Our last stage: From Cape Town to Jo'Burg and the Lion & Safari Park

The final part of our South Africa trip is ahead of us. For two days, we will drive the 1400 kilometers from Cape Town to Johannesburg with our little rental car. We will spend the night halfway in Colesberg, where there is delicious and very affordable T-Bone steak and we can observe a beautiful starry sky. But that's it for highlights on the route, and we are glad when we finally arrive near Pretoria (about an hour away from Jo'Burg) on the evening of March 15th. We spontaneously booked accommodation at the small Lanseria airport, but we did not realize that there are hardly any restaurants here. After some back and forth, we finally find something, but our last evening here in South Africa was different than we had imagined.

Before we fly back to Germany on the evening of March 16th, we want to experience a piece of Africa again. So, we decide to drive to the nearby Lion & Safari Park for one last safari in South Africa. The park is known for raising many lions and other big cats. They do not live as freely here as we have experienced in other parks, but at least they have large enclosures and live together as a pride. We pass through several gates with our car and can observe the lions up close. Finally, we see a huge male lion and also some of the rare white lions. In addition, there are countless cute little lions that playfully tease each other.

In the other enclosures, we see hyenas, wild dogs, and also some cheetahs, but they are just lazily lying in the shade. Unfortunately, we do not get to see a leopard, which completes the Big 5, on this trip.

In the large part of the park without big cats, we again spot many zebras, wildebeests, antelopes, and also ostriches. Suddenly, a huge giraffe stands next to us and nibbles on a tree. We stop and observe it for a while. Then we discover 2 more large giraffes, each with a young one. The clumsy little ones cannot reach the high leaves yet and have to make do with the shrubs growing on the ground. We could watch them for hours as they wag their big ears and stroll around the area!

After a final meal at the excellent restaurant in the park and shopping for some souvenirs and snacks for home, it is unfortunately time to say goodbye so that we arrive at the airport on time.

Fortunately, the return of the rental car goes smoothly. We had been a little worried after everything we put the small car through on almost 6000 km in South Africa...

At the airport, we spend our last Rand in the small shops before boarding begins.

Dear South Africa, after 4 weeks, it is clear to us: we have to come back! Unexpectedly green, beautifully diverse landscapes; wonderful hikes; endless coastlines; the interesting, but also shocking history; adventurous paths; and last but not least, the absolutely impressive wildlife - we love it!

With this fantastic ending, our 10-month world trip comes to a (temporary) end. But our bucket list hasn't gotten any smaller... So, we are already looking forward to every future journey that awaits us and until then, we will indulge in these incredibly beautiful memories 😉✌️