Blind and partially sighted travellers have plenty on offer in South Africa. From bush trails to cultural experiences, fauna and flora, the country is packed full of unique sensory experiences. Sighted people, too, will enjoy many of the same amenities.
South African National Parks offers touch trails specifically designed for the enjoyment of blind lovers of the outdoors. The Karoo National Park's Fossil Braille Trail depicts the geology and palaeontology of the Great Karoo and has Braille board inscriptions, as well as a taped commentary for visitors with cassette players.
The 400m route has fine examples of petrified trees and various fossils, which blind travellers are encouraged to touch.
Another option is the Namaqua Sensory Trail in Namaqua National Park, home to more than 3 500 plant species and, in springtime, carpets of wild daisies. Berg en Dal rest camp in southern Kruger National Park boasts the 600m Rhino Trail with Braille boards and, in the Eastern Cape, Addo Elephant National Park offers the PPC Discovery Trail, where visitors follow a boardwalk, fenced off from dangerous wildlife, and touch various plants and succulents.
In the Western Cape, near Bredasdorp, De Hoop Nature Reserve has easy walks through the reserve.
Marloth Nature Reserve, near Swellendam, also offers a range of day hikes of average difficulty and in the Goukamma Nature Reserve, near Buffelsbaai in the Western Cape, hikers can take short, easy walks along the lake. Near Grabouw in the majestic Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserve is the Palmiet Trail, six kilometres long with log-tapping rails.
Lamietberg Nature Reserve, in the Paarl winelands area, has various trails to choose from, rated both difficult and easy. The quiet seaside town of Stanford offers day walks in the Salmonsdam Nature Reserve, all of average difficulty and perfectly suited to blind visitors.
Forest trails are popular in the Knysna area along the splendid Garden Route. Traversing indigenous forest is the Harkerville Trail through state forest, as well as the Garden of Eden trail, which is a short circular walk.
Near Durban, the Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve has a 600m-long trail especially designed for blind and deaf hikers - and there are picnic spots en route. Kamberg Nature Reserve, near Pietermaritzburg, has a grassed trail with handrails flanking a rushing river.
In Mpumalanga, blind travellers can experience the other-worldly Bourke's Luck Potholes on the Lichen Trail. This 180m trail near Graskop has wide pathways and audiotapes for blind walkers. Horse-riding enthusiasts are well catered for in the historical town of Pilgrim's Rest, though prior arrangement is necessary.
Near Vryburg in the Free State, the Leon Taljaard Nature Reserve offers a true hiking experience. A 30km trek over two days, it is rated average in difficulty. Shorter options are also available on this circular De Grot hike, with the opportunity to overnight at a hut or campsite.
Just south of Cape Town are the famous Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, with more than 2 000 plants - including fynbos, the Cape's indigenous floral kingdom. While many paths meander through the gardens, a special Braille trail and fragrance garden will be of particular appeal.
Guided tours are available on request. A tearoom, restaurant and coffee bar are also on site, and in summer the gardens become a venue for Sunday-evening open-air concerts. Just bring along a picnic basket. The Witwatersrand National Botanical Gardens have paved walkways and Pretoria's National Botanical Garden is another must-do.
In the Western Cape town of Worcester you will find the Karoo National Botanical Garden, home to succulents and other unusual plant species and several short walks perfectly suited to blind visitors. There is also a Braille trail here, with explanatory labels in both the blind script and large print.
At the opposite end of South Africa are the Lowveld Botanical Gardens, in Nelspruit, again offering visitors a completely different array of indigenous plants. Walkways are paved and plants labelled.
The National Zoo in Pretoria runs customised night tours for blind and deaf wildlife lovers (by prior arrangement). Johannesburg Zoo offers special tours for blind and deaf visitors, also requiring advance notice.
At the Elephant Sanctuary, close to both Johannesburg and Pretoria, visitors can experience elephants up close and personal. In Cape Town the massive and impressive Two Oceans Aquarium has a touch pool, where visitors can feel starfish.
The vibrant rhythm of Africa is nowhere more evident than at the famous Drum Cafés, in South Africa's main cities as well as along the Garden Route. It's a fine way to spend an evening getting in touch with traditional Africa.
Lesedi Cultural Village, just outside Johannesburg, offers guests traditional food, music and dance, with the option of overnighting in a traditional African mud hut.
McFarlane Safaris is the first South African tour operator to offer a full tour package designed specifically for blind travellers. The 11-day safari, exploring the highlights of the Cape, Garden Route, Drakensberg and Lowveld, as well as the Kruger National Park, is an unmatched sensory experience.
From wine tasting to the sounds and smells of the fishing village of Hout Bay, to tasting traditional beer in a township, feeling the spray of the Lone Creek waterfall, touching birds of prey and walking with elephants - South Africa offers the sensorily deprived so much more.
For more information:
Karoo National Park Fossil Braille Trail, tel: 023-415-2828, website: www.sanparks.co.za
Namaqua National Park Sensory Trail, tel: 027-672-1948, website: www.sanparks.co.za
Kruger National Park Rhino Trail: tel, 013-735-6106/735 4000,
website: www.sanparks.co.za
McFarlane Safaris, tel: 015-793-3000
Addo Elephant National Park PPC Discovery Trail, tel: 042-233-0556, website: www.sanparks.co.za
De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, tel: 028-542-1126.
Marloth Nature Reserve, Swellendam, Western Cape, tel: 0291-4410.
Goukamma Nature Reserve, Buffelsbaai, Western Cape, tel: 0445- 830-042.
Palmiet Trail, Grabouw, Western Cape, phone: 021-886-6543, www.capenature.org.za
Lamietberg Nature Reserve, Paarl, Western Cape, tel: 021-552-3689.
Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve, Paarl, Western Cape, tel: 021-863-8355.
Salmonsdam Nature Reserve, Stanford, Western Cape, tel: 0283-300-787.
Elim, Western Cape, 023-358-2013.
Harkerville Trail and Garden of Eden Trail, Knysna, tel: 0445-23-037.
Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, tel: 033-845-1000.
Kamberg Nature Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, tel: 033-347-1961.
Lichen Trail, Graskop, Mpumalanga, tel: 013-769-6019.
Horse-riding in Pilgrim's Rest, Mpumalanga, tel: 013-768-1261.
Leon Taljaard Nature Reserve, Free State, tel: 053-928-2200.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, tel: 021-761-4916, or visit the website: www.kirstenbosch.co.za
Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden, tel: 011-958-1750, website: www.nbi.ac.za
National Botanical Gardens in Pretoria, tel: 012-804-3166 or visit website www.nbi.ac.za
Fragrance Garden at Optima Training College, Pretoria, tel: 012-346-1171.
Lowveld Botanical Gardens in Nelspruit, tel: 013-752-5531.
National Zoo, Pretoria, tel: 012-328-3265.
Johannesburg Zoo, tel: 011-646-2000.
Elephant Sanctuary, tel: 012-258-0423, or visit the sanctuary's own website, whose address is: www.elephantsanctuary.co.za
Two Oceans Aquarium, tel: 021-418-3823, or visit the website: www.aquarium.co.za
Drum Café website: www.drumcafe.com
- This article was originally published on page 6 of The Star on May 07, 2005