Photographer: Julian Parsons   Destination: South Africa

The iconic and beautifully patterned Cheetah is our featured image of the month for May. While the Cheetah is renowned for its high bursts of speed, this month our write-up is in stark contrast to this swift feline as we slow things down a touch and put our birds and wine tours in the spotlight.

 

Cheetah sightings, such as the one pictured above, are just one of the many wildlife highlights on our ever-popular South Africa – Birds, Wine and Big Game tours. This tour laps up the Cape’s beautiful scenery and endemic birds while we also enjoy visits to a few select wineries. The food is another component to be appreciated and once again we enjoy the wine aspect. The second half of the tour spends time exploring a private game reserve in northern Zululand which is famous for Cheetah and other big game such as African Elephant, Black and White Rhinoceros, Giraffe, Lion, and Leopard. This tour was born out of our love for birding, being in the ‘bush’, enjoying experiences with big mammals and appreciating wine and good food. Needless to say, the feel-good factor is sky high with so many wonderful, relaxing elements to enjoy.

 

Besides the common ‘wine’ theme on all our birds & wine tours there is often something extra to appreciate. On our Hungary & Austria - Birds, Wine & Music tour for example we enjoy performances of classical and traditional gypsy music and visit the immaculate and history-filled cities of Vienna and Budapest.

 

Our Spain - Birds, Wine & Iberian Lynx tour traverses many beautifully scenic settings, featuring Romanesque architecture and ancient, fortified hilltop villages while the wine-making tradition spans more than 2000 years. We will also take time out to search for the most endangered feline on the planet – Iberian Lynx.

 

We also have birds and wine tours to Italy where we spend time exploring the dolomites and revelling in the rich history while our birds and wine tour to Chile & Argentina is an unforgettable experience tasting some of the regions very best wines and varietals among some of the most breathtaking Andean scenery imaginable.

 

All the above tours are designed to take things a little slower, relax and appreciate our surroundings and what we are doing. Whether it be a majestic Andean Condor soaring above the high Andes, a fleet of foot Cheetah ambling up to a waterhole for a drink, or simply enjoying the appealing nose and flavour of your Chardonnay, as you tuck into a delicious risotto, these birds and wine tours offer some truly wonderful experiences to savour.

 

Join Rockjumper today and discover more…