South Africa’s VOETSPORE team journeys from Gansbaai to Gabon
South Africa’s VOETSPORE team journeys from Gansbaai to Gabon
The Voetspore team of 6 involved in last years Cape Town to Kilimanjaro-Kilimanjaro to Cairo expedition is at it again!
This year the Team journeyed from Gansbaai-bay of geese; one of the southern tips of south Africa, through the Kalahari desert, the Namibian West, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo up until Gabon.
Armed with Nissan 4×4 vehicles*, the team wound its way through one of the continent’s most unforgiving terrains battling anything from Angola’s notorious Ninja gang, to driving through one of the biggest rainforests in the world.
The team’s journey goes to Gabon, popularly coined Africa’s Last Eden. At the Loango National Park, with the hospitality of Africa’s Eden, they encounter forest elephants, forest buffalos, red river hogs and slender-snouted crocodiles which make up part of the fauna in one of Africa’s least known yet environmentally pristine locations.
The epic journey of the Voetspore team to Gabon, São Tomé & Príncipe can be viewed on the SABC 2 channel on Friday March 20, March 27, April 3 at 18:00. Reruns air on Wednesday May 27, June 3 and June 19 at 14:30. For details, see below.
* In Loango National Park, they had to exchange their 4×4 for a boat, as roads are few and rivers are numerous!
Voetspore’s journey was supported by Africa’s Eden (demo.africas-eden.com), a tour operator and ground operator, with its own accommodations in west central Africa. Africa’s Eden arranges exclusive trips to Loango National Park in Gabon and the islands of São Tomé & Príncipe, and recently also the Dzanga-Sangha Reserve in the Central African Republic.
Voetspore Episodes coming up on South African National Television…
| Episode | Title | Airing | Summary |
| 24 | São Tomé | Friday,
March 27, 18:00, SABC 2 |
The Voetspore team flies over to Sao Tome, about 250 kilometer from the mainland. When Portugese explorers discovered Sao Tome and Principe in the 15th century, these islands – located on the equator – were uninhabited. Here the established a roaring cacao and coffee trade. Today this trade is barely alive but what remained is signs of past splendour. |
| 25 | Príncipe | Friday,
April 3, 18:00, SABC2 |
Bom Bom, the resort on the island Príncipe, is one of the primary fishing locations in the world. It’s a beautiful island with exotic plants and exquisite birdlife. But the team was at Bom Bom to fish. In one day, they managed to hook eleven marlins! What an experience. |
| 21 – Repeat | Slender nosed crocodiles & Gorillas | Friday,
May 13, 14:30, SABC 2 |
Gabon is known for its exotic animal species… The team visits Loango National Park, and during a trip down one of the many rivers they encouter the slender-nose crocodiles. They also visit a church, designed and built by the French engineer Gustav. |
| 22 – Repeat | Elephants | Friday May 20, 14:30, SABC 2 |
Gabon, located on the equator, is a country with one of the densest forests in the world. In these forests, the Voetspore team found the forest elephant. The elephants are smaller than the African elephant and their shoulders a bit lower than their backs, which enables them to move through the dense forests. The team went in search of these wonderful creatures, and at the same time also witnessed an amazing birdlife. |
| 23 – Repeat | Red River Hogs | Wednesday May 27, 14:30, SABC 2 |
The Voetspore team is exploring Loango National Park. In this park there are water buffalo and red river hogs that the team have never seen before. After a night’s camping on the beach, they see these strange hogs the next morning on the beach,looking for roots and chasing crabs. A wonderful sight. |
| 24 – Repeat | Sao Tome | Wednesday
June 3, 14:30, SABC 2 |
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| 25 – Repeat | Principe | Wednesday June 19, 14:30,
SABC 2, |