Joan

I am planning a trip to South Africa. I really don't want to spend any more time then I can help around Johannesburg because of the crime.However the De Wildt Centre for Cheetah sounds very good. Does anyone know of it? Would it be worth the extra day to go to it?<BR> Thanks a lot

tracy

I'm guessing you've already checked out their site: dewildt.org.za? Everyone I speak to who has visited has been inspired by the work they do and I recommend that you make the effort. If you have not made any arrangements to visit a game reserve as yet you may want to check out Tshukudu. They run a personalised and highly successful animal rehab programme for WILD animals. Very few routings in SA mean that you can avoid Jhb totally so maybe make the best of it. And the crime is not all that bad - like any city there are good and bad areas, and if you follow common sense you will be fine.

local

I can unfortunately only confirm the Centre's website: www.dewildt.org.za. I do not think it is worth a whole day's visit but I have not yet been there so I do not know.<BR><BR>The Centre is close to Hartebeespoort where they have a very large open air souvenir area with wooden carvings, etc.<BR><BR>Somewhere that I also have not been to but that palaeontologists, etc find amazing is the "cradle of humankind" which suggest that humankind first appeared in this neck of the woods. Website is www.cradleofhumankind.co.za.<BR><BR>The Lion Park near to Krugersdorp and Gold Reef City.<BR><BR>Sun City and the very good Pilanesberg nature reserve is about an hour and a half by car from Jhb. Pretoria is just 60 km north of Jhb but, depending on the traffic, can take you an hour to get there.<BR><BR>There is another thread here that talks about SA (Jhb) with kids where there are more ideas of places to visit.<BR><BR>Enjoy your trip!!

Lynda Howland

Joan:<BR> Yes, I know the place quite well as I have visited there twice, the last time about a year ago. It's well worth the trip. DeWildt does cheetah breeding, and has lots of cheetahs to see. They'll give you a lecture on cheetahs and their programs. You can walk to some of the areas where the cheetahs are. Then they take you around on a wagon for a mini-safari, and you can observe them feeding some of the wild cheetahs. There are also a lot of other interesting animals there. Their web site is dewildt.org.za I have an e-mail address that I used two years ago [email protected] I'm not sure if it's still a working address.<BR> As of a year ago, then were open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. They have tours at 8:30 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. (That schedule might have changed.) You have to have reservations to go there, and they do get booked up. When we went last year, the cost was about $12.<BR> Both times we went, I hired a local man to take us there as we didn't have transportation. I could give you his name and phone number if you are interested in contacting him.<BR> There is also another cheetah breeding center in Outsdhorn (spelling?) - think its called Conga Center or something like that. It is more like a zoo, with crocs, lions, etc. But they do breed cheetahs, and you can go into the area where they are and pet them. It was very touristy, but I did enjoy it.<BR> Let me know if you want more information.<BR>Lynda Howland

bon

there is a cheetah breeding center at Spier which is near Franschoek outside cape town. Spier have a website and there may be information there.