We started the day at the Areena Riverside Resort with their popular quad-bike game drive which was fun and adventure for the whole family. The guide taught us how to drive the semi-automatic quads and took us on a guided game drive through the reserve. The speed of the quad-bike game drive is much like that of a vehicle-driven game drive. We drove at a steady pace and that allowed us to take in the scenery and see as many game species as possible.
Our route began with a 20-minute drive that led us up to the top of the scenic abseil site on a more advanced trail. We rode through picturesque hills rolling along an ancient river course along the less travelled section of the property. Once you leave the abseil site after appreciating its breath-taking views, you will navigate even rougher terrain and go through a bamboo forest.
We were lucky enough to meet Abby, the reserve’s famous giraffe. Abby is a hand reared male Giraffe who is comfortable having humans at close proximity. He has free reign of the 350ha property that is Areena’s Private Game Reserve and of course being a rather large creature that is designed to eat off trees. He and his herd of female giraffe roam freely over a large distance browsing on a variety of trees, shrubs and bushes.
We were able to feed him and in return got his sloppy kisses.
We ended the day at the Nahoon beach where we swam and built sand castles. Nahoon beach is a surfer’s and swimmer’s paradise, and is arguably East London’s most popular beach. It is about kilometres of uncrowded and unpolluted sand and sea that produces some of the best waves, particularly at the famous Nahoon reef where surfing can be fairly tough, hence its having served as a venue for many of the national surfing competitions.
The Nahoon River mouth is not only a favourite haunt amongst fishermen and safe swimming for those a little afraid of the pounding surf, but it also provides access upstream at low tide.
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