Last weekend we went on a journey to Bavians Kloof, with our friend, African Wilderness tour guide, Bruce Kietzman.
It was a three day trip that included several hundred kilometers through mountainous, forest, scrub and arid terrain,
a visit to a recently discovered Cave with Bushman wall paintings that are well over six thousand years old, and a
walk on the wild-side with Cheetahs at the Modgaji Reserve.
Our trip was one of pleasure and business; together with Bruce we intend next year to bring volunteers from Japan, to hike this spectacular region
to plant trees in a green corridor which include the 3800 hectare Modgaji Reserve.

Next year, the Modgaji Conservation and Rehabilitation Reserve will be expanded to 5000 hectares, enough land to support six Cheetahs as they are rehabilitated
into the wild, and needs more Acacia Trees to provide a better habitat for the animals on the reserve, especially the Giraffes, who nibble on their leaves.

The Modgaji Cheetahs have been orphaned or captive bred and have no experience in the wild, so Volunteers at the reserve have to play the role of parents,
teaching the animals to hunt. This means walks every day for the Cheetahs and to help cover this cost, visitors are encouraged to donate for this walking activity.

With several volunteers we set off into the bush with two Cheetahs and for the next two hours joined them on their hunt for food.
It was not too hot, so the hike was very pleasant, and the scenery was vast. The Cheetahs were led to hill tops
with commanding views where they sit, looking for lunch. Its a quintessential African scene, a big cat, beneath an Acacia Tree, scanning the surrounds, hungry, alert.
These Cheetahs have to be taught these simple things that will help them to survive in the wild. This day only distant Springboks, Kudo,
and various small deers could be seen, but they were far away, so the Cheetahs were led through the bush until they hunted down
a small deer known as a Daika, which they were not allowed to eat on the spot, as it is next to impossible to bring them back to their pen after a big meal.

No telephoto lens needed for this close up picture
It was a surprisingly relaxing day. The pace was calm, the experience magical and the only sounds were the sounds of nature.
Walking with Cheetahs, what a thrill! One time, we sat ten meters from a Cheetah and his observation post, when he turned
and looked directly at me, and then walked surely exactly to where I sat. He came so close that he literally stepped over my feet.
Konomi thought this close encounter was the most memorable part of the day – me too.

On the way back to the very nice accommodation the Modgaji owners had provided freely for our stay,
Konomi was overjoyed to see a small herd of Giraffe, silhouetted on the crest of a hill, munching Acacia Trees.