2020-03-01_Wanderlust

wanderlust.co.uk March 2020 165

AntonWalker,AfricaSpecialistat

ImagineTravel,givesushistoptips

fortraveltoSouthAfrica...

Where to go... First-timers will want to tick o the usual

highlights – Cape Town, the Winelands and the Kruger.

For something a little di erent though, explore the wild

lowers and remote scenery of the Northern Cape or head

to KwaZulu-Natal, where you can combine the famous

battleields with hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains.

Best time to go... When to go depends on what you want

to see. For the best weather in Cape Town, travel from

November to March. For the best wildlife sightings in the

Kruger, go from June to August. For world-class whale-

watching, head to Hermanus from June to November.

Top tip... Climb to the top of Lion’s Head –

it’s less crowded than the path up Table

Mountain and you’ll enjoy views over

Cape Town that include the powerful

sight of this iconic mountain.

Insiders’guide to...

SOUTH AFRICA

Squirreledaway

(clockwisefromtop)

BratislavaForestPark

ishometoredsquirrels;

pelicanscanbespotted

onaneveningboattrip

onGreece’sPrespaLakes;

CaracolinBelizeisothe

populartouristtrail

Alamy

A WILD TIME IN SLOVAKIA

Q

On a long-ish weekend in

Bratislava, I also want to see

a bit of nature and wildlife. How

easy is it to get out of the city?

Penelope Bates, via email

A

The Slovakian capital is very

well placed for hills, rivers and

wetlands, and it’s easy to travel by

public transport or by bike.

The Little Carpathians mountain

range runs north from the Danube

river on the western edge of the

city, and their southern end is

protected by the Bratislava Forest

Park (Bratislavský Lesopark). It’s

thickly forested with beech and oak

and criss-crossed with trails, most

notably the European E8 trail along

the ridge towards the Polish border

(and on to Istanbul). Wildlife include

roe, fallow and red deer, wild boar

and red squirrel, and over 50

species of birds including saker

falcons and honey buzzards; you

may see salamanders after rain.

There are various access points,

including Lesopark (bus 43 from

the Železná Studienka station) and

Potočná, or head up to the Kamzík

TV tower (bus 203 to Koliba then

walk, or bus 144 at peak times) and

follow the ridge route northwards.

Tim Burford

in the world, and is also home to the

great white pelican, squacco heron,

pygmy cormorant and little bittern.

Take an evening boat trip to enjoy

the pelican spectacle. Late spring

is best with various herons, egrets,

terns and crakes, and the scarce

ferruginous duck breeds here.

Diverse habitats circle the lakes,

from wet and alpine meadows, to

bean cultivated farmland and pine

forests. On a hike, keep an eye out

for skulking warblers and raptors.

Fly into Thessaloniki and drive

the three-hour journey to Agios

Germanos or Psarades village,

close to the lakes. Both make an

ideal base, and have good rustic

tavernas and accommodation.

Rebecca Nason