Private tour in Johannesburg Lesley O
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Lesley O.
4.9
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307
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I love my country passionately and have always had a deep-seated interest in all it holds, especially its history and wildlife. South Africa is blessed with the most incredible variety and richness of landscape, flora, fauna and people. There is nothing I enjoy more than showing this bounty to visitors and giving my guests an insight into my world. I enjoy one-on-one communication, discussing points of interest raised by the guests. I always customize the itinerary to suit special interests, and am quite happy to change things to suit during the tour, provided no pre-bookings have been made. My special interest is wildlife, and therefore I have trained as a field guide as well as a tour guide. This allows me to add depth to any tour, but especially the Nature tours. I strive to deliver a quality, personal touring experience. No matter whether historical, cultural or natural, the journey is both unique and unforgettable. I have lived in South Africa most of my life, and have been resident in the Gauteng area for 50 years. I have a passion for history and the natural world and enjoy sharing my knowledge with others. I have a personal interest in ornithology (that's birds!) and trips to suit those with a special interest in birds and birding can be arranged with the greatest of pleasure. I believe that every place has a story. As a guide, I strive to tell such stories in an interesting and informative way. Visiting the setting around which the story evolved brings a feeling of reality to the events. Whether visiting a museum or exploring a game reserve, on a day trip or on a long journey to the lesser-known parts of the country, I plan my routes through interesting areas imparting as much local knowledge as possible along the way. Many visitors want to see where and how local people live, so I take the back routes rather than flying past on the highways. Wherever possible, I vary my return route so as to enjoy as much of this beautiful country as possible. I do not have set itineraries. I tailor each tour to suit the client - from the food to the route, the places and the people. The museum may be the same, but the route we take and what we see along the way will be planned according to the client's interests ensuring a unique, personal experience. Registered South African Tourist Guide for Gauteng, North-West and Mpumalanga provinces. Field Guide registered with Field Guide Association of South Africa. Field Guides are essentially Game Rangers, proficient to take tourists through Nature and Game Reserves.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Lesley O.
The early sun lights the waving grasslands of the nature reserve as we travel past a variety of wildlife to the Umsuka Science Hub. Nowhere else in the world can visitors have such unfettered access to experts in the fields of palaeoanthropology and palaeontology. We stop briefly at a viewpoint where we can appreciate the geological forces that shaped the surrounding area. Down through treed valleys to the Gladysvale dig site and the caves yielding a variety of discoveries. We experience the sights, sounds and smells of the African landscape as we reflect on the millennia of history locked in the surrounding rocks, waiting to be revealed. Malapa site leaves one spellbound at the confluence of events leading to this discovery. Hear the story resulting in this discovery before enjoying the remainder of the drive to Motsetse site. Please Note that the scientists are on site during the week only, not on weekends.
- Pickup time - 06h45 near O R Tambo airport. - We drive to the Cradle Nature Reserve and visit the Malapa Museum - about 1 hr. - The Palaeo+ Tour starts at 09h00 with a specialist site guide and lasts about 4.5-5 hrs. - We visit Umsuka Science Hub. - We stop at a lookout point illustrating the geology of the area and a sinkhole in the process of forming. - We visit Gladysvale Cave to see the cave, fossils in the breccia and the lime kiln - We visit Malapa Dig Site - We visit the Motsetse Dig Site - We can the visit Sterkfontein Caves and Museums OR the Sterkfontein Museums only and Maropeng OR Maropeng only. - We return to the drop-off point. A later start time means doing the museum after the tour and less can be done at Sterkfontein and Maropeng. PLEASE NOTE: Price varies depending on number of people. If your party is more than 2 please contact me for a custom tour.. See the Cradle of Humankind Tour with or without Lesedi Cultural Village, Classic Cradle Tour or Human Origins Tour for further options.
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I use an 8-seater Volkswagen Microbus. This vehicle is high off the ground offering good visibility. It is air-conditioned. My preferred maximum group size is 5, but I can take 7.
Johannesburg, South Africa
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If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a 20% deposit!
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