in the future.

So with plenty to look forward to during a busy start to the year, watch this space for further updates on how things pan out over the course of an action-packed 2014…

Cunliffe family photo taken at the Freshly Ground sunset concert on a summery Sunday evening