普利登堡湾野生动物保护区(Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve)坐落在南非著名的花园大道核心地带,距离普利登堡湾镇中心只有不到15分钟的车程。这里占地大约2200公顷,是整个西开普省南部规模最大的私人保护区之一。对于那些时间有限、无法前往克鲁格国家公园,但又渴望在自然环境中亲眼目睹非洲五霸的旅行者来说,这里就是极佳的备选方案。
保护区最经典的玩法就是乘坐开放式四驱越野车进行游猎。整个行程大约持续2小时,由经验丰富的向导带领。说实话,2200公顷的面积虽然无法与大型国家公园相比,但好处是动物密度相对集中。你不需要在荒野中搜寻大半天,通常在出发后的十几分钟内就能遇到成群的长颈鹿或是正在泥潭里打滚的犀牛。向导会通过对讲机沟通动物的最新位置,确保游客能在短时间内看到尽可能多的物种。
保护区内并非所有动物都完全混居。为了保护珍稀的草食动物以及周边农场的牲畜,狮子、野狗和猎豹等掠食者被安置在围有铁丝网的半开放隔离区内。这种设计虽然减少了一些随机发现的惊喜,但却能保证你百分之百看到狮子。当你坐在敞篷车上,距离咆哮的雄狮只有几米远时,那种生理上的震撼感依然非常强烈。
保护区引以为傲的是被称为哈里家族(Harry's Herd)的大象群体。这群大象在保护区内自由漫游,经常成群结队地横穿土路,甚至会好奇地打量路边的游猎车。此外,这里也是南非重要的白犀牛保护基地。考虑到南非严峻的反盗猎形势,能在如此近距离观察这些史前巨兽在草原上静静觅食,是非常难得的体验。
如果你有一定的骑马经验,千万别错过马背游猎。这种方式允许你进入那些越野车无法抵达的深草丛或河边。更妙的是,野生动物通常不会把马背上的人类视为威胁。当你骑着马慢慢靠近斑马群或跳羚时,它们往往会继续低头吃草,而不是四散奔逃。这种完全融入自然、呼吸着泥土芬芳的体验,比坐在轰鸣的引擎车里要生动得多。
保护区内的男爵夫人旅馆(Baroness Lodge)本身就是一件古董。它的历史可以追溯到18世纪,曾是当时的开普殖民地总督约阿希姆·冯·普利登堡男爵(Baron Joachim von Plettenberg)的府邸。石质的墙壁、沉重的木门以及屋内的古旧装饰,时刻提醒着人们这座保护区的历史积淀。即使不住宿,在游猎结束后到这里喝杯咖啡或饮品,看着窗外远处隐现的齐齐卡马山脉,也是一种享受。
钱的问题得算清楚。目前单人2小时驱车游猎的价格大约在590至950兰特之间,具体取决于淡旺季和预订平台。考虑到名额有限,尤其是每天只有几个固定的班次(通常在上午10点、下午1点等),建议至少提前一天在官网或当地旅游服务台预约。另外,由于是敞篷车,即使在南非的夏季,清晨或傍晚的风也会很大,带一件结实的防风外套很有必要。
说到交通,自驾是首选。从普利登堡湾镇出发,沿着N2公路向东行驶约12公里,然后转入Wittedrift方向的碎石路即可。如果是打车前往,一定要和司机约好回程的时间,因为保护区门口很难临时叫到车。对于带着孩子的家庭,这里非常友好,保护区不仅允许幼童参加游猎,还专门设有儿童游戏区和咖啡厅,这点在南非的私人营地中并不多见。
保护区内确实拥有非洲五霸,即狮子、大象、水牛、豹和犀牛。不过豹子性格孤僻且行踪诡秘,在仅有2小时的驱车游猎中,能看到的概率相对较低,而大象、犀牛和狮子则是几乎必见的看点。
建议至少提前30分钟到达保护区的接待中心,以便完成登记和缴费手续。如果你预订的是上午10点的游猎,最好在9点半之前就坐在休息室等待,那里可以俯瞰一个小型水塘,常有水羚和鸟类出没。
马背游猎通常持续2小时,虽然向导会挑选性格温顺的马匹,但还是建议参与者具备基本的骑行基础。为了安全起见,马背游猎不会进入有狮子等肉食动物分布的隔离区,因此安全性较高,适合寻求安静体验的游客。
完全没有。普利登堡湾野生动物保护区属于无疟疾地区(Malaria Free),这也是它相比于克鲁格等北部公园最大的优势之一。带小孩或孕妇出行的家庭无需服用任何抗疟疾药物,直接放心游玩即可。
Werner Bezuidenhout We had a great 2-hour game drive with a well-informed, friendly game ranger who answered all our questions and provided useful facts about the animals. We saw all the animals in the nature reserve, except for the buffaloes. It was amazing to come so close to giraffes, a rhino and a herd of elephants who are being rehabilitated for release into the wild. We highly recommend the game drive to anyone looking for a relaxing, family friendly activity that gets you close to nature.
Rainer Hengstmann This trip was a bit of a mixed bag. I had been on the same trip some years ago and we saw many more animals, also different breeds. This year no lions or other cats, no buffalo, the last Rhino, but plenty of waterbucks, Sprinboks, a few Impalas, plenty crocodiles, one hippo, a herd of Elephants and five Giraffs. At the end of the trip we could watch hundreds of cattle storming to a dam to drink. The building inside had been prepared for great (dinner) parties, but now were emptied. We got the impression as if the place was wound up.
Per Christian Reithe Great guide who was truly enthusiastic about his job and the animals in the reserve. Got to see all the animals advertised and learn some new interesting facts too. Can really recommend it for most people apart from maybe those with really young children.
Danville Fourie A great two hour drive on the reserve with Tertius. He is a resourceful game ranger that gave a lot of information about the animals’ behavior and how they react in the wild. We saw a myriad of antelope, buffalo, hippo, rhino, elephants, crocodile, zebras, wildebeest and resident cows. The drive on the reserve was an excellent destress from city life. As mentioned, if not for Tertius’ wealth of information, the drive would have been less exciting. We saw so many animals that the cost was not even a factor. I recommend the drive at the reserve to everyone who wants to see animals up close and without the fanfare of ‘where is the big five!’
Eugene Muller Loved the drive there, but was just sad that they only have one lion as he do not have a companion. The animals here are not that wild and do not run away so you can see them from near. All the animals roam free except the one lion. No other cat species or wild dogs/hyenas.