This was one of the Durban Day Safari Tour off the cruise ships the “Astor” which had come from Australia and was 40 days long makings its way up the western coast of Africa to England. With these large ships you never know who you will be collecting off the ship and it was good to collect a fit young family of the Astor.
The Astor cruise ship.
The Astor Cruise ship arrives in Durban 15th April 2014
We are very lucky to be based in Durban as the harbour brings in these huge ships like the Astor for a few months each year. This always give us a chance to show off our beautiful province of KwaZulu-Natal and Durban to our clients. The main Safari Tours you can do from Durban harbour in a Day are a Durban Day Safari Tour to the Valley of 1000 Hills, Phezulu; Zulu Cultural village and reptile park, Tala Private game reserve and of course the City of Durban.
After this Astor Ship got settled into the Durban harbour the slow process of port control took place and then eventually I met my clients and we began our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve and Phezulu Safari Park for the Zulu Cultural experience and Reptile park.
On Route I tried to cover bits of the History of the area of Durban but really it is very rushed but I hope the clients felt like they got enough to return again for a longer Durban Safari Tour.
After about 45 Minutes we were in Tala private game reserve and we had a very easy time of it as the density of animals is so high that it makes my job very easy. This I actually told the clients! It later back fired for a bit as I battled to find the Giraffe but eventually we got them before we had to leave Tala.
Our first sighting in Tala Private game reserve on this Durban Day Safari Tour was Rhino, Blessbok, Impala, Wildebeest and Zebra all together…
White Rhinos of Tala Game reserve with Zebra in the back ground on our Durban Day Safari Tour
White Rhinos of Tala Game reserve with Zebra in the back ground on our Durban Day Safari Tour
As you can see by the above picture there is a high density of animals which makes for great chances of good photos like this one on a Durban Day Safari Tour.
These were the female white Rhinos with there calves, the females have longer thinner horns than the males as the males have concentrated growth around the base of the horn to keep it strong when they fight for dominance or for mating rights. Males horns tend to be shorter and thicker.
As we crawled forward a few meters we came across these beautiful Blessbok.
Blessbok on our Durban Day Safari Tour of Tala game reserve
They were real posers which always helps on the Durban Day Safari Tours as they are so short. The weather at this point was so beautiful and almost clear blue skys buts slowly the clouds closed in and the day Safari Tour became darker with a little drizzle of rain before we left Tala private game reserve for Phezulu Safari park.
Next on the agenda was the beautiful Plains Zebra which eventually stuck a pose for us!
Plains Zebra in Tala private game reserve on our Durban Day Safari Tour
At this point our Durban Day Safari Tour was looking very good we even spotted a couple of lovely male Kudu with one having big curly horns being a full grown adult male. The weather Gods we playing ball and so were the animals. We had see Ostrich as well as Warthogs which you will see below. Our Safari Day Tour from Durban was turning out great!
Warthogs grazing on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala game reserve
Warthogs grazing on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala game reserve
These Warthogs were down on there knees thanking God for there food and enjoying what was left of the green grass as our winter had crept in. The females have just one set of warts by the eyes where the males have 2 sets one which is lower down by the jaw line. This picture was a mother with her 2 piglets.
As we continued on our Durban Day Safari Tour we came across a better photo opportunity with a Blue Wildebeest and we snapped away!
Blue Wildebeest resting on our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala game reserve
After heading down to the Dam where the Hippos were resting in the water the rain arrived but it was a soft rain and stopped after a few minutes. We then had one major mission to achieve and that was to find the Giraffe. Now I know Tala game reserve roads like the back of my hand and geez did these giraffe give me a small headache, but eventually we found the just before we were about to leave for Phezulu safari Park.
Male giraffe eating off a Scented thorn acacia at Tala Private game reserve on our Durban day Safari Tour.
Giraffe on our Durban day Safari tour to Tala game reserve
This lovely male giraffe was feeding off one of my favourite trees the Acacia Nilotica – Scented thorn. This time of the year the seed pods are fresh and sweet. Finally we had found them an the mission had been successful. We now could depart from Tala game reserve for Phezulu Safari Park for the Zulu Cultural village Tour and the Reptile park Tour. Our Durban safari tour had just begun.
The 45 minute scenic drive through the valley of 1000 hills home originally to the Debe people a cannibalistic black African tribe was beautiful. The rain had lifted and the view over the valley of 1000 hills was amazing.
As we neared Phezulu Safari Park the view of the valley of 1000 hills was gone, but not for long.
We first began at the reptile park after a look over the valley of 1000 hills behind the restaurant. The rain began to fall again lightly and slowly got heavier by the time we had finished with Big Nile crocodiles and moved onto the Snake the heavens opened and we were lucky to find shelter next to the snake enclosures. The rain abated and we continued looking at some of the most deadly snakes in the world like the Black Mamba/Green Mamba, Cape cobra, Boomslang and Puff Adder.
After finishing up here we headed across to the curio shop before beginning the Zulu Cultural village experience and Zulu Traditional dancing. They dancers were brilliant as usual and Im sure they clients took some great memories of the Zulu Nation back with them.
Phezulu Safari Park at the Zulu Cultural village overlooking the valley of 1000 hills on our durban day safari tour
Phezulu Safari Park at the Zulu Cultural village overlooking the valley of 1000 hills on our Durban day safari tour
Our Zulu Cultural village experience ended with the beats of drums and some great dancing before a quick look into the Zulu traditional huts to see how the Zulus live.
Our Durban Day Safari Tour was fast approaching its end and we headed back to the Astor Cruise ship stopping to get some water from the shops.
Final questions were answered on the drive back to the Astor cruise ship and we then arrived at the dock said our farewells and that was the end of our Durban Day Safari Tour to Tala private game reserve and Phezulu Safari park via the valley of 1000 hills.
For more information on this great Durban Safari Tour click the links on “Durban Safari Tours”
